The Bike Shop

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new ride (Read 322 times)

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rectumdamnnearkilledem

    I really want to try cyclocross. Badly. 

     

    We like the car but not double payments. Our honda died (financially totaled) with just 101K on the odo! Mazda had 0% financing and I got the price I wanted! With a new car now I get to drive the older one even more.Undecided

     

    If I get my way a CX bike will be parked in our garage before Fall.  I really want to get stronger on the bike and being able to ride outdoors more will help.  Today I competed in a duathlon and was beat an AG/OA spot by a friend of mine who is a biking MONSTER!  She was 2/6 on the bike and 6/6 on both 5k portions and still beat me.  I was 3/6 and 4/6 on the run portions and 3/6 on the bike...I need to get faster so that I can beat her next year (I beat her by 17 seconds, last year).  I want to do some CX races, too...intense and short looks fun.

     

    Sucks that your Honda died...did the engine go?  I've never heard of a Honda not running for at least 200k miles.  Our Mazdas have always gone high mileage, too (though they tend to have weird, quirky issues...great engines).

    Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

    remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

         ~ Sarah Kay

    xhristopher


      If I get my way a CX bike will be parked in our garage before Fall.  I really want to get stronger on the bike and being able to ride outdoors more will help.  Today I competed in a duathlon and was beat an AG/OA spot by a friend of mine who is a biking MONSTER!  She was 2/6 on the bike and 6/6 on both 5k portions and still beat me.  I was 3/6 and 4/6 on the run portions and 3/6 on the bike...I need to get faster so that I can beat her next year (I beat her by 17 seconds, last year).  I want to do some CX races, too...intense and short looks fun.

       

      Sucks that your Honda died...did the engine go?  I've never heard of a Honda not running for at least 200k miles.  Our Mazdas have always gone high mileage, too (though they tend to have weird, quirky issues...great engines).

       

      Looks like a fun DU. Does your friend have aero equipment that you don't? You might have closer than you think.

       

      I bet CX will help. I was always intimated by the intensity but after all this running I'm a little less intimated. It can't be any more intense than a 5K. Living in NE we have the opportunity to see some good races so I've seen most of the top North American riders up and close. They make it look so fun but I'll never have that sort of skill or speed.

       

      The transmission died on our Civic. Apparently it's not uncommon for that year. Rebuilding the transmission would have cost $2300. We also needed to replace the timing belt/water pump, replace the AC compressor, and get a brake job. So, coming up with over $4000 to make the car barely worth $3000 didn't seem right. It was much more palatable to come up with $275 monthly (0% finance) for a car we really liked. The Honda had only 101K and was barely 10 years old. We planed to drive it another 3-4 years. Cry

       

      Definitely no bike. We've been planning to replace our aging mac mini with the updated iMac whenever it comes out, hopefully next week. After that child care gets more expensive during the summer... I just hope I get new tires for my bike. I need em.

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      rectumdamnnearkilledem

        Ooh, I loved my first mini so much that we upgraded a year or so ago.  It's been awesome.  Love my big LG monitor, too.  For the same size Apple monitor we would have spent twice as much.

         

        Oh, the transmission thing.  I replaced one transmission on a car and will never go back to automatic.  When those go it's just such an insane amount of money.  I've never had to replace a clutch, not even on an 11 year old car that had ~170k miles when we sold it to a friend.

         

        I wish I could say my friend had some rocket-fast tri bike and blame it on that, but she was actually on her custom Seven titanium CX bike with slick tires.  She is just a monster.  She rode about 10k miles last year.  My 3500 were nothing.

        Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

        remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

             ~ Sarah Kay

        xhristopher


          Ooh, I loved my first mini so much that we upgraded a year or so ago.  It's been awesome.  Love my big LG monitor, too.  For the same size Apple monitor we would have spent twice as much.

           

          Oh, the transmission thing.  I replaced one transmission on a car and will never go back to automatic.  When those go it's just such an insane amount of money.  I've never had to replace a clutch, not even on an 11 year old car that had ~170k miles when we sold it to a friend.

           

          I wish I could say my friend had some rocket-fast tri bike and blame it on that, but she was actually on her custom Seven titanium CX bike with slick tires.  She is just a monster.  She rode about 10k miles last year.  My 3500 were nothing.

           

          I know very few people who bought those apple monitors. They are nice but the price makes no sense. I'm going to try and make our mac mini a media pc.

           

          Despite having taught my wife manual, that would be a total no go for her urban commute to the Fenway in Boston. The car would be much more fun with a stick, just not in stop and go traffic. After three days with the car I'm very impressed. It's the nicest econobox I've ever driven. One odd thing is the stereo. We got the moonroof/Bose 10 speaker package. If this were just an upgraded OEM radio I'd say it was fantastic but, since it's got the Bose branding on it I'd say it's just so-so. Funny how that works.

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          rectumdamnnearkilledem

            I am honestly not that impressed with Bose for the price...kinda like Apple monitors.  My LG monitor actually has a much broader contrast range for a fraction the price.  I think Bose has mostly just been really good at marketing their products to make everyone *think* they are awesome.  I've seen a lot of serious audiophiles mock them.

             

            Yeah, and driving stick in the city does suck.  One advantage of living here in BFE! Big grin

            Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

            remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                 ~ Sarah Kay

            xhristopher


              I am honestly not that impressed with Bose for the price...kinda like Apple monitors.  My LG monitor actually has a much broader contrast range for a fraction the price.  I think Bose has mostly just been really good at marketing their products to make everyone *think* they are awesome.  I've seen a lot of serious audiophiles mock them.

