My New Workhorse

I have a complete harem of bikes. Until about a week ago, they were:

Tracy Trek: a Trek 1000, my beater road bike with 17,000+ miles

Suzy Fuji: a Fuji Team 2003, my sub-17 pound road racing ride. She climbs hills like nobody's business

Alice Aloha: a 2006 Fuji Aloha, my time trial racing machine. She's going to earn me another PR this season. She's gonna be there for me when I do my first Ironman.

and...Debby Diamondback (a Diamondback Response, my beater mountain bike. Until recently, she got me to work a few days a week)

Well, Debby has been sick. She suffered from acute rustiosis.

I operated on her several times, replacing her headset and her brake calipers. But as soon as I'd get her healthy again, another part of her would succumb to the terrible effects of metal oxidation.

In her most recent and final battle, it was her bottom bracket. I tried to help her, but I just couldn't perform the operation (damn thing was rusted in there and I couldn't get it out!).

So, I had to put her down today.

* sniff sniff *

She was only about 14,000 miles.

*sniff *

But, I now have Ida. Ida is much like Debby was. She's a different make. She's an Iron Horse. She's not flashy. She has V-brakes and a hardtail, like Debby was.

She's named after my Aunt Ida, who died this winter. "Auntie I", as we called her, wasn't flashy. But, she was built like a brick shithouse and she was a hard worker. She was also very pretty and so is this bulky little machine I bought two days ago.

I had scoped her out in days prior and picked her out. On the day I knew I'd bring her home, I asked my five year old to help me. I told her "please come with daddy and help pick out his next bike. I want one that is black and green."

So, she walked right up to her and picked her out. No other bikes in the store were black and green.

Pretty sneaky, eh?

At least in her five year old mind, she feels like she was the one who picked her out.

Oh, so let's keep that between us. If any of you tells her that I had Ida picked out already...

...I might just kick your ass.

Anyhow, I'm happy to welcome Ida to my stable. She and I got to know each other a bit this morning for about 40 miles in the beautiful sun. Her handlebars were set a bit too high. So, instead of buying a straight bar, I turned the bars upside down...kinda makes her look a bit rebellious.



Ida takes a little bit of Debby along with her. I swapped out Debby's rear mud fender, bottle holder, egg-beater pedals and her cyclecomputer.

Hopefully, this will be the start of something beautiful.

Welcome to the family, Ida.

Soonly, my team is giving me a brand new carbon fiber frame. I get to build this one from the frame up.

Name's already picked out: Nana.

Bye.