Okay, it has been a while since a post has been submitted to the site, and the excuses that could be used range from “The ISP did something funky and blocked access to the site” to “It was a bear to get on while participating in this rapid knuckle hair growth serum testing”. In actuality, though, it has been a matter of working a little hard and avoiding a computer outside of work hours.
So, June 11th was the birthday of Mr. Alondo.com himself, and to celebrate this special day, nothing happened. However, the party that occurred two weeks after the anniversary of the date of birth was truly epic (James Bond themed martini party). Even more astounding was the crowdsourced birthday present. Some truly great people got together and put together a fund so that the originator of Alondo.com could have his own bike. The amount raised was so much that an upgrade of specifications was in order.
Upon the presentation of these funds, some thorough research was done, some bikes were road tested, and a winner became very clear: the 2013 Giant Roam 2. It’s combination of road bike handling and speed coupled with the upgraded components and toughness of a mountain bike showed the strength of the hybrid bike market and set it leaps and bounds above the competition. It also helped that the bike was priced $199 less than comparable offerings from other manufacturers.
Since acquiring the bike, it did not sit long. It’s first foray in the world of trails and roads was an 18 mile ride through the historic battlefields and settings of Yorktown, Virginia. It was truly a gorgeous ride, and getting lost and traversing a 1.5 mile loop twice did not take away from the experience in any way. Some lessons were learned, though:
- Always wear a helmet, because a good bike can achieve some serious speed
- A good pair of workout gloves will help ease numbness and strain on the hands
- Bike locks are important, because there is a huge market for stolen bikes
- Upgrade reflectors to lights if riding in the early morning or at nght
- A pair of padded bike shorts is important on a bike with a performance seat
- Accessories can be expensive, so shop wisely
Having logged about 80 miles so far, it seems like the bike is going to work out just fine. Now it’s going to be hard to get back into those running shoes, though.