I want to ride my bicycle…I want to ride it where I like!

So I have a good reason for Bicycle Race by Queen to be stuck in my head, because Husbie and I bought bikes! Not only do they promote a more active lifestyle AWAY from the couch and Netflix during the summer, but it’s also another thing to cross off my 30 before 30 list! We spent a few weeks visiting a bunch of bicycle shops and I was consistently drawn to the cruiser style. I love the way they’re designed and I couldn’t wait to test drive one. I’ve been a fan of Electra bikes for a long time and Mud, Sweat and Gears in Sherwood Park had a great selection of them to choose from. They also had very knowledgeable and friendly staff, which made the process so much easier after going to a few other local bike shops with non-existent customer service (you know who you are, bike shop on Gateway next to the Antique Mall).

I got the Electra Townie Original 7D, which has 7 speeds – perfect for city cruising but also any River Valley rides we may go on. The Townie is super comfortable with a wide seat and a leaned-back position (courtesy of the “Feet First” technology), and I’m in love with the step-through position of the frame which makes it easy to get on and off. I also test drove the Electra Verse but I found the frame to be extremely upright which resulted in hunched shoulders and a bit of a sore neck while riding. The Townie feels much more relaxed and laid-back which is more my style.

I honestly never thought I’d pick such a girlie bike, but the coral with a pop of turquoise on the rims (and of course the matching basket) is just SO FUN! The heart bell is just icing on the cake. I know I made a good choice because a woman in the Mud, Sweat and Gears parking lot told me that her daughter loved my bike. I looked over at her daughter, who was probably only 14-15 years old and smiling shyly at me, and I just had to laugh 🙂 I bought a bike suited for a pre-teen girl. And I love it so much.

Husbie originally test drove an Electra Townie as well (we could have matched!), but on our last visit to Mud, Sweat and Gears he found a Trek bike in all matte black that was so bad ass he couldn’t say no. It’s a single speed so I thought he was crazy, but so far he’s managed to keep up with me! He chose custom pedals and grips in bright orange, with a black 8-ball bell. Now all he needs to do is ride it while wearing his black leather Black Label Society vest that’s hidden in the closet…that’s as close as he’ll ever get to being in a bike gang.

We’ve been cruising around our neighborhood a lot and taking advantage of these warm summer nights that Edmonton’s been having sporadically. Who knew that our neighborhood had a bunch of trails to explore? We’ve lived here for 3 years and I’m embarrassed to say we had no idea. I feel like a kid again, zooming around and going on adventures.

Here’s a little bit of Queen action just for fun! Disclaimer: there are boobies, and no, I don’t plan on riding my bike in my birthday suit, I can’t imagine it would be that comfortable! These women be crazy: