Hey all,

Just wanted to get this off my chest and see if anyone relates...

I rely on bicycling as my main form of transportation.

The two bikes I ride are simple, single-speed beaters that are made up of 1970s/1980s department-store three-speeds converted to single-speed with (cheap) coaster wheels. Many of their components were salvaged from the trash. They're not the smoothest rides, but they do the job and I know how to fix them when needed.

However, for awhile I had been thinking about investing a little more into something higher quality for safety and comfort reasons. Yesterday I purchased a little Raleigh Colt 3-speed from the late 1960s. It's in great shape, and while it's apparently not one of Raleigh's high-end models I am already impressed with the feel and look of the materials it's made of ~ a far cry from what I am used to. Shifting gears is not for me, so eventually I may replace the rear wheel with a single-speed setup (either coaster or freewheel). Instead of getting a cheap wheel, I may have a local wheelbuilder make one for me.

If this is done, this bike will end up being an investment of around $270 for now, which includes the cost I paid for the bike and for the potential cost of the custom rear wheel. (There may be more down the line when I decide to upgrade the crankset, but for now it's great.)

I know that it will be nice to have one decent bike I can make quality modifications to over the years, but please understand that for me it's strange to spend any kind of money on a bike. On the other hand, I know my other beaters, while trusty, will end up getting wonky beyond repair (though hopefully not too soon, as they are loveable too). Does anyone else have this kind of confusion? The money itself is not a huge issue (it's not unaffordable for me as I have few expenses). I'm just not used to spending much money on myself.

Thanks in advance for letting me share. I am sure in the near future I'll be happy to ride a smooth and comfy bike that will hold up and be worth adding to!