Week Seven - Day Four

TIME THERE: 28 min.
TIME BACK: 27 min.
WEATHER: sunny, -1C, 4km/hr wind there; partly cloudy, 11C, 26km/hr wind back.
WHAT I WORE: yoga pants, t-shirt, waterproof shell, scarf, backpack (scarf in backpack on the way home)
NOTES:
Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you my new companion: Eastwood. I bought Eastwood for $50 as a "beater bike", one I don't mind killing over the course of a rough winter. The tires are 2" wide and very knobby, the whole bike probably weighs about twice as much as Mike the Bike does, and I even sit differently on Eastwood's saddle, making my whole body position and - importantly - the angle of my legs in relation to the pedals shift forward. I tried adjusting the seat height Thursday night before riding Eastwood to work on Friday, and also tried to figure out some important mysteries like how do the gears shift (they're not numbered and I have to twist the shifters instead of "click" a lever like I do with Mike, so I can't tell if I'm shifting up or down or by how much).

When I rode to work on Friday, it took me about two blocks - if that - to realize that the seat height was way too low for my taste. It was a strange feeling, because my legs felt crouched down and cramped, while my upper body sat more upright than I'm used to. And despite having ridden this bike both to and from work, I still have no idea how the gear shifters work, or if they're working at all! I tried shifting gears and couldn't really tell if anything was changing. That's not helpful.

I really felt the weight of the bike, and my awkward position on it, when going uphill and any time I had to pick up speed. I dreaded coming to a stop, or even having to apply the brakes, because it meant I'd have to work so hard to get back up to full speed again. This meant waiting longer at intersections where I have to wait for a break in traffic to cross, since the slow start-up meant having to wait for a longer gap in traffic than I need to with Mike.

When riding along at cruising speed, without having to worry about inclines or stopping and starting, I didn't notice the bike feeling heavy or slow or awkward. I only noticed how much softer the ride felt, having softer, wider tires and being equipped with shocks and a wide, cushy, comfortable seat. I didn't have to dread cracks in the pavement making my tires skid out from underneath me or fear that my spokes would break if I went off a curb. And, importantly, the bike was solid on the leaf-strewn patches of road, on the remaining patches of melting snow, and going through wet or slightly icy patches. No skidding, no slipping, no falls. I mean, the great majority of the snow melted away already, and there was hardly any ice on the road in the morning, but it was still nice to feel safer and more confident with Eastwood.

I know from my horseback riding experience that no matter how hard you might fall, the moment you're well enough again to get back in the saddle, you should. The longer you wait to get back on the horse, the more your anxiety and fear builds about getting back on the horse, and you find that you never really end up doing it. If you get on again immediately afterward, and keep on consistently riding from then on, you'll be just fine. I know my ride to work on Friday was a more anxious one than usual, and that there was no reason for me to feel that way given the road conditions, and because of that I'm very glad I got Eastwood and made the commute instead of driving again. Otherwise, who knows? My riding days may have been over, all because of a little fear. I think Eastwood was a tremendously wise purchase. Now I need some accessories for the little bugger, and maybe I'll even get those hardcore winter tires that I can only get for mountain bikes! I mean, I can get spiked winter tires for Mike, but the winter tires that would fit Eastwood are MONSTERS!

By the way, the new bike is named Eastwood for a reason: it's old and rugged, but it can still get my heart pumping! ;)