I agree, John! So satisfying. Also satisfying: the ease with which I can hoist the Charlie overhead. The combination of the heavier, longer Platypus with the uneven tubes to hook is stressful every dang time. And I’m a weight lifter. 😒

On Mar 14, 2025, at 5:18 AM, John Johnson <[email protected]> wrote:

The 4 bikes neatly arranged on their racks in the garage is oddly super satisfying.

Bravo, the Charlie looks great!

On Friday, March 14, 2025 at 2:28:00 AM UTC+1 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! wrote:
image0.jpegimage1.jpegimage2.jpegimage3.jpeg

On Mar 13, 2025, at 9:26 PM, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! <[email protected]> wrote:

Charlie is pretty dreamy. I really like how the bike is feeling and I’ve got everything coming to make him whole. It’s hard to know how you ought to set up a new bike, and I actually ended up with most of the same stuff on my bars again. My setup is sick, why ruin it. I tried living without a mirror and a phone mount but I can’t do it. That bike is like a sunbeam when it stands in sunshine. I love the paint. I love the NL accents. The anodizing is going to get nicked - while on the SUV’s bike rack some gravel must have spit at the rim and chipped off the ano. Still, I regret nothing.

With the inauguration of the ‘25 riding season, our club had its first Monday Night Ride, and Charlie and I went. He isn’t like anything else there, and we got some attention. People are used to my alternative bikes by now. It was, like it always is in the early season, a challenging first few miles. Then we hit our stride. I went home not sure if Charlie is any faster than a Platypus. Today I took out both bikes and compared. I lowered the stem because Jason and Kate told me I ought to try. The Charlie does feel more like a road bike and my Racing Platypus, which held the road bike title before, feels slower than I remember. Who knows if any of this is true. But the Charlie is compact, little, nimble and I do really like it. 

I got grips from Deb @ Rivet from Philly Bike Expo, and a RivSister sent me that ti cage you recommended here. My Randi Jo bag is being made, so I have Baby Bear’s bag for now. I need a few more things and then I can be done with this and just ride the bike.

Tomorrow will be 70 and the women of my bike group are meeting for a ride. I’m really excited to try another road ride and get to know Charlie better. I feel kind of torn having 4 wonderful bikes because it’s hard not to ride the newest one the most. I love all four of them, even though I really only need 3. The mermaid Platy is redundant since the Racing Platypus got a sturdy rear rack and can take a load now. But aren’t they the most beautiful fleet your eyes have ever seen? Hearts were coming out of my eyes when I saw them in the garage today. 

Tomorrow should be a better feel for how Charlie and I do together. There will only be 4 or 5 of us, so we’ll take our pulls regularly and it will be more challenging than with the big group we had on Monday.

That’s it for now!
Leah



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