My friend Su Ling said that I need to buy Beckie a new a road bike.   Like this is somehow my fault? Like I’m the one stopping her.   Like I’m the one going “no, no, I really don’t feel like going bike shopping today.”

Her road bike has been affixed to our trainer for months now, and just taking it out on the road would require a new tire since the trainer turns rear tires into cheese. She’s taken my road bike out a few times, including a   50-miler with Su Ling last week. Its only been that the last time we roadied together was back in January doing Seven Springs that has kept this situation from coming to a head.

I do not see Beckie shopping for a road bike on her own volition. Sooooooo, I can pick one out for her and have her come test ride it before purchase, though by then it would essentially be a fait accompli and serve only to ruin the surprise. I could give her my roadie and buy a new one, but I don’t really need a new one and that too would steal from Beckie the wonderful feeling of getting a new bike (and I can ride her new bike if I want anyway…she’s pregnant, what is she gonna do? catch me?).   Or I could go pick one out and surprise her, which even after 15 years seems waaaaaaay too personal

The rare odds of us actually riding together and actually requiring two road bikes muddles the actual priority of this decision in our allocation process.   The evolution of our current fleet has undeniably been stacked towards my needs, though I am the one doing 80% or more of the riding.     We used to have:

• 2 roadies
• 2 XC bikes

Then we added the Heckler, which Beckie rode precisely once out of curiosity, like a lesbian experiment in college.

Now, we have:

• 1 roadie
• 1 XC bike
• the Heckler
• the trainer
• 1 unholy abomination used for commuting

The Superlight is currently the world’s most overbuilt cross-bike, or the world’s most under-treaded mountain bike.   Its laden down with the bracket to G’s trailer, and soon will have front and rear commuting lights affixed to it.   The wheels are wobbly (don’t care), the seat is torn (don’t care), and the shock has no elegance whatsoever (don’t care).

However, I’ve decided that by not buying a cross bike (~$700) and by not fixing up the Superlight with new wheels, brakes and fork (~$800), I have approximately $1500 to invest in a new bike!   I was almost ready to pull the trigger on an ’07 frame for a Turner Sultan 29er for 1k yesterday, but it appears to be sold, which is probably for the best.   Even though Beckie would get to ride it or the Blur whenever we road mtb together, it really is her turn for a new bike.

Side note: last week we used the hitch rack on the Acura for 10 days in a row, draining nary a drop of gas from the truck:

1. Friday: RR4
2. Saturday: RR4
3. Sunday: RR4
4. Monday: Heckler to Rage to fix stuff from RR4
5. Tuesday: Heckler back from Rage after fixing stuff from RR4
6. Wednesday: carrying bike to and fro Discount Tire
7. Thursday: bike to G’s office so I could commute
8. Friday: National
9. Saturday: Beckie to Central Phx to ride with Su Ling, Doug, et al
10. Sunday: me to Centrail Phx to ride with Su Ling, Doug, et al