elky McElkerson
New member
- Mar 13, 2014
- 2,038
WOW!! things have changed immensely over the last decade.
preface: my mountain bike is a 1999 Specialized FSR full suspension bike that i bought new.. i was broke, but being an idiot..i charged it on my AMEX. hahah in my defense, i kept it and rode it occasionally. now i credit that thing for saving my life, kinda. i was getting fat, and lazy. my knees and ankles were sore all the time, so jogging was out of the question. i dusted off that bike and started riding. the begining i was a wheezing mess. crashes, yup. slow, yup. but i got really into it and started to hammer on that bike. i rode it for two years, hard. every day. no disc brakes..but still a decent bike. kids with the latest bikes would wizz past me..it was awesome and fun. eventually my health turned around..i got lighter and my knees and ankles..stronger. i started jogging.
i like running. t-shirt, put on some shoes and just run out the door. my bike was more involved..and it was starting to make dangerous cracking sounds. i hate putting on a helmet, riding shorts, my shoes, my camelback, my tool kit, my safety vest..yada yada yada.
today, my wife insisted i test ride a new bike. holy krap!! (two years) i have research the topic to death, and i got it down to two bikes. both SANTA CRUZ bikes. i rode the BRONSON today. it was an eye opener. super stable, super smooth, super fast. my old bike, if i checked my blind spot, i would probably veer off and crash. it is very twitchy. this new bike, it was like pedaling a tank with great handlebar feedback. it just blasted over things.
man, i love being active!! i\'m bummed i\'m middle aged! i guess the bright side is: being mid-aged - i wont have to put this new bike on my AMEX. haha..
we shall see. we are moving homes..new home is near the best mountain bike region..in wine country.
preface: my mountain bike is a 1999 Specialized FSR full suspension bike that i bought new.. i was broke, but being an idiot..i charged it on my AMEX. hahah in my defense, i kept it and rode it occasionally. now i credit that thing for saving my life, kinda. i was getting fat, and lazy. my knees and ankles were sore all the time, so jogging was out of the question. i dusted off that bike and started riding. the begining i was a wheezing mess. crashes, yup. slow, yup. but i got really into it and started to hammer on that bike. i rode it for two years, hard. every day. no disc brakes..but still a decent bike. kids with the latest bikes would wizz past me..it was awesome and fun. eventually my health turned around..i got lighter and my knees and ankles..stronger. i started jogging.
i like running. t-shirt, put on some shoes and just run out the door. my bike was more involved..and it was starting to make dangerous cracking sounds. i hate putting on a helmet, riding shorts, my shoes, my camelback, my tool kit, my safety vest..yada yada yada.
today, my wife insisted i test ride a new bike. holy krap!! (two years) i have research the topic to death, and i got it down to two bikes. both SANTA CRUZ bikes. i rode the BRONSON today. it was an eye opener. super stable, super smooth, super fast. my old bike, if i checked my blind spot, i would probably veer off and crash. it is very twitchy. this new bike, it was like pedaling a tank with great handlebar feedback. it just blasted over things.
man, i love being active!! i\'m bummed i\'m middle aged! i guess the bright side is: being mid-aged - i wont have to put this new bike on my AMEX. haha..
we shall see. we are moving homes..new home is near the best mountain bike region..in wine country.
