I bought a bike on Christmas Eve. I wasn't intending to buy a bike. It just sort of ... happened. I'm not a person that is comfortable with making big purchases without months of planning, weighing the pros and cons, researching all the options to the nth degree. So, what on earth got into me?
First, some background:
Back in 2009 when I was training for my first Ironman, I went back and forth several times about whether I was going to buy a tri-bike. Conventional wisdom is that a tri bike is faster and "saves" muscles for the run. But in the end, I just couldn't justify up to $3,000 (with fit, wheels, pedals etc.) when I had a bike (the eponymous Indy) that fit me like a glove, climbed like a billy goat and I was in love with.
Fast forward nearly three years. I'm facing two Ironmans and Indy is significantly older. She's still an awesome bike, but once she's done with 2012/Jan 2013, she'll be eight years old and have three Ironman's under her saddle. I have considered taking her to NZ for the second race and leaving her there so I always have a bike that fits for when I visit. So, aside from concerns about her age and what's going to break over the next few months of intensive cycling, really I was comfortable sticking with Indy.
But then I made the mistake of talking with my friend Jason who knows a thing or two about bikes. He told me how much faster he got when he went from a road bike to a tri bike. I love cycling and it's my strength. Although I'll never be anything more than an above average cyclist, I suspect I can be pretty good (never enough to make up for my sucky swimming and running, but honestly I have no pride wrapped up in those two sports - only in the bike leg). For instance, at the Rumpass sprint the year I was training for IMLP, I took first in my age group on the bike leg and 15th overall amongst the women. Of course, that was over a very short course, but it did give me hope for what I could do. Over longer courses, I'm far more cautious on the bike leg - staying conservative for the run.
The other piece of data that factored into this week's surprise was calculating the elevation gain of Challenge Wanaka. I knew that my first Ironman of the year - Rev3 Cedar Point - is pretty flat - perfect for a tri bike. But I assumed that Challenge Wanaka would be hilly - mountainous even, since it's in the mountains. But no. It's mostly along the lakes, so the total climbing is only about 2,900 feet - significantly less than Lake Placid or Wisconsin, two courses with which I'm familiar. Hmmm. Maybe a tri bike would be the best tool for my ambitions this year?
But there was still something holding me back - $$$. We've cut back dramatically over the past few months. After a Summer with no income from either of us, we stopped all our subscriptions, stopped eating out, stopped spending money altogether. Then when I got the contract job, we stays cautious - trying to sock enough money away to see us through the next anticipated period of unemployment.
But then someone offered me a job! Most of you know by now, but after nine months of trying every channel imaginable and encountering deadends every which way, my dream job finally came through. Only there was still no counting on a regular salary - I needed to be "cleared" to start the job. My expectation was that this process would take at least three months, if not more - and so there may well be a break between jobs. So you can imagine my shock when it only took nine days. Nine months to get the job, nine days to be cleared for the job. So now I know I'll be starting a full-time job very soon. Regular income (assuming I can keep my nose clean, of course), benefits, purpose, goals, responsibilities.
That night I walked home via the mall and purchased a lovely cardigan and skirt to celebrate. The next day, I allowed myself to replace some of my older and sadder undies. Very exciting stuff!
So here I was thinking that maybe I'd consider a tri-bike sometime in the new year.
Then Cervelo (bike maker) threw down. And they threw down big. $2,000 off two Cervelo bikes. A grand off the tri bike I wanted is extraordinary - that would take it to the same price I paid for Indy seven years ago, so a price point I was comfortable with. Of course, I'd have to "pair up" with someone else wanting a Cervelo, but heck, I'm a member of a triathlon team with over 300 members - shouldn't be too hard, right?
So I sent Mark to the bike store to see if they had the size I needed in stock. Only he returned with some bad news - not only did they have plenty in my size, but they just happened to have the Cervelo RS - the road bike he's been coveting for sometime.
The rest is a ridiculously short story. We went, we test rode, we bought. Two bikes. Two days after my big splash purchase was new underwear. Sigh.
(BTW - the "ultegra" in the title refers to the kind of componentry that is on my new bike - all the gear heads will understand. Non gear heads should just appreciate the alliteration.)
I'm not yet in love with this bike. So, she/it doesn't have a name yet. She/It is red and black, so I considered Canty (red and black are the colors of my home province of Canterbury) but that sounds too much like Indy. Indy's name came to me when I had fallen in love with her and with cycling and I found myself humming the theme to Indiana Jones whenever I went really fast. So we'll see. Maybe this blog will need a new name soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment