Back in 1989, I bought a Bianchi Volpe to use as a touring bicycle. It was a sturdy steel bike with a mix of road and mountain bike components. (Including an ultra-low gear ratio). It served me well for many years. I rode it fully loaded on a couple of long bike tours. In the last couple of years, we climbed most of the hills in the Bay Area, and completed 3 century rides.
Unfortunately, Bianchi originally equipped the bike with mid-range Suntour components. After SunTour ceased production in 1995, it became very difficult to find replacement parts. Last season, my freewheel finally gave in. On a tough hill climb, I ripped the teeth off one of the cogs. I tried finding replacement parts on eBay, but without much luck. I was faced with the prospect of replacing the entire drive-train on an 18 year old frame. Oh, and probably the wheels too.
It was time to shop for a new bike.
I visited all the local shops. I was amazed both by the new technology and the sticker prices. After test riding several bikes I narrowed it down to a couple of Trek models. I finally settled on the 2006 Trek Madone 5.2. It felt good climbing hills, quick and responsive, but still pretty comfortable for long rides. Buying last year’s model saved me a couple of hundred bucks. I bought the bike on President’s Day. The folks at Chain Reaction Bicycles spent a couple of hours fitting it for me. They must have swapped out 4 different stems. (They say I have an odd-shaped body. Tell me something I don’t know.)
This weekend I went riding in Palo Alto and Woodside. It felt really good. I didn’t tackle any tough hills, but the bike was fast and responsive on the flats. Maybe I’ll miss my old granny gear – especially climbing Hicks Road. But I’m really happy with the Madone. I hope we can log a couple of thousand miles together this year. Who knows, maybe I’ll get 20 years out of this one too.
Nice bike. This purchase was long overdue. Have fun!
The rides sound as nice as the bike.