Mountain Bike

I’ve gone and done it: I have purchased my first “real” bicycle.

Yesterday I bought a new Gary Fisher Piranha mountain bike. Since my year in Germany, and especially since the Alpencross, I have been excited to buy my first real bicycle. While I would definitely have loved to spend a little more on one, I am still quite pleased with the choice I have made. Approved by the Roos himself, it has passable components and is the start of something nice.

When buying the bike I replaced the tires. From what I read, the stock tires suck and you could feel it on the bike. I bought the bike primarily for the Kanata Lakes trails, which is heavy on the large rock, so the Continental Mountain King tires were recommended. I purchased the tires with the “black chilli compound”, which are handmade in Germany.

I didn’t have a MTB helmet in Canada and wanted to buy a quality Alpina helmet. At the time I bought my bike I noticed that I could buy a very good helmet for a very reasonable price. I picked up the Giro Athlon Helmet for $50 less than the retail price. Good deal.

If riding with the pros in Germany taught me anything it is to be prepared. So I picked up a Topeak Aero Wedge Pack, small to store a spare tube in. (I remember when I first stored a spare tube in an under-seat pack; I felt like I had come up with the greatest idea ever. I was so proud of myself I didn’t figure out that it’s so obvious that it must be common.)

And what better tool to keep in that pack than the Topeak Hexus 16. I have read that the tire levers on it suck (they are flimsy plastic), but am hopeful that they will work okay in a bind. For trips far away from home I’ll probably bring along my Park Tool tire levers.

And to pump up the tires, a Topeak Mini DX Pump. It shares some frame space with the Bontrager 6mm Hallow Waterbottle Cage.

A popular item in Germany was the set of Shockblade and X-Blade Fenders. I was happy to send some of my retail dollars to SKS, even though I was told that fenders are pretty uncommon in Ottawa. (Why? Don’t people ride in the muck?)

And finally a Lizard Skins Chainstay Cover to save my bike and my ears from “chain slap”.

Of course I have also mounted a small bell, and my Sigma BC 2006 MHR on the bike–a bike computer that was generously given to me by my colleagues in Germany when I was leaving. I am still trying to find the perfect position on the bike for this.

It is all very exciting. Now I just need some cooperative weekend weather.