Some sweet looking bikes above. Here’s mine.
Ok, ok, you can stop laughing, I’m serious. And if you think that’s funny, until recently the bike had a baby seat in front that I had to straddle as I rode. My girl sat there, while my wife sat on the back. I’m dead serious. We rode all over town like that for years, to the veggie market, to breakfast, to dinner, etc.
Unfortunately, all that combined weight would gradually start breaking the spokes on the back wheel, one at a time, till finally there’d be about 7 or 8 broken spokes, it would be in serious danger of collapse, so I’d bring it in to get all the spokes replaced and start over. I gave the bike to my wife for her birthday about 5 years ago. Finally, this past birthday, I gave her a new version of the same bike, this time with a baby seat on the back for our now much bigger girl. But. . . I liked that old bike. I rode many miles on it. So I ended up bringing it back in to get the whole rear wheel replaced, and now we only ride it one at a time.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve owned a US$2000+ mtn bike and some decent racing bikes and used to ride a lot (centuries, etc). But lately I can’t afford to ride several hours per day, so this bike’s perfect. It’s locked up out on the street and is always there for a quick hour ride out along the river and back, in shorts and sandals, and, if one does that regularly, it’s actually damn good excercise. In fact, since my bike’s so heavy, it’s a better workout than on a fancy road bike, right? Btw, it’s got a 5 speed twist-grip shift, which is all I need.
AND, if that’s not strange enough, get this. I also own this sweeeet racing bike, right here in Taipei, which I’ve barely ridden.
The problem is, not only do I lack time for serious riding, but I live on the 4th floor without elevator, so I have to carry the good bike up and down each time, whereas the trusty old orange bike sits down below, halfway out in the rain. No room downstairs inside for the good bike. So, the good bike sits in a spare bedroom gathering dust. I paid NT$27k for it a couple years ago and it has just 429 km on it (I bought the odometer with the bike). I’d like to send it to a good home. If anyone wants to buy it, send me a pm.
It’s got a Giant SL ALUX 6000 compact road bike M size frame, 18 speeds with Shimano Tiagra Flight Deck brake level shifters, carbon fiber handlebar stem and other nice features. Runs great, I’m just feeling guilty about never riding it.