Ever since I figured out the paths and trails to take to get me into work via bicycle, I've seriously considered commuting by bike full time. The wheels in my head started spinning this past summer, but it wasn't until recently when I put my plan into action. Part of that delay was because the bike model I had my eyes on was discontinued, so I needed to find something similar to use. Eventually I ended up deciding on the Trek Ion CX Pro.
The CX stands for cyclocross, a form of bike racing usually held in the winter months, and on bikes that very closely resemble road bikes, except they're built for more abuse and off-road usage. I wanted a bike that I could still go really fast on if I wanted to, but it also needed to be able to stand up to the abuse of commuting, have spots for a rack and bag, and fenders. Last week, when the time was right, I placed my order for the bike and to my surprise the bike shipped really fast and arrived at the shop the other day. So after work yesterday, I headed over to the bike shop to build up my bike and outfit it with a couple accessories for commuting.
My goal is to commute a minimum of 3 days per week....in all weather conditions...year round. If I stick to that goal, it'll be over 100 miles per week that I'm outside riding my bike vs. sitting in rush hour traffic. Can't beat that! I ordered a bunch of cold weather riding gear too, so the upcoming freezing temperatures won't derail my plan. I'm sure I'll have some interesting updates on how that goes in the coming months. I'm very much looking forward to this challenge, and come spring time I know I'll be in fantastic riding shape, and ready to put in a solid season of races. On with the pics!
Trek Ion CX Pro [with added rack]
With the bag for commuting added on.
Mmmm, carbon fiber
Stock tires which I plan on swapping out to an all weather road tire
The Bike Lane, best shop in all the land!
1 comment:
I'm impressed you'll be riding that far! Good for you :)
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