We are doing the 11-mile family fun ride segment of a charity bike ride this afternoon to raise money for the Food Bank Of Western Mass. With my bike out of commission due to a cracked head tube—probably a factory defect I’ve been riding with for ages—I’ve got this bike out as a loaner from the bike shop while they chase down the warranty with Marin:

I have ridden with flat handlebars for years, but have occasionally wished I had drop handlebars instead. This seemed like a good opportunity to give them a try.

I took this bike out for a test ride at the bike shop, and have ridden it around the neighborhood here a bunch the last couple of days since I picked it up. I really like it! I think I might end up buying it; it is about ten years old, so the price is quite reasonable. I have had the on-and-off urge over the years to get a new bike, but could never justify it given that I had one that worked perfectly well.

We’ll see how it goes today, I guess. In the meantime, if you happen to feel like kicking in a few bucks toward a good cause, you can do so via the link above.