laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

I went back to Oliver's Cycle Sports today to take another look at their bicycles, now that I know a little more of what I'm looking for. I've learned a lot about the way the suspension on these things makes a difference, as well as learning more about the different components.

Last week, I went to University Bicycle Center and talked to Gabe. Gabe was very nice as salesmen go, he asked all the right questions about my style of riding, what I was looking for in a bicycle, and what my budget was. I answered all of his questions honestly, and told him that right now, my budget was in the range of $800 - $1,500, with the $1,500 bicycle being my "dream bike" - that I really hadn't figured out how I would scrape that much money together, so it would probably stay a dream. Gabe proceeded to pull out and show me a Specialized Stumpjumper FSR 100. What an awesome bike! I'm practically drooling by the time we finish going over it, and I'm thinking what he wants me to be thinking - "I can probably scrape together a little bit more to afford that." Of course, I'm assuming that he's showing me something that's only slightly more than my previously mentioned budget. Nope! Gabe was showing me a bike that retails for $1,899.99! Now, I used to work in sales. I understand that you push your customer a little and always show them the larger size and most expensive model first. I get it. But when your customer has already stated that a $1,500 bike is a "dream," does it make any sense at all to push them by $400 - or to put it another way, 25%? So I ask him to show me something a little less expensive. Gabe shows me a $1,600 bike. I try one last time, specifically asking him if there's anything that's closer to the $900 model I told him about earlier. Gabe shows me a $1,200 bike. So Gabe lost himself a sale of anything at all, unless I hit the lottery, but even then I would probably take my business to Oliver's.

May 13-15, my family went camping with my friends Randy and RC and their families to Alafia River State Park. Alafia River State Park contains some of the best off-road cycling trails in Florida, because it used to be a phosphate mine. Randy, RC, and I wanted to go specifically so we could experience what the other off-road riders were talking about, and also because we were starting to lose the sense of challenge when riding the Wilderness Park trails. I had looked at some of the photos of the trails at Alafia, and we figured that since we were doing well at Wilderness Park, and had even raced with the big dogs in February at the Squiggy Classic, we were ready. Little did I know.

I made a really big decision last night, at least for me. I was logging on last night when Julie saw my computer wallpaper - a black and red Gary Fisher bicycle, the Cake 4 DLX. The Cake 4 DLX is about $1400, which for me makes it more a dream bike than anything else. Julie said something about how it was good to have a goal, and then suggested that if I were to sell my motorcycle I could probably afford it.