I bought a bike!

Well, my dear friend, Sarah, is off to New York City next week - she's a talented dancer and has been accepted into a dance troupe there, and we will miss her to pieces - and she sold me her bike for $50. I'd been going back and forth about a new bike - mine bit the dust many eons ago yet I still rode her sporadically. It was a heavy, wretched mountain bike. I always loved riding but I hated riding it.

Enter The Falcon!

I work only five miles from home and, as it happens, in one of the country's most bike-friendly cities. It helps when your mayor is an avid cyclist himself. I've been itching to look into buying a decent bike to use as a commuter, not a racer, because the idea of riding 10 miles a day, just as a mode of transportation, pleases me to no end. That said, I'm on a serious mission to save every penny I earn into my retirement and in investments, which means I don't leave much wiggle room for extra spending.

So when Sarah sent out an email saying she was selling her purple Falcon road bike, I was all over it. I picked it up today and the best part? Immediately took it over to Rapid Transit to get new handlebars - upturned, to make it commuter-friendly - and a tune up in time for the warm weather. I got it in before the rush and so I'll be good to go when the temps rise again.

All I need now is a helmet and a basket.

There's no excuse for me not commuting to work by bike - my office has private showers, locker room and a towel service at my office so I've got the place to clean up. While it certainly cost me a few extra bucks for the handlebars and tune up, for the same amount of money I wouldn't have gotten nearly as good of a bike and the money it'll save me in gas and CTA passes will more than pay for it.

This year I've learned that I am truly a warm-weather fitness person. I am inspired by the sunshine to go out and play in it. I will get in the gym but I won't feel nearly as happy and joyful afterwards, no matter how good of a work out I get in. This has been a tough winter, though, and I'm happy to have something like this to look forward to once this ice all finally melts.

Posted by Erin at 12:42 AM | filed under: Random