Cycling

February 6, 2024

By the time I bought what I now call “the lesson,” I was fully invested in cycling. I had dropped around 30 pounds, was riding regularly, and everything about my lifestyle was shifting for the better. I was eating cleaner, thinking more intentionally about what I consumed and how it would impact my rides. Fast food had all but disappeared from my routine, and candy became a rare guest at home.

But it wasn’t just physical progress I was noticing. Cycling became my therapy. Getting out for a ride, especially during stressful weeks, helped clear my head.  I’d always heard people say there’s something calming about being near water—and maybe that’s true—because my favorite paths wound along rivers, skirted lakes, and cut through stretches of quiet forest with distant mountain views. I found myself using the word beautiful more than I ever had before. The air, the peacefulness, the rhythm of riding…it all gave me a kind of peace I didn’t realize I’d been missing.

At this point, I already owned the Bianchi Duel and had recently sold the Trek Verve. But I wanted something faster. Something that felt like it matched the progress I’d made. Enter the Trek Dual Sport 3. It was light, quick, and surprisingly affordable. The metallic olive frame with copper accents and a black carbon fork gave it a sleek, understated look that really spoke to me. The ride felt snappy, responsive, and smooth. For a time, it was everything I thought I needed.

Seven months later, I sold it.

Not because there was anything wrong with it, but because it just wasn’t the right bike anymore. I had lost nearly 40 pounds by then and, for the first time, found myself within the weight limits for road and gravel bikes, which were my true goal all along. I’d been quietly eyeing a Specialized Roubaix for months. Shout out to Makesi Duncan of DadBodCycling, who served as a quiet inspiration and reminded me that biking isn’t just for people with ultra-thin, waifish frames. Suddenly, the Roubaix wasn’t just a dream. It was an actual option that was within reach.

In hindsight, I should’ve waited and gone straight for the bike I truly wanted. But the Dual Sport served its purpose. It kept me moving, helped me grow, and taught me more about the kind of rider I was becoming. It played a part in the bigger story, and I recouped most of what I’d spent when it sold. So no regrets.

The lesson? Progress isn’t always linear. And sometimes, the bike you ride teaches you as much about yourself as the road ahead.