I thinking I'm turning?

Wheels that is. Bike wheels.

After years of being super negative towards cyclists, I think I'm about to turn into one - and I'm as shocked as anyone who knows me, and knows my distaste for cyclists.

During the last Tour de France, I must admit I'd really only watched it for the first time because it was on at the same time as the Ashes series in England, and during the breaks, and rained out sessions I'd flick across to SBS and watch the cycling.

To my surprise it was actually enjoyable to watch, I think that Phil Ligget commentating had a lot to do with it, as he explained what was happening so that someone who had no clue, like me, could enjoy without dumbing it down sop much as someone who followed the sport would be turned off by it.

I can also point the finger at Paul, who has an office next to us, and is a big cycling fan and has been trying to rope Skye and I into the sport.

I think lastly, what's tipped the scales is that I'm now getting on in my sporting pursuits and playing footy isn't something that I can do any longer, or really feel the need to play, and that probably goes for all contact sports really - it's just so hard the following day, and walking around like a mummy for 2-3 days recovering isn't a fun thing. But I am looking for something that will help me keep my weight down, and that is competitive, that I can still be competitive in - and since I have my mums legs, I'd probably be a reasonable armature sprinter on the bike.

So I spend the weekend either going around to various bike shops, looking for my first bike, and gear to boot, or looking on the net, I've found three bikes that I thought was OK.

They are;

a Merida from St Kilda Cycles

a MBC from Melbourne Bikes

a Giant from eBay, that the bloke bought some time ago and basically hasn't used.


It is really confusing because I don't know much about bikes, and on the forums everyone has an opinion, and instead of getting an entry level bike, you're pushed into spending several thousands on a bike that you don't know which way to go.

So I think I've made a decision - I'm going to bid on the eBay bike, but if that's no good, then i think the Merida is the way to go. At least the frame is a good one, and if I want to upgrade the running gear I can.


The next step is to get the bike and take it for a spin - now that will be interesting, because I did take one around the car park on the weekend, and an onlooker might have described me as having less balance than a circus bear on a unicycle is probably true - but after a good ride, that should be sorted out.



At least I can still bunny hop - though road bikes now aren't made for it, it will still look cool?



Enjoy,
C