Personal Bike History Part 3 - Adulthood

After I graduated from college I didn’t think much about bicycles for a while. I started working in my chosen field. I drove a lot. I had a pretty far commute for work. I was also in a band that travelled for gigs. I was the main van driver and I spent many hours behind the wheel.

Eventually my heavy gigging days came to an end. Around this time I had a roommate that moved out and she left behind a bike. It was a dark green Royce Union Savoy – a department store “mountain” bike. The wheels were bent, so she never rode it. I got the wheels fixed at a bike shop and decided to try and ride it around town. I got a seat post rack so that I could carry stuff. I occasionally rode this bike for errands and exercise. I would ride to the post office (I was selling a lot on ebay at this time) and on a multi-use path.

The bike did not inspire me to keep riding, though. It was very heavy and it didn’t fit me very well. The wide knobby tires provided much rolling resistance. I often felt sore, tired and winded after riding this bike. I attributed this feeling to the fact that I was out of shape. I had a mental image that riding was painful if you weren’t in top physical condition. The bike spent a lot of time chained to a fence in my backyard.

During this time I made my first visits to Europe as an adult. I visited Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Denmark in two separate summer trips. I saw a lot of bicycles in use (especially in Copenhagen, of course). The bicycle began to creep back into my consciousness.

While visiting a friend in Finland, we borrowed two of the family’s bikes to ride into town one evening. We had so much fun exploring the area on two wheels. I have a fond memory of scooting around the town in the glorious evening light of Scandinavia.

I wish I had been a cyclist during this period of my life. I was single, I had time and a little bit of money. My trips to Scandinavia, great as they were, would have been so much better if they were bike tours. I probably didn’t really know what bike touring was, though.

I went through a motorized two-wheel transport phase before I became a full-fledged bicycle enthusiast. My wife (fiancé at the time, actually) decided to buy a new Vespa scooter. It was so fun to ride. I soon bought one of my own, a Genuine Stella which is a metal bodied, manual shifting copy of a late 70s Vespa. I really liked it. I rode it to work, I rode it around town. We quite stylishly arrived at our wedding rehearsal on scooters. When I wasn’t riding it, I spent a lot of time reading books, magazines and websites about scooters.

Scootermania lasted for about a year and a half.

A few things contributed to its demise. First of all, my wife became unenthusiastic about the scooter. Hers was somewhat unreliable mechanically and it visited the shop a few times in that first year. She decided to sell the Vespa after one year of ownership. We also bought a house that did not have a garage. I kept my scooter under a tarp in the backyard (not exactly secure) and I sometimes parked it in the basement (not exactly safe).

Slowly, I began to think that I might enjoy bicycles more than scooters.

We visited two summer vacation places where bikes are popular – one in the mountains and one by the ocean. We didn’t ride in the mountains, but we did rent a tandem to ride on the boardwalk by the sea. The tandem was old, out of proper adjustment and not sized well for us (me in particular) but it was fun. Then, pretty soon after we married, we visited some friends in an urban area. We had our morning coffee near a multi-use path and we saw many families enjoying their bikes. I remember seeing a bike with a kid trailer behind it and I knew that was what I wanted. My wife and I planned to have a child someday and I couldn’t see myself EVER transporting my darling offspring on a scooter. It didn’t seem safe. I felt confident in my scooter driving ability and I didn’t think that I took unnecessary risks on it but I didn’t trust the car drivers around me. Suddenly, the scooter didn’t seem like the proper choice for a person well on his way to having a family.

I began feeling envious of cyclists that I passed on my scooter. I liked the idea of getting away from the gasoline engine and the simple mechanics of the bicycle was also appealing. I was intimidated by working on the scooter myself. Bikes were a different story. I had tinkered around with them as a kid and I thought the bicycle was something I could understand.

Eventually the above reasons plus the realization that I could make some quick cash made me come to the decision that I should sell the scooter. I told myself that I would replace it with a bicycle.

The scooter was sold on ebay for a fair price, ironically to a young, new father.

