This bike is old, plain and slow. So why do I love it so much? | Why humans get so attached to bikes
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 มิ.ย. 2024
- The most common question I receive on this channel, by far, is some version of this: "Yo, what's that bike you're riding?"
I've done videos on my winter bikes, but I've never dedicated a video to my beloved summer bike, for a simple reason: There's not much to talk about. It's an old, plain, simple machine. But it's also the bike I love more than any other.
So, on the verge of the bike's first tune-up in a decade (bad bike owner, bad!), I decided to finally give up some details on this bike, and, in the process, explore a little more deeply why I love this bike and, more broadly, why humans seem to make such strong emotional attachments to bicycles.
Thanks to Karly Coleman for sharing her research into the human-bicycle emotional connection. Follow her at / szaracat and read her complete study here: era.library.ualberta.ca/items...
0:00 Introduction
2:33 Connection to childhood
3:00 The bike as a transmitter of information
4:10 Connection to place
5:21 Bicycles as we age
6:09 The bike as a symbol of social change
#cycling #bike #bikecommute
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Two Wheel Gear: My favourite bike bags for commuters and urban cyclists www.twowheelgear.com/
Buy my book Frostbike: The Joy, Pain and Numbness of Winter Cycling: rmbooks.com/book/frostbike/
I don’t really do proper product reviews, but here are some products that I’ve tried on this channel that I like. (Of course, you don’t need anything fancy to ride a bike, other than a bike, but these are Amazon affiliate links, and I get paid a small commission if you buy them 😉)
• Here's the winter bike I'm riding these days: bit.ly/2PhqUqF
• Cliq Smart Bike Light (nice rear brake light): amzn.to/39lfqwo
• RedShift Acrlight Smart LED Pedals (clever lights for your pedals): amzn.to/3NL1Npg
• Aftershokz Titanium bone-conducting headphones (if you want to listen while you ride): amzn.to/3e9Tofa
• JBL CLip 4 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker (for your party-pace group rides): amzn.to/3pcMLPm
• Crane Bicycle Bell (the ding is sublime): amzn.to/3OwfZCu
• Ibex Merino Wool clothing (good for summer and winter): bit.ly/3xXkbEd
• Bicycle Cargo Net (why did it take so long for me to buy one of these?): amzn.to/31s1Ovu
• Vaude Cover II Rain Poncho (for higher-end, try Cleverhood or People’s Poncho): amzn.to/3jLkift
• Kryptonite U-Lock (your bike is going to get stolen eventually, sigh, but at least make it difficult on the thief): amzn.to/3tPWcGi
• Peak Design phone case (the one I use, paired with the Peak Design phone mount): amzn.to/3HGM0FU
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My co-workers feel sad for me. They think I ride my bike because I have to. They're constantly asking if I need a ride home. I just can't convince them that I actually look forward to my bike commutes everyday as it takes me through parks, along a river, and tree lined streets with historic houses. I get to feel like a kid almost everyday.
Too funny 😛. Biking makes me happy and is almost the only exercise I get. When I commute co-workers think it's odd because most consider walking to their car exercise.
I can't wait for my office to reopen because it will give me an opportunity to ride every day. I barely get to ride on weekdays at all working from home.
@@markeschen6272 Ride it after work!
They just cannot understand what you feel, as they never tried it and never experienced it. If they did try it, they didn't feel the connection that we do. People are different.
I can understand. I kinda faced the same thing a couple of times
I recently got a bike and, thanks to Shifter and Not Just Bikes, I saved A BUNCH of money and got an used "old lady bike" with no gears and with coaster brakes. Best decision ever! Thank you for helping me save money and get a nice minimalist bike.
Amazing! This is so nice to hear. I hope it serves you well for years to come!
Send a pic of your new bike
Omafiets for the win
Hehe, this is also me. I bought a brand new bike, but it wasn't that expensive and shares a lot of the characteristics of those omafiet bikes from the Netherlands. Added a milk crate behind it, now I feel like a proper bike-riding hipster from the Plateau Mont-Royal!
you must not have many hills near you
"Bikes are one of the few things from our childhood that we still use the same way", that's such an amazing point. That's why I find so much joy in cycling, because I feel so young and free, like I'm just playing and not commuting/exercising
Great video Tom!
There was that one (rather small) hill one my way to school and I fought my way up that hill every freakin' day of the week. Sometimes multiple times. I always wanted to beat the hill and not slow down, not get exhausted before I reached the top. I always wanted to be the fastest kid riding up that hill. Often I was late for school and I had to beat the clock as well.
That is still exactly the same way I ride my bike today.
@@bruellwitz Nice :-) On the other hand, may I add that most of the times competition kills the fun. I see it myself while cycling on the roads. Many cyclists get their ego bruised if you overtake them and then they start pedaling faster and start to 'compete' lol. And I'm not even trying to race them. Facepalm and smh. I hate that babyish mentality. When another faster cyclist overtakes me, I sometimes use them as a reference point and for training if I'm in the mood. I let them go like 50 metres ahead and then I increase my speed to match them and try to keep those 50 metres constant. But not go touching their back wheel and annoy them 😇
@@radiocontrolled9181 I do not compete with other cyclists any more. I have my own speed that may change depending on the circumstances incl. how I feel or how fit I am. My only competition is me. It doesn't bruise my ego if someone is riding faster than I am. But from time to time I try to match their speed to challenge myself too. I very much enjoyed one occasion where someone overtook me veeery slowly and I experienced how much of a difference it makes to ride in someones slipstream. I was already going at my limit, but was able to match their speed and shift up a gear for a substantial distance when riding directly behind them.
