Shrub With New Globe

I hadn't been planning to get a bike at the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Bike-To-Work-Day Party. Unfortunately, the beer was free. Since we were at Gordon Beirsch, it was very good. They had several bikes they were going to auction off, including one like this one but four sizes too big. Corinne Winter (the SVBC Honcho) assured us whomever won would get the right size bike for their body type. Surprise, surprise. I found myself bidding up the price on it. I came to my senses when some guy bid $900. The auctioneer was asking for $950, and I didn't want to go there. He was doing the "going once" call while staring at me and some woman behind me said "offer $925." I did. The auctioneer took my generous offer. Then I looked across the room, and the guy that had bid me up three times was shaking his head. He didn't want to go to $950 either. Not much later I'd won the auction.

When all was said and done Corinne wanted me to write her a check, which I did the next day. Then it turned out that Specialized was out of Globe Pros in my size (55). I had to wait almost two months for Nancy LaRocque (the Specialized rep.) to track one down. Then I had to ride all the way to Hamilton Ave. in Campbell on the light rail to pick it up. Once I got there the only problem was it needed new pedals, a bell, head and tail lights, and a water bottle. Wheel Away threw in the water bottle, but since they wanted a $10 labor charge just to install the bike rack I took down there with me, I didn't get the other things from them.

Instead I took my Globe Pro home in factory condition. I rode it to the porkchop at Highway 17, maybe a hundred yards from the shop, before we had our first close call with a fat SUV. I pulled over immediately after that and put one of my MEND YOUR FUELISH WAYS stickers on my new bike. I didn't want the thing to die without having at least a few sticker brandishing experiences. Then we took the light rail to Sunnyvale. I was hearing the stops go by while reading the manual, and I got this enormous desire to ride again. I got off at Lawrence & Tasman, and rode the rest of the way. It was really fun. Along the way I realized my new GP is a very light bike, with many good riding qualities. I decided it doesn't need a bike rack just yet. I'll just use my other bike when I want to carry loads. My Globe Pro is going to be reserved for traveling light. I hope to do a lot of that.

I spent all my accessory money here in Mountain View. I got the bell, kickstand, and rear view mirror at Bike Spring, the only bike shop within walking distance of where I live. I got the seat and rat trap pedals at The Off Ramp. I'd learned the factory seat wasn't cushy enough on the ride through Sunnyvale. Looking back at the whole purchasing experience, I realized that giving a humogous donation to SVBC is probabaly a cost effective way to get a very nice bike, all things considered. Not only that, but the money went to a good cause. I guess Specialized donated the bike for the "advertising value", or maybe they wanted to invest in bicycle advocacy just like me.