The upgrade

I had not given up on my idea of getting a new bike. I started collecting bottles and cans and saving money that I got for any occasion for the new bike. Anne gave me 200 from a bonus check and I took my book allowance from school and added it to the account. I had saved up and had around $1600 in the account after a the Airport race. The goal was a Focus Cayo Team replica.

Sunday was Father's day and my mother in law called me and asked us to me her at the mall. She gave me $100 to buy something for Father's day and for losing weight. I pocketed the money and later we went to the bike shop. I needed a new, wider, pair of shoes and I wanted another pair of shorts. We piled into the car and went to the bike shop. It was the first time that my mom had been to a real bike shop and her jaw almost hit the floor when she saw the prices on the bikes.

While I was looking at shoes Anne and my mom were chatting with a sales person. Then my mom came over and asked if they had the bike I wanted. I really wanted a Focus Cayo team edition. It was all carbon fiber and had the bigger racing gears in the front. Most of the new bikes in the price range I was looking at had what is called a compact set up. The both the chainrings are slightly smaller than the professional racing versions. Bike companies were doing that because they figured that you would need a smaller gear for climbing and that you wont need the biggest gears often enough to have on the bike. I knew that I could teach myself to climb in a bigger gear but that you when you are in the biggest gear you cant teach yourself to make it bigger.

I read a review of the Fiju SL1 in bicycling magazine and it was similar to the bike that I wanted except it had a compact crank. It was easy to spot since it was all fire engine red with black lettering. I explained to the sales person, who knew nothing about road bikes, that I was looking at something like the SL1 but with the regular chainring sizes not the compact. He didnt know what I was talking about so I grabbed the bike next to it and showed him the difference. It was a Fiju SL1 comp Servetto team edition. It had everything I wanted on a new bike and then some because it came with the shifting system I wanted; the SRAM Rival.

I checked out the bike and it was my size so I took it for a test ride outside. It was fast, smooth, and so light compared to my bike. I went back in the store and found my mom chatting with the sale person again. She talked him in to giving me 10% off if I bought it today since it was Father's Day. The bike was $1999, which was the same price as the Focus Cayo that I wanted. I talked to Anne and since my birthday was in a week and she was going to give me some more money she said we could buy it. I also signed up for their club membership for $30 dollars and got 10% back in store credit on all purchases. I walked out paying just over $2000 dollars and I got the bike, a service plan, new shoes, new pedal clets, and a new helmet.

I had to pick up the bike the next day because the shop rules were that a mechanic has to clear the bike. I picked it up on Monday after night after my appointments during the day. I thought that I would be able to rush home and ride just before dark. However, I didnt realize that I would have to adjust the saddle height, change the pedals from my old bike, move the computer over, put the cleats on my new shoes, and take off the reflecters on the bike. There is some sort of unoffical rule that says you are either a rookie or someone not really into cycling if you ride with reflectors or a permanent headlight on your bike. Some people said they removed theirs because it was extra weight other because they get in the way of cycling equipment. I dont understand why you wouldnt want to be seen when its getting dark but I wasnt going to be the one guy sticking out at a race.

I put about 70 miles on the bike in the first week that I had it riding almost everyday after work. The bike felt great climbing, sprinting, and just riding on rolling terrain. I was a little nervous about racing the bike and putting it on the trainer. I had heard that carbon fiber shatters when dropped and that it can crank if there is enough stress on the bike. I did some research and found that most people had no trouble with riding on a trainer or even when they crashed at a race. So I got ready to race my new bike for the first time.