That part isn't really true all my friends are to old to be towed behind on their skateboard. (I don't think they have one any more)
Right. That's why we run red lights and stop signs and ride on the sidewalk and anywhere.
Came here expecting to listen to Tom wax poetic about his old, trusty bike. Instead got a run-down of a Master's thesis on people's attachment to bicycles. Not disappointed at all. Love it. Thanks Shifter!
It's almost my story.
I own only one bicycle, and she is 34 years old single speed. The words Mountain bike and road bikes were not heard that time.
So there is a big 'emotional' factor about it.
It's the only object bought by my parents for me, that is still in use.
I never rode as a child. I learned to ride late, then we moved to a very hilly area. 27 years later, I've suddenly discovered I love bicycling. I feel the connection to my local area, but I don't really care what it “says” about me. I just ride because it's fun.
Bringing me back to my childhood is what keeps me riding to this day in my 50s. As a kid it was always freedom and independence for me and it still gives me that feeling today. That's what keeps me rolling. Now I have 3 road bikes, a gravel bike, a vintage road bike, and a single speed to get around town on. I use them for different reasons and I love them all.
Yes, that third one. I realized recently you can't really see or know a landscape driving in a car. But you can on a bike. A car is a little box, you can't see anything, can't hear anything, can't feel the wind, can't smell the air. And you can still go a long way in short time. There are places now I drove through many times but now, because I rode my bike through them, I feel I really know them and connect with them.
Not to mention that it's no problem at all to stop wherever you are, try that with a car.
Absolutely.. it is a more honest way to live. Kind of like when I walk/bike to the grocery store to get my groceries; it reminds me about how much I eat.. and all the plant and animal matter that is brought from far and wide to get stuffed into my mouth.. Walking/biking works to teach me to respect and appreciate all the resources that go into keeping me alive. I think it is not only part of living my life in a responsible manner, but it also encourages me to reach higher.
@Kevin Goetz Hard for see a whole landscape on foot. Landscapes are big.
I also have a well worn, 10 year old single speed that I love to death. I've replaced almost every part besides the frame to make it more like a commuter bike than the road bike it was originally designed to be. I've taken it all over Philadelphia and have so many great memories with it - events and social outings throughout my 20s, long trail rides, and even exploring new infrastructure as this city has become more bike friendly. I recently moved to a hilly neighborhood, and I bought a new hybrid bike to help tackle the hills, but I still love taking my old single speed out sometimes!
Nice to hear that :)
If you love bikes learn to put a derailleur on your original. Singles-speeds are just a step back for young people who don't know how to fix their bikes.
You must hate most dutch people, as everyone here, well, 90% sees their bike as too crappy to even steal. Noone ever does any maintenance on them, as long as they drive we drive them. We'll buy a new one for 50 euro when this one breaks again.
@@oldscooljoe6194, that does make sense. We don't need a new bicycle just because the old one has a scratch.
Our world today has too much consumerism!
@@Sivah_Akash totally here, where not getting a scratch daily would be impressive
As a septuagenarian I recently started biking again. I got my first bike (secondhand) for my 10th birthday and had to do a rebuild about 4 years later after a friend crashed it. I told my dad I wanted to open a bike shop, but he said "get your exams first" ........ which as you can guess meant the bike shop never happened. This video explains why I am reverting to my childhood and doing a "bike shop" in my cellar, repairing secondhand bikes for me and my wife and getting bout and riding myself fit. THANKS
Yes, I was 25 years without bicycle, now I bought one and is amazing how it is freedom, fun and magic recovery this feeling!
The connection to place part really resonates with me. I bought an old 80s trek road bike recently to ride around my local park (which has been closed to cars during our quarantine). I noticed that I am more aware of my surroundings because I have to make sure not to crash whereas when I walk around the park I usually get lost in my thoughts/daydreams. I find myself smiling at strangers, enjoying the nature and the moment much more than when I walk.
Yes.. I think that a lot of people are not inclined to 'stop and smell the flowers'.. so to speak. I find that riding/walking along one of our city's more bucolic areas can be an opportunity to experience some of the local flora, and sometimes fauna, that many are probably not inclined to notice.. I think it makes my life a bit fuller as a result.
Loved this video. Just a fortnight ago I've bought myself a Dutch bicycle ... and even in as hazardous a place as Karachi, I absolutely love it. Now I am searching for "that" 3-gear shifter, if I can find a used one. Would be awesome for when I have exhausted all my energy and ... here comes a flyover :)
I still have my teenage-years mtb (mid 90's), i have upgraded it A LOT tho; that bike was the first "cool" thing i got in my life. I treasure it a lot.
I agree..... that's what I feel.... having my first bike is so great....
That's why I love singlespeed bikes so much!
Just gotta pump up the tyres every few months, give the chain a bit of oil every now and then, maybe new brake pads once a year or so, but in general, for months at a time you just don't have to worry about it! Just take the bike, and set off to wherever you wanna go, not having to think about breaking a derailleur or bad shifting.
