I FINALLY Rode My New Bike! Unfortunately, it was a disaster.... - Page 2

Thanks, Brad!

I will find out what an allen wrench is, lol, and get one.  In fact, I plan to get one of those bike-repair kits (a cheap one) that supposedly has everything you need to fix the average minor repair.  Then I am going to make Hubby sit down with me and ever so patiently teach me to change a tire.  (I can't believe I just said that; I think a very hot spot just warmed over!)  I am going to do it in front of him, with him telling me step by step and with me writing down each step.  Then I am going to put the paper I wrote the steps on into the tool-kit bag, keep it permanently there because I KNOW I will not remember it when the time comes, and do it again without looking at the paper.  I can't even believe I'm saying this;  I don't even pump my own gas!!  But biking is changing me in a lot of ways, and if I'm going to be a successful cyclist, which I dearly want to be, then I have to make myself get over my mechanical phobias and learn a few things.  Miracles do happen.   

I know you're right about nervousness and gripping the bars too tight.  I kept finding myself doing that yesterday.  I wasn't so nervous today and tried to make sure that I wasn't doing that.  The handlebars seem just a smidge off, now.  I'm wondering if even some of those things that fit on the end of the bars that y'all told me about, perpendicular to them, would help give me a little leeway in my grip.

I can just see your neighbor mounting his bike that way, lol.  I'm sure I'll figure out what works best for me.  Hopefully it won't look as funny as he does, lol.

And thanks for the saying she's nice-looking.  I have to admit, she's getting prettier all the time! 

Thanks for the help, big guy. 

Hey, that's a cool-looking thing, Brad!

If I had seen it lying in the road, I would have thought it was part of something and had broken off, lol.  I wonder if it was named for somebody named Allen?

I'm sure Hubby has one.  I will get him to show me what it's for.  Just think of all the new things I'll be learning! 

Oooh -- I did see a tool kit for women the other day online.  All the tools were in a pretty suitcase-type case, and the handles were pink.  They were really pretty!   I didn't look at it closely enough to see what tools were there, but maybe it would have one!   I might just have to buy it, lol.

Thanks for the info.

Hey, you two!

Brad, your Kimber is one talented lady!  I have no patience for building things with little parts, and that's probably a good thing, because I have no eye-hand dexterity, either, lol.  But her airplane is really pretty.  It's even one of my favorite colors.  And I read the comments people made on it, so I know she did an excellent job.  My particular creative specialty is putting photos and words together in albums to tell lovely tales of the event.  Have been known to make people cry, lol.

Steve, I really love the brown accents, too.  I like them so much that I really wish they had fenders that color!  It bugs me that most fenders only come in silver or black, lol, and I can't BELIEVE Raleigh doesn't offer painted-to-match fenders for their bikes; somebody in their sales office should look into that, because I think they could make a lot of money really easily. I've been looking for skirt guards for the rear wheel, which are really popular in Europe -- and I can't find THOSE here, either!    I would love to have a skirt guard in that rich brown.  Not that I ever ride with skirts, but I think they look really classy.   Maybe I'll figure out how to make one of my own....

It occurs to me that I should have turned the bike the other way in the pictures, so the chain guard is showing, too; I think it adds something to it.  Will remember that when I post pictures after she's all prettied up. 

Yeah, after last night's ride I'm not so worried about the handlebar position.  We'll get it figured out -- or I'll go shopping for a new stem.  I'm beginning to love how easy fixing bike problems can be, lol.  It's a lot easier than actually choosing the bike!

Have a good one, y'all.

Sierra

Thanks, Paramount!

She's definitely growing on me, lol, in many ways.  I'll do as you say and just keep riding her whenever I can.  (Unfortunately, it's raining today and supposed to rain for the next 3-4 days; and unlike some of those hardies in the column on how cold and wet you'll ride in, I don't ride in the rain!  Even if I wanted to, my glasses would get wet and I would be totally blind.  Sigh....) 

I spent several hours last night looking at bike-accessory sites.  How much fun is that!  Frugal Hubby has let me know that HE bought me the bike and the fenders and basket, but the rest of the prettying up will come out of my personal account, lol.  Still... I will have those hammered brass fenders, eventually, even at $160.  They're just so pretty, lol.

I'll post another pic when I get her fenders and all on her.  (Just doing black ones for now.)  This time I'll turn her 180 degrees so her chain guard shows.  It flatters her figure, LOL. 

Thanks again.  We mommies love people who love our babies. 

Sierra