BIKE!

After a Bike and Build participant raises $1000, if they choose, Bike and Build will provide them with a road bike that they can use for the summer, and then keep after its wheels are dipped in the Pacific Ocean. I decided that while it would be nice to ride my race bike across country, if I fall I want to be comfortable I'm not going to scratch the carbon fiber (meaning it could catastrophically break at any point, a la my ski pole over spring break). So the bike is built, stock seat and pedals are on, which I will be removing once I am done racing for the year and my bike seat (which I LOVE) and my pedals (which I love too, but not as much), can be moved from race bike to BNB bike.

My experience with Zane's Cycles (who BNB ordered bikes through) was fine. I just told them what size bike I would be (it was easy since the 54cm has very similar geometry to my race bike) and they shipped it. Once it was packed up it only took 18 hours to get from Connecticut to Hanover. They packaged it up very well, it took a long time to get all the padding off, but after building it up and adjusting the derailers, I did notice one thing. Their instructions said to just put the seat tube in and the pedals on. But they were bone dry, no grease whatsoever. Me being the bike geek that I am - this was not a problem, slap on some Phil Wood Waterproof Grease to the seat tube and pedal threads and off I go, but for someone not so bike-obsessed as myself, who doesn't keep 3 oz (TSA approved :P) of bike grease within easy access, this might be a problem. It might not but it will probably be quite hard for them to remove their seat tube or pedals later. Besides the fact it would have been nice for Zanes to put in a little ketchup packet of grease, all is well and good with the bike.

Now I just need a name for, him or her... Also I am thinking of painting it so I can be a little unique, so I'll need a color too. If you have any suggestions feel free to comment or write me an email! YAY biking!