It looks like the TTC is going on strike this Monday so I decided that I needed an alternative mode of transportation (the TTC sucks anyway), and what better than a bike? I’m horribly out of shape anyway, so I thought it’d be a good way to kill two birds with one stone. Even after the strike has ended, I’ll still save some cash if I bike to work every day.
My first stop was the brand new Duke’s Cycle, at Spadina and Richmond. They’ve done an awesome job getting a new store opened after the Queen St. fire burned down their original one and they’ve been open for business since early April.
I was looking for a mountain bike, something with a reasonably light frame, front suspension and good hardware. I was helped out by Michael and he suggested a Specialized Rock Hopper. It fit well with my budget and was available in a 15″ frame, which is good for me because I have annoyingly short legs. I took it out for a spin on Richmond and it felt great. Pretty much everything I wanted plus it even had some mechanical disc brakes – I’ve never had a bike with disc brakes and wow, what a difference. Michael told me that all bikes come with a 3 year service plan that includes tuneups and readjustments and such.
I was very impressed, but felt that I needed to look at another store to compare. My next stop was Sweet Pete’s, just west of Bloor and Lansdowne. I walked into the store and stood around for about 20 minutes – not one salesperson approached me or even made eye contact with me. They didn’t seem too busy, most of them were talking together by the cashier. The ones that were busy seemed more interested in selling hipster cruiser bikes than what I was looking for. Sorry Pete, you weren’t sweet enough. I left the store bitterly and headed back to Duke’s.
I ended up taking the Rock Hopper, along with a multitool, a pump, a new helmet and a nifty little bag that fits under the bike seat. Everyone at Duke’s was very friendly and hoped I enjoyed the bike.
I rode the bike over to my office so I could time my route home. I started up at 3:49pm at King + Atlantic. I’ve never biked in the city before so I was being extra cautious in traffic, and their was a pretty heavy wind against me but I made it to my doorstep at 4:23pm, putting my trip at 34 minutes. I was quite impressed with myself – I’d been dreading the steep climb up Spadina around Casa Loma but I managed to get through it without walking at all (though by the time I got to the top I felt like my lungs were about to explode). I figure I’ll be able to shave a good 5-10 minutes off my trip down to work. The TTC takes about 45+ minutes to get me to/from work. Better way my ass.
Coincidentally, it turns out my friend Toronto Mike has resurrected his relic of a bicycle so maybe we’ll be able to hit some trails together, eh Mike?
Anyway, here are a few pics of my noble steed:
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- Rock Hopper
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- My fork and disc brakes
How much was it?
The grand total was just over $1000. The bike itself was just under $900 including tax. Incidentally, you don’t get charged PST on bikes under $1000, government’s trying to promote biking.
You get what you pay for with bikes though, and this frame has a lot of potential for a rider like me. Unless I start biking competitively or something, it should easily last me a good 5+ years.