A Tribute to Past and Present Bikes

Every so often I find myself reminiscing over previous bikes and the adventures they brought. Some I wish I still had; others weren't so great. So, here's a tribute to my previous bikes beginning with the one that started it all.

(Note: the bike pictured here was not mine but one very similar if not identical.) As much as I, and other cyclists, talk bad about Wal-Mart bikes, I've got to give it some credit. Don't get me wrong, it was terrible: poor traction, chain-skip, ghost shifting, and heavier than my current bikes combined. But, it got me into the sport/obsession/lifestyle. Sure I had bikes as a kid, but this was my first bike as a teenager/young adult.  I rode my first trail on the Next. It got me to class in high school (when gas was close to $4 and my truck got 13mpg) and through my first semester of college. It finally died when the derailleur broke on a muddy trail. It would've cost more to fix than a new bike.

Then, came the Specialized Hardrock. Previously owned but never ridden. An entry level but name brand bike. And oh, how much better it was! Lighter weight, better traction, good brakes, and smooth shifting. The suspension actually moved occasionally. It lasted over a year and a half until I moved to Oxford and started riding daily. I needed more speed.

The Stumpjumper was my first race-worthy bike. With disc brakes, air sprung suspension, precise shifting, and super light weight, it was a fast and smooth. I wish I still had it, but the idea of single speeding crept into my head 6 months after I bought it. It started when I found myself shifting too much up and down hills. So one day I decided not to shift. It was difficult but fun. Gradually I progressed into harder, faster gears and eventually converted it. Reading about the benefits of single speeds, I noticed a lot of people had rigid forks and 29er wheels vs my 26. The theory being that larger wheels carry momentum and roll over obstacles better, and rigid forks offer greater efficiency. So I rode with my fork locked out for a while, loved the added challenge, and decided to build a rigid single speed 29er.

My current mountain bike. The On One Inbred. It's nearly perfect: simple, agile, minimalist, reliable. It's carried me through a year of hard racing with several podium finishes and more than a few endurance rides including a 12hr race and a metric century. It's one I plan to keep for a while. Sometimes I find myself longing for gears and suspension, but that'll have to come in the form of another bike.

1989 Specialized Rockhopper. This one I built up about the same time as the Inbred, after parting out the Stumpjumper. It's purpose was to simply be a commuter/town bike. It was such a cool bike. Fixed gear with only a front brake. Another minimalist bike. Sadly, I sold it because it filled no real purpose. My road bike was faster around town, and my mountain bike was more capable and more comfortable off road. It got lots of compliments though.

1985 Schwinn Traveler. This was one of my favorite bikes and only cost $100. It was a tank, but I loved it's quirks. Like friction stem shifters, suicide brake levers and 20+ year old brake pads that were questionable when dry, deadly in rain. The frame flexed so much that the brakes rubbed on hard corners, and the wheels were so heavy the gyro effect over 30mph was incredible! I also loved the flashy red paint job. It was replaced with a modern road bike with intentions of racing, but I'm keeping my eye out for another like it.

 

My other current bike: On One Pompino. This bike was built by a frame swap with a Trek road bike. It's a cyclocross, commuter, utility, endurance, adventure, bar, hack bike. I've done a fixed gear century, made grocery runs, and ridden it on trails. I can set it up geared, single speed or fixed, slick tires, knobby tires, racks, fenders, you name it. It's such a perfect bike, it's almost not challenging enough. It'll probably be around for a while as well.

So, there they are. My previous rides in all their glory. Some will be missed, others will be ridden hard and hung up wet. Hopefully, this will serve as a guide to those thinking about testing the waters of the cycling lifestyle. It's ok to start small and cheap. Just keep in mind the correct number of bikes to own is always N + 1 (Or 2 or 6) where N is the number you currently own. Do you have any bikes you regret selling?