Pre Rule #26 photo
Words of advice for the lads: If your girlfriend is a very good cyclist and you two are going to get engaged, a nice racing bike is not a substitute for a ring. I tried it. In my cyclo-centric male brain, she needed a proper racing bike a lot more than she needed a ring. I made my case and lost. She did get the ring and the bike and me so I’m not sure it was total victory for her.
I mail-ordered the frame from Palo Alto Bike Shop. They were selling fine unbranded Italian steel frames. I built the wheels but denied her a gruppo. The unwritten subtext of Rule #12 is s’s (spouse’s) bike must be marginally nicer than your own. But I was unaware of that Rule back then so her bike was a functional Suntour groupsan. For the record, her next two #1 bikes are both nicer than mine. The Palo Alto bike was eventually repainted De Rosa pink, upgraded to Shimano, and ridden into the ground. Fast forward too many years and that bike is still hers. It is bike #3 and resides five thousand kilometers away, used each year when back visiting family. Now even the bike is losing its old home.
What am I going to do with my bike?
Ship it out here, obviously.
No, that’s too expensive. I’m going to sell it here.
WHAT? But it’s your pink bike, you can’t just sell it. It’s your pink bike…(muted sobbing deleted)
This is another debate I’m going to lose. She has all reasonable arguments on her side. Me, I leave no bike behind. I have two bikes back there and when my mother’s house sells, I’m shipping them both out here. Will they be ridden much? Hell no but that is not the point. These bikes have been my brothers-in-arms and I’m not leaving them behind. We have been together in the trenches for much too much time for me to abandon them. Is this a male thing? Do women have such emotional attachments for inanimate objects? Or is it a Velominati thing? Either way, my Bontrager hardtail mountain bike and my Bella steel road bike are going to join the rest of the stable out here. They may not see much action but I can still tune them up, keep them ready if and when the orders ever come down.
How does this all end? Obviously it ends up with me, as a failing eighty year old at my sunset years yard sale telling some puke he is not worthy to own any of my old bikes and he can fuck right off. Then, later, my widow will bring them all down to the police station to be sold at auction, for ten dollars each.
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Nice looking bike for female. I think it could be the best one, those who want to give a gift bike for Girlfriend! Anyway, nice article admin..
@Gianni
Back in the 70s, Shirley Bassey was a regular on Morcambe & Wise's show. Gotta give it to her, she has a great sense of humor. Not many stars of her caliber would do a skit like that.
Andre Previn was a regular too: This ALWAYS cracks me up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zHBN45fbo8
@Ron
There may come a time that the taller head tube on a 56 is a better fit for you? Wishful thinking maybe...
We used to get scolded for saying Palo Alto Bike Shop or Palo Alto Bikes when I worked there back in the 1980's. "Thanks for calling Palo Alto Bicycles. This is Paul. How may I help you?"
@stooge
That's true of some women, perhaps, but certainly not all. Gianni was spot on when he considered it might be a Velominati thing. As a woman, I feel the need to confirm that we do have what some would call borderline unhealthy emotional attachments to our bikes. I still have my first road bike, and will not part with it under any circumstances. I proudly call it the nine bike, as I adore riding in shit weather. Merely calling it a rain bike is a disservice and implies that I care about it less. There are four bikes in the stable at present, and I doubt they'll be sold when new steeds join the ranks. They all have a story - we've had our good days and bad days together. Their paint scratches are mirrored in my scars, and every one is a badge of honor. How could I possibly part with one? It would be like losing your best friend.
An old (non-cycling) boyfriend once looked around my garage filled with bikes, wheelsets, tools, and enough spare parts to build another bike, and asked why I didn't get rid of the old bikes when I bought a new one. I had long ago learned it was futile to explain the differences between them ("That's a road bike, and that's a cross bike…") and instead came up with the brilliant excuse that I still use today: "Well, you see, it would be so hard to get rid of them because I'm so short. I mean, finding someone who rides a tiny size would take forever, so I might as well just hang onto them." To cycling friends, I am far more vocal about how much I adore them and refuse to part with them, though.
@Chica
Yeah, I know it's not all women. Not even a Velominati thing. I have a female friend who doesn't part with cars. I understand your attachment to your bikes. I feel the same way about my guitars, and have also long ago given up explaining the differences between them. To a non guitarist they see sameish, but they are all very very different. Even the least played of them has spent many hundreds of hours in my arms. I'm kinda like that with my bikes, but not to the same degree. I've passed a couple (from before I was fully grown) on but I've not sold any before. The ones I no longer have that weren't passed on were all snapped up; but they did not die in vain as donations allowed others to live longer.
@kixsand
Good point! And good thinking.
Given the thoughtful comment from @Chica it would appear the love of the Bike know no boundaries once one has become "a Cyclist".
VLVV
@DeKerr
Gianni's Mrs never became "a Cyclist" then?
@Chica
Thanks @Chica, I'm glad to hear this is not just a male thing.
This!