Bike Shopping!!!!!!!!!

Well here is the way I see it, if I am going to;


1) Ride a bike to and from work
2) Survive that ride with/out a stroke and or heart attack
3) Be asked to come back into the office after the first day
4) Carry a laptop and office "stuff" each day


I need to go bike accessory shopping. After a very quick and expressive trip to my favorite Local Bike Shop (LBS)

Pedal Pusher
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=B4i&resnum=0&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=pedal+pushers&near=Harrisburg,+PA&fb=1&view=text&latlng=14072021090692125367

3798 Walnut St. Harrisburg, PA 17109
(717) 652-7760

I came home, in the car sadly, but with these items;

1) Shimano SH-MT31
These shoes are wonderful, as comfortable to wear and walk in as a good pair of New Balance running shoes. Two years ago I made the investment to go with clipless peddles (Eggbeaters, by CrankBorhters) at the time I purchased them they had a deal running where you got the peddles and a pair of shoes for something like $100.00. I have since that day, HATED the shoes, and LOVED the peddles. These shoes are a totally different creature, I have worn them around the house, cooked in them, hardwood floors, tile, never with out a slip, fall or having to resort to the goofy bike shoe walk so I don't fall on my back side.
http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/products/shoes/mtb/product.-code-SH-MT31.-type-.html

2) Giro Atlas II, Black

This one was a little frustrating, I had a Trek something, and the small plastic connector on the back snapped at some point. So in all truth I was buying a new helmet due to the failure of a 15 cent part. On a good note, it is stated somewhere??? that a helmet should be replaced about every three years.
Again, solid piece of head gear, it was designed to be comfortable on larger skulls.

http://www.bellhelmetstore.com/Other/bellbicycle/Atlas.html



3) Avenir Excursion Large Panniers
Now these took a little bit of adjusting, I had a Blackburn rear rack already installed on the bike, but when I first hooked these bad boys up my heals would hit the bags... After a little adjusting of the rack and the bags, I was golden.

These bags are water resistant, (proff) for all I can tell and have a mechanical clip on the top that attaches them to the rack so the CAN'T fall off. The only think about them I do not like at this point is the side pockets. They only have one small section of Velcro holding them shut. Just seems like something might work its way out. But time will tell.


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00165Q4QM


The last item that I got today was a little bit trickier, I'm a consultant so it is almost always required for us to bring our own computer to the office. And since it is my computer and not my office I'm always a little twitchy about leaving it there over night. When driving back and forth you can just throw it in a messenger bag, or brief case and all is well. The thought if ridding 10 miles with a 17" Dell Vostro 1700 (Pictured Left by a 21" LCD) just makes my back heart. So off to the office supply store.

Where I scored:

4)Swiss Army Wenger GA-7306-06F00 Pegasus Computer Backpack



There's not much I can say about this one aside from I should have gone to this type of bag for my computer years ago. Wonderfully made, comfortable to wear, weather resistant, well balance, fits a bigger guy. I can find only one missing feature and that would be a MP3 player pocket on the shoulder strap for easy access. But that can be solved with a add on.

Over the course of the next few weeks I'll be sure to let everyone know the success or failure of my recent acquisitions.