I began doing research and visiting bike shops. Luckily, the first one I visited made a great impression on me and it became my favorite bike shop. I was impressed by the salespeople and I liked the feeling of the place. I liked that the staff urged me to take my time and to test ride many bikes before making a decision. They provided lots of great advice. For example, I was of the impression that I should by a hybrid and work my way up to a road bike. One of the salesmen urged me to consider a touring bike instead, pointing out that the more comfortable geometry and wider tires would provide a more accessible ride. I saw his point, but I wasn’t ready to commit the resources towards a full-fledged touring bike like the Surly Long-Haul Trucker he suggested. I wasn’t sure I was going to stick with cycling.

While I was researching, I was also attempting to ride my Royce Union Savoy occasionally. I was not doing well. I was having trouble riding the thing to a park only a few miles from here. I remember feeling exhausted after riding. After test riding some bikes at the shop, I knew that this bike wasn’t helping me any.

I made a database of all the bike models that I came across. I compared wheelbase lengths, chainstay lengths, tire widths, gearing and frame materials. I was pretty much locked in to purchasing a bike from my favorite bike shop because I had received some gift certificates to that store from family. Luckily they carry quite a few bike lines and they have a wide selection of inventory.

I settled on the 2007 Schwinn LeTour. I didn’t notice it at first; the 2007 Schwinn catalog was pretty poorly designed and none of their bikes appealed to me all that much. When I got into the specifics, however, I knew I had found my entry-level road bike. I liked the relaxed geometry, the 700 X 25c tires (with room for something a little larger) and the rack braze-ons. I wasn’t thrilled about an aluminum frame, but I chose the model with a steel fork. A winter sale came up at the shop and I got my gift certificates together and bought the thing. I am very glad that I did. That bike has been perfect for me. It’s my main bike and it will be for many years to come.

Things Found in the Street – multi-modal commuting edition

Having a basement full of bikes found in the garbage can come in handy.

A few summers ago, I had to catch a flight at the airport. My wife was out of town (I was flying to meet her, actually) and I didn’t want to ask anyone to drive me because the flight was in the middle of a business day. I could have driven myself to the airport and left my car in long-term parking, but the cost would be high. A taxi would be expensive, too. Additionally, I was planning to drive home from my destination – if I left my car there it would require an additional trip back to get it.

My house is a bikeable distance to the airport, but what would I do with the bike while I was out of town?

I did a little research and I discovered that there is a bus that runs to the airport from a central location in the city to which my town is adjacent. That location is just a few miles from my house. The solution: ride a junker to the bus stop, leave it unlocked for whoever wants it, get on the bus and go to the airport!

I probably could have worked out the bus schedule and taken a city bus from my house to the second buss that went to the airport. Ah, that’s complicated and not nearly as fun as this plan.

I picked a step-through Huffy for the job. It was way too small for me, but I only had a few miles to go. I made it to the bus stop with plenty of time to spare. I left the bike unlocked and leaning against some parking meters across the street from the bus stop. I watched it for about a half an hour from across the street. People walked by, but no one paid any attention to the poor little Huffy. Eventually the bus came. I got on it and went to the airport.

I half expected to see the bike still sitting there when I rode by that spot a few weeks later. Of course it was gone.

I would do this again if I ever need to get to the airport. The supply of Huffys in the garbage doesn’t seem to be dwindling.

Eternal Flame (2004)

I see many broken plastic lighters discarded in the street. Here’s a metal one (Zippo?) that I find a few years ago. It’s inscribed with the romantic words “to my eternal flame 2004.”

Every time I see this thing I think of the Bangles song of the same name. If you are of a certain age, that song is probably stuck in your head right now. So here’s a bit of music history for you:

The Bangles - Eternal Flame from Nika Pika on Vimeo.

And while we’re at it, might as well take a moment to read the Bangles article on Wikipedia. Good stuff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bangles

This weekend, I found a dime, a spoon and some usable zip ties. I also got out for a good 10.5 mile singlespeed road ride. It almost makes up for the fact that we’re expecting a huge rainstorm tomorrow and not snow.

