Opened Negotiations for a New Bike :-)

"Tony B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, I broached the subject of a new bike this evening, based on
"interest free for 2 years..." etc. and "a bike is MUCH cheaper than gym
membership" (thanks wafflycat).

When I packed in smoking 20 odd years ago I justified my healthy lifestyle
toy purchases on the grounds of "look how much I'd be spending on [censored] if I
still smoked".
20 years on I now play the age card: "I don't know how many more years I'll
be able to do (whatever) at this level, I'd better make the most of it while
I can".
Although in truth I imagine SWMBO long ago caved in in preference to
listening to me drone on about my toy wish list :-)

Anyway Tony, spring's on the way, I can't wait to get the shiney bike off
the hanger in the garage and put it to use on the lanes. Enjoy!

Pete

Tony B said:

Well, I broached the subject of a new bike this evening, based on
"interest free for 2 years..." etc. and "a bike is MUCH cheaper than

gym

Quoted message said:

membership" (thanks wafflycat).

So how did the Boss respond? Good luck in getting what you want!

On Fri, 11 Mar 2005 19:12:29 +0000, Tony B wrote
(in article <[email hidden]>😉:

Quoted message said:

"a bike is MUCH cheaper than gym
membership"

Damn, I wish I had thought of that one when TBH was quizzing me on the cost
of my Orange P7 based commuter.

Cheers,

Steve

--
The reply-to email address is a spam trap.
Email steve 'at' shodgson 'dot' org 'dot' uk

Tony B said:

Well, I broached the subject of a new bike this evening, based on
"interest free for 2 years..." etc. and "a bike is MUCH cheaper than gym
membership" (thanks wafflycat).

So, here we go... I want a delicious dreamy thing that is a joy to
own/ride/stare at and so far have come up with a Fuji Team SL or a
Specialized Roubaix Comp.

I rather fancy the Fuji as it's suposedly one of the very lightest
things money can buy (apart form my shed-rescue fixed cog obviously) but
maybe it's a bit too focused for an occasional commute, sunny
evening/day ride and things like the ToB Etape, Christies Blackpool run
etc.

The Specialised appeals cos it's made from bits of coal and is
supposedly comfy....

This is a sheer luxury purchase, I AM NOT a racer or TT bod - just a
mid-life crisis type bloke who wants a sports car (er, well sporty-ish
bicycle actually that won't be purgatory on my old knacered carcass) so
does anyone own either the Fuji or Rubaix and would like to comment?

I did read somewhere the Rubaix has [censored] wheels that deserve replacing
before it leaves the shop :-O but unaware of any Fuji owners complaining
about anything. But then maybe they are all 10st racing snakes... my old
85kg requires a different approach perhaps.

Or any other suggestions??? Budget up to £2k (sheesh, for a bloody push
iron...) all in, including some fancy new riding gear!

thanks in anticipation,

Tony B

Geez, what have I started. OK, I'll come over to see you and the Boss on
my Merckx and dressed in my cool gear with a suntan and smooth legs.
She'll want you to get a new bike then ;-)

"Tony B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, I broached the subject of a new bike this evening, based on
"interest free for 2 years..." etc. and "a bike is MUCH cheaper than gym
membership" (thanks wafflycat).

Most welcome - glad to be of assistance :-)

Cheers, helen s

LSMike said:

So how did the Boss respond? Good luck in getting what you want!

She went out to the pub...

Tony B

Tony B said:

So, here we go... I want a delicious dreamy thing that is a joy to
own/ride/stare at and so far have come up with a Fuji Team SL or a
Specialized Roubaix Comp.

The Specialised appeals cos it's made from bits of coal and is
supposedly comfy....

Ooooh... Are they comfy? Really, really comfy?
I can but dream. Sigh.

On Fri, 11 Mar 2005 22:55:26 +0000, John Hearns <[email hidden]>

wrote in message : said:

Are they comfy? Really, really comfy?

No. For that you need lawn furniture with wheels.

Guy
--
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

"To every complex problem there is a solution which is
simple, neat and wrong" - HL Mencken

in message <[email hidden]>, Tony B

(') said:

Well, I broached the subject of a new bike this evening, based on
"interest free for 2 years..." etc. and "a bike is MUCH cheaper than
gym membership" (thanks wafflycat).

So, here we go... I want a delicious dreamy thing that is a joy to
own/ride/stare at and so far have come up with a Fuji Team SL or a
Specialized Roubaix Comp.

I hate to be snobby, but isn't a Specialized Roubaix Comp a bit like a
Mondeo Ghia Twin Cam? I mean, they're good bikes, my LBS sells them.
But they're very bland. There are plenty of small specialist makers
who'll turn out a bike that's just that bit more interesting...

Quoted message said:

This is a sheer luxury purchase, I AM NOT a racer or TT bod - just a
mid-life crisis type bloke who wants a sports car
Or any other suggestions??? Budget up to £2k (sheesh, for a bloody
push iron...) all in, including some fancy new riding gear!

