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I bought this!
You can click on the images for a bigger view.
Note: Yes, I am aware that I complain often about being poor, having to work two jobs and so on. However, let it be known that I traded my Haro Vector for it, sold another bike I'd rehabbed and scrimped and saved all year to fulfill my promise to myself. I promised myself I would get a new bike this year. A NEW bike, set up just for me exactly how I wanted it. If anyone wants the specs on it, here they are: http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2008/road/fx/72fx/ Mine has some customizations on the handlebar set though, and also the seat. It's beautiful. And if you're not sure of the color it is sort of a champagne gold color.
Chances are there will be no real vacation for me this year. More like I'll have a staycation, and maybe I'll go ride my bike some places I have not been. I'm STILL taking my three day weekend next weekend. My Concorde is still a good bike, but in all honesty, for communting, (which I plan once I'm on full time at Job #1) it needed an overhaul and to make it just as I want it, parts that would have cost almost as much in cash as I paid for this bike after my trade in. So I think I came out the better end of the deal. The Concorde will stay with me as my trainer bike over the winter. When I start commuting, this bike will pay for itself inside a year.
What you're seeing that looks like a light on the handlebars is actually just the front reflector doing it's job with the flash. ^_^ I have not put my pannier rack on the bike yet. It's a 10 minute job, but I was busy working on getting that Kent Concordia I found up to snuff for Lexi. It's looking pretty good. It's really finished except for a minor adjustment on the rear derailleur. I think I can do that myself. We'll see. I may have to hop it down to the Village Cyclery and have John take a look at that too. I did all the rest of the conversion though. I think I can do this. Tomorrow I may post some pictures of that bike too, because even though it's a pretty old bike, it's completely overhauled and looks great.
Note: Yes, I am aware that I complain often about being poor, having to work two jobs and so on. However, let it be known that I traded my Haro Vector for it, sold another bike I'd rehabbed and scrimped and saved all year to fulfill my promise to myself. I promised myself I would get a new bike this year. A NEW bike, set up just for me exactly how I wanted it. If anyone wants the specs on it, here they are: http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2008/road/fx/72fx/ Mine has some customizations on the handlebar set though, and also the seat. It's beautiful. And if you're not sure of the color it is sort of a champagne gold color.
Chances are there will be no real vacation for me this year. More like I'll have a staycation, and maybe I'll go ride my bike some places I have not been. I'm STILL taking my three day weekend next weekend. My Concorde is still a good bike, but in all honesty, for communting, (which I plan once I'm on full time at Job #1) it needed an overhaul and to make it just as I want it, parts that would have cost almost as much in cash as I paid for this bike after my trade in. So I think I came out the better end of the deal. The Concorde will stay with me as my trainer bike over the winter. When I start commuting, this bike will pay for itself inside a year.
What you're seeing that looks like a light on the handlebars is actually just the front reflector doing it's job with the flash. ^_^ I have not put my pannier rack on the bike yet. It's a 10 minute job, but I was busy working on getting that Kent Concordia I found up to snuff for Lexi. It's looking pretty good. It's really finished except for a minor adjustment on the rear derailleur. I think I can do that myself. We'll see. I may have to hop it down to the Village Cyclery and have John take a look at that too. I did all the rest of the conversion though. I think I can do this. Tomorrow I may post some pictures of that bike too, because even though it's a pretty old bike, it's completely overhauled and looks great.
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Sucks that you can't go on a real vacation...but hey with a good bike now, you can "toodle" around all over Fairborn and the surrounding area.
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I wish you'd consider properties in rural Ohio, up in the Appalachians. It's beautiful, temperate and looks like Ireland. But it's not 14 hours away from me, and 26 hours away from where you are now, ne? hahaha. Also land costs are very low You could easily buy an acre or two of land and home kit of modular home, and be well under budget.
If you rented it's just like throwing money away. You never own it. If you're going to pay rent you may as well just get a mortgage for what you need and buy it. Your monthly payments would generally be lower than your rent anyway.
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Really if you look at the map, St. Albans Vermont is just *about* the same distance, as it is from here to you.
See...with renting I wouldn't have to worry about property taxes, upkeep of the property, insurance (other than renter insurance) etc etc. This place is nickel and dimeing me to pieces....and unless whatever property I find is in good shape, I'd lose money just trying to keep it in living condition. Don't get me wrong...I do enjoy owning my own place. But it's wearing me out!
I really can't decide one way, or the other, until I actually get THIS place sold. Oh I keep looking at places for sale, and what the renters market is like...that way I have a good idea on how things are standing in the fields overall. So it's not like I have my head buried in the sand.
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The Trek is lighter by at least a pound. I can pick it up with one hand easily. The gear ratio is more in tune with the kind of riding I do too.
I look at it this way. If I drive to work every day it's 16 miles round trip. That's 80 miles a week at 35 mpg (that's um... about 128km at 15 kmpl if I have the conversion right) I'm using about and gas is $3.50 per gallon, then I'll save $8 every week in gas just to and from work. The bike will more than pay for itself by the end of the cycling season next year. and actually, I saw some of these local freds commuting all through the winter last year in the very worst weather. I may need to invest in some good base layers for that.
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I know some people around here, too, who ride their bikes to/from work all year round. One guy only had to take transit two days last winter -- and we had a pretty snowy winter. So it's definitely doable. And think of all that fresh air! :-)
A new bike!
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You could find a rental place that rents tandems and you and your husband can take out a tandem a few times to help you learn the way the balance feels. He can captain (steer) and you can stoke (back pedals, the ones that directly go to propulsion on the beack wheel.
My mom was in her 40's when she learned to ride. Don't worry about being perfect, just have fun! ^__^