The Bike

I started researching routes long before I got my bike - the routes even factored into where I bought my house when I moved in June. Should I get something near the east end of Whyte Ave, where my entire commute would be along a busy commercial-residential-university corridor, or go with something a little farther away from the university in the west end with a commute along less busy roads? I opted for longer route, less busy roads, mostly because I die a little inside every time a car speeds past me while I awkwardly pedal away at 20 km/hr in the curb lane.

I bought my bike - a Schwinn Circuit XT 700C - a few weeks ago from Canadian Tire. I know, I know, it's not a proper bike store, and when I had to get a tire replaced within a couple days of buying it, the poor service reminded me why so many people opt for a more expensive bike at a bike store - the service, the expertise, the selection. I also briefly checked out my options at BikeWorks, aka Edmonton Bicycle Commuter's Society, where they sell used and donated bike components at very reasonable prices. While I admired the price points (about $100 for a full bike), the work I'd have to put in to building one myself was too daunting for a first-time bike buyer like myself.

So I went with Canadian Tire, a compromise between easy and cheap. I ended up with a bike that probably doesn't fit me very well (I have basically no clearance between my vajayjay and the bike frame when I stand with my feet on the pavement) and doesn't appear to have adjustable handlebars (which really, really sucks given that I could use another inch or more in stem height, leading to neck and arm strain). At least a stem extension can help with the handlebars - I'm stuck with the size of the frame.

The bike was advertised as a hybrid - having the thin, fast wheels of a road bike but the more upright riding position of a mountain bike - which my web-research suggested was the kind of bike I should be looking for. However, some web-reviewers of the bike suggest that it's more of a straight-up road bike, given how frail it is. No curb-jumping for this bad-boy! Especially since I'm at the very top end of its recommended weight limits, I'm very cautious about any curbs, potholes, and cracked pavement I encounter on it.

The Schwinn was within my meagre budget - I got it on sale for $240, regular $320. It came with no fancy goods - no fenders, rack, or any of those useful accessories that will make daily bike commuting a realistic option - so those are things I'll have to spend extra for. The saddle is not the softest thing I've ever sat on (that would probably be my cat) and has caused some serious ass-bone bruisage, but my ass bones are developing some nice callouses so daily riding is becoming less like barebacking an old curmudgeonly donkey through the Grand Canyon. That's a technical term, by the way.

So far, I really have no complaints about the bike. It's light and fast, which is nice for someone new to biking and horrendously out of shape because it allows me to cruise along at fun speeds without lung-puncturing effort. Unless I hit an incline, in which case, I inch that much closer to death.

Having read some other useful blogs about commuting year-round through brutal Canadian winters, I've determined that my skinny little whipper-snapper of a bike will be useless once the snow starts to fall. When that happens, I intend to wrap it up and put it in the basement to hibernate through the cold months while I grind out my winter commutes on a well-equipped mountain bike. By well-equipped I mean front and back lights, full-length fenders, tire chains - oh yeaaaah, tire chains, I'm going all out dollface - and whatever else I might need to survive.

So, that's my bike! I wonder if I should name it. It only seems right. I'll think about it. Any suggestions?