Test Ride

I took the 14th off to spend some time with Caren. My life is pretty hectic these days which really limits any time we can spend together.

We were out and about running errands and decided to stop by Mad Dog Cycle and see if they stocked the bike I've been considering buying.

They did stock it, and I took a quick spin around the parking lot. With the exception of the brakes and the not-too-bad-but-could-be-better shocks, I was pretty convinced that I'd found exactly what I was looking for. They even agreed to upgrade the brakes for an additional $30 bucks. Before we left I asked about what Gary Fisher had in that same price range. He recommended the Tassajara which would give me a shock upgrade (from coil to air) as well as an upgrade to a hydraulic disc brake for almost a full hundred dollars cheaper! Now I'm starting to consider ol' fisher a lot more seriously despite my somewhat irrational brand loyalty bias I have toward Specialized.

He also confirmed my suspicion: if you're only going to pay $1000 for a bike, a full suspension would require severe component compromises resulting in a very sub-standard biking experience. *ahem* I'm not naming any names or anything...just sayin'.