Armed with my  personal bike fit information  from Fitmi!, I set out to buy a new bike. My friend Don Campbell works at  Wheels in Motion  in Ann Arbor. Don  and I were work mates for a while selling elevators. He is also a champion mountain biker, regularly standing on the podium after races.

He had a selection of bikes picked out for me, from Kona, Jake, and Trek, so on a cold March afternoon I rode each through spitting rain. The important features we had already discussed: disc brakes & thru-axles, 32C or wider tires, and a compact crankset.

Each of the bikes were fine, with minor differences in features and ride. I had to refer to the sizing guide from my recent fitting, and had several texts back & forth with Jessica at Fitmi! She was quick to rank the bikes based on my fitting data, and the Trek Domane was the obvious best choice.

Once home I re-read the specs, and discovered the model selected had only a 2×10 drivetrain. Ugh! Never mind that I’ve had 15 years on a 2 x 9, everyone knows that 2 x 11 is it! I called the store the next morning and upgraded one model, securing the 2 x 11 drive with Shimano 105 components. For $200 I satisfied my ego, even though this added a week to delivery. I was off to visit grandkids for a week, so this timing was just fine…until I started to look at specs again.

With this last change the delivery date was pushed out to April 23. I took a look at my 2017 ride data for the same time period and found 6 rides with about 120 miles. Three more weeks riding my other bikes would be just fine. Mother Nature had other ideas, sending a cold and wet April. Very little riding weather, so the delay was OK.

I sent Don a text on April 16 asking him to check on delivery. He confirmed April 23. On Wednesday the 18th he texted saying the bike was in and all assembled, ready to go!

I was able to pick it up that afternoon. Arriving at 5 p.m., they brought the new bike out and I started talking with Matt about accessories. First up, a water bottle cage in matching accent color, and a set of blinking lights lights with USB charging ports. The big money went to a new  Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt  computer and  Bontrager Duo Trap Sensor. These devices work seamlessly together to provide tons of great data. Chris was pressed into service installing these items while Matt had me finish some paperwork. Total pickup time, including some minor fitting time and a quick ride, 90 minutes.

Sometimes a bike is a bike, and sometimes it’s not. I got home about 9 p.m. and began to read about my new bike toys. Agenda for the night, charge the  computer and both lights. Next, download the phone app to control the computer. Then, finish the day with some YouTube videos about using the new computer.

First Impressions

After 5 rides and 130 miles here are some thoughts:

1) You still have to pedal to move; speed is not free on a new bike
2) The new blinking lights do an outstanding job of keeping traffic a bit further away
3) Trek IsoSpeed couplings do a great job of reducing vibration
4) I love the ELEMNT computer, the integration with my iPhone, and the ease in uploading routes
5) The handlebars feel thin and need much better padding

I have a final fitting soon, plus some tour events this month to try the new bike.

Your comments on this are always welcome, and I’d love to hear some success stories on your new bike from your local bike shop. Please drop a  note , we read them all. If we publish your item, you’ll get one of our tee shirts! And remember you can find some of the best tours right  here!

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