I am a bit of an impulsive creature. No sooner had I decided that maybe I should lose the Tank at the end of the summer than I started looking at new bikes and fell for the Opus bikes. I thought I could wait it out, but as each day passed, I grew more dissatisfied with the Tank, what with the wonky brakes, the arbitrarily shifting gears, the warped crankset and basket, the rattling rack, and oh have I mentioned that it weighs about a million kilograms? The mere idea of buying a new bike swiftly became an actual plan, and I decided to buy sooner rather than later.
What sealed the deal was that, one day on my way home from the grocery store, I passed my local bike shop, Hoopdriver Bicycles. There, in the window, was the Ivanna. It's a very pretty bike. I may have licked the window.
I decided to test-ride both the Ivanna and the Nuovella yesterday. Thursday, I biked the Tank out to Leslieville and then to the Beach(es) for lunch with a friend and where I bought three very pretty dresses from Damzels -- evil woman enrolled me in the customer loyalty program, so now I have to go back and buy more dresses... Unfortunately as I got on my bike to come back home, I discovered that the rear wheel was flat. Yuck. Fortunately I had a token and was on the streetcar line. But it made buying the bike even more of necessity, since I really don't want to spend any more money on the Tank.
I was leaning towards the Nuovella when I went in because, while I thought I really preferred the step-through shape and colour of the Ivanna (the Nuovella is a lot greener than the website picture shows), I didn't really like the front "basket" which is really more of a small platform and would probably require an actual basket on top for my needs. Plus, the Nuovella had a rear rack, skirt guards, and pretty white tires. However, I resolved to keep an open mind until after I actually rode them, because I could add on anything I needed. I must admit that finding out that the Nuovella was on sale tipped the scales even further in her favour. I was surprised that the skirt guards were made of plastic, though.
So, to the test rides. I meant to ride in a skirt to see how easy it was to get on and off each bike, but I was running late (I know: shocker) and I didn't have time to change out of my jeans. I didn't really notice a big difference in how high I picked up my leg to mount the bike, but I might have in a skirt. The geometry felt the same with both bikes, too. They're both cruisers, so I sit upright, which means no more hunching over the handlebars and getting a crick in my neck. The Nuovella has thinner tires, and the Ivanna has chunkier ones, so she rides a little more sluggishly. It's enough to be noticeable, but I didn't think it would be something that drove me crazy. They both have grip-shifters, which I don't really like. I much prefer trigger-style like on Regine in Provence, but at least these ones can't shift accidentally like the bike I rode in Victoria. The shifting seemed quite smooth. They both have chain guards and leather handgrips, which means I can kiss the ugly, often-forgotten reflective leg bands and cycling gloves goodbye.
My biggest fear was that the aluminum frame would let me feel every pothole and crack in the road even worse than the Tank, but they both handled the bumps well. The Nuovella felt a bit smoother, maybe due to the thinner tires. My next concern was how they would handle hills. The answer is very well; a head-wind and incline combination that would have had me muttering how. much. I. hate. the. Tank. was easy-breezy on the Opuses (Opi?) even with the less aerodynamic posture. The saddle on the Nuovella drove me crazy; however it wasn't the Ora Voyage saddle that comes with the bike and I could switch it out with the one on the Ivanna.
So it really came down to price, because they both felt pretty much the same to me. The Nuovella was on sale and I only needed to add a front basket. The Ivanna would have needed a rear rack and an additional front basket. No contest.
Even with with the extra basket, new locks, a shiny brass bell, and taxes, I still managed to come well under budget; it makes me love her even more. I brought her home today and can't wait to take her for her first real ride.
So here is my Opus! Isn't she pretty?
In velo veritas. If the name makes you think of this Opus, you should totally be my friend.
By the way, I'm not going to name her. I don't anthropomorphise inanimate objects; they hate it when you do that.
What sealed the deal was that, one day on my way home from the grocery store, I passed my local bike shop, Hoopdriver Bicycles. There, in the window, was the Ivanna. It's a very pretty bike. I may have licked the window.
I decided to test-ride both the Ivanna and the Nuovella yesterday. Thursday, I biked the Tank out to Leslieville and then to the Beach(es) for lunch with a friend and where I bought three very pretty dresses from Damzels -- evil woman enrolled me in the customer loyalty program, so now I have to go back and buy more dresses... Unfortunately as I got on my bike to come back home, I discovered that the rear wheel was flat. Yuck. Fortunately I had a token and was on the streetcar line. But it made buying the bike even more of necessity, since I really don't want to spend any more money on the Tank.
I was leaning towards the Nuovella when I went in because, while I thought I really preferred the step-through shape and colour of the Ivanna (the Nuovella is a lot greener than the website picture shows), I didn't really like the front "basket" which is really more of a small platform and would probably require an actual basket on top for my needs. Plus, the Nuovella had a rear rack, skirt guards, and pretty white tires. However, I resolved to keep an open mind until after I actually rode them, because I could add on anything I needed. I must admit that finding out that the Nuovella was on sale tipped the scales even further in her favour. I was surprised that the skirt guards were made of plastic, though.
So, to the test rides. I meant to ride in a skirt to see how easy it was to get on and off each bike, but I was running late (I know: shocker) and I didn't have time to change out of my jeans. I didn't really notice a big difference in how high I picked up my leg to mount the bike, but I might have in a skirt. The geometry felt the same with both bikes, too. They're both cruisers, so I sit upright, which means no more hunching over the handlebars and getting a crick in my neck. The Nuovella has thinner tires, and the Ivanna has chunkier ones, so she rides a little more sluggishly. It's enough to be noticeable, but I didn't think it would be something that drove me crazy. They both have grip-shifters, which I don't really like. I much prefer trigger-style like on Regine in Provence, but at least these ones can't shift accidentally like the bike I rode in Victoria. The shifting seemed quite smooth. They both have chain guards and leather handgrips, which means I can kiss the ugly, often-forgotten reflective leg bands and cycling gloves goodbye.
My biggest fear was that the aluminum frame would let me feel every pothole and crack in the road even worse than the Tank, but they both handled the bumps well. The Nuovella felt a bit smoother, maybe due to the thinner tires. My next concern was how they would handle hills. The answer is very well; a head-wind and incline combination that would have had me muttering how. much. I. hate. the. Tank. was easy-breezy on the Opuses (Opi?) even with the less aerodynamic posture. The saddle on the Nuovella drove me crazy; however it wasn't the Ora Voyage saddle that comes with the bike and I could switch it out with the one on the Ivanna.
So it really came down to price, because they both felt pretty much the same to me. The Nuovella was on sale and I only needed to add a front basket. The Ivanna would have needed a rear rack and an additional front basket. No contest.
Even with with the extra basket, new locks, a shiny brass bell, and taxes, I still managed to come well under budget; it makes me love her even more. I brought her home today and can't wait to take her for her first real ride.
So here is my Opus! Isn't she pretty?
In velo veritas. If the name makes you think of this Opus, you should totally be my friend.
By the way, I'm not going to name her. I don't anthropomorphise inanimate objects; they hate it when you do that.
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