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Learned to ride on a little hard-tired monstrosity, frame broke underneath me when I jumped a curb. Later, after a move, my brothers pitched in and built a bike for me, mostly from spare parts.
The frame may or may not have been from a (20") Schwinn Stingray. The handlebars were 'ape-hangers', and the fork was from a 26". The only new parts were innertubes and a striped banana seat. The older sissy bar eventually failed, at which point I had to bolt on a conventional saddle.
They had painted it flat black, and that used saddle was powder blue. Sure I missed my black banana seat with its offset stripes in 2 shades of orange, but its replacement gave me better control, and was lighter. Riding on my paper route, with the bag resting on the top tube when it was heavy, wore down the paint in one spot to show the frame's previous colours...
When I was 12 (and 5'10"), I used my paper route money to buy a new 27" Raleigh Rampar. $140 was a lot to spend on a bicycle in 1979, but I still have it, and would still be riding it today if it didn't have too many broken spokes on the front wheel. Should really get that taken care of...
As a teenager living far outside of town in the 1980s, I found nothing more entertaining than riding my bicycles. Plural, because as nice as my metallic red British ten-speed was, that old 20" junkyard special was still loads of fun. With the high handlebars and the long fork, and a loose front hub that gave a vibration over 10mph, the thing felt like a Harley to me...
And hey, there's something to be said for single-speed, coaster-brake riding.
I gave that bike to my oldest nephew eventually, and his dad (my brother Dave) at some point had to clear his basement of old bike parts, so it's gone.
Speaking of Dave, recently he's been gifting my family with bikes. Last year he gave us a generic Chinese-built mountain bike, has a quick-release on the seatpost so everyone in the family can ride, no problem. About a week ago he came by with a women's Huffy Saratoga and a Schwinn Suburban...
The frame may or may not have been from a (20") Schwinn Stingray. The handlebars were 'ape-hangers', and the fork was from a 26". The only new parts were innertubes and a striped banana seat. The older sissy bar eventually failed, at which point I had to bolt on a conventional saddle.
They had painted it flat black, and that used saddle was powder blue. Sure I missed my black banana seat with its offset stripes in 2 shades of orange, but its replacement gave me better control, and was lighter. Riding on my paper route, with the bag resting on the top tube when it was heavy, wore down the paint in one spot to show the frame's previous colours...
When I was 12 (and 5'10"), I used my paper route money to buy a new 27" Raleigh Rampar. $140 was a lot to spend on a bicycle in 1979, but I still have it, and would still be riding it today if it didn't have too many broken spokes on the front wheel. Should really get that taken care of...
As a teenager living far outside of town in the 1980s, I found nothing more entertaining than riding my bicycles. Plural, because as nice as my metallic red British ten-speed was, that old 20" junkyard special was still loads of fun. With the high handlebars and the long fork, and a loose front hub that gave a vibration over 10mph, the thing felt like a Harley to me...
And hey, there's something to be said for single-speed, coaster-brake riding.
I gave that bike to my oldest nephew eventually, and his dad (my brother Dave) at some point had to clear his basement of old bike parts, so it's gone.
Speaking of Dave, recently he's been gifting my family with bikes. Last year he gave us a generic Chinese-built mountain bike, has a quick-release on the seatpost so everyone in the family can ride, no problem. About a week ago he came by with a women's Huffy Saratoga and a Schwinn Suburban...
Never mind the Saratoga, for now. Its front innertube wouldn't inflate, got the wheel off today but darkness intervened... We haven't ridden it yet. The Suburban's front tube failed the day after we got it, but not before I got a serious taste...
Today I got to ride the Schwinn Suburban again. Man, I can't tell you how many hours I spent on the Raleigh, until it was an extension of my being, as natural as walking, but this Suburban is a different trip altogether. I probably rode something similar in 2 previous lives...
While I haven't had the pleasure, in this life, of riding this type of bicycle, it feels incredibly natural -- as natural as it felt to swing up into the saddle on the one and only opportunity I've had in this life to ride a horse.
On a bicycle you are completely in control. You're not prompting an animal, or an engine. You pedal, and it goes. It's a very simple device that you can largely maintain and repair on your own -- and yet it can take you places, or simply give you a ride for the sake of riding. Meanwhile, you're getting exercise.
My new-to-me old Schwinn has full fenders, so if I ride when it's wet I won't be damp all up my back.
Don't even mention fuel prices. If it's at all convenient for you to ride a bicycle instead of driving, why would you choose a motorized vehicle? And hey, if it's nice out why would you play video games or putz around on the computer when you could be riding?
If you don't have a bike, get one.
Stay crunchy.
Phil Smith
May 31st, 2008
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