Nic Narrates

My new obsession is shopping for a bike. I asked for one for my birthday last month and have been scouring the city and the internets for the perfect new ride ever since. I’ve had the same bike- a pink Schwinn mountain bike that my parents got me when I was 12 or 13, for far too long so pretty much anything…literally anything…will be an improvement. And seriously, a pink mountain bike? Holy fucking oxymoron.

Anyway…so the bikes. I finally have it narrowed down to three, one of which I particularly like given its price and the way I felt while riding it. Like a kid again!

After trying out too-big-for-me-to-test-ride Trek bikes at Village Cycle Center and walking in and promptly back out again at Johnny Sprockets, the Globe Daily 2 was the first bike I actually was able to try out. It was also the first bike I looked at when we checked out Kozy’s Cyclery.

Specialized Globe Daily 2 Step Thru

Instantly loved it! Such a smooth ride, it shifted well and the seat position felt comfortable. The only hang up was how the handlebars felt- slightly too wide-set and low for me. Oh, and the price! In store, it was tagged at $628, but even with the discount pricing online, it still came to a whopping $589! Yikes! A bit excessive for a casual bike rider like me (we’re talking bike rides to summer festivals and bars for day drinking here people).

So, we moved on to the ever-popular and ubiquitous Electra Townie.

This is one of those “comfort” bikes that has the peddles pushed forward and which has you sitting very upright. I know A LOT of people have some serious love for this bike, but my initial thought while riding it was how weird it felt! And, oddly enough, I got the sense that for as comfortable as it’s supposed to be, it was going to aggravate my janky-ass knee more than the traditional placement of a bike’s peddles. Plus, it didn’t come with a rack or basket, a bell, fenders, or a kickstand, which means $ $ $ $. The bike was on sale in-store and online for $439, but all of those accessories are things I want on my next bike so they’d definitely add to the cost.

No closer to finding my bike, we left and I returned to looking online. Which is when I saw the Biria, a brand I’m unfamiliar with but quickly became the dark horse in my bike search. 

Last night, I went back to Kozy’s and took it for a test ride. And the verdict? Fucking love it! The handlebars are squished in a bit and raised so it’s a much better fit for my arms, the seat is far more comfortable, it has both a front and back rack, fenders, and a chain guard. And the price is “right” (read: lower than most of the bikes I’ve found): $449.

Now I just have to decide whether to get the chic and glossy black frame shown in the picture above, or the cheerful and eye-catching red shown below. Thoughts?

Incidentally, if you’re considering shopping for a bike, I highly recommend Kozy’s. They were professional, helpful, and gave me the attention I needed despite being incredibly busy. And, they indulged my asking silly questions without judgment or treating me like some idiot girl. Thanks Eric and George!

Filed under: a thing of beauty, awesomeness, childhood, creative time management, fanciness by Nic