Monday, June 27, 2005

Practi-Callie-ty

I've been having serious bouts of bike envy over the past while. Watching the Cannondales, Treks and Cervelos whip past me at the 1/2 Iron, not to mention Andrea's recent acquisition of a brand new bike from La Bicicletta has me pining for something lighter and more high-end. I'm not saying that the bike will make such a huge difference in my bike time, that will have to come from my weeeeee lil' quads! But my bike is really entry level and I figure I'm worthy of something nicer. Okay, okay, and I secretly hope that it might make a tiny difference if my quads decide to stay little!



Nice timing though. My company announced this morning that their US employees are taking pay cuts to avoid further layoffs (10% of our staff were cut today) and they're appealing to the Canadian counterparts to do the same thing, voluntarily. My stock options are currently selling for 10 cents lower than the price at which I was issued them. I'm getting married in August and the wedding costs are high, even though we're getting a ton of freebies and lucky breaks. I still owe my parents money I borrowed for my condo downpayment. The list goes on and on...



The sad truth is though that you live the majority of your life in debt. Anyone who has a mortgage can tell you that! I choose to contribute to my RRSPs, I choose to keep my condo as a rental investment. I could cash in either of those and not have to ride the bus, or buy a wedding dress on consignment, or live the pseudo "paycheck to paycheck" lifestyle I've adopted. I could quit my job and travel the world with Jason and Bella! But I don't. Why? Because I'm practical. Or grown-up, or lame, or too responsible. However you want to look at it, that's what I am.



I have lots of friends that make way less than me and live far more frivolous lifestyles. Maybe I should live a little and let loose the purse strings? Nope. Instead I will find a nice used bike, to go with my secondhand wedding dress! Sigh.



I'm currently investigating a beautiful blue 2004 Trek 2200 WSD... 43cm! Sounds too good to be true, I hope everything checks out. The Cannondale Multisport 2000 (48cm) that I tried was way too big. Wish me luck!

6 comments:

  1. good luck!
    (and I was doing the same I can't afford a bike thing when I met bikeboy who got me a screaming deal on my new bike.)
    hope you find a great deal.

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  2. The woman's specific Trek 2200 is the bike you should buy. Hope it fits. Also hope it is the light blue metallic colour. Your poor little Devinci bike will be jealous. I think Jordan is struggling with the same bike purchase question.

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  3. Damn! It WAS the light blue color! It even had a triple ring and short-reach levers for my itty bitty fingers... not quite sure why La Bicicletta would not have told me about this bike, it seems like exactly what I was looking for.

    Of course it sold right away. Somewhere there is another 5' tri girl who's riding my bike!!! Gr.

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  4. Heya Callie. True Brian but it will be a while for me. Even entering the sprint tri this weekend is an unbudgeted expense and may be axed as a result. I'm impressed Callie by the thought and care you put in planning and budgeting. You carefully pick and choose what is most important & it sounds like a better bike is becoming pretty important to you. I'll help by keeping my ears open about a bike suitable for a lil-tri-girl. :)

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  5. I agree, Jordan - Callie rules! Say, if you need a bike you can borrow mine for this weekend. I bet it would be pretty close to fitting you.

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  6. Hi Jason (& Callie too), thanks for offer - you rock! I spoke with Brian and he gave me the green light to use his Camerotti if I enter!! Cheers!

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