Why I'm Glad Bikes Don't Talk

In my garage, late morning today:

Old Bike: Hey, you're back from your first real ride. How'd it go?

New Bike: Well, she's a little, you know, heavy.

OB: You should have seen her before!

NB: Wait... that was it for a ride? You're kidding, right? I was just getting warmed up. And it was so slow!

OB: I know...

NB (taking a good look at OB): She's not nearly as sleek and functional as we are, is she?

OB: You should have seen her before I started working with her!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yesterday, when the bike shop guy was getting me going on my bike, he had me stand over the bike and clip in and out repeatedly until I could do it pretty well with both feet. Then I went for a little ride with a friend who'd happened to come into the shop to see about getting her bike tuned, and managed to do okay.

Amazing: when I walked into the bike shop (after the BSG had called to tell me my bike was ready), my bike was in front, leaning against the counter, waiting. And when I got on it, the seat was at just the right height. I think they'd adjusted so many seats when I did test rides that they knew exactly how to set it for me.

So today, my first real ride, clipless and everything. And I didn't fall (YET). I did a slowish 20 miles or so (no computer yet). The geometry is a little more "aggressive" than my old bike (with the stem adjustment thing to raise the handlebars and such), so my arms are a little tired, but DANG! It felt really good, just smooth!

I need to start doing some core exercises to hold my body up off my hands, I think. And I need to learn to pedal more fully around, I think.