It is with great pain that I give this (cycling) news…
Sadly, the doctors have declared Dora unfit for further on-road life. If I continued to push her, I would put both of our lives in jeopardy. Her frame is cracked and my heart is broken. My first real bike, the two-wheeler that carried me from complete noob to Ironman finisher, will have to be replaced. The movers didn’t take special care in her life and now we are paying the price. OH THE SORROW!
How can I ever replace her perfect Tiffany-blue tape?
Can they guarantee that my next trusty steed will fit me so well?
What if I don’t find matching nail polish for my next new bike?!
I don’t care that she was of the “lesser” class, I still loved my aluminum baby and she will forever be my first.
“WOE IS ME!” proclaims the first-word complainer. I will take Dora home from the shop, still broken and incomplete, I will place her somewhere special and I will revisit the fond memories I had with her often.
While no set of two wheels can ever replace her, I’m now on the hunt for Dora 2.0, paid for by the movers of course. While no amount of cash will ever replace her, I would love to know if there are any good deals out there on tri bikes as my funds aren’t plentiful. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
Happy Running (And Cycling)!
Awwwww! Page! I know you are devastated, but look back on the memories fondly and perhaps you can find Dora 2.0? Or , somehow incorporate her into your new wheels?!
Sorry to hear about poor Dora! I feel similar about my (first) bike, Beth. She may not be the speediest, or the lightest, but we have made some awesome memories and miles together, I’ll also be sad when we part.
Happy Tuesday!
Sorry to hear about Dora. Bike mechanics discovered a 6″ crack in my frame three months before my Ironman last year. I freaked out, but my replacement bike (Cervelo S2) ended up being the best fit ever. How about contacting a reputable bike shop in the area and asking them if they know of anyone looking to sell a good used bike? Good luck!
Ugh, I’m so sorry to hear about your bike, what a bummer. Hopefully you will find something that you like and will meet your needs. Happy shopping!
I will be anxiously reading the comments to this post, I just signed up for Ironman 70.3 in April (Florida) and Ironman Louisville (my hometown, what what GO CARDS) in 2014 and I have no bike and really no idea where to start or what to look for. I’m super excited, though!
Awesome and congrats on registering! Hopefully the comments help but my advice: go for the end of year sales and go try a lot out! And find a good place for a fit — that’s what it’s all about.
Boooo!!! Stupid movers. I am livid for you!!
Unfortunately I don’t have any suggestions right now where to get a bike but with the year coming to an end in a few months (really 2013 where did you go?) I would expect them to start rolling out 2014 models and they might start discounting the 2013 models. Good look with the search!
UGHHHH that sucks!!! I’m sorry.
Luckily since it’s the end of the year, many bike stores will start having sales on the 2013 models. That’s what I’d roll with (pun intended). I’ve been extremely happy with my QR Dulce, just saying.
Happy bike hunting!
I recommend checking out Specialized bikes. Love their stuff (I’ve got a Specialized bike that has taken me through a metric century, a century, and is about to see me through my first triathlon). Plus, it is a northern CA company – I believe they are based in Morgan Hill.
Have you tried PLANET – X. One of my friend has purchased a bike from them and it looks badass. They have a store in portland http://www.planet-x-usa.com
Never heard of this — thanks for the tip!
I am so sorry Page! What a tragic series of events.
I think of you when I look at Thin Mint (Dora’s twin) who has served me so well.
Perhaps a nice new carbon 7.0 Speed Concept would help ease the pain.
(You might look around on Competitive Cyclist – they have great deals sometimes. My husband got a Ridley Cheetah for $900!)
Haha, love the name “Thin Mint”. I’m thinking carbon will help ease the pain
Oh your poor baby!
Your next bike will find you. Feel the force.
So sorry to hear about your bike! I consider mine to be one of my best buds and I would be heartbroken. I have a Specialized and absolutely love it – I hope you find a new tri buddy soon!
