How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Buy a Bike

For a mountain biker, a bike can say a lot. Like most products you use, your choice says something about you. It can be anything from something about your background, to where you ride, and more. Whether you’re in the cult of carbon fiber or are obsessed with your Chromoly steel hardtail, bikes these days make a statement. This weighed heavily on my young mind as I looked for a replacement for my late 1990s GT Ricochet during a COVID–fueled bike shortage.

My old bike is now used as a gravel bike.

My search for a new bike started long ago in late 2019, like most large purchases, At the time I had recently discovered the advantages of full–suspension bikes and was convinced I needed one. Despite my lack of funds and concrete plan to get them, I was nearly constantly on the prowl for that perfect bike. However, a stop at the Clinton Bike shop changed my outlook on what I needed. They extolled the virtues of the plus bike and convinced me away from a full suspension. For a while, I regretted not buying a bike on the spot.

Then, a couple of months later, a world-changing event happened: the COVID 19 pandemic. Supply chains were disrupted, especially the ones important for making bikes. Coupled with that was increased demand for bikes as people found biking to be a COVID-safe activitity. With this and my lack of funds, I decided to stay with my current bike and save money. This turned out to be great since I finally learned how to push that bike to its limits by riding it during that spring and summer.

However, by Christmas that year I was ready for something new.

I went back and forth trying to find anything that would suit my riding needs. It turns out that was difficult since $1,200 stimulus checks endangered every new bike under the $2,000 price point and drove up used bike prices. By the end of January, I was back to school but riding was still on my mind. After more ceaseless looking, I decided one Saturday that if I could find a bike within 100 miles that hadwide tires, modern geometry, a dropper post, and a good drivetrain, then I would do everything to make it mine. I called six different bike shops in New Jersey and New York in an hour. I got just as many noes as leads on bikes that were too expensive and too big for me, but I finally found a bike across the border in Spring Valley, New York. The shop had just gotten a fresh order of the 2021 Rocky Mountain Growlers.

My new bike on top of Darling Hill near the Kingdom Trails.

After some internal strife over what I was willing to spend, I trekked to the shop, looked at the bike, and decided to buy a Growler 40 in my preferred color combo: black and blue. I had to come back the next Tuesday for the bike to be ready. So, right after class, I set off on my 50-minute journey. Once I got there, I made the most expensive purchase of my life; I finally got the bike of my dreams.

Well, it wasn’t quite the bike of my dreams, but, I could actually buy it instead of waiting two more years. The main thing I was worried about was the 29” wheels since I am not very tall. I was proved wrong during my first ride at Allaire State Park. The cornering and braking from the 2.6-inch tires blew me away. The modern geometry was confidence-inspiring and the 140 mm of travel helped in rough sections. Ever since that day, I’ve been hooked. My bike has been on tons of trail systems throughout the tri-state area and even up to the Kingdom Trails in Vermont. It's so capable that it amazes me. The traction is exceptional, and I can tell I'm still not pushing it hard enough. If it wasn't for my sense of self-preservation, I think the bike could go significantly faster. Knowing this has given me the new goal of increasing my speed and tackling harder trails. Somehow, this new bike has made me love mountain biking even more.