Friday, May 23, 2008

The secret to selling a fine bicycle.

I am going to spoil the plot right away so that you can get on with your extended Memorial Day weekend. Do not ride it.

I think I picked up the term from Velocipete. Today is a Ferrari Friday. I decided at the last minute and snuck out of our bedroom and down the stairs with my blue Rivendell trying not to make any noise in the darkness of the morning. Packed my clothes into my messenger bag and was out the door.

The blue bike is a traditional road bike. One of the first Rivendells that Curt Goodrich constructed and actually his former personal bike. Fits me perfectly, and as I was reminded this morning… rides like a dream.

I had myself convinced that it is too impractical. Well… I guess as impractical as a Rivendell might get. Brakeshoes are at the very bottom of the slots in the short reach brakes leaving room for Pasela Tourguards in 700x28. There would be tight clearances but I could (and hopefully will) fit narrow fenders. There are braze-ons for a rear rack. So, the impractical excuse is void.

I had briefly entertained the idea of selling it to free up some money to spend on my upcoming new touring rig. I thought that I had convinced myself that I don’t need this bike as it is too impractical. But, as I was riding into work today, the experience was simply SO amazing, felt so good, and was SO entertaining… No way. Not for Sale.

There is a feeling to both of my Rivendells beyond my ability to express in words. 15 years of working at a bike shop part time, having ridden many different bikes, and a lengthy history of having owned different bikes, the two customs designed by Grant Peterson, constructed by Curt Goodrich are exactly what I would want in a bike., again… If I could explain what I like about them.

The secret to having attempted to sell the blue bike would have been to not ride it.

I had another coworker ask me about riding his bike to work. Gave him a route and we talked a bit about the potential of cost savings. He and his wife both currently fill up about every 6 days to the tune of $100 total. As best I can figure, if he could stretch that to once every 7 days by riding a bike to work 1 day a week, he’d save about $700 a year.

1 comment:

Frostbike said...

I don't believe I coined this particular term. But I will gladly give you $100 for your finest Rivendell.

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