Itching for a new bike!

Did you ever wake up one day and say, "I need a new bike!"? I woke up like that today. The only problem is that the Euro is so strong against the dollar. How bad is it? The rate today is 1 EUR = 1.38866 USD which means a 3,000 Euro bike would cost $4,165.97 !! Wow, that hurts.

And, as I write this the USA Fed has just dropped interest rates which means the Euro will be even stronger.

Since all my friends are sending me a lot of money (ha ha) I decided to spend the day looking at some new bikes at shops and trying to figure out what to do. I mainly would like to replace my "every day and abuse" bike, the Pinarello Marvel alu/carbon that I've been using for 5 years. Just for a change, mainly.

Today I looked at the new 2008Wilier "Izoard" (very nice in white, black with blue highlights), and the Kuota "Kebel" (in white and black). Both are, of course, full carbon. I am also looking at a Chesini custom Ti bike (Chesini is the oldest bike shop in Verona, founded in 1925).

The project that I also need to do is my "lightweight" project bike built around a Cannondale frame made for Mario Cipollini. I brought this frame with me from the USA and have been collecting lightweight parts here and there trying to cut costs. Really, what could be cooler than riding around in Italy on that with full Campagnolo Record? The frame is a unique white with gold flashing so it would not be my everyday and abuse bike.

Sometimes I take FOREVER to make a decision. Like the time I was buying some hi-fi speakers. I went to every hi-fi showroom in the NYC metro area for THREE years. Well, I did finally buy some great Bose speakers, which I still have 15 years later.

If the exchange rate doesn't change I'm going to be loving my Pinarello for a long time.

Photo: the BB of my Cipollini Cannondale