Things Found in the Street – found weapons and weapon-related items edition

I found this blue box recently. I originally thought that it was a case for a power tool. Then I recognized the embossed Smith & Wesson logo. It was pretty light, so I knew it didn’t have its deadly cargo within. When I got home, I opened it and discovered the contents. Inside were the paper items that probably came with a newly purchased gun – pamphlets, a sticker, etc. Also included was a form that transfers ownership from the shop to the buyer. There was some personal information on it with which the person who threw this out should have been more careful. Underneath the foam liner of the case was some kind of extra handle and a gun lock with key. I could probably use that lock for something. As for the case, I’m not sure what I’ll do with it now, but it might be useful in the future.

This lock-blade Buck knife was another street find. It appears to be in good condition. It probably bounced out of a pickup truck bed or perhaps someone left it on their vehicle and then drove away. I keep it with my bike tools.

The third weapons-related find was kind of creepy. It’s a toy handgun, but I didn’t know it was a fake when I first saw it. I was walking along and I saw it under a bush. The size, shape and color are very realistic. When I looked closely, I saw the faint orange paint on the end. I picked it up and felt that it was not much lighter than a gun would be and it was made of metal. Because it was so real-looking, I took it home. I wouldn’t want some kid to find it and meet a tragic end because of this plaything.

I believe that there is some kind of regulation now regarding the appearance of toy guns. I think that they are not supposed to be black in color. This was probably an older toy with only the orange on the end. As with this one, I’m sure the orange wears away over time. It could also be easily covered over with paint or a magic marker by the child that desires a more realistic-looking prop.

I’m not sure why parents would let their kids play with toy guns in the first place. It’s a complicated issue (with long roots in American cultural memory) but it’s disconcerting to me to see kids playing with things that are designed to kill.

These three items were all found on the same street, within three blocks of each other.

Things Found in the Street – January thaw edition

I live in the Northern part of the United States where it is expected to be cold with snow on the ground from December to March (at least). Recently, we’ve had some warmer weather that has caused much of the snow to melt. We also had a significant amount of rain which has washed some snow away. I find rain to be particularly depressing (I have my own PTSD reasons for this) but it’s even worse in the winter. It’s not supposed to rain in the winter, it’s supposed to snow. Snow is beautiful; rain leaves everything muddy and ugly and it uncovers the garbage littering the streets.

Another thing uncovered by the disappearing snow is a huge amount of dog excrement! It doesn’t seem to have the same rate of dissolving as snow does. There was one area along the road where I counted over 50 individual deposits! Apparently my neighbors are less-than-fastidious about cleaning up after their animals, at least in this particular spot. It’s at the edge of a commercial lot, so perhaps few are compelled to scoop there. As for me, I always scoop.

(I recommend these particular dog waste bags. They’re biodegradable and made in Norway).

Of course, with the unsightly garbage and such come some interesting items. First of all, there is money. I found some coins this weekend. Mostly pennies, but I did find a nickel near the bike shop of which I am not exactly fond. A thaw is a great time to find money in the street. I recall a few springs ago when I found almost $1 total in coins picked up around just one neighborhood block. I guess people accidentally drop money and it gets covered in snow. When the snow melts, jackpot!

I also found a random bent fork. As I’ve written before, winter is found metal cutlery season. I don’t know why.

Then there is this random bike part. It looks like a seat post clamp from some department store bike. Someday I’ll need one of these and I’ll be glad I found it in the street.

I also found some Coca-Cola bottle caps. A non-profit with which I am familiar collects the codes that are found underneath the caps. I found about a half dozen, all on the same street.

I also found this bicycle while out on a ride. I saw it on my way out and planned to pick it up on my way home, if it was still there. I know it’s hard to believe, but it was still there 90 minutes later. I guess that no one wanted a girls’ Roadmaster with a bent seat tube. I’ll strip this thing of any usable parts and send the frame off to the recycler.

I also recently found a trio of department store bikes. These are the older ones that I like to find – fully rigid with friction shifting. I’ll tune them up and donate them soon.

