Bitten by the Biking Bug

So, I've been on the watch for a new bike for a while, but became really motivated to look for a new one when both Katherine and Joe picked up new bikes last week and my current bike got a flat. Don't get me wrong, my bike is a perfect commuting bike in many ways, a solid vintage English 3-speed which came equipped with fenders, a chainguard and a rack. (All of these features are rare in contemporary bikes.) However, it's a bit of a heavy clunker and the brakes are questionable at best after rain. Last time I went into the bike shop, someone commented that the bike could very well be put on display as an antique. And okay, buying two bikes in two months? I'll admit that I have a not-so-minor case of cycling fever.

After a decent amount of research, I decided I was limiting myself to spending no more than $250 (I could have easily blown $1000 on an entry-level road bike), which meant I wasn't buying a new bike. My second problem was trying to figure out proper bike sizing (frame size? standover height? top tube length?), made all the more tricky since European bikes use metric measurements and American bikes do not. Then I took a crash course in bike mechanics to try to understand the differences in component quality. Rim or disc brakes? Front or all suspension? Steel or aluminum frame? How the hell do they build bikes that weigh in at 21 lbs?? Christ, that's lighter than my bag of rice at home.

Luckily, after scouting Craig's list for a couple days, one listing caught my eye, a 21-speed Giant Yukon hybrid (all-terrain) bike with a smaller 17" frame. When I called about the bike, the owner seemed a little distracted ("Which bike?"), and asked me to describe the bike extensively before saying "Oh yeah, it's available." So, I showed up tonight at the address given, and ran into another girl who was looking at a single-speed. The guy went down into the basement to retrieve our bikes. Meanwhile, the other girl commented nervously, "I really hope this guy isn't dealing stolen bikes...but uh, the price is definitely right." It hadn't even occurred to me that the guy could be dealing stolen goods, but when I asked him why he was selling the bikes, he said he was a dealer and every summer he fixed up bikes and resold them as a hobby. Shrug, it seems plausible enough? Besides, when I hopped on the bike, it was pure bliss. Light as a feather, silk-smooth shifting, and a beautiful dark green finish. Stolen good potential be damned, one quick spin around the block later, I was completely sold. Forget buying a new car, buying a new bike makes me super happy. Besides, according to the other girl, it's really hard to retrieve stolen bikes unless the owner happens to look at it and knows it's theirs. Oh well!?