My new ride!

I believe this bike was described as "something a 12 year old girl would ride." Don't you know it!

I'm sad to end a very happy 15 year relationship with my 1992 Trek 8000 but it had to be retired. It was good to me though as I raced it in the 1992 WORS series and got 3rd in Beginner Women 18-34. I also rode it in Moab on my first mtn bike vacation. However, 13 winters of commuting on it had taken its toll. After the bike shop mechanics "harangued" me regarding the dangers of continuing to ride it I finally listened. Mostly because knowing that it was not safe to ride it ruined my daily commute. Suddenly I was worrying about every pothole I hit and every corner I took at speed. I will miss all the anodized purple on the 8000 but my new Marin is pretty styling (don't you love the Planet Bike fenders???).

Today was the inaugural ride to work on my new commuter and I got quite a few looks so I know it is sharp. Pretty soon the regular commuters will figure out that the purple bike girl is now the pink bike girl. I even got a call today from another biker who works in my building who saw it in the rack and had to confirm that it was mine.

Thanks to Eric and Brian at the shop for setting it up just the way I wanted it and to Brian and Matt and all the other mechanics for convincing me to retire the old bike. I'm a difficult customer but they put up with me and I really do appreciate it.