Back into cycling regularly for the first time since I was a teenager. Now I'm in my 30s.
Picked up a Giant Roam XR1 early in the season - First real bike in my life. Amazing improvement over the hardware store unit I used to ride.
I'm hugely enjoying getting out there, on-road, off-road, gravel trails, wooded paths, etc. There is something to be said for feeling the sun and breeze all around you while you cruise over a bridge and see dudes fishing, wildlife, etc. Being in an air conditioned car every day has long-term effects that are hard to quantify, and being out there under your own power intimately with nature seems to recharge the spirit! It is very calming an invigorating! It makes me glad to be on 2 wheels and reminds me that this is why I got back into cycling after all.
I try to get out as often as I can - if only my work had secure bicycle parking it would be fantastic. Been through many trails in my area, and I'm signing up for the 60km Tour de Mississauga ride next month.
This has been a hugely educational endavour as I'm sucking up technical information from this forum and Sheldon Brown on just about everything. My city has group rides and each time I see how bike mechanics will make their money as other people shift while heading uphill under load and otherwise unknowingly mistreat their rides. I guess they should spend more time reading!
I've spent around $450 on accessories, gear and related tools and such so far. IMO it's money well spent and I do not regret it!
Sometimes I have mixed feelings - maybe I should have gotten a normal fork because, with the suspension fork, you always have to be conscious of when it's open/closed as taking a big bump with closed suspension can damage it. It adds additional weight and complexity to the bike, not to mention the fork has a separate service schedule! Offroad, I find it's a great help in those wooded and less manicured areas but I do feel something is missing when in group rides on pavement where you see a lot of roadies.
The
Giant AnyRoad 2014 was just announced for the US and probably Canadian market and it looks amazing, but it makes me think - Why do you install drop bars? It's for comfort and aerodynamics on long rides. And the AnyRoad is not truly a road bike because the seat is not high enough to put you into that aerodynamic crouch. Maybe I am a little jealous of something that seems so nice, with lower maintenance fork, brakes, drivetrain, but the fact is I still have a great ride that has probably better on-road / off-road abilities than almost any other bike out there.
Am I in a better place than I was before? Definitely. I would not trade this for a road bike because I enjoy the wooded paths way too much. But I'd consider adding a road bike to my stable if I had someplace to store it.