Hey Tom, I’m 65 and I just retired from my career job at the end of 2023. But I started a new job that is less than two miles away. So I decided to buy a single speed coaster brake bike to ride to work everyday to get some exercise. I went with that style in part because I wanted the simplicity of the bike I had when I was a kid. I had to add lights cuz its dark when I leave for work and I added studded tires cuz there’s snow and ice here in Cleveland. When I pull away from my house at 6:30 in the morning, I love the smells, sounds and fresh air. I don’t experience that in my 2009 Xterra. This has all come about in no small part because of your videos. Thank you for inspiring me to get back on a bicycle.
I definitely feel something close to how I felt as a kid when I chug off on my bike. There is that sense of freedom. I regret that I no longer hear my mom shouting for me to come in for dinner. Good upload, Tom.
I absolutely love my bicycle. I stare At it all day… and can’t wait for my next ride
If I nip into my garage for freezer food, I always spend a few minutes just looking at mine, or finding a small job to attend to.
glad im not the only one lol, especially after I get a new one. thought i was going crazy
my Mom had the same bike that was passed down from her grandma until a couple of years ago, she was gifted a new one so she decided to donate the old one, and to this day she still regrets it because it was such a good bike.
I have an old road bike that I ride everywhere, it's an iconic Caloi 10, recognizable by a lot of old folks here, and it is nearly fifty years old. I love that old thing and will ride it until it breaks, which by how durable and reliable it is, probably never.
Please send me one old used bike ? From ethiopia
I have a 35 or so year old Gazelle Solide, I have the goal of having it last longer than I last, and it certainly seems that it should be able to. Ride it every day between classes at college and around town. Really reliable, has only needed new tires. Great bike, definitely built to last
Caloi 10? Are you brazilian? Haha 🇧🇷
A bicycle is an amazing piece of engineering perfection. It is built around the human form using human power. In some ways it is the most perfect machine ever built by humans and yet in principal it is so simple. It amazes me just how light a bicycle wheel is, an elegant structure, the hub suspended in position by a latticework of steel spokes and yet it is incredibility strong.
I have never thought of bicycles as being toys, even when I first learned to ride one when I was five years old. It was always my way to get around, to go places with my friends, and to do things without having to rely on my parents. It was independence and freedom, and my feelings about riding bikes have never changed. I'm 62 now and a bicycle is still my preferred form of transport. I have a car and motorcycle licence, and I used to teach people to drive Ambulances, but my wife still thinks it's strange that I will walk past the car to go and get my bike if I need to go anywhere.
The best bikes are loved bikes ❤️ my bike feels like a trusty friend, almost like I feel people feel about their horses ?
Thank you adding Carlie?! I’m 54 yes.young bike/ metro to work. I found If I put my right hand out to a passerby skateboarder/cyclist going the wrong way, I always get a high five back. You will never get that in a car!!! Love from Los Angles
In my town I think people find it odd that I ride a bike. They smirk! Are you on yer bike? Where's your bike? But suddenly, due to the pandemic, I'm not the only fool on the bike and they're struggling to buy one.
I took a risk on an upright, Dutch-style chunky single speed bike and wasn't sure of it at first. I'm used to riding hybrids and mountain bikes but this single speed just completely won me over. It's so reliable and comfortable. Only problem is now I'm unreasonably paranoid about having it stolen because I'm too attached to it. 🤣
I think loving your bike is as normal as people who love their cars, but I think because you're so directly connected to controlling and powering your bike, it's a lot more like an extension of your body. There's a lot more interplay between you, the bike and your environment than when driving a car.
If you don't want it being stolen, I suggest getting one of those Kryptonite U-Locks. Might be almost as expensive as your bike, but it ain't getting stolen!
A stolen bike is heartbreaking at all times, but even more if you have an real attachment to the bike. My fingers are crossed for you.
@@alexseguin5245 Hardened U locks can be shattered, like glass. My brother lost a pristine motorcycle with a new Kryptonite.
I'm from Brazil and therefore have a very different bike experience, but I definitely agree with these aspects. For me, particularly, the ones about childhood don't apply, as I was 34 when I got my first bike ever, but I can see how that affective memory can be a factor for others. I do relate to the feeling of being connected to your city a lot. I feel I get to live the city in an enhanced way. The way I see it, it feels almost like walking in the sense that you're exposed to the world, the weather, the sounds, smells and everything, not in a car bubble, while at the same time it expands the limits of where you can go in the city almost as much as cars, so it's like you're getting the best of both worlds (walking and driving), with some trade-offs, but still a great deal!
There can be a sense of value anxiety for items we own that are nice and we worry about them. Bikes can rust, get dented, scratched, stolen, or whatever. Older, less valuable items let us forget about the well being of the object and focus on doing what makes us happy. At least, that's what I tell my wife about my old fruit of the loom boxers and why I can never get rid of them, she disagrees.
This is a great video! I've been trying to convey this to my friends who don't ride. They just see bicycles as a thing. I even convinced a new friend to buy a bike. And he hasn't formed that attachment. I was showing him around, and he was locking up the bike super hap hazard and just leaving it sitting places. It was stressing me out, because I see bikes as more than just a thing. But, to him, it was just an object, and in his mind, if it got stolen it was just a bike. But, in my mind, if my bike got stolen, it would be like someone taking my dog, or a friend, or even severing a limb.
