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Dominique's New Bike
Starts At 12:00 AM On Friday, October 26, 2007
 Dominique's New Bike
From $200 Target bike to a new Felt, a newbie shares her tale of Tri-antics.
By Dominique Ficalora
The same day that I gave up on finding a racing bike from local garage sales was the day I bought my bike from Target. Yep. Target. It was $200 and I thought it was a good price. After all, this bike wasn't just a road bike.. No. It was much more! This bike was a road bike, racing bike, and a mountain bike all in one. It was everything I needed, and that was the thing. I absolutely needed a bike. Desperately.
My first triathlon was only a few weeks away and I made the executive decision that my pistachio Electra Beach Cruiser wasn't going to cut it. I needed something more complex, or maybe just a braking system that wasn't activated by peddling backwards. Since I was on a budget (as Ralph's Italian Ices wasn't offering me a raise anytime soon), I needed something cheap. Garage sales were out. Target was in. So off I went, ready for my first triathlon.
By the time August came, my swimming was great.. wait.. my swimming was very great. My running was on point. I was lifting. I ate well. I figured, logically, that biking would come since it is literally like RIDING A BIKE.
I was gold.. until I actually arrived at the race with my Target bike, aggressive skating helmet, and indoor track spikes (no cleats). One glance around the transition area was all I needed to feel like I might not win. Actually, I never felt such a feeling of hopelessness at an athletic event as I did that morning.
No one else had a pseudo-mountain bike-road-bike-race-bike trifecta. Just me. While my shining display of individualism was admirable, I wasn't awarded "aw-you-tried-hard points." There is no such thing.
That would be crazy.
I remember the moment I almost actually cried during the nine-mile bike section. I was on a flat strip of road and the only sound I heard was "on your left." For those of you who have never heard that sound (lucky bastards!), it means that you are being passed. The nine mile bike course was just a cruel joke that was unwinding in slow motion. I wasn't fast. I wasn't fast at all. But it wasn't me! It was the bike! I'm sorry Mr. Lance Armstrong, sometimes it IS about the bike.
By the time my second triathlon came I bought a new entry-level Felt FW4 (Woman specific) bike from Sunrise Tri in West Babylon, Long Island. This model is fast, light, and affordable for beginner cyclists. It is also not very intimidating.. although riders of the Felt FW4 often are!!! (wooo!)
During my second triathlon I was able to put up a good fight on my Felt bike. I still have much to learn about cycling, but I was competitive. I was actually in the race and by "in the race" I mean I came in second for my age group.
Anyway, as I'm sure you all have pending workouts and little time to read; the moral of the story is to NOT buy your bikes from Target! However, if that is all you can afford- do it! Anyway path you take to get into triathlons is a good path.
 
Dominique Ficalora is an adjunct professor of the written word at a college or two on Long Island and has a shiny new bike from Sunrise Tri.
All Contents Copyright © 2008 Rich Barkan, MetroTri.com |
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