Home > Fit City > Archives > 2011 > November > 21 > Entry
Adding a cruiser bike to the stable
My carbon road bike rolls fast on long country roads It’s sleek, light and speedy.
My orange mountain bike, depending on whether it’s wearing street tires or knobbies, carries me to work or up and down the rolling trails of Big Bend Ranch State Park, Walnut Creek Park or the Barton Creek Greenbelt.
Those two bikes take me everywhere I need to go.
Still, I’ve secretly coveted a cruiser bike, one of those big, colorful bikes with a broad cushy seat and wide handlebars. They look like a trip to the beach on two wheels.
A week ago, I added one to the LeBlanc bicycle stable. My husband snagged it for me in the silent auction at the Please Be Kind to Cyclists fund-raising gala.
Not only do I now have a bright blue cruiser that makes me smile every time I see it, the money we paid for it went to a great cause — an Austin non-profit that works to make roads safer for bicycles and to improve relations between motorists and cyclists.
Last Sunday morning, I wheeled “Betty,” which I dubbed the new rig, down the driveway and climbed aboard.
My husband Chris grabbed his bike, some our friends pulled up on their bikes, and our roving bike gang headed to Mother’s Cafe for brunch. (Biking to restaurants is one of my most favorite pastimes.)
Betty’s heavy. She’s bulky. She’s got just one gear and coaster brakes, which took some getting used to, I might add.
I have to stand up on the pedals to get Betty up even pint-sized hills. She threw her chain a couple of times in protest, a problem easily solved with a few wrench-assisted adjustments.
Betty’s not about going fast or commuting to the office. She harkens back to the days when I was a kid, and rode loop after loop around the block for the pure joy of how it felt to whiz along smooth paved roads. She’s about freedom and escape, and she’s got character and personality.
Betty’s beautiful.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment Categories: cycling
Comments
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By Big John
November 21, 2011 12:10 PM | Link to this
That’s an excessive amount of bikes for one person.
By Pam LeBlanc
November 21, 2011 12:31 PM | Link to this
Big John, Perhaps, but bikes are my main mode of transportation. Pam
By Big John
November 21, 2011 4:00 PM | Link to this
I know it’s none of my business, but due to your explanation, I thought a reply was appropriate. Biking is my main mode of transportation as well yet I manage with just 1 bike- a 1995 road bike that I’ve owned since 1998.
It’s just my opinion that people have too much specialized stuff these days. For example, let’s look at shoes. I know many people that have road running shoes, gore-tex trail running shoes, non-gore-tex trail running shoes, trail hiking shoes (both gore-tex and non-gore-tex), trail hiking boots (both gore-tex and non-gore-tex), backpacking boots (both gore-tex and non-gore-tex), water-shoes, hiking sandals, etc., etc.
If you really think about it, sometimes 1 item can serve multiple purposes. For example, I have 1 pair of shoes (a $50 pair of Adidas) that I use for road running, trail running, everyday use like gardening or biking, an occasional basketball game, hiking, backpacking and on casual Fridays I wear them to work.
Again, I’m not trying to tell anyone how to live, I just wonder how many pairs of shoes most active people have for all those purposes? The marketers and advertisers have won- consumerism is king in the USA.
By Pam LeBlanc
November 21, 2011 4:03 PM | Link to this
Hi John, Sure! And I absolutely agree. Technically, I could get by on my mtn bike/commuter. It’s all I really, truly need. I’m lucky because I can afford a road bike, too, and it makes those long group rides much more fun. And I certainly don’t need the cruiser bike, it’s a total luxury item. Pam
By Mike Murphy
November 21, 2011 8:14 PM | Link to this
I hope you have a lot of fun on it. I’ve never gotten into road bikes or mountain bikes, and 3 speeds is all I can handle; I got Greg to put a 3 speed hub on my Fireman’s Cruzer and never looked back. Now that my joints are arthritic, I’m moving lots of miles with a Hilltopper battery powered booster kit on the Fireman’s. I expect to ride forever.
By LaMont
November 22, 2011 11:40 AM | Link to this
What a luxury to have multiple bikes! I have 3 bikes myself and I enjoy each one for the ride they offer. I’ve been commuting on my cruiser for a few months exclusively and noticed that when I got back on the road bike it was just a much different ride and a bit of a different riding style. Always fun!
By Maureen
November 29, 2011 2:16 PM | Link to this
Pam, your bike looks like a blast. Don’t let anyone put a damper on your fun! Congratulations on the new addition to your bike family—may it grow and prosper.
By Pam LeBlanc
November 29, 2011 2:20 PM | Link to this
Thanks Maureen. I’m having a blast with the new bike. It’s my ‘toodle around the ‘hood’ bike. It makes me feel girly!