In June I told you about my new fitness adventure, a weekly bicycle ride. I kept it up for a few weeks and had a great time. A couple of weeks ago, I borrowed my brother-in-law’s newer mountain bike and was pleasantly surprised at how much lighter and smoother it was compared to mine. After that, I knew it was only a matter of time before I went bike shopping. I just wasn’t sure when, or where, or for what.

Unfortunately, during last week’s ride my old, long-neglected mountain bike forced my hand by kicking the bucket. Well, that’s not entirely true, but its rear brakes suddenly sound like metal fingernails on a chalkboard, both tires are dryrotting, and the rear tire went flat a mile from my house, which made for a long walk home in the August heat. As with an old car you plan to replace, I don’t want to spend any more money on this one.

So now I have the intimidating but pleasant task of shopping for a new bike. I want something that’s fairly light but suitable for both roads and semi-smooth trails. Neither racing nor off-road riding really appeals to me. Someday I hope to ride with Jenny and the boys in the many parks near our house. So my best bet seems to be a hybrid bike, which attempts to combine the sturdiness, comfort, and flat handlebars of a mountain bike with the lighter weight and speed of a road bike. Possibilities include models from Trek, Specialized, and Giant. Apparently, each bike shop only sells certain models, so sometime soon I plan to visit two local bike shops for test rides.

According to my recent exercise poll, exercise isn’t really popular among my readers. =) But if any of you ride, I’d love to hear any thoughts you have.