Hi all,

First off, I'd like to toot my own horn. I managed to get in over 1500 bike commuting miles last year, which was a big step for me!!! With all of my other bike adventures last year, my total mileage was probably somewhere around 2500 miles. It wasn't an easy year though, trying to do 30-mile round trip commutes and centuries on a flat bar hybrid bike. It was a nice bike, but started to feel a bit uncomfortable toward the end of the ride. Windy days were a total *****.

So I started doing research in the fall, to buy a new bike with drop bars. A bike that actually fit me properly, and was more adept at handling long rides. I had a feeling that I wouldn't be able to afford a new bike until 2013, but I could dream and plan for another year or so. The big barrier, other than money, was the fact that I don't really like road bikes and brifters. I tried out a Specialized Allez when I bought my hybrid, and liked neither the action of the brifters nor the feeling of being so far forward over the handle bars. I just didn't feel safe and in control of the bike. I'm also not into bikes with racing stripes and stuff. I don't want people thinking I'm a Lance wannabe. I used a classic steel ten speed road bike as teenager, with downtube shifters and suicide levers, and always had mountain bikes later in life. I've grown quite used to the mountain bike way of things.

The more research I did, the more I loved the idea of a Salsa Vaya2, with a set of installed cross brake levers. I could use the cross levers while I learned to use the SRAM brifters. I hoped that the SRAM setup would be more to my liking, having the separate shifter trigger. The Vaya appeared to be more relaxed in geometry than a typical road bike, which would hopefully alleviate that feeling of hanging over the handle bars. The Vaya also had a steel frame for a smooth ride, was a bit more durable than a traditional road bike, and could accommodate larger tires, racks and fenders. A dream come true.

Well, over the Christmas season, I suddenly came into some money. Approximately, the cost of a Salsa Vaya!!!!! And as luck would have it, Catskill Cycles in Catskill New York, just opened up shop last summer. Catskill Cycles is only a half hour drive away, and is a Salsa dealer. Bryan Hunter, the owner, is an awesome guy, and spent some time with me last weekend. I did a test ride to get a proper bike sizing, and went over lots of possible options with him. It was a great experience to deal with somebody like Bryan, instead of the traditional sales type person that I often find at bike shops. Bryan is very down to earth, knowledgeable, and really has a talent for listening to the customer. He's also obviously a big cycling fan.

The test ride went beautifully. Bryan immediately zeroed in on the right sized bike for me. The Vaya is wickedly comfortable. It's kind of like the La-Z-Boy of drop bar bikes. The Vaya is just laid back enough that I don't feel like I'm being shot out of cannon, but still more aggressive feeling than a mountain bike. Best of all, I tried out the Vaya3 with bar end shifters and drop brake levers, and loved the combo!!!! No brifter shifting/braking hell, and a very comfortable hand position for both steering and braking. No cross levers needed. Perfect for my long commutes and century rides. I also think that the Vaya3 will work out very well for my grocery runs, numerous carriage trail adventures that I normally reserve for my old steel hardtails, and as the front end for my daughters trailer bike. The Vaya really looks to be a do-it-all kind of bike, for people who don't do that whole roadie group ride thing.

For reference to others looking at the Vaya, I'm 5'10" and have a 33" inseam. I went with the 55cm Vaya frame.

I pick up my Vaya3 tonight!!!! I'm totally psyched. I honestly never expected that a drop bar bike could be so unbelievably comfortable to an old hardtail rider like me.

Pics will be posted as soon as lighting allows.