I picked my bike out of a rewards catalog, so I only had one decision to make: a horizontal top tube (aka a “boy’s bike”), or a sloping top tube (aka a “girl’s bike”). Thank goodness I didn’t have to make any more decisions, because I spent the next three months comparing and considering and … Continue reading Becoming a Cyclist: My Setup
Bicycle
Becoming a Cyclist: Learning to Ride
The phrase “just like riding a bike” gets thrown around pretty freely in conversation and pop culture, carrying the implication that “riding a bike” is a simple task, taught once to children who never lose the skill. Growing up (sidenote--I carry more emotional bike baggage than I ever knew), there were two types of bicycles: … Continue reading Becoming a Cyclist: Learning to Ride
Becoming a Cyclist: Gearing Up
Right now my bike is propped up in a closet, a frame without a front tire or pedals, hidden from a curious cat. The bike came in a box “partially assembled” with “all necessary tools,” but the instructions are clearly designed for someone who has put bikes together before (or at least knows what a … Continue reading Becoming a Cyclist: Gearing Up
Becoming a Cyclist: A Crisis Of Identity
I started as a driver in the suburbs. Suburban Alabama does not accommodate bicycles; the lanes are designed for the exclusive use of Ford F-150s. Even in my mid-size sedan, cyclists were always In The Way. A single bicycle could convert the steady flow of the two-lane highway between my town and the interstate into … Continue reading Becoming a Cyclist: A Crisis Of Identity
Put It In Your Hat 