Robot Journal : Things I've owned: Bikes - Part III (AKA You have to ride the bike)

5/15/2011

Short Term Research Obsessions
This is probably common.
Recently I got it into my brain-pan that I wanted to get a new bicycle. I had bought an entry-level Fuji road bike two years ago. It’s a nice bike and still works fine but there are a few size and component issues with it (it’s small and I don’t like the triple crank on the front). That said, it’s a fine bike and I’ll sell it to you for a very fair price.

In 2009, I had ridden a Specialized Allez when visiting Atlanta to ride the Silver Comet Trail and since then I had always thought, “You know, that was a nicer bike that what we have and you went fast as hell - get one of those one day”. I’ve riden and/or rented other bikes since then, but I kept thinking about that grey Allez I rode in the rain so a few weeks ago, I started researching bikes.

The Obsession Part
Right. The whole point. I can really obsess over things on a short-term basis. I spent so many weekends and evenings online reading about all the various flavors of bikes I could get. I made a spreadsheet (because Specialized line-up gets a bit confusing) and did pro/con lists and read so many reviews and forum posts about various models.

You have to ride
One thing I saw constantly on the interweb postings were people in my same boat trying to make decisions and going online for assistance. Invariably someone would ask them if they had actually ridden the various bikes in question and usually they hadn’t.
“Just go test ride the bikes!”

After all my crazy-head research I had thought I’d either go with one of the sportier Allez models or spend a bit more change and buy their Roubaix bike. The Roubaix is not only an homage to the great Paris to Roubaix race but is also their ‘comfort’ level of bike. I’m getting older. I like to ride long distances. That seemed like the best bet.
Thursday, while on my lunch break, I found myself at Bicycle Habitat in Soho riding every bike in their shop.

No, really. Go ride the bikes.
I went in totally expecting to buy the Roubaix. I rode it; it was fine but those ‘comfort’ bikes have a much longer geometry and it all felt wonky. I rode the Allez and it was fine.

Then I rode the Tarmac. It’s the same similar geometry to the Allez (more racy) but in carbon fiber and with nicer do-dads. It was an instant realization that this bike was wicked sweet.
I won’t go into the obsessive craziness, but sweet jeebus.
It weighs nothing.
It goes like stink.

I added the green bar tape.
(photographed in front of Fast Fresh Deli where I had their fine torta al pastor)

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