Checking out bikes for Savannah...

Thursday, July 12, 2012
I’ve been looking for a new bike for Savannah for her birthday, which is tomorrow.  I’d already alerted her of this fact…that I was looking, not that it was her birthday because she knew that.  Anyway, I’d told her I wanted to look at stuff on Craig’s list in hopes that I’d find someone dumping something really good for a reasonable price.  So far…no luck. 


“Why don’t we go up to Performance Bikes and see what they’re dealing on,” I said.  I wanted to find what she liked even though I thought I had an idea.


She needs something to ride around the Ohio State campus, but I want it to be something sleek enough that if she decides she’d like to start some distance riding, she’ll have the right equipment.  For her, that means a hybrid, which also means something between a moutain bike and a true road bike.  Hybrids have tires that are smoother and thinner than mountain bikes, but not the super thin tires of a road bike.  They’re a little more comfortable to ride…straight handlebars keep the rider more upright and tires with less pressure absorb more of the road shock.  Down side is they’re slower…but not by much.


I walked into the store and went immediately to the ‘sale’ bikes.  It’s mid-summer and not a lot of folks are buying right now, so there are deals to be had.  They had something decent for $350…marked down from $600 (shouldn’t have been that high in the first place) and she liked it.  She was ready to take it for a test ride in the parking lot, but stopped her when I didn’t have a driver’s license and credit card for them to hold during the 3 minutes she’d be outside the store.


“You can hold me hostage until she gets back,” I said thinking that would do it but I think they thought the bike, even on sale, had more value.  I’ve done a lot of business with this store and I would think taking a low end bike out in the parking lot for a little spin wouldn’t have been such a big deal, but rules are rules.  I’d have broken it…I’m such a Rebel.


I rode a couple of hours afterwards and felt some twinges in my knee towards the end of the ride.  I suppose I could take a couple of days off and give it some time off, but I’m just in such a groove that I hate to miss a day.  As for Savannah’s bike…at least I have a backup plan.


Bike Duration: 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 120 bpm.
Calories burned during workout: 1550.