My mechanical ineptitude is troubling. For years, I had felt like a liability to myself (and people with whom I ride) because I didn't know how to change a tire. The last time I got a flat was a frustrating and annoying experience. Fortunately, it was 85º outside and I was could easily schlep my bike from the bus to my local bike shop and quickly have the tire fixed.

If you're a frequent roller on this blog, you probably know that I'm a newbie winter cyclist. My first post included a few posed photographs of my bike, my dog and me. In the comments, someone asked if I planned to ride Penny, my classic Schwinn from the '70s. I'm not sure, but I'm open to suggestions. Let's go through the options available to me.