It's always interesting meeting up with friends who don't understand the feeling in the back of your head that your bike is sitting at the curb, possibly getting stolen. Hopefully that day never comes but thought it was fascinating anyhoo!
Crazy synchronicity, I was just riding my bike through the neighborhood that I grew up in.
Same for me! I have a bike that is over 30 years now. I got it from my grandpa, when I was about 14. It was not extraordinary pricy, but it was the best bike I had until that day. It has lots of scars and dents from everyday use in my youth and was my key to mobility. Almost all experiences in this time are connected to it. Going to school, visiting friends, family bikerides on weekends, ... My grandfather bought me that bike because my other bike was stolen before, so he told me how much it was, that I can get an imagination of how valuable it is. And I took care of it. Also from the parts view this is something special today with not a single part from Shimano on it. One more reason to keep it with it's funny derailieur (Sachs-Huret), concave rims (Maillard), centerpull brakes(Weinmann) and its low gullwing-sportive steerer, Always used a lock, kept it in good shape technically... I think I will keep this bike until it breaks down and then again build it up with the remaining parts.... It is still a good all-day-bike, but in the meantime I also own a MTB (old, but good) and a modern roadbike which I love both, too and drive a lot more today. But when I pull out "grandfather's bike" for a spin, it is always a special thing and I feel different.
I can never get too attached to a bike that I own because every bike that I've owned has gotten stolen. I had a really nice Trek hybrid bike that I used to take on trails out of town but it was stolen from my garage and the police didn't do anything about it.
I think there's something especially heartbreaking about a stolen bike.
@@Shifter_Cycling unfortunately because bicycles have never been taken seriously as a transportation option the police don't give a shit when they are stolen.
I've had 2 bikes since new, a 1997 GT Outpost and a 1987 Raleigh Routier. I just love them because they're nice to ride and I think they're beautiful.
I had an old, old, Rocky Mountain Blizzard that I used to ride around Calgary, and it was slow and heavy, but I don't think a bus could dent the frame it was so well built.
My bicycle is a Gazell Dutch made Grandma bike. I love it! Can't wait to install a three speed hub. Mine also has coaster brakes. I did notice that your beloved bicycle doesn't have fenders to keep the water off your backside while riding in the rain or just on wet roads. I commuted by bicycle for quite a while when I was younger and I had a fenderless ten speed. I learned the hard way when I had to turn around and go back home to change.
Additionally, about one of the points, that 'people's attitudes are changing'. Yes, I think so. I expect people to react negatively to my constant posts and pics of my bicycles and daily riding. Surprisingly, I've never heard anything negative. Everyone always says that they love to see where I'm riding and think it's a great idea to cycle more. It helps for we cyclists to normalize daily cycling (especially in the US). Thanks for making this video. It's interesting to explore why we cycle. The more I think about it, that childhood connection sounds more and more important to cycling for me.
Such a great show Tom, Love it! Bikes are wonderful, it's all true. My bikes are freedom, real living, French Alps, Italian Dolomiti, Austria Sud Tirol, Bavaria, Suisse Alpes, friends, family, memories. I experience the whole of life on my bike(s) and it's vivid!
The other elements to biking are health, exercise, and zero air polution, i got rid of my car 4 years ago, the reasons, constant expense and a concience that polution is a real thing, and I was part of the contribution. I needed to follow what we all need to do, but few do, get out of the habit of lazy car driving, strengthen my body, increase my endurance and enjoy my Scottish landscape in a way that a car could never give. 65 and still getting stronger. No traffic pressure, road rage blah blah. Think about it 21st. C. people👍
Love bike commuting because it is fun and makes me happy.
Just discovered your channel, I love finding cyclist channels where people aren’t riding 5,000 dollar bikes with 1,000 dollars of gear/gadgets. I have been riding a 200 dollar Norco from the 80’s for the last year of two and I have no intention of upgrading anytime soon! The paint is chipping, and it’s heavy but it takes me everywhere I need to go with no issues!
Plus they don't scream "steal me!" My hard tail bicycle is more expensive than my friend's but a nice matte grey. His is a Canadian Tire special with full suspension and a bright red paint job. Mine is safer when locked to the same rack.
Fascinating video. Good job. I think a phrase you were looking for is that the bicycle is a vehicle for personal expression.
Thanks Tom. Great video thanks for sharing. I’m thinking your next video should be after the tuneup and discuss what the mechanic thought needed to be done and how much you got done. I’m guessing that you’re looking at re-packing the grease in the IGH, new cables, new brake parts, new drive train and chain…. I also like how you got “vehicle for change” into the video. It’s one of Two Wheel View’s mantras along with changing kids lives from the seat of a bike.
I'm then same. I have a 25 year old cannondale mtb and it has served me well. Only trued the rear wheel once and ft. wheel never. Only adjusted derailleurs when I've needed to replace the chain and rear cassette. I've caught myself just starring at it in appreciation
I would be interested in a video showing your city as you ride. Canada seems so nice 👍🏼
Thanks for the idea. Canada is nice, even if our cities need to get better for cyclist 😉😉
If you look at the channel Oh! The Urbanity! You can see a lot of footage of them riding in the Montreal area, including some of the nice intercity trails you can find in the province of Québec.
