First run...if you call it that...

Well...this is an embarassing post. I took the bike out today for a quick run to the market. Total of 5.4 miles each way. Started out fine. To make a long story short it became really cold (underprepared) and I took a wrong turn with a very strong head wind. Needless to say 4.8 miles later ended up nearly in front of my house, yes a circle. Unreal! I can't beleive I actually accidently went in a circle. Lesson learned, know where you are going...

The Fit

Ah yes the bike fitting. Unfortunately where I purchased my bike they did not spend much time on this topic. So I did a bit of research. The article below on bike fitting is fantastic in my opinion. I am sure I will fine tune my fit as I ride more, but again this article is a great place to start! I won't go into any more detail as it gets a bit complex, so enjoy the link.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fitting.htm

The Bike - Cannondale Touring 1 (T1)

I am sure there will be much disagreement here. But this is what I chose based on research and price. I ended up with the Cannondale Touring 1 (T1). That was not my initial first choice. In fact it was between the Surly Long Haul Trucker - $999.00 (http://surlybikes.com) the Kona Jake the Snake - $1499.00 (http://konaworld.com) and the Cannondale Touring 2 - $1150.00 (http://cannondale.com).

I went and test drove all of the bikes. I thought they were all reasonably comfortable and well built. I kind of ruled out the cyclocross (Jake the Snake) because there is a part of me that likes the idea of eventually touring. I know there are people that convert these cross bikes to tour, but I wanted a touring bike. The LHT felt the smoothest, but was a bit heavier. The LHT had bar end shifters, which I liked. The T1 components were "okay", but when compared to the LHT not much of an improvement if any. Generally speaking the T1 is a $1400 bike, so I was expecting a significant increase in componentry, which I didn't think was there.

Another key difference between the LHT and T1 is the frame, steel vs aluminum. I am sure there are parties on both sides of this issue, in fact I will not dwell long on this controversy, but based on my use (commuting and possible bike camping) the aluminum will be fine, now if I was a hardcore touring guy, steel might be the better pick, again I have heard all sides.

So I almost bought the LHT. But I needed to go see the Cannondale T1 - $1569. The regular price is $1899. The major differences between the T1 and T2 are: color, components, fork, and the seat. The biggies for me were the Ultegra shifters, a better crank Shimano 150, and better deraillers, as well as the seat I was going to buy anyways, the Selle An-atomica. So ultimately with all of the components and the seat as well as the color scheme the T1 to me was the better value. I am sure many will disagree. You can go to the website to see spec comparisons between the T1 and T2. Here are some pictures.

So here is a basic shot. I got two basic water bottle holders. The bike comes with the rack on the back, which I think can hold up to 50 lbs.

I bought the light on the back for $17, it is a Blackburn. Notice the SKS fenders. I think they will be okay. I had them installed for $20 because I have heard the nightmares of installing fenders. I am not sure how well they were installed, because they are not perfectly even, but maybe that is right, not sure? The fenders do look good on the bike, and ultimately I want to be an all weather commuter. The helmet is a Giro Stylist - $85. By the way I received 20% off the helmet and %10 off all the accessories, so subtract that from the prices I listed.

Here are the shifters. I think they are substantially smoother than the T1. That being said the bar end shifters on the LHT were awesome and felt rock solid in quality.

Here are some shots of the crank and rear derailleur. Again, reasonable upgrades from the T1.

Ah, yes the seat. The Selle An-atomica (http://selleanatomica.com). Retails for $190. Very comfortable, was going to buy this regardless. I tossed around the idea of the Brooks, and may get one some day, but to me right now this is the seat.

Lastly, the T1 has a lifetime frame warranty and is made in the USA, nice perks. I already feel the effects of buyer remorse. I am sure there will be many that will say I should have upgraded the LHT. Regardless, I like the bike, its smooth and has some nice parts, I think it will commute nicely. My next post will be details of my first commute of 10.6 miles each way by an out of shape guy. I will record GPS data etcetera, stay tuned.