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Now with 100% more whee!
In honor of my newly tuned-up brakes I took my bike out on the extra hilly ride this weekend. I'd planned a shorter ride but blew past the turnaround point, then rode straight past the next cut off, at which time I realized that my legs had decided that it was a good day to head out to the airport, so I did.
I'm grateful to the folks at Babcock Bikes of Endicott who fixed the squealing brake problem that left me feeling like I should apologize to neighbors for waking them up during my early morning rides. Babcock's is an amazing store--they know bikes and they know their customers. I'm only in there once or twice a year, but they always recognize me (and my bike.) The mechanic remembered putting new tires on my bike last summer, and since the tires weren't significantly worn I got to explain the "wrecked ankle and spent summer in a cast rather than riding" story, which brought appropriate expressions of sympathy. And best of all, there's no bike snob attitude-- I can describe a mechanical problem as "It doesn't feel right" or "I think something bad has happened" and they'll nod their heads, take the bike away, and in a day or two call me up to say that it's fixed.
While in the store I spent some time admiring the new Treks they've got in stock. I still like my fifteen year-old Bianchi hybrid, but I'll admit that my eye does wander. When I get a new bike, it will be from Babcock, I can't imagine going anywhere else.
Local bike shops are an endangered species, so if you have a good one in your area, you should cherish it.
I'm grateful to the folks at Babcock Bikes of Endicott who fixed the squealing brake problem that left me feeling like I should apologize to neighbors for waking them up during my early morning rides. Babcock's is an amazing store--they know bikes and they know their customers. I'm only in there once or twice a year, but they always recognize me (and my bike.) The mechanic remembered putting new tires on my bike last summer, and since the tires weren't significantly worn I got to explain the "wrecked ankle and spent summer in a cast rather than riding" story, which brought appropriate expressions of sympathy. And best of all, there's no bike snob attitude-- I can describe a mechanical problem as "It doesn't feel right" or "I think something bad has happened" and they'll nod their heads, take the bike away, and in a day or two call me up to say that it's fixed.
While in the store I spent some time admiring the new Treks they've got in stock. I still like my fifteen year-old Bianchi hybrid, but I'll admit that my eye does wander. When I get a new bike, it will be from Babcock, I can't imagine going anywhere else.
Local bike shops are an endangered species, so if you have a good one in your area, you should cherish it.
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Obviously, I'm torn by this development.
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One of the things I like about the annual bike trips is that I see so many people in their fifties, sixties and even seventies out biking and having fun, it gives me hope that I can keep up with this.
And today's bikes are lightyears ahead of the ten-speeds we used to have. I remember trying to get back into riding on my college ten-speed and giving up. Then I tried a hybrid bike and voila, I was hooked .
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