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3.07.2013

Wheels on Fire

I got a bike. It is not a new bike. In fact, from what I can tell from the interwebs, it is a circa 1980 road bike. It looks like this:


That is not the actual bike. I found that on the Google. So you can't really see, but the shifters are on the frame, rather than on the handles.



Weird right? Okay, so I have to admit, I don't know anything much about bicycles. I think the last bike I had was the kind with the tassels on the handlebars that you pushed the pedals backwards in order to brake. It may have even had a banana seat. But I have rented or borrowed a few grown up bikes and have ridden a bit, even in the city. I know, I am a big girl now. However, I have never had a bike with the shifters on the frame.

Since I have a bike now, I decided to get prepared. I have a helmet and a bike lock of course. I also got a patch kit, a tube and a really cool 19-in-1 tool that I have absolutely no idea how to use. It looks really fun though. I also got a red blinky light for the back,  another blinky light for the front AND just for fun, some LED lights you put in the tire valve and it makes fun colors or shapes when you ride.

bike kit

I bet you are wondering if I am planning to ride the bike or just buy ridiculous accessories for it. I am strongly considering the latter. No, I am kidding. I actually rode it once. A whole mile and a half, in the dark, to go and drop off my library book. I didn't fall or get run over, so that's a start. However, there is a very big hill between my house and the library and I had to walk the bike up it because (a) I couldn't lean down to shift the gears, pedal AND hold the handlebars at the same time very well, and (b) My legs were like jello.

It seems we have our work cut out for us.

*title inspired by this song

What have you had to learn/relearn as an adult? Was it hard? Do you ride a bike?

17 comments:

  1. Those wheely lights are awesome! Happy riding - like you I don't think I would be able to ride, hold on and change gears all at once.

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  2. I am so shaky when I ride my bike since I do it so little! I definitely have the same bike I rode in college which was longer ago than I care to count! I do want to ride it more though!! Hey cute accessories are always a plus!

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  3. I LOVE that style of older road bike, with the curled handlebars and the shifters on the frame. They're getting harder and harder to come by so consider yourself lucky and don't ever let it go! :)

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  4. I just got a bike, too! Well, it was months ago and I've only ridden it once. It was only $10 so it's, like, very shabby and kinda silly looking but it works for now! I'm hoping to buy an actual bike myself in the future, but first I want to see if it's something I want to make more a part of my routine.

    I have no accessories, though. I need to get some padded bike shorts because man, it hurts your buns after a while! Ha.

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  5. Yea shifters on the down tube are seriously old school. That's going to be a lot of fun!

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  6. Awesome! We got really hooked on biking last year and I can't wait until the weather is nice enough to pull them out again.

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  7. While it's true that you never forget how to ride a bike, it's definitely tricky when it's been awhile!

    I've been wanting to get a bike.

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  8. Too funny...I graduated high school in 1980. I love the bike!! Once you get on that "ancient" contraption, you WILL love it. It's truly a great feeling coasting along and spinning the wheels. Freedom.

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  9. I love your bike! I've got a total jalopy bike, but I love it. I don't have any accessories - just a lock and a helmet. I don't have a repair kit and know I'm going to get stuck somewhere someday. If I did get a kit, I wouldn't know how to use it anyway.

    Have fun!

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  10. I want my wheels to light up, too. That sounds festive!!! I'm quite certain that within a few months time, you're going to be telling us about your 50 mile "casual" bike rides after work. ha!

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  11. Congrats on the new bike! So fun! All the accessories are so tempting:) I might be able to finally pull my bike down this weekend since the sun decided to come out:) Yay!

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  12. Yay!! I recently got a new bike too, well used, but new to me. I also know nothing about bikes, but it was from a triathlete blogger friend so I trust that it's decent. :) Enjoy it!

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  13. Enjoy your bike! It's a whole new world- trust me! :)

    Sarah
    www.thinfluenced.com

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  14. Sweet! I am hoping to get a bike this year too!

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  15. I have been wanting to get a bike but I know nothing about it at all. Cant wait to hear of your adventures.

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  16. Love the bike and the old school shifters. Biking will make your running stronger. It was able to ease my transition from a non-runner to a runner. enjoy!

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  17. Oo, you have picked up some fun accessories/tools for the bike! I considered buying a bike last year so ended up borrowing one for the summer from a co-worker's husband that fixed up bikes. And I used it once... So I opted not to buy one. I used the nice ride bikes a ton, though! Charlotte has a bike share program (which no one seems to know about down there) so I plan on using those to get around as much as i can!

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