After talking to some friends, reading a bunch online, and asking this quite useful AskMeFi question, I ended up ordering the following bike stuff(s):

· Two Forté Fast City ST/K MTB Tires for times when I’ll only be riding on smooth pavement.
· One spare tube for my current tires, and a total of three tubes for the new tires. Unfortunately the three for the new tires were accidentally ordered with Presta valves. Whoops.
· Crank Brothers multi-17 Tool and Speed Lever
· Tube Patching Kit
· Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance
· Blackburn Shorty Mountain Bike Pump
· Mirrycle Incredibell Original Bicycle Bell (Black)
· Cateye CC-RD300W Strada Wireless Bicycle Computer
· SKS Airworx Floor Pump

I still need some gloves and a bag and lights. After all this stuff is here, then I can see what size bag I actually need, maybe fit a light to the bag, and possibly get some Scotchlite tape to make the bike a bit more visible as it gets near dusk.

I’ll probably also grab a second bottle and cage, just in case. After all, I really like water.

The forecast for this weekend is in the 40s – 50s, so hopefully I’ll be able to go ride around a bit.

Oh, and the problem with the order? The Amazon stuff is coming via USPS and DHL. The Performance Bike stuff is coming via UPS (I think). Some other stuff is coming via FedEx and FedEx ground. It’s a bit much to track, especially with the four Amazon items being delivered via three shipments. Guh.

Not a handlebar mount.

Arraugh. Right after getting my bike I hit Buy-It-Now on this eBay auction; a bike handlebar mount for my Garmin eTrex Legend GPS.

I figured it wouldn’t take very long to get the package and it didn’t, but it contains the wrong thing: a carrying case instead of a handlebar mount.

I was hoping to use this soon, too. Bah. Hopefully it won’t take too long to sort out.

Time for NYE celebrating. :D

 

Specialized 2008 Rockhopper Disc
(Click for bigger…)

After seven years of not having a bike, and about half that of wanting one, I now have a new bike.

This afternoon Brian () and I ended up heading over to Fraser Bicycle and Fitness, which seems to be one of the better bike shops in this area. I saw the bike I’d previously looked at online (and liked), found the price to be as expected (MSRP), and was really comfortable on the test ride I took it for.

After we went over to Noble Fish for some amazing sushi, then to Costco so I could buy some toilet paper, we headed back to the shop. I ended up getting the bike, a water bottle, a water bottle holder, and a helmet. The helmet is a Specialized Air Force 3, in black, size ADULT XXL, to fit my big head.

The total, after tax, was just under $800, which seems pretty reasonable to me.

Brian also got a new bike at the same time. His is the exact same thing, but in a matte black finish, with different shifters / brakes, and with V brakes instead of discs.

(I’d provide links to each product at Specialized‘s site, but the site wants to set your country first. In case you’ve done so, here is the bike and here is the helmet. Also, sorry the photo is crap. I just took it in the basement under some really cheap daylight-ish CFs.)