Friday, July 30, 2010

Manolo Blanhnik's or Bikes?



I chose bikes.

I don't have a plethora of expensive bikes but I have more than I think I really should (insert hand wringing) yet every time I make the commitment to sell one, a tiny bead of sweat appears across my upper lip and I panic ( just a little) and rescue it from the selling platform.


 A case of  TGP Bike hoarding?

You decide:
Lets start with this one. 

This is a RESCUED  classic steel Marinoni road bike. It used to be
a god awful  yellow fade to bile green.  After some cosmetic surgery of  new training wheels, a compact crank, saddle, professional Hot Tubes paint job, all new PINK housing cables, several bar wraps ( I'M REALLY GOOD AT THIS!)  I'm attached this bike.
 JUSTIFICATION ON KEEPING THIS:  This is my commuter bike (that I don't commute with) It's my early spring bike when the roads are sandy and pot holey.  Just recently it had yet another round of Botox Cosmetic and here she is now:
Wheel decals removed, new bottle cages and  fresh new pink bar tape that matches the cages all done by me.
Please ignore the red SPD  pedals. Pretend they are pink. I can't give this bike up now, I haven't used the water bottle cages yet.



Number 2


My mountain bike that never sees mountain bike trails.   I love this bike though. It was my first 'test' with cyclocross. I felt safe with the big knobby tires on the course and front bouncy shock. I love the grip shift on this bike too.
JUSTIFICATION ON KEEPING THIS:  I need it for the 1 or 2 times I get up the courage to ride
my bike outside in the arctic temperatures of New England  around mid February when I'm ready to pull my hair out if I have to get on that Compudrainer gerbil wheel, one more time.

Up next:



My pink Elite.  I've had this bike since 2004. It used to be red and I sent it back to Elite in 2006 with a Home Depot paint swatch "Disney Princess Pink" and wala, I had a pink bike.  After several  sets of aero bars and a complete components change  from Ultegra to Dura Ace, It fits like a glove. This bike is like my wooby.
WHY I CAN'T PART WITH IT:  Linus blanket syndrome combined with the little bike hoarding issue.
Nuff said.


Let move on to the impulse buy:
I just had to have this because:


1. My OCD combined with the minor hording disorder made me feel as though that I needed to "even" out the bike collection and 3 was certainly not a balanced number.  4, 4 4, 4, 4, 4, 4,  sort of like light switch on,off, on, off, on off. Gotta have 4

2. It was ON SALE. (please note that having the bike shipped off to be rid of the the cookie-cutter
Cervelo paint job canceled that  'got it for a steal' feeling very quickly.)


3.  See number 1. 

4.  See number 2.




Ah geeze..  I forgot one.  So there goes my even number bike ownership fixation
Here's me sporting a bad a$$ face with my new pink bad a$$ road tires for summer use on my bad a$$ Cannondale cross bike with mud repelling  disc brakes.  Slick.... I know.





I will say bad a$$ one more time just to even that description term used 4 times now. 






I don't have this but I think I need it now that It's become crystal clear I only have 5 bikes in my possession  which could consequently throw the uncontrollable need for even number bike ownership into spiraling turmoil until I do.
PERFECT JUSTIFICATION, the little voice in my head just said.







12 comments:

Wess said...

Buy the Bike...
Buy the Bike...
Buy the Bike...
Always enjoy reading your blog, TGP. Hope your season is going well!

Sue said...

Haha, you should try living with a 16 yr old that works at a bike shop:) I park my car in the driveway if that gives you an idea!! I will not let him read this:)btw you should come to kona? its cheaper than a bike to watch..just saying

jessithompson said...

Heellllllo! I have 3 bikes and now know about the even number rule! Thank gawd for this post! ;)

Anonymous said...

I have to admit-I LOVE the shoes, but I have a definite shoe fettish...after that, it's sunglasses-Oakley. Sadly, when I buy new bikes, the older ones are sold. Now I am down to 2 so I guess I am rule compliant. But I love Kestrel bikes so much-I will consider it like having double

Jamie said...

You are a maniac. Is there some story behind your pink obsession?

I want to eventually re-paint my P2, but I do really like the blue and silver. I'll have to design a new look once I get bored of the current look (and invest in a new chainring, wheels and power meter too).

Cathy said...

You have a LONG way to go to catch up, sistah! Haaven't I told you 100 times that the optimal number of bikes is N+1? When will you learn? ;)

Trigirlpink said...

Jamie
Hot Tubes is the ONLY certified frame stripper/painter for Cervelos in order NOT to void the warranty and they just happen to be in the Worcester area! Toby did both the macaroni and my Cervelo. The poor guy... I think I called him EVERYDAY for 2 weeks.. one day "Paint it black!" the next day "No! Paint it pink!" I was a crazy woman. No surprise there. :-)

Trigirlpink said...

Cath..

Not only do you have more bikes than me but you can ride them FASTER than me AND you use them way more than me so you need no justification on your purchases, EVER!

Melissa said...

That is a sexy bike. I'm just sayin'...

GoBigGreen said...

I LOVE PINARELLO'S!! Especially the PRINCE as that was my tennis sponsor. WIN WIN! Too bad they dont have a PRINCESS. GET IT.
I hoard bikes, and wheels. No biggie.
And i wear flip flop from Target, it all works out.

goSonja said...

Your past the point of help, might as well just get the next bike. Also, I agree with Sue that you should come to Kona...

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Social Media Manager, The Clymb
nina@theclymb.com