Greetings from Delmarva
 

hi all...

long time lurker... yeah... you know that part.

i live on maryland's eastern shore in a VERY rural area. i've been car-free for a few years (since college and for the two years after) but i'm only now getting a bike. hopefully that'll happen in the next couple of weeks.

i'm on a pretty strict budget but won't sacrifice quality... i'll be sure to let you know what i wind up buying. my decision is going to be based almost completely on what i've learned here. i've enjoyed researching at this site so much i just had to join!

i'm a weightlifter, so the biggest challenge for me (i think) is going to be reconciling the weightlifting with the bike riding... with regards to diet, etc. i don't plan on riding for exercise, particularly... just to increase my mobility and rely on rides from others less than i have been.

finally, being a weightlifter, i LOVE intensity. so i'm really looking forward to riding distances, at fair speeds and in inclement weather!

that's it... thanks again for welcoming me and for all the help in deciding on a bike. i'll be spending most of my time in the "car free" forum i think. hope to see you all there. :)

Between "intensity" and the flatness of the Eastern shore, you sound like a good candidate for a fixed gear bike.

it's great for biking here... very flat, nice shoulders on most roads, lots of shaded areas. that's about all we have going for us... other than corn and soy beans.

i'm a displaced new jersey-ite... so you can see my point of view. :)

Where are you on the Eastern Shore. I have been doing my weekly long rides over on that side. I'm in VA Beach and its a great ride over there. Talking about riding in the rain, I did my longest ride last Sunday of 50mi in the pouring rain on the Eastern Shore. It was the best ride I've had so far.

i'm up near dover delaware... more or less.