For the longest time I’ve wanted to buy a bike. I’m not sure how long ago I added it to my list of things to do, but it just always fell off the radar. This year, however, through outside motivation (os!) and interesting circumstances, I have been on a mission to find a suitable bike for the 2013 season! I can now cross this item off my list :).
The browsing went on for quite some time. I asked bikers, friends, and staff at The Bike Shop and Bowcycle: “What would be a good bike for commuting to work, but also one on which I could train for a triathlon?” Three different people said that a cyclocross bike was for me. A quick wiki search revealed that cyclocross bikes are designed similar to road bikes but are rigorous and rugged enough for cyclocross races and off-road use. Their popularity have increased over the last few years due to their versatility.
Eventually I decided upon the Kona Jake, which I found at Bowcycle. Big Dave was extremely helpful with providing great information about the bike, its measurements and other important details. Not that I know what the following specs mean, but for my own reference, the bike has:
- a Kona 7005 aluminum butted frame and a Kona P2 aluminum fork
- Tektro Lyra mechanical road disc brakes with 140 mm rotors
- Shimano Tiagra 10-speed drivetrain and Tiagra triple chainring crankset
- a Kona double-clamp seatpost and WTB Volt Sport saddle
Sounds like a sweet ride to me! I also added some combination flat/clipless pedals just ’cause.
The funny thing is I’ve had the bike for about 3 weeks now and I still have not taken it out for a ride. At the moment, it makes a lovely decorative piece in my condo and continues to have that shiny new look and feel to it. But believe you me, I am looking forward to testing it out once I’m back into the swing of things. Whoohoo! It’s been a while since I’ve biked regularly. As Calgary continues to become a more bike-friendly city, it feels good to jump onto the bandwagon… finally.
HIKES & HAMSTRINGS 