Remembering Our Two-Wheeled Friends
Old horses don't die, they just go to the glue factory, or so the saying goes. Jalopies usually end up in junkyards. But abandoned bikes stay locked to signposts or bike racks, losing various components to thieves in the night. Snatch a wheel here, the handlebars there, and pretty soon what's left looks nothing like a bicycle. It's a pretty inglorious way to die, come to think of it.
Dead Bicycles is bringing attention to this neglect by shrouding abandoned bikes in black fabric emblazoned with the words “Here lies a dead bicycle.” According to its website, the purpose of this bike burial is to build a renewed appreciation for bicycle cultur
e and bring awareness to a community willing to leave their friends behind. We have tombs and gravestones for our deceased loved ones, and Dead Bicycles wants to extend that same care to our two-wheeled friends. Just because they can't be ridden anymore doesn't mean they're worthless.
We've written before about the bicycle culture here in RVA, from tall bikes to street racers. We put so much care into the bikes we ride; let's keep that attention going even to those less fortunate two-wheelers!
Know any dead bikes near you? Send a picture of it and its location to [email protected] so it can get a proper burial! Or check out Dead Bicycles on Facebook here.