Check out my new bicycle – ain’t she purdy? I had been riding a 15+ year old mountain bike handed down from the kids. It just wasn’t set up properly for me. My hands quickly went numb, I was constantly slipping forward off the seat, and it was awkward to mount and dismount. It wasn’t a comfortable or fun ride and I found myself simply not riding it. Fixing the geometry would require a fairly complex retrofit (it couldn’t be adjusted far enough without parts changes), and frankly I was over it. I wanted a new bike. The last time I got a new bike, fitted specifically to my needs and size was, well, never. I think it’s about time, don’t you?

So, I researched and selected a Trek Verve 2 hybrid bicycle. I’ve had really good experiences riding Trek hybrids on bike trips and it’s a highly reputable brand. This model has upright riding geometry and a step-through frame, making it much more comfortable to mount and ride. The hybrid tires work great for the kind of casual biking I do on roads, bike paths, gravel roads, and non-technical trails. I added ergonomic hand grips, a rear rack and a tinkle bell. This is the SUV of bikes – versatile for sightseeing, fitness rides, and transportation both on and off road. [Other tech specs:  XS  lightweight aluminum frame, 24 Shimano gears, suspension seatpost, and adjustable stem]

To test it out, we took it to Minto-Brown Island Park in Salem. Larger than Central Park in New York, this park has miles of multi-use paved and unpaved paths. Oh. My. Gosh. What a difference!!  We rode both on paved paths and gravel / dirt paths, and the bike handled just awesomely. The ergonomic hand grips are fantastically comfortable. No more numb hands! It was just so easy to ride. The weather was pleasantly cool, the park scenery was lovely and I felt like a kid again, just out ridin’ my bike! 9 miles went by like it was nothing – I could have gone around the loop again. I don’t know why I didn’t get a new bicycle years ago.

I think I’m going to be riding a lot more from now on.