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Never Had a Bike be So Good.

I’ve been nagging my manger for months now about getting a new bike.  This past Sunday she ran the numbers and relented.  My old bike, a Cannondale I converted to a single speed, was tired.  I’ve had the thing since ‘97, and my brother had it for a few years before that.  I’m guessing with all the mountain biking and commuting, the thing has over a thousand miles on it.  Time to upgrade.  We visited Bike Gallery’s Hollywood location and I test drove three bikes.  Our salesman was busy, but gave us just enough attention and zero pressure.  I know a bit about bikes, and once he realized that gave me plenty of space.  I liked that.  First I rode the Kona Dew Plus, a multi-geared commuter bike.  Kate has this bike, and she loves it.  It felt good, the disc brakes were responsive and the gears were…geary.  Second, I tried the Trek Soho S, a single speed.  I felt this bike had been engineered with me in mind.  Sleek and sexy, a razor in a stiletto heel.  The third bike I rode was way out of my price range, but I had to try it.  The Trek District sported a new carbon fiber belt drive instead of a chain.  It was so quiet and precise, a triumph in cycle design.  In the end, the Soho was the one we took home, being the best value, fit, etc.  Also:  all black.  A ninja among bikes, a light weight karate chop of forged aluminum.