I bought a new bike

In order to get in shape and run a few errands without having to hop in the car, I purchased a new bicycle.

It's a pretty nice bike, but rather finicky. I keep having to take it back to the bike shop for minor adjustments, which is rather frustrating as the bike shop is a long drive from my house! So much for avoiding trips in the car.

Adding to my frustration is the fact that I missed that the bike was made in China. Severe disapointment here. When you spend that much on a bike, you just don't expect it to be made in China. Seems to be well made though, I guess the quality control people at Marin do a pretty good job.

I'm trying to get used to being on a bike again after all these years, but my bum just won't get back into it. It hurts. When does it stop hurting? I have no idea. I've tried 4 or 5 different bike seats over the last 10 years and they've all hurt. This one on the new bike is more comfortable then all the rest.

One really sad thought is that the seat on my old Huffy fits perfectly. Another sad thought is that the Huffy was made in the US. Last of the US made affordable kids bikes. My father bought it for me sometime in the early to mid 80s. I'm thinkin 1983, but since I have no concept of time, I can never be sure.

The Huffy was a great bike. It was quiet and exceptionally well balanced. I did everything in the world on the bike even though it was a 10 speed. I did jumps, gravel, sand, off road, stunts etc... I wasn't going to let the kids on the BMX bikes outshine me. And I wasn't going to trade my 10 speed for a BMX, I liked the 10 speeds.

The shame about using my Huffy like a BMX is that it took a lot of abuse. The frame is in pretty sorry shape and it cannot be rebuilt and ever be the same bike as it was.

My father left it in the rain when I moved out until every component on it rusted to malfunction. The reason it was left there, was because I thought I had gotten myself a new and better bike and I asked my Dad to store it for me. Of course then he stuck it in the rain and forgets to tell me until it's already been in the rain for more than 3 weeks.

But all that is getting off the subject. The replacement bike never did 'fit' right. It never felt like 'my' bike.

The new Marin, however, fits very well and I'm enjoying it.

The scarey part is the automobile drivers. It's a new hobby to lean out your passenger window and scream at the cyclist as you go by. I guess it's supposed to be funny to watch people crash. I'm also getting annoyed at the people who say, "oh so you're trying to make some sort of statement about driving!". No, no i'm not. I like riding. I don't like driving in our traffic and I don't like gas prices. I need the excercise. I really need the excercise. That's all my bike is about.

So please, can you quit screaming at me and let me ride?