SOMETIMES IT IS ABOUT THE BIKES
Dan the Man as in @danisacyclist who’s knocking out 98 mile rides like nobody’s business posted a nice synopsis of his cycling history.. and as a fellow cyclist who enjoys the paceline I’m on his wheel with my own short story..
I started cycling in 1986 after quiting smoking after 10 years. I started with a $150.00 Nishiki but soon l Realized that bike wasn’t going to take me where I wanted to go in cycling. I was passed up by a group of club riders riding nice racing bikes and sporting all the colorful Jersey’s. That was all it took, I told myself that’s where I wanted to get to. So I pinched, saved and started shopping around and found that Raleigh in the top left corner.. A 500.00 bike with downtube shifters, SunTour Superhero Pro components. The bike was on sale because it was the last one and it was one size to big for me. It had rat trap peddles so after buying the toe clips and some basic stuff I had my first road bike..
So throughout 20 years I upgraded as I became more experienced, I’ve had three steel racing bikes as note in the pictures, one aluminum and three carbons. I never raced but was very competitive and routinely road with group rides always pushing myself. I believe I averaged a couple of centuries a year after the first few years of getting into the sport. I’ve done the MS150 five times, Houston to San Antonio twice, Hotter-Hell Hundred once, Katy Flatlander several times and many others.. thousands of miles over 20 years.. averaged 50-150 miles per week and sometimes as much as 250…did a couple of solo centuries like Dan on my own too..nothing more rewarding than going to work on Monday and somebody would ask me what I did, I’d say I rode my bike 100 miles..😜 I got where I could average 18-20 mph solo riding over 100 miles..it’s an accomplishment I will always be proud of..🚲
Each one of those bikes have different stories and experiences behind them. Those are not the actual bikes I owned. Now I just have the Kestrel & the Tommaso..but the Kestrel has a cracked frame…If you would like to know details just ask me. Each one handled and responded differently and I invested a lot of money in the sport. But it’s entirely worth it.. and I’m still doing it.. My regrets are that I got out of it for ten years..my body has slowed and I have health issues I’m trying to correct.
Last year I was diagnosed with PAD, Perhiferial Heart Disease or clogging of the Arteries, unthinkable considering all the cycling I’ve done. My left leg has a stent but has failed so I’m needing a bypass like I had in the right leg..one day at a time one crank at a time I’ll get back to it..
In closing, Sometimes it is about the bike simple means our hobbies or interests define us. I am a cyclist! Wouldn’t have it any other way..🚲
