Bike Blog

When you ride your brake pads down to metal, you end up damaging your rim. And now my rear rim needs to be replaced. Imagine the once-straight sidewall curving over like an ice cream cone that has gotten soggy at the top while its owner distractedly watched the fireworks. Actually, Alex at the bike shop says aluminum rims just plain wear out from regular braking, and he knows I brake a lot because he has set me up with at least three pairs of brake pads.

So I have options.

• The bike shop could build a new wheel out of my hubs and spokes and a new rim.
• Or if no rims are available in the right size/shape to re-use my spokes, then I’d need new spokes too.
• Then again, if we’re going to go that far, why not compare the prices of built wheels that come with a new cassette?

I ended up leaving the bike shop with new fenders for Jeanine’s mountain bike instead, so that I can ride that to work while I make up my mind about my commuter bike (I’ve ridden Jeanine’s bike to work before, but with melting snow on the roads, it gets pretty wet with no fenders).

What I really want is to plunk several hundred dollars on the counter and ride out on a new Bianchi Milano, which has an 8-speed rear hub that should last, well, as long as I plan on riding a bicycle.

2006 Bianchi Milano, in their signature green color, which they call “Celeste”

But what to do with my 2003 Trek hybrid? It’s got some good things going for it, even if it does need new wheels and brakes. (Oh, did I mention that the front brake is totally seized and the rear only has limited movement.) The cost of the new components would get me about half-way to buying a new bike of the same model. And if I do get a new bike, such as the Milano above, (I know I bring up “I want a new bike” every six months or so, but I keep riding the same old bike) it would still be nice to have the hybrid fixed up for longer rides, because the shape and gearing of the Milano is not meant for longer rides.

Decisions, decisions. And my wife rightfully asks, “How many bikes do you need?”

I kept my old mountain bike, which I used to ride to work, after Jeanine got me the Trek hybrid for Christmas back in 2003, but I have only ridden it a couple times since then, and most of the components are in need of serious attention. Which makes me wonder how much use I would get out of the hybrid if it becomes my “second bike” for “special rides”. Perhaps the thing to do is put the money into fixing up the hybrid and getting as many more miles out of it as I can.