True to her word, Beck and I jaunted down to West County Cycles this evening to pick up a new bike for me. Woo-hoo!

We talked with Joe for a while, describing what I was trying ride (mostly on the Katy Trail), Joe pulled out a Raleigh and a Giant for me to try in the lot. Both were huge improvements from my Huffy, but the Raleigh rode like a dream, shifted very well, and was amazingly comfortable.

Joe, Beck and I stood outside and talked about kickstands — this bike didn’t have one, although I had them add one — and their service program. For $45 (one-time), they would do annual service (or more frequent, if I wanted) for the life of the bike, and would discount parts if needed. I figure after one year of service, I’d easily have gotten my $45 of value.

So what’d I end up with? It’s a Raleigh Venture 3.0, 21-speed, painted in chocolate/black (I coulda had a bright blue one, but I’m nto that bold!), and a big padded seat. Really, really nice ride! After a stop at the grocery store, I pulled the bike off the back of the truck, and rode it home.

Like I told Beck last night, she just invested in my health. The more enjoyable my rides are, the higher the liklihood is that I’ll keep cycling, and that should translate into some healthy benefits for me. Of course, that means she has to put up with me longer, but that’s ok with me.

Tomorrow will be the maiden voyage of the new toy!