<URL:http://www.bikes-dolan.uk.com/> fast, light 'n' sexy: the Lotus
<URL:http://www.robinmathercycles.co.uk/> hand-crafted: the Morgan
<URL:http://www.hewittbikefitting.co.uk/> Grand Tourismo: the Jensen

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; making jokes about dyslexia isn't big, it isn't clever and
;; it isn't furry.

"wafflycat" <wafflesATv21netDOTcoDOTuk> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Tony B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, I broached the subject of a new bike this evening, based on
"interest free for 2 years..." etc. and "a bike is MUCH cheaper than gym
membership" (thanks wafflycat).

Most welcome - glad to be of assistance :-)

But dear Helen, I think we have established that the difference between Boyz
Toyz and Girlz Toyz is that Boyz Toyz are for the exclusive use of the Boy
while Girlz Toyz are for family use. [1]

T

References

[1] Trice Ice T

you know? said:

On Fri, 11 Mar 2005 22:55:26 +0000, John Hearns <[email hidden]>

wrote in message : said:

Are they comfy? Really, really comfy?

No. For that you need lawn furniture with wheels.

Fie!
Begone, dark sider!
No! No! Not the comfy cushions.

Simon Brooke said:

I hate to be snobby, but isn't a Specialized Roubaix Comp a bit like a
Mondeo Ghia Twin Cam?

Possibly, but then you can take the man out of Sheppy but not Sheppy out
of the man ;-)

Not that I'm from Sheppy you unnnerstan....

Tony B

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 00:23:39 +0000, John Hearns <[email hidden]>

wrote in message : said:

No! No! Not the comfy cushions.

Careful, you'll have the Python Police after you.

Guy
--
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

"To every complex problem there is a solution which is
simple, neat and wrong" - HL Mencken

"Tony B" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Well, I broached the subject of a new bike this evening, based on
"interest free for 2 years..." etc. and "a bike is MUCH cheaper than gym
membership" (thanks wafflycat).

So, here we go... I want a delicious dreamy thing that is a joy to
own/ride/stare at and so far have come up with a Fuji Team SL or a
Specialized Roubaix Comp.

I rather fancy the Fuji as it's suposedly one of the very lightest things
money can buy (apart form my shed-rescue fixed cog obviously) but maybe
it's a bit too focused for an occasional commute, sunny evening/day ride
and things like the ToB Etape, Christies Blackpool run etc.

The Specialised appeals cos it's made from bits of coal and is supposedly
comfy....

This is a sheer luxury purchase, I AM NOT a racer or TT bod - just a
mid-life crisis type bloke who wants a sports car (er, well sporty-ish
bicycle actually that won't be purgatory on my old knacered carcass) so
does anyone own either the Fuji or Rubaix and would like to comment?

I did read somewhere the Rubaix has [censored] wheels that deserve replacing
before it leaves the shop :-O but unaware of any Fuji owners complaining
about anything. But then maybe they are all 10st racing snakes... my old
85kg requires a different approach perhaps.

Or any other suggestions??? Budget up to £2k (sheesh, for a bloody push
iron...) all in, including some fancy new riding gear!

thanks in anticipation,

Tony B

Not a user myself but admired the Specialized in my local bike shop where
one was waiting for collection. Nice understated colour scheme, very light
even when sporting a triple (which is an option) and very popular with the
older generation of ex-racers who want something that performs; looks good
and is comfortable. They've sold 3 in the last few weeks - all to the same
profile of user.

HTH
Julia

Tony B said:

The Specialised appeals cos it's made from bits of coal and is
supposedly comfy....

There's comfort and there's Comfort. If you want Comfort, get a
recumbent, because a big padded chair that supports your back along its
whole length and isn't required to be very thin so you can supply power
optimally is just in a different class to any saddle that is made.

Quoted message said:

This is a sheer luxury purchase, I AM NOT a racer or TT bod - just a
mid-life crisis type bloke who wants a sports car (er, well sporty-ish
bicycle actually that won't be purgatory on my old knacered carcass)

So get a sporty-ish 'bent. Not so light, but much better aerodynamics
and an order of magnitude more comfort.

Quoted message said:

Or any other suggestions??? Budget up to £2k (sheesh, for a bloody push
iron...) all in, including some fancy new riding gear!

£2K leaves it wide open. If I (a non racer, non TT) wanted something
sporty I'd start by looking at something like
http://www.challengebikes.com/html/index.php?taal=en&selectie=fujin or
http://kinetics.org.uk/html/speedmachine.shtml rather than something
that is basically the same as dozens of other bikes in order to conform
to the UCI's baroque requirements of what constitutes a "bicycle".
Though those requirements are of use in making sure all competitiors
have basically equal machines, if you're not competing you have little
to gain by following them unless you want to ride with the local Chain
Gangs (in itself a /very/ good reason for a trad racer, but you still
need to get out and *do* that).

And you don't need any fancy new riding gear, if you're already on a
bike that shouts out its differences from the usual racers quite as
loudly as a nice recumbent.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/