Alas, I rear-ended a car in August - talk about embarrassing! - and tweaked the front end of the Miyata in the collision. The frame could no longer be considered safe to ride, so I had to purchase a new bicycle. I scraped together some funds, borrowed some dough from my parents, salvaged as many parts as I could from the old bicycle and went down to the LBS and ordered a Surly Long Haul Trucker! The LHT is intended to perform the same duties as the old Miyata in supporting my car-free lifestyle. It's not as pretty as my old Miyata, but it's an amazing ride. It's a 30 lb unstoppable tank of a bike, and I love it. It rides like it's on rails and just soaks up rough pavement. Tons of clearance for big tires and fenders, and I'm sure it'll haul any load with aplomb and style. I'll be replacing that beat-up old saddle with a Brooks B-17 real soon, probably this weekend. Without further ado, here it is:
See that huge gap between the rear fender and seatpost? That where my road morph pump goes!
This color really needs to be seen in bright sunlight to be fully appreciated - it sparkles and gleams. It really looks incredible. It is a bit dull in dimmer light. Next time I wrap the handlebars, I intend to give it a bit more "flash."
Random gratuitous drivetrain shot! Deore derailer on an 8-speed cassette. That huge cog in the back there is a 34-tooth. Useful for hauling a full load of groceries up the ginormous hill I live near!