Shouldn't I be happier?

Well, I did it... I bought the Trek 520 that I've been talking about at
Chain Reaction to replace my tired commuting bike... I'm excited, can't
wait to go for a ride... but when I got home and parked it next to my
old Nishiki I just felt this overwhelming sadness. I've had many good
miles on that bike, and now I'm just going to put it in storage!

Maybe one day I'll run across some old parts that'll get it running
again without dropping too much cash.

On the positive side... the Nishiki came to life at the expense of an
old mountain bike... I'll probably take the parts back and get that
one on the road again since I've got 6 road bikes and no mountain bike!

"Rex Kerr" wrote in message
ups.com...
Well, I did it... I bought the Trek 520 that I've been talking about at
Chain Reaction to replace my tired commuting bike... I'm excited, can't
wait to go for a ride... but when I got home and parked it next to my
old Nishiki I just felt this overwhelming sadness. I've had many good
miles on that bike, and now I'm just going to put it in storage!

Maybe one day I'll run across some old parts that'll get it running
again without dropping too much cash.

On the positive side... the Nishiki came to life at the expense of an
old mountain bike... I'll probably take the parts back and get that
one on the road again since I've got 6 road bikes and no mountain bike!

I shouted myself an expensive new touring bike a few months ago, but I just
can't give up my old one. In fact I prefer it - not even sure why I bought
the new one now.

I shouted myself an expensive new touring bike a few months ago, but I
just can't give up my old one. In fact I prefer it - not even sure why I
bought the new one now.

I had a bona fide touring bike for years that was perfect--if I were about 6
feet tall. It had a 23" frame, which makes it, what, 59 cm? It was always
'way too tall for me, but I didn't know any better. Now that I have one with
a smaller frame, I still didn't want to give up the old one!

Pat

Rex Kerr wrote:
Well, I did it... I bought the Trek 520 that I've been talking about at
Chain Reaction to replace my tired commuting bike... I'm excited, can't
wait to go for a ride... but when I got home and parked it next to my
old Nishiki I just felt this overwhelming sadness. I've had many good
miles on that bike, and now I'm just going to put it in storage!

Chronic crowding in my garage (five bikes [1] and one car) has just
about persuaded me that it's time to toss my veteran 1973 Astra 10-speed.
I've had that bike through thick and thin, ridden it in places from El
Paso to Edmonton, towed my first trailer with it, had all kinds of fun on
it.
But next time the city puts one of those big open-top dumpsters out in
my neighborhood, "Henry" [2] is going. What finally persuaded me that his
time had come was riding the other two bikes, and then getting aboard the
old warhorse and comparing condition, fit, and handling. I'll miss the
old steed, but the new bikes will ease the pain.


Bill


[1] Three mine, two my kids'.

[2] My bikes are named after American conservationists: Henry is named
for Thoreau, and commuter bike Waldo for Emerson. I had intended to name
my newest bike Leopold, after Aldo. (Aldo and Waldo being just a little
too close.) But this bike is so--zonal--with its silver paint and black
accessories, that I ended up naming him Ansel.

wrote:
Rex Kerr wrote:
Well, I did it... I bought the Trek 520 that I've been talking about at
Chain Reaction to replace my tired commuting bike... I'm excited, can't
wait to go for a ride... but when I got home and parked it next to my
old Nishiki I just felt this overwhelming sadness. I've had many good
miles on that bike, and now I'm just going to put it in storage!

Chronic crowding in my garage (five bikes [1] and one car) has just
about persuaded me that it's time to toss my veteran 1973 Astra 10-speed.
I've had that bike through thick and thin, ridden it in places from El
Paso to Edmonton, towed my first trailer with it, had all kinds of fun on
it.
But next time the city puts one of those big open-top dumpsters out in
my neighborhood, "Henry" [2] is going. What finally persuaded me that his
time had come was riding the other two bikes, and then getting aboard the
old warhorse and comparing condition, fit, and handling. I'll miss the
old steed, but the new bikes will ease the pain.


Bill


[1] Three mine, two my kids'.

[2] My bikes are named after American conservationists: Henry is named
for Thoreau, and commuter bike Waldo for Emerson. I had intended to name
my newest bike Leopold, after Aldo. (Aldo and Waldo being just a little
too close.) But this bike is so--zonal--with its silver paint and black
accessories, that I ended up naming him Ansel.

Do people often name their bikes? A friend of mine is restoring a 1978
Volkswagon Vanagon, which he has named "Brooke." And I call my car "The
Neilmobile", which is close to being a name, although it's more
properly a title. But I've never heard of naming your bike.

Rex Kerr wrote:
Well, I did it... I bought the Trek 520 that I've been talking about at
Chain Reaction to replace my tired commuting bike... I'm excited, can't
wait to go for a ride... but when I got home and parked it next to my
old Nishiki I just felt this overwhelming sadness.

