My Bicycle Evolution

I have had four bicycles over the last year. It is kind of surprising because, a year ago, I would definitely not have considered myself a serious cyclist nor would I have anticipated buying multiple bikes. This is my journey.

Bike #1: Trek Verve+ 2

A year ago today, I bought my first bicycle in decades. I was way out of shape and remembered dreading hills back in the day, so I dropped the big bucks and bought an e-bike. My Trek Verve+ 2 is a fantastic bike and I loved it.

I used it for fitness, to get my heartrate up into zone 3 or zone 4, and to see more of the world that I had been seeing while jogging. I get bored easily so biking for an hour is way more engaging than jogging for an hour. I also used it for errands and bike commuting, though I use “commuting” loosely since I am not riding to a paid job.

Because this had me on busy roads a bunch of the time, I upgraded the lights significantly. I was going to buy normal cycling lights but I realized that the Verve+ 2 has a large battery and that ought to be able to run larger lights without any trouble at all. I replaced the Trek headlight with a headlight from an ATV. I supplemented the Trek taillight with a red LED light strip. This combo makes me super visible and cost next to nothing.

Over the course of nine months, I rode the Verve+ 2 over 1,600 miles. By the middle of the summer, I had gotten to where I was rarely using the electric motor. My fitness level had improved enough that I only needed a boost getting up the bigger hills. I started realizing that the bike was actually working against me. Between the motor and the battery, I was hauling almost 30 extra pounds around. When turned off, the motor imposes a bit of drag/friction. And the lowest gear on the bike is not very low, since the Verve+ 2 is designed to be used with the motor turned on, not as a fully manual bike.

Bike #2: KHS Westwood

I seriously considered switching to a traditional fully manual bicycle but worried that my knees would not be able to handle the stress. As a test, I bought a KHS Westwood bicycle off Craigslist in early December and took it for a spin around a hilly route in Weldon Spring.

I was delighted to discover that my knees did not bother me at all. I credit all of the careful riding that I had done over the previous months and perhaps the chondroitin+glucosamine supplements that I have been taking. This test ride also confirmed what I had been hoping: that I could ride up the local hills if I had a lighter bike with a more reasonable low gear.

I called the guy that I bought the Westwood from and asked if he would buy it back for $20 less that I paid for it. He did and I was happy, having essentially rented his bike for a day.

Bike #3: Trek 7.2 FX

Now I knew that I wanted a regular bicycle but I did not know exactly what kind. Did I want flat handlebars or drop handlebars? What kind of drivetrain? What kind of brakes? I headed back to Craigslist to find a sane bike to ride while I figured out the details. I found an older Trek 7.2 FX with upgraded Deore derailleurs and a 3×8 drivetrain.

It was in OK shape when I got it. The drivetrain was solid and the frame was good. I replaced both tires (and tubes). I added a rear rack (gotta haul those groceries!) and added fenders. It proved to be a solid ride. Between the end of December and mid-February, I rode the FX 200 miles. I learned many things, including that I can, indeed, ride a lot without a motor and without stressing my knees. I also discovered that I am faster on a lighter bike without a motor than on a heavier bike with a motor. Whee!!

The Hunt for What I Wanted

While riding the FX, I researched bicycles.

• Suitable for errands and bike commuting, my primary use.
• Good for light bike touring. I rode 150 miles on the Katy Trail last summer and want to do more touring.
• Low enough low gear that I could comfortably handle the hills near me. To be specific, I wanted a low gear of 20 gear-inches or less. For comparison, the Verve+ 2 has 29 gear-inches and the 7.2 FX has 24.

I hit up Momentum Cycles, of course, where I had purchased my Verve+ 2. They had treated me super well, especially on warranty issues with my Verve+ 2, and I would gladly buy another bike from them. I was also all over YouTube and the wider internet. I started with a short list of requirements:

I ran across Alee Denham’s CyclingAbout YouTube channel and blog. I am taking the fifth and not telling you either how many hours I spent watching/reading his stuff nor how late I stayed up doing it nor how many nights were involved. ? Suffice it to say that both Candy and I were surprised how much there is to learn and how entertaining Denham is.

I test rode a whole bunch of bikes, including the All-City Super Professional and several of the Specialized Sirrus models. The All-City won, hands down, for best name. Who wouldn’t want to be not just a professional but a super professional? The Sirrus did not excite me. I was going to have to change up the drivetrain to get the low gear that I wanted. Considering the whole Sirrus family, though, got me to realize that I wanted a front derailleur with three gears up front.

Bike #4: Masi Giramondo

In mid-December, Denham published his guide to the best touring bikes of 2022. Right at the top of the list was a brand that I had never heard of: Masi. Their Giramondo model has been built with the components that I wanted. It has Shimano Deore derailleurs and a 3×10 drivetrain with a low gear all the way down to 18 gear-inches. It has mechanical disc brakes. It even comes with good quality racks both front and rear.

And it looks cool! It’s raw steel frame is clear coated, instead of painted, so the colors from the welding show through. I was stunned and delighted to discover that Big Shark Bicycle Company’s store in West County had a Masi Giramondo in stock and it was my size.

My only concern was the drop handlebars. I had been looking at bikes with flat handlebars. For decades, I have suffered from lower back pain. I know the cause: I strain the muscles in my lower back. I know the solution: strengthen my core muscles to take the strain off my lower back. Sadly, I also know that I am lazy. I would rather go outside and ride my bike than be inside doing bridges and planks.

I test rode the Masi Giramondo and paid careful attention to how my back felt. I realized that I would ride most of the time with my hands “on the hoods” and not “in the drops.” (I feel so macho using bike tech talk like that.)

Just in case you are curious, that is not me in the photos above. ?

The test ride went great. I had no back issues. Still worried, though, I had some serious conversations with the folks at Big Shark. They assured me that we could (for not too much money) move the handlebars higher and closer to the seat, giving me a more upright riding position. Knowing that I could get a riding position on the Giramondo which was virtually identical to what I had on my flat bar bikes was good enough for me. I bought it and I opted not to make any modifications to the handlebars.

I am happy to report that I have not had any back issues in five weeks and 170 miles of riding.

The Giramondo’s low gears are fantastic. I have two gears which are lower than the lowest on my FX. Using those, I have been able to climb the steepest hills that I have nearby, including this segment in Weldon Spring with a 13% grade.

Big Shark had installed fatter tires on the bike and I decided to keep them. They are Serfas Drifter 29×2.0. They do really well on pavement. I am certainly not any slower on these fat guys than I had been on the narrower tires on the FX. They beautifully smooth out the bumps in the road. One of these days, I will lower the air pressure about 10 PSI and try some gravel riding.

I did add some matte black aluminum fenders to my bike. It took a little fiddling and some cutting away metal on the rear fender but they look great and keep me dry.

Now I just need some nice weather and I am ready to go bike touring.

Thanks to Shimano for the handlebar photos, which I borrowed from their web page, Change Your Handlebar Position To Improve Your Ride.