I am no stranger to the general post topic of "what should I buy" from a newbie coming into a forum of experienced users; it is something I have seen hundreds of times regarding the purchase of many different sorts of things that people become passionate about. And, it is very common for respondents to suggest something quite a bit more expensive than the OP asked about, because, hey, why not, they aren't going to have to pay for it, the OP will :-) I have also been quite liberal with other peoples' money when I have encountered questions such as this on other web forums . . . . .
This whole thread raises some issues about the general topic of traveling with a bike that I had not full thought through. I can see where travel with a bike could be a great thing, such as if one is going on a trip that is wholly bike centered, such as a planned tour of Provence on a bike, or knitting together the chateaux of the Loire by bicycle. But my question really has more to do with continuing visits to an adopted part of a country that I spend a couple of months a year in, in this case, Burgundy in France. I've already been to most of the places I would want to go; my trips now are much more centered on having a relationship with a particular area, with particular restaurants and hotels, and going back to these same places over and over again, with some side excursions perhaps to other areas that are not the main focus of the trips. Kind of like faking being a Burgundian for a few weeks, and then happily being allowed to go home at the end, after I have had enough.
So yes, I do want to keep my new X27H in good shape, because it was bought specifically to allow me to tool around to business appointments 8 or 9 months of the year instead of using my car, a way to increase my exercise, but fun enough that I would actually prefer to use the bike than my car. And I got a deal on the bike at the end of the season, which is why I bought it so recently (in snow season). Sure, I could use it for the airplane trips, but I'd just rather leave it in my business house and use it for getting around to business meetings. I might even decide to write it off as a business expense, given its planned usage, which would completely eliminate the chance to take it on trips.
Originally Posted by
pacificcyclist
It's funny how people here seemed to espouse buying more expensive bikes as a solution to the OP's request, which is a bike that is lesser quality and cheaper than his Dahon X27H.
The OP has new bike fever. Notice that he hasn't even ridden it cause there's still snow on the ground. He doesn't want any dings and scratches nor salt from the road. They are very bad for his shiny new bike. He's got a nice Ferrari, but he's looking to buy a Honda Civic for riding errands so the scratches and dings would be on the Civic. Rather, you guys tell him to buy a Porsche or Lexus so he'll feel better. It's better to have scratches and dings on the Porsche not on the Ferrari?!?
You guys certainly know how to justify spending lots of money. LOL
Sooner or later, anyone with new bike fever will wane. When I got my first ding and scratch on my shiny new Mu SL, I said the heck with it. Babying time's over. Today, it's got a lot more of those battle scars. People is full of B.S when they said they travel a lot by bike yet the bike is so pristine shiny and damage free. I don't have any BS. Look at my Mu SL battle scars and it tells many tales where it went; not to mention my travel stickers heheh!
