On last week's Robot Journal...
In our last episode we talked about bikes and mustaches and cute tennis court girls who would talk to me if I had a cool bike and mustache. At this point in my bike-life, I had a this swell 80's era Trek. Here are the others.


My Dad's Trek
My father bought himself a Trek a year or two after I got mine. Even over the course of a few years, the technology had changed a lot and I was jealous... and he wasn't riding it that much. So as soon as he wasn't looking I switched out a bunch of parts (he had a better derailleur and seat post).


Mountain Bike
Being that I grew up in the mountains, getting a mountain bike was the next step. My parents bought the family a Ross "Force One" - this would have been around 1984? The gearing on that bike was crazy for the time with these low gears that made you feel like you could climb a tree with it. I spent a lot of time flying down dirt roads on this bike and then took it to college where I rode it full time. My brother borrowed it later and somehow destroyed the damn thing.

Trivia: I was hit by a car while on this bike. The bike was pretty tough and probably did more damage to the car than vice versa. I remember thinking, "Oh crap. I am being hit by a car." and then grabbing onto the windshield wipers. And then the driver hitting the brakes and me flying down the road.
I wasn't wearing a helmet, but luckily I just rolled down the street on my legs. Ouch.



Post College
I got my first car and lived in a flat town that no appeal in regards to bike riding.



NYC: First Bike

We went to Franks one day (2005?) and bought mountain bikes. Mine was a Trek that was a few years old at the time, but in great shape. The local bike shop always did a great job keeping it running smoothly. In fact, at the time it was the best running bike I had ever owned. It was oddly quite fast.
But, I kind of missed having a proper road bike as the Trek was fairly big and heavy.



July 3: Fuji
6:51pm
Once again, I went to Franks. I traded in my mountain bike for a new Fuji road bike. I haven't spent a lot of time with road bikes over the past ten years, so I am still getting used to the awesome-ness of the technology. Even though my bike is basically a click above the entry level version, it is crazy cool compared to what I am used to. First, lightweight. Second, these lovely buttery brakes that are like fancy power brakes on a car. There isn't a ton of pressure when you use them and I start to think, "These brakes are too soft and don't seem to be working... I'll never stop" and then I noticed that I have already stopped. They are so smooth that it is crazy. This is also my first bike with the brake lever controlled derailleur which is something I am getting used to and generally like so far.
The wheels are sweet.


6:51pm
I had my mom ship up my old Bernard Hinault Sella Italia saddle and I've been using that as well.


So, I've been riding a lot. And the bike is cool and I'm feeling all speedy. That is until I almost had my ass served to be by four older orthodox guys... on crappy bikes... wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants... and probably twenty years older than me.
Alas.






«« (back) (forward) »»
things i‘ve owned: bikes - part i amateur bike hour sucks



robot journal
Robot Journal



Previous Posts
Three Technological Advances I'd love to share with my teenage self
Seeing all these e scooters got me thinking
Mexico City
The time Chris and Stu drove to Milwaukee
What would be in a happyrobot cocktail?
What the world needs now is a think piece about the pandemic

›comments[10]
›all comments

›post #719
›bio: rich
›perma-link
›7/16/2009
›09:15

›archives
›first post
›that week







Things I've Owned

Category List
Apartment Buying in NYC
Bob Swanson
Cameras!
Cocktails
Cougars!
Election 2004
February Smackdown
Food and Drink!
Group Topics
Holiday!
I heart Brooklyn
Lists of things
Out of Context SMS
Rejected Love Stinks stories
Site News
Snap Wrap
Things I've Owned
This I believe
Wolves!