A new bike Delima

So as you know, I have a pretty amazing road bike.  I have to confess I have a probably less than healthy love for that bike.  My Ruby is amazing in so many ways and she is just absolutely perfect for me in every way. She allows me to become the athlete and rider I have always wanted to become. The rider that many (even me) thought I could never be, because I wasn't *that* person.  She gives me confidence to BE that person.  And for that I am forever grateful!

But, unfortunately she is not perfect for every ride. Sometimes I want to just chill, and coast down the road sitting completely upright holding onto wide handle bars and just taking in the scenery, without challenging myself at all. Without being that athlete and challenging myself or others. Just taking in the sites on the beautiful country roads in my beautiful state.

For a while I have been looking at old cruisers, I've always wanted one and figured since I already had a favorite bike, I could be a little impulsive and frivolous and get a cruiser. I love the romance and history of an old vintage cruiser. Imagining where it had been, what it's life has been like before it found me and hopefully giving it a better life restoring it to it's beauty and taking it on new adventures.

But, like many of my road bike adventures, this search has too taken an unexpected turn.  As part of a sales incentive that I won recently, I got to pic a high dollar item from a catalog. When I won, I actually tried to give it to a co-worker, because there really wasn't anything I wanted. Until, he said...did you see if they have bikes (yeah, I guess I might or might not talk a lot about my biking adventures at work). ;o) We pulled up the catalog together and sure enough, they did have bikes, LOTS of bikes. Oh no....what do I do now?  Well, he saw the spark in my eye and the slight curl of my mouth (trying not to smile) and said, oh, you really should get a new bike!

Um........do I though? I don't need one. And really I always wanted a vintage cruiser. But, this was free...and it was a new bike. Oh, the decision.  So, just for kicks I looked to see what was available. That was the end of me. There were soo many choices and so many different bikes.  They even have a city cruiser, multi-speed so I could still go fast, challenge myself...but (and this is the most important part) look cute doing it. I could even add some of my reflective flower stickers to make it look vintage and cute.


But, then I looked at the mountain bikes, and wondered if that would be a better use of this "gift".  Would I use a mountain bike more? Would I get more out of it? Would I eventually be happier with it? Gosh, I don't know.

I've thought about it a lot.  While, I might get more out of a mountain bike, the cruiser (I think they call is an urban or commuter bike) makes my heart start to beat just a tiny bit faster and makes me smile.  I think that means that the cruiser is the next bike I am meant to have.

So here is a picture of it, I think it's really cute and there's even a place to put a front basket:

 

And with the basket: 

Although I am kinda tempted to get the mens version instead: 

 

So what do you guys think?  Super cute huh?  I have to say, I am already falling in love and I haven't even ridden it yet.  But, there is still that small part of me that is keeping me from completely pulling the trigger and getting a mountain bike instead.  It's so much more practical, but this is so much more fun and stylish.  Sigh....what to do...What to do.