I’m certain not many people read this blog, and I’m further certain almost none of those few will be interested in the following post. But I’m posting this, it’s my lunch break, so oblige me. Or skip it. Or just look at the pretty pictures. They are pretty, after all.
So I bought my first real road bike in 2003. Before that I’d been riding a clunky thing I had since high school and then, briefly, a donated women’s bike. This is when I had a 10-year-old helmet into which I literally stapled padding, in the form of old socks, to make it fit me. But I decided cycling was something I loved so I invested in an entry-level bike: a LeMond Tourmalet.
It’s a steel frame, so it’s a little heavy, but it gets the job done. I don’t like the look of it, really -– not very attractive decals and stuff, but it was pretty cheap and it fits fairly well -– maybe a bit small but certainly better than that women’s bike.
It’s been five years, and I’m getting more into the sport, so I’d love to upgrade and buy another bike. Carbon frame, better components -– lighter, faster, more responsive.
I’m not going to buy another bike -– since there are more pressing financial obligations –- but I’d like to. And to that end, I’ve done some searching, as an exercise. I have to admit, it’s been wicked fun researching bikes. As I said before, I’m a geek.
Here is my dream bike, the Orbea Orca.
Built in the Basque country in Spain, I think it’s the most beautiful and sweetest bike out there. It’s made-to-order, so you can pick a whole range of components/wheels/seat/etc. For the build I chose online, with Shimano’s Dura-Ace components, it’s about $6000 – at the lower end you can get them from about $4500. Ridiculous, right? But so great. I mean look at it!
Mike, the owner of the bike shop in Norfolk where I bought the Tourmalet, says I should get a Trek Madone.
Again, these come in a lot of variations -– the Madone is what Lance rode his last few Tour victories -– but the Madone 5.1 with this setup here comes in a little over $3000. I think this is what my brother Chris rides. Am I right, Christopher? Are you reading this my man? Certainly a very, very nice bike, with excellent stuff and some actual groundbreaking design changes that I won’t bore you with. Reviewers go crazy for it. But I don’t know. Just seems like a lot of guys I see on the roads are riding Madones, and I think I want something a little more distinct.
If I were to stick with LeMond, they make some $5000-and-up bikes, but I kinda like this Zurich.
One of the few LeMond’s whose design I really, really like. Overall, there’s something a little off about the LeMond sense of aesthetics, in my opinion. But this is nice, for $2800.
Back to Orbea, they make a bunch of other bikes, including the Onix.
Same frame geometry and similar frame materials as the Orca, with components and wheels a few steps down, gets great reviews –- and this one’s only $2000. Still gorgeous -- pretty much all their bikes are. Verrrrry tempting.
And then there’s this LeMond Buenos Aires.
A good, light carbon frame, components and wheels that are a step up from my current rig. Normally these are $2400, but Mike wants to unload his last '07 model for only $1600. That's the '07 pictured. The '08s are blue, which I actually don't like as much as this red.
But, still, we have stuff we need to do to the house.
So maybe in a couple years I’ll revisit the new bike idea. Maybe then someone will be wanting to unload an Orca cheap. Hey, a guy can dream, right?
Off to research Cannondales, Colnagos and Cervelos…
And I promise, next post will be more about cute kids.
Friday, March 7, 2008
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