               

              Yeah, and driving stick in the city does suck.  One advantage of living here in BFE! Big grin

               

              It's here! It's here! It's here! http://www.apple.com/imac/ 

               

              I expect we'll be making a trip to NH (no sales tax) in the very near future. Unlike our new ride, this is a purchase we've been planning for months. We're just getting the base model (education discount) but I expect it will rock nonetheless.

               

              We've got a pair of $99 Bose on the mac mini. Those are actually pretty decent for the price and compactness (we might have had a discount). We'll probably use them with the new imac.

               

              I'm looking for a second monitor for my work imac that does 1920 × 1200. Does your LG fit the description? If so, what's the model #?

                I am honestly not that impressed with Bose for the price...kinda like Apple monitors.  My LG monitor actually has a much broader contrast range for a fraction the price.  I think Bose has mostly just been really good at marketing their products to make everyone *think* they are awesome.  I've seen a lot of serious audiophiles mock them.

                 

                Yeah, and driving stick in the city does suck.  One advantage of living here in BFE! Big grin

                 

                a friend of mine still uses his 10 year old bose system. i think he paid several hundred for the stereo head unit, remote/receiver, and two small speakers. im still impressed at how well they sound with just two small speakers. on the other hand, i think bose car speakers sound worse than the stock ones.

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                rectumdamnnearkilledem

                  I'm looking for a second monitor for my work imac that does 1920 × 1200. Does your LG fit the description? If so, what's the model #?

                   

                  Hmmm...mine is 1680x1050.  The model # is L227WTG.  I've had it a few years, so there are likely even bigger ones (mine is 22") for what we paid.  I think I got this one for about $300.  At the time I bought it it was about the best monitor for the money.  This one looks like a pretty nice deal and close to the resolution you're seeking.

                  Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                  remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                       ~ Sarah Kay

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                  rectumdamnnearkilledem

                    on the other hand, i think bose car speakers sound worse than the stock ones.

                     

                    I'm inclined to believe that.  DH's older Mazda 626 has Bose sound and I prefer the system on my 3.  I remember reading a lot of criticisms of the Bose system on the 3s...basically that they were no better and maybe even worse than the stock speakers.

                    Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                    remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                         ~ Sarah Kay

                    xhristopher


                      I'm inclined to believe that.  DH's older Mazda 626 has Bose sound and I prefer the system on my 3.  I remember reading a lot of criticisms of the Bose system on the 3s...basically that they were no better and maybe even worse than the stock speakers.

                       

                      We got the package w/ Bose solely because we wanted the moonroof, which hopefully won't leak.

                       

                      I don't expect to replace the stereo or speakers since they are more than good enough. It's actually much nicer than the stock system in our Mazda5. There isn't a ton of base but there is much more clarity and crispness than I'm used to. Unfortunately, I can  now tell crappy mp3s from good ones.

                       

                      It's just that I think the radio would seem to be much nicer if it were non branded (OEM) and I didn't have to see (pay for) expensive Bose branding. That said, this is just a radio that came in a basic, compact, economical Japanese sedan. I'm trying not to hold it to to the same standards as I would in something at twice it's price.

                       

                      That LG monitor looks like a good value. I was thinking of something a little more compact than a 27 incher with those same pixels. (1920 × 1200 is what was in the old 24 inch iMac.) Right now I'm spanning a 20 inch dell monitor from a 20 inch iMac, both 1680 x 1050. I've got enough power. I just want more real estate.

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                      rectumdamnnearkilledem

                        We got the package w/ Bose solely because we wanted the moonroof, which hopefully won't leak.

                         

                        They've changed their packages in recent years.  We have the sunroof/moonroof...I want to say that was packaged with the 6-disc in-dash CD changer.  I think maybe the Bose sound was packaged with leather and/or HID headlights and LED tails.

                         

                        I LOVE my sunroof/moonroof, BTW.  Have had no issues.

                        Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                        remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                             ~ Sarah Kay

                        xhristopher


                          To continue on our tangent... 

                           

                          Despite getting the new car we really didn't want to get. We just got the new iMac that we were waiting months for. We went in intending to get the base 21 incher but left with the 27 incher. No need for a review because words can't describe how nice it is. I'm going to have to put a sign up sheet next to it in the house because it's the number one attraction. And speaking of displays... it has "target display" mode. That means when we want to upgrade in the future we'll be able to use it as a monitor. Right now I can't imagine a better one. That said, I hope to get more than 5 years out of it as is. Got the apple care too. Went to NH and paid no tax on top of the $150 education discount. Sitting at my 20 inch work iMac now sucks.

                           

                          Question is... can we just tell my wife to enjoy the car and computer as a Mother's day gift? Somehow I don't think so...

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                          rectumdamnnearkilledem

                            Question is... can we just tell my wife to enjoy the car and computer as a Mother's day gift? Somehow I don't think so...

                             

                            That would work for me...but I'm sorta atypical, I guess.  My hubby got me a bottle of Patron and is bringing me a new cycling jersey from a pizza joint in Fruita, CO (he's in Fruita and Moab for a week).  I may work those tri bars into the deal, too.  Yeah, no candy/flowers/jewelry for me.  Those things aren't fun. Big grin

                            Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                            remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                                 ~ Sarah Kay

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