It was a beauty, complete with banana seat, high handlebars, streamers, and a large basket with fake roses. The tires constantly needed air. The bike smelled like goats, who also lived in the carriage house. No matter, it was wheels in motion, and it was mine.
So, I want a bike again. I do actually have a bike, but it was a gift from a boyfriend, the one who is now my husband. He had the mistaken notion that he and I would mountain bike together up craggy hills and cliffs, bouncing down over boulders and fallen logs.
Meanwhile, his brother is more of the Italian road racing biker dude. Dapper in his clip-in shoes, he bikes off for 50 miles at a stretch.
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| What? |
See, I'm different. I want to return to those days when I biked UPRIGHT, not hunched over the handlebars. I want to ride and sniff the mown lawns. I'm a dawdler, not a speed demon.
I just remembered something: road and mountain bikes leave off the kickstand because it's "not cool" and adds weight. You know what? That kickstand is useful. I'm post menopausal and I don't care about being cool anymore.
Ditto with the long bar thingie that runs right down the middle of the bike. I have to stop, throw my leg over it, dismount, let my bike fall to the ground (remember, no kickstand) and throw my leg back over it when I want to get back on the trail. Since I never got the hang of the "stand on the pedal and mount / dismount" technique, I want that split rail design that allows me to quietly step on and off. In a skirt, if I so choose.
I just realized what I'm going to look like when I do get my old school, retro bike with kickstand, basket, upright handles, and skirt bar:
NOT THIS:
BUT THIS:
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7 comments:
i would like to bike dawdle with you, you cool post-menopausal woman you.
With simple to use coaster brakes and a big basket. A FUN bike.
Let's all get on our retro bikes and dawdle together. With a picnic!
teehee--I'm not a fan of biking... I do most of my stuff like that for exercise and biking the distance and time you need to to be beneficial makes my butt hurt. But I agree with you on TYPE of bike I like--those old fashioned bikes are pretty cool. There is an island where the upper and lower peninsulas connect that allows no cars and it's actually really fun to bike around that.
Ohhh fun! I got a "Giant" a few years back, which allows me to bike upright and still it has gears. Gliders are really hard if you want to bike up hills. Go for it! NOthing beats a bike-ride.
Have fun and be prepared for sticker-shock!
P.S. I had the exact same first bike. Flowers on the banana seat and everything!
LOL, quick come visit me in Portland and we can bike all over town in long skirts.
I had a speed-demon husband (now ex) who was no fun to bike with because I was "going too slow". Now, with babybhitch in tow, I enjoy biking so much more! I can go at my pace and enjoy the wind, the scenery of houses and trees, and breathe in the air.
Going back to the really thick wheels, but my brakes are now on my handle bars and I have several resistance levels, I do so love my bike and hitch with daughter saying, "Go Mommy!" in the rear!
Biking is always fun, especially with the right companions!
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