So we've been shopping for a bike. I intend to ride to school sometimes, walk to school sometimes, maybe ride the bus when the weather is bad...and occasionally take the car. Mostly, I want to walk.
But my bike is old. I bought it in DC when we moved up to the NW quadrant. So if you're keeping track (and I hope you are), that's 1997. I last used it sometime in 2000, maybe. Maybe 1998. Anyway, it needs work.
We knew there was a local place that could tune up bikes, but I think we both felt a little bashful about the state of the two bicycles we own (Charles's bike is even older, maybe 20 years old, and just as decrepit). So we shopped around, figuring that maybe we'd buy new and donate our bikes to the SLC bike collective.
REI offered a few bikes on clearance for $350 or so. A local shop staffed with the sweetest young men had a great little bike for $600. Scruffier, but just as friendly, another shop had bikes on sale ranging from $300 to $400, but I'd need to pay extra for fenders. I need fenders.
Finally, Charles decided to drive down to the bike fixer and just see what it would cost to fix them up. "Welllll..." the lady said, "You'll need new cables and those are, like, $5 each." Yeah? Total? $100.
No, really.
So we're having our bikes rehabbed. And she's not sure if they'll be done tomorrow or Tuesday, because she closes Sunday and Monday. To recap: within 4 days (max), the bikes will be operable, for practically nothing, in bike terms.
SOLD.
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