@@alexseguin5245 very cool. I’ve been loving trail riding around me in PA and would love to do some road biking.
I can totally agree with this writer's feeling of "love" for his bike. I have a 1995 GT Backwoods mountain bike that I bought new 2 months before I met my wife. I had just moved into a new area that had massive bike paths and Forest preserve trails. I rode it daily, met my wife, we rode bikes while we courted and got married. Over the years I updated the bike (the frame and crank are the only original parts now), introduced my children to biking, my sons became bicycle mechanics. So... Like the saying goes in the Marines about your "rifle"...... "This is my bicycle. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My bicycle is my best friend. It is my life." So... To get briefly philosophical, there are some objects that we own which are time travelers with us in our lives. Some things can be small, easy to store, and do not deteriorate with time. They are markers of our lives. Things like bicycles, watches, old uniforms, wedding dresses, old boots that took us through adventures, and of course cars can travel with us through our lives, but do not change. But we do. We age, but when we used these old objects, we remember our life journey, and feel as we did way back. Yes, almost 30 years later, I have several bicycles, but that GT is MY bicycle.
Thought this would be a "tell me about your bike" video. But it is much much deeper. Thanks for this great video and academic research. Great!
i think many of us like myself have rediscovered the pleasure of biking during the lock down. best bike is the most comfortable bike that fit you like a glove. my old inventory of 30 years were replaced with the latest bikes with IHG/lights/disc brakes/carbon belt District 4 and loving each time I get on it. and my new Synapse is fast as I want to go and bring smiles to my face.
I ride a 15yr old Specialized Sirrus and love it. Of all my bikes it's the one I have the most fun on, and has been my regular commuting transport for years.
Hey man, can you please post the entire conversation with Karlie, I would definitely watch this.
This is very interesting 🤔. Someone asked me recently why I ride bikes and I told them that it makes me feel like a kid again. I'm 50.
Makes me feel like I am 75 while I'm only 65...
Ah well, as long as it gets me from A to B, it's okay.
I'm 50, overweight and have breathing issues, so I sometimes get strange looks when I'm out on the bike (the bike looks like it's from 1930s so that also attracts attention), but I don't care, I'm enjoying myself and improving my physical and mental health every time I ride :)
@@noble_wolf You will notice an improvement of your condition when you ride frequently. And attracting attention isn't always bad, just wave friendly when people are looking. I do, helps a lot.
Same for me and I'm 51. Also have physical problems which the bike is helping me work out. Just wish there were more practical places I could ride her.
When I was a kid I rode my bike almost every day in circles on my street. When I was old enough I was allowed to go anywhere in my small Texas town and I did- I was on a bike all day long and riding everywhere. I never thought about it until this video but it was my first real taste of freedom I ever had. If I lived in Holland I’d probably be a bike commuter. Now I’m wondering why I don’t ride more just for the heck of it…
The market here is kinda... dead right now so I got a big box bike with the least bells and whistles on it. Rim brakes, single speed crank, etc etc. The crank I'd had to replace because I'm both out of shape and I do fields and dirt more than paved paths, but that 'go for something boring without all the flash' shopping mindset I credit to channels like here, oldshovel, kev central, and not just bikes.
I have things i want to do to it, but like... it's a comfort cruiser bike with some slight mountain bike stylings. I'm going to lean into the comfort/cruise aspect since trying to push it as a mountain bike is forcing it to be what it is not.
Plus, it's a gift from my parents and I want to make it the best version of itself possible so I can keep it for a long time.
Thank you for your videos man.
Absolutely fantastic video. So much great info that I can relate to. Downloaded Karly's research. Thanks from Woodinville WA
I love that bike. The classic frame and simplicity makes for a perfect bike, imo. I’d love a bike like that.
I love the simplicity of it. It's so reliable and doesn't ask a lot of me.
My bike is older than me! I found it free in a parking lot locked up. It was there over a year in the weather, so I felt like I should take it and use it.
When your bike is cheap or free you don't need to care about locking it up.
The reason I like my bike is that it a highly personal force multiplier,It has to fit like a glove and scales with your health and will always make you go upward the more dedicated you are to it. Unlike a car that is a force enabler, your bike is your bike and if someone else hops on they will be uncomfortable and they may derail your chain because they don’t know your tension settings or were you need to be for the cleanest shifts.
The amount of time and fun I had with my bike as a kid is crazy, I remember feeling like the bike was part of my body, knowing exactly how it would react. Our brain is good to reinforce positive stuff
Like Carly said it's one of the leftovers from childhood,. Makes it so truly enjoyable. , It really opens up the world in whole new way
Absolutely fascinating how we make connections to our world through a bike. Thanks for sharing!
This is probably one of your best videos.
It is so thoughtful and insightful and really hits those emotional memories of childhood and teenage years. And I really loved that comparison with an old dog at the end. I won't go there 😭😂!
I hadn't ridden a bike for almost 30 years until I got my current hybrid as a Christmas present almost 5 years ago.
And I have to thank the pandemic for making me have a completely new relationship with it.
I never wanted to be a lycra road warrior or to use it as a singularly sports or fitness tool.
Although it definitely has improved my fitness... I'm just not aiming to be athletically fit.
But now I have gradually defined it as a practical alternative to the car for mostly short to medium trips, chores or doing a full weeks family shopping with a trailer I got earlier this year.