Another upside of all this balmy weather is the fact that it’s easier to ride. I was able to get out twice this weekend and it didn’t require too much clothing. I went on my longest ride of 2010 so far (20 miles – not much) and I rode a bike other than my designated winter beater for the first time. Still, I wouldn’t mind a few extra layer of clothing if we at least had some snow to play in.

Personal Bike History Part 2 – Adolescence/College

Some time in middle school I saw “Breaking Away.” I loved it and my thoughts turned to road cycling. Also around this time I remember seeing a television commercial for the Huffy Windsprint road bike. It was innovative because it had 12 speeds! Being a Huffy, I knew it was affordable, so my Mom bought one for me. I loved how fast it was. I wore a painter’s cap with a Norwegian flag on it as I pretended to race around on the streets. I didn’t know then if there were any great Norwegian road racers, (of course, I am a fan of Thor Hushovd now!) but I suspected there might be. I never really went far in reality, but in my imagination I was a great rider.

I still had the Windsprint in high school. I lived just close enough to the school to not be eligible for bus transportation, so I rode to school. I attached a Pletscher rack to carry my trumpet in its case and I wore a backpack with my books in it. I liked the speed with which I could transport myself to school, but I didn’t like how sweaty I was when I arrived. High school boys can get pretty sweaty.

In the early 1990s, I spent a summer working at a summer camp. This camp was pretty well-financed and had a lot of expensive activities. In the summer I was there, they decided to add the relatively new sport of mountain biking to their offerings. The camp bought a fleet of fully-rigid Giants. I took one for a quick test tide and I still remember the experience. The low gearing and knobby tires made off-road riding so enjoyable. I didn’t become a mountain biker right away, but the seeds were planted in my mind right then.

I don’t remember the make or model of my next bike. I’m not even entirely sure that I remember what color it was (I think it was silver). I do know that it was a drop bar 10 or 12-speed and that it probably had stem shifters and turkey levers. It belonged to my late grandfather before I acquired it. He had died in early 1984. I saw it hanging in my Grandmother’s basement during a visit and I asked her if I could have it. I was attending a large public university at the time and the campus was quite big and it often took some time to get from one building to another. I thought I could reduce the number if times that I was late for class by riding. It worked brilliantly! Not only was I on time for more classes, but I could also sleep a little later in the mornings (sleep being a precious commodity in college).

I rode that bike all through the spring semester and I grew quite fond of it, despite the fact that I treated it so poorly (it was left outside and chained to bike racks in all sorts of weather).

I also am guilty of terrorizing more than a few innocent pedestrians on that campus. I guess I still had a child’s view of cycling at that time – I still rode on sidewalks most of the time and scared the hell out of many unsuspecting students walking to class. At least this was in the pre-iPod days and there was some chance of hearing me coming before I passed.

In the summer following that semester, I decided to stay on campus and work for the school. I was given a room in a dormitory for the summer and I continued to use the bike for transportation. It never occurred to me to ride out of the small town in which my university was located. I just didn’t think that such a thing was possible (or safe).

I regret greatly what happened next. The summer ended and it was time to move back to my regular dorm room in another part of campus. I moved all of my stuff, but I left the bike chained up in a storage area. I thought I could go back and get it whenever. When I did go back (a few weeks or so into the fall semester), it was gone. I heard that the maintenance people probably removed it for the start of the new term. I’m sure that I could have tracked it down, but I never did. I was pretty busy and I guess I never found the time.

I guess a common theme among all of the bikes in my life up to this point is that I don’t know what happened to them when my time with them was over. I hope that they ended up with someone who would use them, for I am sure that they all had some life left in them.

Department Store Bikes

74 of the 129 free bikes that I’ve collected to this point would be considered “department store bikes.” These are bicycles made by Huffy, Murray, Free Spirit, Columbia, Royce Union, Magna, Pacific, Roadmaster and Next among others. Unfortunately it also includes some bikes now sold under the name Mongoose and Schwinn. These days, most are mountain bike style, though I occasionally find road bike relics of the past.

People that know bikes often call them “bike shaped objects.” This is an appropriate and accurate, if slightly snarky and somewhat elitist description. These bikes do have many shortcomings. Even though their initial cost might be low, they are rarely a true bargain.