My son had a Trek 7000-series ATB which we racked and fendered, put
slicks on, and in general, made a good city commuter out of. We traded
it on an excellent, vintage Trek 613 last summer and he was pretty sad
for a while too. The 613 was very different, being a lugged, steel
sport-tourer not a citified aluminum trail bike. But he figured it out
soon enough. There's no sorrow these days. For Christmas it's getting
one of Peter White's generator/LED light systems. Your 520 will be an
old friend soon.

wrote in message
...
Rex Kerr wrote:
Well, I did it... I bought the Trek 520 that I've been talking about at
Chain Reaction to replace my tired commuting bike... I'm excited, can't
wait to go for a ride... but when I got home and parked it next to my
old Nishiki I just felt this overwhelming sadness. I've had many good
miles on that bike, and now I'm just going to put it in storage!

Chronic crowding in my garage (five bikes [1] and one car) has just
about persuaded me that it's time to toss my veteran 1973 Astra 10-speed.
I've had that bike through thick and thin, ridden it in places from El
Paso to Edmonton, towed my first trailer with it, had all kinds of fun on
it.
But next time the city puts one of those big open-top dumpsters out in
my neighborhood, "Henry" [2] is going.

If "Henry" is not completely broken, please consider dontating it to one of
the organizations that recycles bikes and sends them to Third World
countries (e.g., http://www.bikesfortheworld.org/ ). Or, Google "donate
bicycles", or ask your local bike shop. With any luck, Henry can provide
service to someone else, rather than winding up in a landfill.

GG

What finally persuaded me that his
time had come was riding the other two bikes, and then getting aboard the
old warhorse and comparing condition, fit, and handling. I'll miss the
old steed, but the new bikes will ease the pain.


Bill


[1] Three mine, two my kids'.

[2] My bikes are named after American conservationists: Henry is named
for Thoreau, and commuter bike Waldo for Emerson. I had intended to name
my newest bike Leopold, after Aldo. (Aldo and Waldo being just a little
too close.) But this bike is so--zonal--with its silver paint and black
accessories, that I ended up naming him Ansel.

On 24 Dec 2006 12:12:48 -0800, "The Historian"
may have said:

Do people often name their bikes? A friend of mine is restoring a 1978
Volkswagon Vanagon, which he has named "Brooke." And I call my car "The
Neilmobile", which is close to being a name, although it's more
properly a title. But I've never heard of naming your bike.

I used to name things like that, but I don't anymore. When they get
stolen, or destroyed, or become the object of hatred of another for
irrational reasons, the loss is reduced.

I don't think the rest of the world is out to get me, but I've learned
not to invest too much in anything, because the chances are that I
won't have it for long...be it material or otherwise.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

wrote:
Rex Kerr wrote:
Well, I did it... I bought the Trek 520 that I've been talking about at
Chain Reaction to replace my tired commuting bike... I'm excited, can't
wait to go for a ride... but when I got home and parked it next to my
old Nishiki I just felt this overwhelming sadness. I've had many good
miles on that bike, and now I'm just going to put it in storage!

Chronic crowding in my garage (five bikes [1] and one car) has just
about persuaded me that it's time to toss my veteran 1973 Astra 10-speed.
I've had that bike through thick and thin, ridden it in places from El
Paso to Edmonton, towed my first trailer with it, had all kinds of fun on
it.
But next time the city puts one of those big open-top dumpsters out in
my neighborhood, "Henry" [2] is going. What finally persuaded me that his
time had come was riding the other two bikes, and then getting aboard the
old warhorse and comparing condition, fit, and handling. I'll miss the
old steed, but the new bikes will ease the pain.


Bill


[1] Three mine, two my kids'.

[2] My bikes are named after American conservationists: Henry is named
for Thoreau, and commuter bike Waldo for Emerson. I had intended to name
my newest bike Leopold, after Aldo. (Aldo and Waldo being just a little
too close.) But this bike is so--zonal--with its silver paint and black
accessories, that I ended up naming him Ansel.

Surely, "Henry" deserves a better fate than a dumpster ride to the
landfill! Someone, somewhere can offer "Henry" a home and a new life.

On 24 Dec 2006 12:12:48 -0800, "The Historian"
may have said:

Do people often name their bikes? A friend of mine is restoring a 1978
Volkswagon Vanagon, which he has named "Brooke."

Picking a small nit, the Vanagon model designation was not used in the
US in 1978; that year, the model available was just a Van. (The
Vanagon model has the flatter nose, the non-torsion-bar front
suspension, the relocated fuel tank which allowed the rear area deck
to be lower than the Van's, and eventually was fitted with the
absolutely awful "waterboxer" engine that I renamed "the popcorn
motor" not long before I left the VW dealer system.)



--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.