I have what was a bare bike that came with just mudguards into a real alternative to the car.
The first thing I got was a nice soft and wide comfy seat.
I have bags both sides of the handlebars and on the cross bar for all sorts of nick nacks I keep there, masks, hand sanitisers, drinks, snacks, hat's...
Bell, horn, mirrors, phone holder, various lights for safety front and rear plus indicators (handlebar extension to fit all the extras onto) particularly for night or dull weather and a few locks and chains to hopefully deter any casual thieves.
Plus at the moment, 3 sets of pannier bags but I mostly stick to a cheap set I bought in Lidl about 4 years ago for a tenner or less each (8.99 or 9.99?). I always have one set with me. Better looking at it than looking for it!
I loved my old bike I had in my teens but then life got busier and it was left to rust out in a shed. 😟
Now I really love my current bike. I've made it uniquely my own and it's got purpose now.
It's a real alternative for the car and I get a real sense of personal achievement every time I use it.
I'm feeling quite proud of myself and I'm also feeling similarly attached to what is otherwise a fairly cheap and basic bicycle.
I see, meet and interact with people and the environment in a different way when I'm on the bike.
And probably people see me in a different way too.
More people stop and talk to me now, often with the bike set up' as an introductory opening and I also stop to talk to people more than I could have when I am driving.
I now find the bike has become a real part of my identity and I love adding a new addition to it every now and then that will make it safer or more comfortable or practical.
Great video.
I'd love to have seen a video of the tune up.
Hi from Melbourne, Australia. I commute on a mangy looking, old 2nd hand hybrid covered with black and yellow safety tape. It is mechanically sound, but looks quite frankly, disgusting. This works well, as it discourages theft and makes the bike very visible and Identifiable . It looks like the type of bike people would leave $5 under the seat out of sympathy. This is in contrast to my expensive touring bike, which I would not leave at shops and work. 😁 🚴
Damn just missed the live version. Oh well I’ll just watch it now! Really cool topic so far. Sometimes we just need to take the time and reflect on why we do the things we do. We also need to occasionally analyze our own attachments to things in this world not just our bikes, and if they are healthy attachments or not! It’s always good to nurture the good attachments just like you are doing with taking your trusty bike for a tuneup!
Thank you for watching! And sharing some wisdom. I completely agree with you.
Love the simplicity of your bicycle. I've got a 1967 CCM 3 speed and it's so simple and still going strong.
ALL my bikes are IGH now. In 2017 I bought a repainted but like new 1973 CCM SA 3 speed because I wanted the like new upright handlebar. I ended up building new 584 mm wheels to replace the 590s. I wanted a SA Drum brake anyway. The front hub with 1/4" caged balls was soooo good, I put it in the new wheel. Actually, I didn't change the front wheel until I wore out the 30+ year OLD tire. LOL. It was hard and crumbling, but it went 1,930 miles. And it got a nail the last ride when I was 28 miles from home.
I figured out why it sat for years, the plastic spring cap was missing. Poor guy's luck.
I have now done 4 hundred mile day rides, 3 were in a 2 week period this year. This bike is slower, but OTOH it goes far EASIER down the highway. Then in 2019 I put it on top of my car and went across Canada to Halifax, then back thru 21 states. This CCM had NO problems in Kenora, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City and Halifax.
Damn, I wish I bought this new instead of the stupid Raleigh 5 defaileur. But then I still LOVE the plastic grips it came with. They are now on my Rohloff tour bike. And I just put the rear fender on my new Simcoe too. LOL.
Plus I've had a SA XL-RD5w that goes WONDERFULLY, but the shifting has perfect years, then sputtering years. WTF.
I also have had a PERFECT, never fail SA XL-FDD dyno hub, for 28,000+ miles, on the tour bike.
My current bike is the only one I've created a "bond", it's approximately 20 years old, no one is certain, I expropiated it from my girlfriend a day bus drivers decided to stop working at 7pm and I couldn't return home. She had the bike for at least 15 years before that and never used it. I did 10km at 20psi, a loose break and a broken derailleur that night. During that weekend I changed the derailleur, tires, lubed wires, etc. In less than a year it got a Nexus3 and V-breaks. This summer it's getting a paint job, a rack and a 8 speed Sturmey Archer
I covet an 8-speed Sturmey Archer. Someday...
I own a Nirve Kilroy Cruiser and feel the same way toward it as you do with your bike, however, I've found that I just haven't been able to form the same relationship with any subsequent bike I've bought in different places I end up. It's almost like I keep a special place for that original bike (which I still have today!) and anything else I bought has just been used purely for it's utilitarian purpose, even if only for a couple of years. You've answered a question I never thought to ask, very interesting.
Everything you just said. I COMPLETELY AGREE! I have always been given some kind of wonder when I bike around a city regardless of where I am and feel like there is always something new to see. Will be reading Carly's paper. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
For me it's the functionality that feeds into its beauty. I love it the same way someone in the older days might love their horse for pretty much fulfilling the same function. I can go places with it, transport groceries, tents, kit... whatever I want. And it requires hardly anything. Like a horse grazing a while the rider rests at the tavern. Here of course, I am both the rider AND the horse, the bike converts my own energy into movement. In this way, it becomes a symbol of my own independence and mobility.
