So I wait a week to get my bike brakes adjusted and the mechanic at Boone’s Cycles does an amazing job. Unfortunately, 3 miles later I make a turn onto Fannin Street and break a pedal which spins me out into oncoming traffic.

After recovering my broken pedal and hobbling to the nearest train station, I call the mechanic to get a quote on the new repair while Googling the manufacturer of the bike to get a customer service phone number.

I got the manufacturer on the phone the next day and since the bike was still under warranty, they agreed to ship out a new crank and a pair of pedals at no charge. Too bad I can’t install them myself so it will still cost me to have the cat at Boone’s do the labor. I’ll worry about that when the parts get here. . . whenever that happens (since the CSR didn’t give an ETA on the parts).

Meanwhile, my green transportation/fitness program/RunKeeper stats are in jeopardy — so I decide to get another bike while waiting on the soon-to-be repaired bike to be…repaired and used as a secondary bike for when my son comes this summer. I find an awesome-looking bike at Academy Sports and bring it home full of excitement.

Until I realized the bike was all flash and no substance.

The shock absorbers had me low riding, the seat wouldn’t stay where I adjusted it and the model didn’t even show up on the manufacturer’s website for me to register. It’s another disappointment I plan to rectify the next day (i.e., today).

I decide to take the side-eye worthy bike for a spin back to Academy via MetroRail, but I was kicked off due to overcrowded train cars. With 5 miles between me and Academy, I call my wife to meet me at Hermann Park (where I also discovered the front wheel was bent) on her way home from work.  We meet up at the entrance to the zoo and I’m wobbling this ill fated bike with a strawberry milkshake in my hand as a gesture of gratitude for her picking me up. We load up the bike and trek over to Academy.

The guy at the door remembered me from last night. He asked what was wrong with the bike and I told him it was “wack” and I wanted to exchange it for a more suitable ride. I went back to the bike section with my wife and we looked at all the models until we found one that would be my next new bike. It had all the amenities of the first one: disc brakes, front suspension, alloy wheels, etc. — but it was $30 cheaper and rode 135647282326% better (I took it for a spin through the aisles). We walked out of there with another bike, head/tail lights and a T-shirt (for her) and I only paid $6 more (with the exchange).

I came home and tuned it up and can’t wait to ride to my usual spots tomorrow PLUS a much needed session at the gym. This week has been full of ups and downs when it comes to bikes — I pray all goes smooth when the parts come for my other one.

Until next time.