Monday, February 26, 2007

Time to get fat

My ancient winter bike needs to be taken out behind the barn and shot like a crippled old hog.

I spent four hours riding with Maura on her new Pugsley on Sunday afternoon. Four hours of watching her happily hum along on the snow-packed trail while other people ogled her bike. One stranger asked if she could try it, then dropped her skis in the middle of the trail, jumped on and pedaled around with a big smile on her face.

I can’t live with the lust any longer. I’m going to start shopping around for a frame, Large Marge wheels and that big-ass bottom bracket, then build that sucker up before over the summer. Hell, I have half the parts laying around in the garage.

My wife’s OK with the idea. She figures that once I have a Pugsley, I’ll have my “perfect four” combination: summer trail bike; road bike; dual purpose (winter/summer) commuter; and a winter trail bike. After that, she says, what else could I ask for?

I genuinely think I could be done buying bikes at that point.

Well, for a while anyway.

8 comments:

Snakebite said...

Remember Thee Golden Rule of Bike Ownership - The number of bikes you need is the number you have plus one bike. I don't own a Pugs - yet - but I've been on one. They are lots o' fun.

Dano said...

Guy has one in our group. The perfect bike for the beach.

Frostbike said...

If you want to use that "I'm done buying bikes" line to convince the wife to let you buy another bike, I'm behind you 100%. But you're never done buying bikes.

Anonymous said...

Get 'em while they're purple!
Yeah, you need another bike, but you can't stop at Pugs, you don't have a 29er yet. My idea of a well-stocked stable:
fs mtn bike
29er hardtail w/slicks and mtn tires - will win my most versatile award when studs become available.
light road bike
winter bike w/wide rims & studs - non-studs for those who don't ride on ice.
one bike that you've replaced w/something else but you're just not ready to part with yet, like a beautiful yellow steel Lemond, sigh.
Come see me!
rose

daveIT said...

You sellout! Actually if I planned to stay in AK forever I'd buy one too. Mark says his FatBikes can double as a 29er so maybe you could kill two birds with one stone by just adding another wheelset.

I'll be comfy on the couch watching you suffer the Su 100 and AKUltrasport next year.

Tim said...

No way, Mr. Haven'triddenallwinter. I have 10 little reasons for staying away from those races, and all of them are attached to my feet.

Until I find a way to keep my toes from freezing -- and I'm out of fresh ideas on what to try -- I'll limit my winter rides to four or five hours, max.

Doug said...

When I got back into riding 6 years ago I had one rideable bike and one old racing bike ('70's vintage). In the last three years I've added three more bikes and I'm already contemplating the next bike I "need". The only thing that will limit more purchases is my limited space to park them inside.

Dave said...

Definitely get Fat! You live in the home of the Fat Bike so you can't fight it...just embrace it. :) I love mine and dom't regret the purchase at all.