I have a wonderful, maybe 80s vintage single speed bike that I paid $20 for at a garage sale. I added a front basket and a pannier on the back, some lights, a better seat, and new pedals. I use it to get groceries, and have no problems with it.
Interesting stuff. I didn't know bikes are seen as something childish in America. Here in Europe nobody thinks that. Bike is something ordinary, something common for different groupsof people. It is used for transport or sport.
It varies, but they're often considered childish. Some teenagers would rather walk than be seen on a bicycle (teenagers here are loopy.)
Public transit often carries a stigma, as being "just" for poor people - poverty is seen as a moral failure, not just a lack of money.
As a fixed gear rider, you saying about not taking much care of your bike and it still being happy to see you is 100% how I feel about my bike
One of the bikes I still own used to be even more simple than yours: only two gears that you shift with a subtle backwards movement of the pedals. That means no cables at all coming from the bars.
Nowadays, I’ve fitted it with proper brakes because the coaster brake doesn’t really work on many of Lisbon’s downhill streets.
Thanks for the explanation about why we get so attached to our bikes!
Great video as always, and I really appreciate the insight! That said, I was totally distracted by that nice looking plaza you were filming in with dogs and people and buses and trams in the background! I wish I had a plaza like that (and especially the public transit) near me!
This is a new park that was recently completed. It was actually my first visit. I'll definitely be back
Both my bikes are metal and we have lots of kilometers together, and both will age with me! Thanks for your good video, I miss Calgary and your videos remind me of my days there.
Great discussion... I have emotion when I think of riding.. I don't ride in winter so it builds for me.. bikes have always been in my life. Learned to ride at 5.. started racing by 8.. BMX.. and by 13 started street racing. Now it's for enjoyment and helps with stress. Again great topic
Thanks for the video. I fully buy into what Carly said. I bought a new bike during pandemic and fell for it right away, not like my previous bike; I never felt a bond. I've not been on my bike the past month due to a bad leg but I really have a longing to ride it, or should I say yearning. Yes, I've kinda fallen in love with this bike.
Your last point was, to me, the main point concerning your love for that particular bike. I love my hub geared bike, like you I lavish no great care on it, it is there for me to hop on every day, rain or shine. My neglect is shameful but my dear little 3 speed Brompton is like an extension of my own body. I could never love a derailleur geared bike.
My brother's Cannondale F9 is one of those bikes. I rode it a lot more than he did in high school and then I took it with me to college, where it got me to class for 4 years up hills, in the winter. Then brought it with me when I moved away from family to start my job, and it's on that bike that I dared my first 100mi century ride... still with knobbies! Despite the years of neglect (I did get a tune up every couple years or so but winter road salt is awful), it has never failed me. It was when used by a friend who borrowed it for a local bike event, and by another who used it for a week or so for his triathlon training (he mentioned afterward how easy his race was on a trip bike compared to my hardtail). Fast-forward a couple years later and now I have an actual road bike, and while I love it dearly due to its aesthetic beauty and my accomplishments on it, it hasn't been as loyal of a dog as Old Faithful.
Looks like how my Surly Cross Check was set up. I now use comfy drop bars and run in single speed (42x18) with fat tires (700X45) puncture resistant tires.
Ive wrapped the bike tubing in old inner tubes to protect against dings and scratches, plus it makes it ugly, less likely to be stolen.
careful with that, the tubes might trap moisture and rust it
@@warrenshively7834 I recently sold it. When i unwrapped it the paint was pristine. I can see if the paint was porous having that issue, but Surly uses ED and it seals very well. UV causes oxidization and the old tubes protected that
I know that we're not supposed to be very car-friendly on this page, but I like cars and bikes. Your bike sounds very much like my old 2000 Toyota Camry. It asks for almost nothing, it is extremely reliable, it is easy to work on for routine maintenance, and it just does what it needs to do day-in-day-out with no fuss. Just like my Camry, your bikes not much to look at. But you love it because you see the true beauty of it. That's the same thing I can say about my Camry. The thing just works, and it is super reliable. I wish that I had a job that I didn't require to use it as much as I do because I also love riding my bike. But since work starts at 5 a.m. and I'm afraid to ride in the dark especially in traffic, and given the fact that I don't work out of the same location all the time and typically I find myself in all different parts of the city depending on what day it is, I still need to use my car. With that said, however, my ten-year-old single speed coaster brake beach cruiser does all my local running around town errands except for grocery shopping for seven people.
I had never thought about this, but I can see a connection. I think I'm drawn to older, well made things that are simple and mechanical, lots of metal. I love my super simple late '80s Gary Fisher bike, and my favourite cameras were all old and great mechanical things, especially the Nikon FM-2n and even the Mamiya c330. No batteries needed, great mechanical sounds.
I used to go everywhere on my BMX as a kid, but then motorbikes and cars took over. During 2020 lockdown I dug out my MTB (with slicks & mudguards) that I'd kept as "emergency transport", and used it for exercise - and realised I actually enjoyed riding, once I stopped trying to get from A to B as quickly as possible. I wore through the rear rim in spectacular fashion and got a replacement hybrid, but then built a 3-speed ... then bought another ... then found a nearly new Pashley Sovereign at a price I couldn't resist - and I love it ! It weighs a ton, the brakes haven't bedded in yet so they're not great, but I just enjoy riding it, and surely that's got to be the best reason ? Pure enjoyment.
