Bike Reboot
My bike was stolen from work today which is angrifying in so many ways. It was a great bike (and still is I suppose). Nine years old and still in mint condition especially after the new rear wheel I'd just installed. Yes, definitely angrifying. This post isn't about my old bike though - I'll just have to let it go and move on. It's about my new bike!
It was cheaper than new ($50 from Cycle Salvation), has fenders, a bike rack, kick stand, and works just fine. It doesn't have front wheel or seat post shock absorbers (wow, noticed that right away), but it does everything a bike is supposed to do and didn't break the bank. I spent more on replacement lights and a new lock at MEC than I did on the bike. I just realized I forgot to get a bell. See you tomorrow MEC staff.
Almost all of my biking is in the neighbourhood or for work so I'll probably just stick with the new guy. Big fat mountain bike tires aren't my style but won't really slow me down much. It's about a 1/3rd heavier but Rack&Roll was fine and I could still carry it up the Transityway stairs. If it takes a little more work to move around, well, I guess I'll get be in slightly better less-worse shape.
I'll miss my old bike of course, but I'm deciding to just let it go. When I gave up car ownership in 2003 it took awhile to fully adjust my self-identity and stop caring that I didn't have a car. At first the bus was yucky but now I'd prefer to be stuck on a bus than driving in gridlock. Yesterday I had a relatively swanky hybrid. Today I have a recycled beater bike. This time I'm not going to draw the process out. Click! Identity adjusted. I'm quite happy with NewBike, thank you very much.
Biking isn't about the clothes, or the bike, or the gear. It's about being able to get around town on the cheap, in the outdoors, staying healthy and perhaps most of all, having fun while you do it. NewBike can do all that just as well as the old one.
I'm not going to let the person who stole my bike steal my enjoyment of biking too. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's ride.
