Operation: Back on the Bike

Alright, so It’s come down to this. I need to get back on the bicycle to keep my fitness and weight loss goals in order. What that means is I need a new bike. I’ve been trolling Craigslist and RoadBikeReview in hopes of finding something that will work, but have had little luck.

As luck would have it, I’m tall (6’4”) and that means I need a large bike which also means it’s hard to find. There are a ton of 52-56cm bikes out there, but not many 60cm+. So I have researched a bit of work into what new bikes I want.

I have 3 stipulations if I’m going to buy a new bike. They are as follow:

1. Carbon frame -
   My aluminum frame was nice and amazing, but every person I talk to exclaim the benefits great benefits of a carbon frame and how it’s changed their riding. So I’m going for this here.
2. SRAM Rival Groupset -
   Or better. I previously rode on an Ultegra group set and loved it. 105s seem jerky compared to it. So I would not be happy with something less than Ultegra. That said, SRAM’s Rival set is just as awesome as Shimano’s Ultegra and most people I talk to love the DoubleTap levers better. From brief conversations as well, the Rival set seems to not wear as easily as Shimano’s comparative components.
3. Try to stay around $2000 -
   I can’t really afford much else. In fact it’s going to be hard enough to pay that without some changes. But that’s where I need to hit. This also includes pedals (as my were stolen!!! Damn you, thieves), so if I go to something like Speedplay’s or Look style, it means new shoes as well. I had SPD for versatility, and to be honest I can’t imagine not having double sided pedals. So if I don’t get standard SPDs, it will probably mean Speedplay pedals. This is the hardest goal to make.

So those are lofty goals. Getting 1 and 2, and still keeping 3 close is hard. But I hope I can find a 2008-2009 model out there that will get me 90% there and I can work the rest of the way up. I’ve looked at new bike with everything and it’s a little steep. I think I might be able to get a low end carbon bike (running around $1600) then by an ‘09 SRAM Rival groupo (maybe $700 or so) and then sell the Shimano Tiagra (+$300? maybe) that comes with the bike and I’d hit my goal. But there are other factors, so I just have to see.

Thank you guys for your support. I’ve got more in the coming days of Operation: Back on the Bike.

Weigh in

So it’s weigh day and here’s the skinny:

Weight: 231 lbs
Change from Last Week: -1 lb
Total Weight Lost: 39 lbs

So 39 lbs is good, but I’m really wanting that 230 mark…really bad.

Also, I’m guessing it’s going to be really hard to hit that point next week as well. Why, you ask? Well ever since my bike was stolen, it’s taken all my self-control I have to keep from eating. I just want to eat…and eat. But I haven’t this far, but I really want to. Really!

Hopefully I can either find my bike or work up the financial means to get another…we’ll see.

Sad Day

Well…it’s was good while it lasted…

To understand my situation, my bike was stolen the other day from my garage. Yup. Some jerkoff decided that they couldn’t live without that and my tools and weedeater so taking it from me was their reason for living. We left our garage door open for a few minutes while gathering things up and before we knew it the stuff was gone. So now I’ve got to figure out the situation at hand to know what to do next.

I have to say this kind of thing is what upsets me about insurance. I’d be alright with the whole situation if it wasn’t for this aspect. Shit happens and that’s what you pay into insurance over and over again for. But if I contact them, will my premiums skyrocket? Will I actually be paying more for contacting them than I would if I just replaced the stolen property myself? This is the most upsetting part. Granted, insurance doesn’t want people taking advantage of them but when legitimate situations occur, we get screwed.

So I’ll be sitting down trying to figure this out. The major component of theft was my bike and I’m not sure I just have the funds lying around for a new bike purchase. My wife is going to talk to the local bike shops in case someone tries to sell it to them. I’m caught in this hard place of not really knowing what to do next. If anyone has had experience in this let me know.

So I guess I won’t be riding much any time soon. I’ll do what I can, maybe a spin class here and there, but it doesn’t match the outdoors. So if you are in the Dallas area and you see someone on a 2006 Red Trek 2200 (60cm). Let me know.