our collection of bikes
Way back in 1985, when the wife and I were dating (and yes, I realize that means I'm dating myself), I used to bike ride. I didn't do it as much as I do now, but it was the same idea. I just don't think I went near as far back then. Anyway, for Christmas that year, I bought the wife a bike. I had this hope that she would go with me on long bike rides, and we could stay in shape together.
That never happened. Oh, she'd ride the bike, but not very far and not very fast. For her, it was a tool to go around the neighborhood on a slow tour, taking in how so and so painted their shutters, or that those people must be moving because their house is up for sale. It was never a means for exercise.
We still have that bike, and it gets even less use now. It's been sitting in a corner of the garage, gathering dust. The youngster and I have our bikes. The youngster actually has two. He has his inexpensive mountain bike that he rides around the neighborhood to friends' houses which usually is left on a driveway for hours on end with other bikes while they play football or whatever. It's probably about 6 years old now, and has seen lots of use and abuse. It's scratched and scuffed and well worn. Then he also has his road bike, which I won't allow him to leave in driveways or use the way he does his 'beater'. It was far too expensive to skid across neighborhood driveways and possibly disappear.
There's one guy in the neighborhood who rides with me often. He has a son, roughly the youngster's age. They're good friends. The kid wants to get a road bike and ride with us. His dad thinks his son just wants an expensive bike, and will tire of it quickly, and he'll be out several hundred bucks for nothing. he asked if his son can ride the youngster's bike a few times, to see if he really wants to get involved in bicycling. The youngster and I agreed that this would be OK.
It hasn't happened yet, but it probably will soon. The youngster asked if he could ride with us when it happens. The other kid would ride his bike, and the youngster would ride the wife's old 1985 special. He would want that over his trash bike, because it has skinny road tires and would be faster over a long ride. I said, fine.
Then he looked at the wife's bike, specifically the tires...the same tires that were on it when I bought it...almost 25 years ago. The rubber has cracks in it....lots of them. He said (and he's right) they look like an old dried up creek bed in the desert, with the cracks in the mud hardened into rock. Those things look pretty rough. I'm pretty sure they'll get him through a few trial rides for his friend, but I certainly wouldn't want to go too far on those things. I think their days are numbered.
That never happened. Oh, she'd ride the bike, but not very far and not very fast. For her, it was a tool to go around the neighborhood on a slow tour, taking in how so and so painted their shutters, or that those people must be moving because their house is up for sale. It was never a means for exercise.
We still have that bike, and it gets even less use now. It's been sitting in a corner of the garage, gathering dust. The youngster and I have our bikes. The youngster actually has two. He has his inexpensive mountain bike that he rides around the neighborhood to friends' houses which usually is left on a driveway for hours on end with other bikes while they play football or whatever. It's probably about 6 years old now, and has seen lots of use and abuse. It's scratched and scuffed and well worn. Then he also has his road bike, which I won't allow him to leave in driveways or use the way he does his 'beater'. It was far too expensive to skid across neighborhood driveways and possibly disappear.
There's one guy in the neighborhood who rides with me often. He has a son, roughly the youngster's age. They're good friends. The kid wants to get a road bike and ride with us. His dad thinks his son just wants an expensive bike, and will tire of it quickly, and he'll be out several hundred bucks for nothing. he asked if his son can ride the youngster's bike a few times, to see if he really wants to get involved in bicycling. The youngster and I agreed that this would be OK.
It hasn't happened yet, but it probably will soon. The youngster asked if he could ride with us when it happens. The other kid would ride his bike, and the youngster would ride the wife's old 1985 special. He would want that over his trash bike, because it has skinny road tires and would be faster over a long ride. I said, fine.
Then he looked at the wife's bike, specifically the tires...the same tires that were on it when I bought it...almost 25 years ago. The rubber has cracks in it....lots of them. He said (and he's right) they look like an old dried up creek bed in the desert, with the cracks in the mud hardened into rock. Those things look pretty rough. I'm pretty sure they'll get him through a few trial rides for his friend, but I certainly wouldn't want to go too far on those things. I think their days are numbered.
Labels: Family Stuff
John put this out here at 2:22 PM
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