The Ink-Pot and the Palette

I just went to Clever Cycles and put a few bucks down on an Oma.

I love that store! And I'm not just saying that because they have a Google news alert that tells them whenever anyone posts anything online about Clever Cycles, though they totally do, and thanked me for blogging about them which freaked me out a bit, since, you know, I don't actually blog under my real name and there's one more set of people who can now make that connection.

I'm saying it because they are awesome. I went in and said, "I rented an Oma from you recently and I think I'd like to buy one, but I'd like to examine some other options." I said I wanted a men's sized bike with a step-through frame (formerly known as a "girl's bike") because, well, I'm a man-sized girl, really.

That ruled out all but two lines, and after the Clever Cycles guy went and got two heavy Oma bikes from upstairs and let me try them, we ruled out everything else. He said that while the other option could be jimmied to fit me (raise the seat, fiddle with the handlebars, etc.), it would look stupid when we were done, and they don't like to sell stupid-looking bikes.

(Okay, I was the one who suggested the word "stupid," but he agreed.) They want to sell the right bike for the rider, and also a good looking bike. He gets no argument from me on that.

So tomorrow at lunch I'm going to go get her. Or him. I can't decide which.