The first bike that I had as an adult was a Royce Union Savoy “mountain” bike. Its biggest negative quality was excessive weight. I didn’t realize when I was riding it that the heaviness was contributing a lot to the fact that I was not having any fun riding. I brought it in for a tune up at what would become my favorite bike shop and they commented that it must weigh 50 pounds. I don’t think that they were just trying to sell me a new bike; they were honestly shocked at its heft.

Many of the department store bikes that I’ve worked on also are equipped with very poor quality components. The rims are often out of true. The hubs frequently do not spin freely. Brakes, especially the sidepulls that used to come on these kinds of bikes, bend and become useless. The derailers warp easily (thin, cheap metal) and that causes the indexed shifting to become finicky and unreliable. Almost always, if there is a one-piece crank (Ashtabula) it is loose.
These bicycles are often assembled in a questionable manner. I’ve seen bar ends installed inboard of the grips. I’ve seen stems put on backwards and handlebars rotated to uncomfortable angles. One of the worst examples of bike assembly I’ve seen was a step-through Roadmaster that I found in 2008. The cables had been routed in such a way that it was impossible to turn right! When I found the bike in the trash the paint was brand new and the tires still had their new-tire nubs. The front side-pull brakes were bent. I replaced the brakes, cut the cables and put on new ones routed correctly and gave the bike away.

Another big problem with department store bikes is that they are being designed for a certain look rather than efficient or effective function. This is clearly evident in “suspension.” There is no such thing as department store suspension! It doesn’t really work. Manufacturers are putting springs and such on frames to correspond with peoples’ mental image as to what a good bike should have. The customer assumes that a bike with suspension will be tough and rugged and offer a more comfortable ride. Witness anyone actually riding one of these contraptions and you will quickly come to a different conclusion as the rider bounces up and down on the thing while failing to make significant forward progress. The “suspension” also adds a lot of extra weight. It’s been my rule from the beginning that any “full-suspension” department store frame gets stripped and sent to the recycler. I used to do the same with suspension forks. Their weight and questionable effectiveness are big liabilities. I’ve since moderated my views. Sometimes I don’t have a fully-rigid fork on hand and I conclude that it’s best to have a “suspension” fork instead of a bike that’s not usable despite the significant weight penalty and questionable efficacy.

Sometimes the suspension or shocks aren’t even real. Sometimes it’s implied. My father gave me two Huffys that he and his wife bought years ago. He pointed out that they had suspension seatposts and stems. Well, the shock absorption provided by these components was purely imaginary. It consisted of nothing more than a piece of plastic placed over a regular seatpost and stem giving it the look of a “shock.”


Additionally, the tubing used on the bikes is often very thick. That adds to the weight problem. The thick tubes are probably imitating the thick aluminum tubes of many modern mountain bikes. Aluminum, of course, is lighter than steel and thicker tubes must be used to achieve a similar level of strength. Well, the tubing used on these department store bikes is often cheap steel and not aluminum. The tubes do not need to be so thick, but their size gives (to the untrained eye) the impression that this is just like a real mountain bike.

Huge, heavy knobby tires are often standard issue on these bikes as well. Even though there is usually a sticker on the frame that recommends against riding the bike off-road, aggressive knobbies in a larger than 2.1 width imply that the machine is ready to conquer gnarly terrain.

The negatives listed above are all compounded by the fact that department store bikes are sold without real store support by people who know nothing about bicycles. They won’t take the time to properly fit you on a bike and they can’t provide any maintenance service. Granted, some bike shops are annoyingly elitist and heavy with the upselling pressure. Even a shop like this will probably still be willing to adjust your derailers and give your bike a quick look over if you bought it from them. After all, they want your repeat business and their name is usually on a sticker down near the bottom bracket. The mechanics at my favorite bike shop have provided great service (often at no cost) on the bike I bought from them and I am far from a big-spending customer. When you buy a bike from Target, you are on your own the second you walk out the door with it. You’re often on your own for the selecting process, too. Of course, you can bring your department store bike to a real bike store for it to be fixed when it breaks. If the shop is a good one (like my favorite bike shop) they’ll do the work and charge a fair amount for it.