I strongly suggest you go and get a Retul bike fit. They’ll put you on a “bike” where all the parts move and they’ll find your optimum fit (based on power and rpms). They’ll take the dimensions of your fit and tell you which bike best fits your dimensions. Also have them look at crank length. I was on standard (172?) cranks and I moved down to 16x and that made a HUGE difference. Once you know what bike is best for you, you can then start shopping (new or used). Bike fit is SO individual and getting the bike that’s right for your geometry is what’s important.
Dora is aluminum and the movers STILL managed to crack her? Wowzers. Those are some bad movers.
I was very sad to sell Buzz (similar to you, first bike, went from newb to Ironman) but at least we parted on my terms (I got a custom carbon bike – Merlin) and Buzz went to a happy home. I am so sad for you but I’m sure you’ll get another bike where you’ll make other very happy memories.
Oh wow, I’ve never heard of this before. I’ll look into this — thanks for the info!
The process is pretty cool. They set my old bike up on a computrainer and optimized the fit. Then they put me on the Retul machine, at the same power while they made small tweaks to the fit. All of a sudden, *bam* 110 rpm, where on my old bike I was pushing 85 rpm. I thought Buzz was a great bike for years – I put 6,000 mile on it, had 3 fits done (with minor tweaks), and did an IM. Turns out he still is a good bike – just not a good bike for me.
The Retul fit is more expensive than a regular fit, but I think the results are well worth it.
So sad to hear this. Nothing can replace that first love! That said, though, now is a great time of year for shopping — bike stores will be moving out their 2013s to make way for the 2014s. I bought my Cervelo S5 at this time last year and got an incredible deal. I love that bike more than anything. — the fit is fantastic, and she can be configured from road to a more aggressive TT style. And if all goes according to plan, I’ll be taking her to IMAZ next year.
I’ll definitely be on the lookout for end of year deals too!
Aw no! I have a Trek too (Lexa road bike) and even though it’s not a fancy tri bike, I pretty much love it and will be sad if/when it’s time to part ways. I’m planning to use it for IM Lake Placid next year … just need to get a new seat and add aero bars. I’m following your lead and getting fun tape on the handlebars.
Good luck finding a new bike!
I’m so sorry to hear about your bike! It’s hard to lose something that has been with you for so SO many miles. I hope your next bike is equally fun colored, that you find happy nailpolish that matches it, and that it fits you even better.
Felt Felt Felt Felt Felt Felt Felt Felt Felt Felt Felt. I’m also a runner turned cyclist turned triathlete. I already have an amazing $5000 road bike so I struggled with the thought of purchasing a tri-bike this Spring. Trust me, I checked them all out, Trek, Specialized, Orbea, Cervelo, etc etc. But after riding the Felt B16 the only decision was what to name her. A little eyelash batting brought my Felt B16 (now fondly named the Time Machine) home with me for under $2000 – which is almost $1000 less than the comparable Trek model. Plus Felt specs their bikes with superior components than other comps and she’s got a svelt carbon frame! I rode her to my first triathlon finish last month – IM 70.3 Racine Wisconsin – and have no regrets. If you’re savy, you should still be able to find “last years model” out their somewhere and get an even better deal.
Thanks for the recommendation — I’k be sure to check it out (and I like your negotiation style. Ha!).
So sad that you have to replace your bike!! I hope you find another one that you love just as much as Dora.
Was looking at bikes I’m Craigslist and this made me think of u
http://tucson.craigslist.org/bik/3978808993.html
So sorry to hear about Dora! That really sucks =\ As for bike shops, check out racycles.com, I got my tri bike from them earlier this year. They have a lot of closeout models, free shipping, return policy in case it doesn’t work out, plus they package the bikes really well for shipment. It comes mostly assembled and you only need to put the wheels, seatpost and aerobars back on. Best of luck!
How heartbreaking! Are you going to at least get some insurance cash back from the moving company to ease your suffering during this difficult time of loss?
Rest assured, I WILL do everything in my power to find you a perfect matching nail polish hue when you replace poor Dora. It is the least I can do in your time of loss.