I'm also rebuilding a (4-speed) 1960s Moulton, again just for the fun of doing it, and then I will be able to experience the fun of a small-wheeled bike just to see if it suits me. If anyone's interested I have a channel showing some of my (mis)adventures.
‘Simplest’ bikes are often the best.
I have an SE Bike (from Australia) - it's a Single Speed. I also have a few other pretty expensive carbon bikes, but this is my favourite to ride. It is so smooth.
Once I heard "SE", I was sold. Love my Big Ripper, and it goes against pretty much everything I usually look for in a bike. Why? It's an amazingly simple machine and it looks sharp.
A bicycle is a tool that enhances your body. All that effort on a regular bike comes straight from your body alone and it gives a great sense of achievement riding long distances you couldn't walk. I have flat feet and long walks for me are often painful, but on a bike I can ride 40km cross-country or travel across the whole city no problem.
I do love my bike, I've had it since 8th grade. that 2012 GT avalanche with vbrakes got me out of depression after university when I couldn't find a job for several months, I rode it whenever I could, learnt how to take care of it, even took it with me to a different country, still runs like a dream with minimal changes to it. A wonderful machine.
A colleague of mine migrated to a different country as well, but left his bike at home and then sold his car at some point.
I don't think I'd be able to part with my bike like that.
Incredible video and speaks volumes about people and their love of their bikes.
I have three bikes; a 7 year old Brompton, a 41 year old refurbished Dawes Fox and a 29 year old Dawes Super Galaxy which replaced a 23 year old GT Outpost - ! I love my bikes - ! 🤗
It reminds me of my old Specialized Globe. It was a single-speed with a coaster brake as well as a front v-brake. But this I think looks even cleaner because of the one single cable for the gears and just the coaster brake, which is all you really need in a flat urban area. It wasn’t an expensive bike but it felt special because of its simplicity. That type of bike was really rare at the time and therefore it was hard to part with. Still want at some point to own the ultimate urban bike though, the single speed with just the coaster brake.
I didn't even know a single speed needed tune ups lol. But I just picked up a used Mongoose Beast, a single speed fat tire bike that weights over 50 pounds! I bought it as a joke to play on my biking friends, never thought I would fall in love with the thing. I even took it on a 46 mile ride, I about died at the tail end of that ride but I did it. Earned a ton of street credit with my friends using 'That thing' on the ride! The simplicity of that single speed over my other 2 bikes is very reassuring like you say about your single.
I know what you mean when you’re known as the “Bike Guy. “ thanks for the insightful video.
I also have a favorite/loved bike. It's a Trek "VW Jetta" special edition. Bike came with car in '96 when the Jetta was the official car of US Olympic Mountain Bike team. Car's long gone, but I do have an obligitory '01 Jetta for appearances sake.:)
Curios they sold cars with bicycles. Nowadays they are sold with iPhones.
I see by photos online people really took care of the bike. My utility hybrid's frame has seen better days and the words are scratched and stuff.
That's pretty cool to hear about people's connections to their bikes
I can 100% understand and also know the the feeling. I would rephrase Shifters arumentation a bit. He said he unconsciously knows his bike was always there for him and he feels a bit bad that he never gave it enough attention and care. I would rather descibe this as "that bike always worked and still works, so it's too good to throw it away. As it already is old and a bit rusty I dont feel bad a for not taking care for it now and also dont need to worry much about it getting stolen or damaged or rusty when using it everywhere and at any weather.
I've had my bike since 2007. It's a Fuji Absolute Dx, and it's the most advanced bike I've ever owned, though everything I've ever read about it describes it as an "entry level" bike. I love it, and I never had the desire to replace it with anything else.
I own a Dutch bike (not common in Australia) and people who know me say "that's very you" and they're probably right. I love my bike. It looks great, is comfortable to ride and because of the type of bike it is it does connect me to fond childhood memories.
For me there is nothing like a old school steel mountain bike frame from the 90s. Tange Prestige, Reynolds 853, True Temper Ox, and Columbus steel are just some of my favorite tubings. They just have a lively feel to me that doesn't beat me up like aluminum. They can last several lifetimes if taken care of with rust treatment. Carbon can be great but are disposable if damaged somehow. My favorite bike I'm riding right now is an old Rocky Mountain Blizzard made from Tange Prestige tubing converted it into a monstercross bike.
In the early '90's I bought a $20 single speed klunker to strap onto my drift boat to get me back to my car after fishing different rivers. The bike was old, but useful, and worked well for the task. I lent it to my brother who was carless(and careless) when I eventually got it back it was so thrashed that the cost of repair overshadowed the bikes value by many times. Instead of another klunker I bought a good used mountain bike that I still have and use to this day, except it's been converted to a utilitarian grocery getter. The usability of an item is not limited by it's original design, but by it's usefulness to complete a task.
I totally get this. I rode my 1977 Schwinn Speedster to work today, that I have had since I was a young teenager. It has been with me all this time. Yeah and I don't think I ever had it "tuned up"!
That Schwinn is a keeper!
Fascinating exploration of ideas....❤
Nice bike! For common use in The Netherlands it's missing front and rear fenders, a coat guard, chain guard and a more upride position.