Getting Serious About Cycling

With two more bike tours under our belt in 2007 we were really getting the cycling bug. So much so that we wanted to do more than two the next year and even started training for next years rides by riding in the winter time. Fortunately where we live the winters are conducive to riding as the roads are almost always bare and dry. Not much rain or snow falls but the temperature sure does! So for Christmas we got each other cold weather cycling gear to meet that challenge. Also, my wife decided it was time to get a true road bike sometime before we tackled more cycling tours.

The annual spring sale in early 2008 at our favorite bike shop lured us to their 20% off. My wife was drawn quickly to their extensive line of Raliegh models, the updated 2008 version of my entry level Cadent in particular. While she test rode that model and other brand names she was leaning toward the Cadent until I suggested she ride the Raliegh Carbon Cadent. I had test ridden this bike before during previous visits and it rode like a dream. The overall carbon fiber frame with its unique geometry like the triangular shaped top tube take the road vibration away. If you want a smooth enjoyable ride, the Carbon Cadent is definitely worth considering. After my wife rode it she said the entry level Cadent was a "want to have" and the Carbon Cadent was a "gotta have!" She was reluctant to buy it however because the cost of the Carbon Cadent was double that of the entry level model. Then again it is not an entry level bike, it's higher up the ladder of the Raliegh line. I convinced her to buy the Carbon Cadent now; if she didn't, she would be wishing she did and ultimately comeback to "upgrade" someday. She agreed and got the Carbon Cadent at a very good price.


What surprised me that day was my wife asked me if I wanted to upgrade to a carbon fiber bike as well. When your a married man and your wife gives you an opportunity like this, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth. You grab that gift horse by the ears and kiss it square on the mouth! Like my wife, I test rode several different makes and models. I was initially going to get a Carbon Cadent myself but felt compelled to buy something different. The Carbon Cadent's smooth ride was extremely attractive but I learned that day that I'm addicted to speed. The two bikes which became my front runners were an Italian made Bianchi and a Spanish made Orbea. The Bianchi I rode had a smaller frame than the Orbea but was much smoother, almost as much as the Carbon Cadent but a tad quicker. The Orbea, much bigger at a 60 cm frame seemed to fit me better and felt stiffer. The Orbea seemed quicker than the Bianchi and more responsive. On the Orbea I felt like I was riding a tall horse that went fast and climbed easy. Riding the Bianchi I felt like I was too big for the frame. Long story short, I chose the Orbea Onix.

In the six months or so which I've owned it, I've probably ridden more miles than the two years combined with my old bike. Don't get me wrong, I still love my Raliegh as it is a great entry level bike. But I have a new love in my life now and it is my Orbea Onix.