Also, I Am In Love

Stopped by the LBS during my lunch break to look at some bike stuff.

While there, fell in love with this beauty. They have it in my size, and they sell it for a couple hundred bucks under the MSRP.

In case that wasn't geeky enough for you, here are the specs. Say it with me: Mmmmmmmh, cro-moly...

I think it's interesting that the model I was ogling is set up with clips and straps, like it's just waiting for me, calling my name (for those of you wondering: I have a bizarre fascination with toe clips, though I'll probably wind up going clipless sooner or later for long rides). It's definitely a Beautiful Machine. The guy at the shop also complimented Swift, which makes me happy :)

Admittedly, the Satellite only weighs around 2 lbs less than Swift (who, AFAIK, weighs in at around 24 lbs) -- but my reasons for wanting a road bike are less about weight and more about geometry. And also about me being a total sucker.

I only want one of each kind of bike, after all: one full-suspension downhill bike; one hardtail 29er; one cro-moly road bike; one dedicated commuter; one light touring bike; one loaded touring bike; one classic English roadster with an updated 7-gear hub... Yeah, I could go on, but I won't. Just one of each kind: that's not too much to ask, is it? ;)

Note to other cyclists: if you're in the process of selecting a place to work, DO NOT SELECT ONE WITHIN EASY RIDING DISTANCE OF A BIKE SHOP*.

I repeat... DO NOT select a place of employment within easy riding distance of a bike shop. Well, or easy walking distance if you don't commute by bike. Trust me. It's a bad idea (for you -- good for the bike shop, though).

*Note: if you live in Portland, this might be hard. You might want to find a small town within riding distance that doesn't have a bike shop. From what I understand, you can't swing a broken bike chain in Portland without hitting a bike shop.