Despite these many negatives, I do have a soft spot in my heart for department store bikes. They’re pretty much all that was available to me as a kid and I sympathize with those that think they’re stuck with them. Especially when I work on an old Huffy, I think about my old bikes.

If you’re going to ride a department store bike, I would recommend only a fully rigid frame and fork in a size that fits. As I’ve said before, real suspension cannot be purchased for $100 bucks in a big-box store. A hardtail, even a heavy one, will be more efficient to ride.

A single speed drivetrain would also be an upgrade. Single speed conversions are popular now for many reasons but on a department store bike this upgrade makes a lot of sense. First of all, finicky parts of questionable quality (plastic shifters, derailers stamped out of thin metal or plastic) are removed. There’s also a weight savings by removing these components and a portion of the chain. If hilly terrain makes a single gear unattractive, friction shifters are a good idea. They are often available at a low cost and require significantly less adjustment than indexed shifting. If you can get away with one chainring and a cluster of gears in the back (1 X gearing) you can get some of the weight benefits of single speed with the ability to climb hills a little more easily.

Wheels are often the weakest link on these bikes, so an upgraded wheelset would make sense. If you can only do one wheel, make it the rear (it handles the most weight). Aluminum rims are a must. A 36 spoke count probably work best for most riders, too. Street tires (no knobbies) are a good idea.

Granted, these adaptations take time, money, effort and knowledge to undertake. It might not make sense to make such an investment when better quality bikes at a decent price can be found through Craig’s List and other outlets (my favorite bike store always has a few used bikes for sale at very decent prices).

On a few occasions, a department store bike has surprised me because it wasn’t so bad. Recently I found a Motiv and a Pacific that were relatively decent. The components seemed pretty good (canti brakes, friction shifting) and they each had three-piece cranks. These bikes probably date back to the mid 90s, before suspension became popular.

The heavy Royce Union Savoy mentioned earlier was not terrible, despite its weight. It was not that fun to ride, but a single speed conversion and sensible tires might have gone a long way to ameliorate that. I no longer own that bike; it was given to some friends that use it as their urban pub crawling beater bike.

There is a Huffy that I still knock around on occasionally. It’s a beach cruiser frame. When I found it, the rear wheel was tacoed beyond repair, the saddle was shredded and the chainguard was bent. I got a new rear wheel with coaster brake (aluminum rim, not expensive), removed the chainguard and installed a new chain. Since there are no cables, I like to frequently change the handlebars. It can go from cruiser to klunker and back again in a short amount of time. It’s not a bike that I take very seriously, but it is fun to take on short rides around the neighborhood.

Another department store bike that I found that was a surprise was a Pacific Beta. This bike had some features that I don’t usually see on a department store bike. It had front and rear suspension of course, but it also featured a 1 1/8” threadless headset, an 8 speed cassette and quick release hubs. Most unusual were the chainstays – they were elevated like a Nishiki Ariel. The frame was aluminum. I wish I had taken a picture of it before I stripped it of usable components and sent the frame off to the recycler.

Why do I bother with these bikes?

Initially, it was for wrenching practice. I’d rather wreck some old Magna than my good bike-store purchased bike. These Huffys, Murrays and Free Sprits taught me a lot about bicycle mechanics.

When I pick them up, I know that they will end up at the Salvation Army. I spend the time to adjust everything and put it into working order. I often switch the shifting to friction (the original shifters are often broken anyway). I have enough inexpensive metal derailers to replace any that are flimsy or broken and friction shifting allows me not worry about compatibility issues. I feel that the person that ends up with a bike that I gave to the Salvation Army often has one that’s in better shape than when it was new. I don’t put much money into them – just cables and the occasional shifter (Nashbar had them for less than a dollar). My major investment is time.

One of my favorite donations to the Salvation Army was a single speed (with BMX handlebars!) that consisted of a Free Spirit frame, a Huffy fork, a Magna rear wheel and a Next front wheel. That’s some kind of department store bike hat trick hack! (With a different wheelset, that was my winter bike last year).