Hi, my name is Nathan Friedman, and I have an addiction. It’s been less than 24 hours since my last bike purchase.

I’ve been this way ever since I can remember. It started early in high school, and quickly elevated to a bank draining level. I see a bike that I don’t have, and there’s something that drives me to want it, nay, to need it. I have fed the addiction over the years through various bikes, but having a ‘real job’ has recently enabled the addiction to spiral out of control at a dizzying pace.

My most recent altercation involves an innocent trip to AZ bikes to return a Phil Wood bottom bracket tool. It started so innocently. It escalated quickly with the realization that Kona is blowing out all of their 2006 bikes, and there is a distinct possibility that the forest will be closed this summer. It ended in a special order form with a 2006 Kula Supreme on it.

I know it sounds bad, I know it’s a lot of money that I wasn’t planning on, but really, It’ll be less than 1/2 of retail when all is said and done! That makes it ok, right? Right!? I mean, you can’t really pass up a deal like that. Once in a lifetime! I know, I know. They all are . . .

< clapping >

I’m going to go to the AZ Bikes/Kona Dirt Demo now and try out a 29er singlespeed. Is that a bad idea?