Preppy Runner – Theodora Blanchfield

I just got it, but I do <3 my bike.

After a few trips to the bike store, I finally bit the bullet and bought a bike! (Thank god for tax refunds!)

I went with the Giant Dash 3, a performance hybrid. It’s basically as close as a hybrid can get to a road bike without actually being a road bike. Which means it’s comfortable and has straight, not curly bars, but is light and fast.

Riding it home afterwards was absolutely terrifying. Riding down 9th Ave at rush hour? With a heavy purse on my shoulder? I am so glad I didn’t die. I dropped off my purse and headed back out for an 8ish-mile ride to Battery Park and back.

Dog not included.

I asked the nice guy in the bike store what I absolutely couldn’t walk out of the bike store without, and he said all I really needed were lights, if I ever rode at night, and a helmet. I already had a helmet, so I bought the lights. I also bought a water bottle holder (pink, since the bike is blue) and a lock.

Things I didn’t buy immediately but foresee in my future: padded shorts, a rack for the back in case I want to take it grocery shopping.

Things there is no chance in hell I will buy: clips. I am too clumsy to clip in and out.

So since I just dropped a nice wad of cash on this baby, and we’ll be spending a lot of time together, he needs a name. (Yes, I named my cars, too. I had a blue Jeep named Bluebird and a red Volvo named Ruby. So yes, I am that girl.)

And that’s where you come in. Because I love you so much for reading my ramblings everyday, I’m buying you a present. Just one of you, just for suggesting a name for my bike.

I’m sending one winner a $10 Starbucks gift card. You can buy approximately 3 spinach feta wraps with this.

All you have to do is leave a comment suggesting a name for my bike. The only two criteria for the name:

• It has to start with a B. (Its full name will be B___, the Badass Bike.)
• It should be a gender-neutral or a male name. Though this bike is for a lady, the bike itself is a dude.

Just leave a comment by 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. I’ll pick the winner Thursday.