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As I think about what kind of bike to buy, I’m leaning heavily toward bikes that some folks might call old-fashioned and bikes that at least one person (who hardly ever rides, for the record) called an old man bike (pictured — 2009 Schwinn Willy).  While I have never ever been into fast bikes myself and have never ridden around on anything more aero-looking than a moderately fast hybrid/commuter, I feel like it might be good for me to slow down.  The Saturday before my fall, I bragged about my fastest home-to-work time (in wind and work clothes, no less).  While I’m certainly angry about the pipe I hit last week (my face hurts thinking about it), I will acknowledge that the only reason I was doing at least 25 when I fell was my own doing and that I would not have hit the ground as hard or skid on my face and rear derailer as long if I had been going slower.

I’m not going to pontificate about roadies or weight-wienies or Freds or what have you.  I am not judging folks who are into speed; on the contrary, I regularly mutter “holy shit” to myself when I see some feats of speed — when some hardy folks are still sprinting at the top of my street (top of University Parkway, no small hill at all).

But I have found myself weaving in traffic, disregarding more traffic laws than is safe and riding faster just because I have strong legs and can.  I wonder if a slower bike is the way to go?  I have confessed to Dan that drop bars scare me (I am wimpy), but I think I’d like to sit up even straighter, too.

Plus, from what Mr. Hand Specialist says, I might not have a choice — at least for a long time.

Anyone have experience on something truly up-right and heavy?