Back on the Bike

Wow... it's been over a year since I last posted and a lot has happened. I have attended my first national championships (ouch), given up on carbon bikes, changed jobs, and last but definitely not least, gotten married. I am sorry that I have not documented any of this for you.

After looking back at some older posts and re-evaluating why I write and what it means to me, I am going to change the track of this outpouring to follow my every day life a little more and my racing a little less. That makes a lot of sense seeing as how I am racing a lot less these days. The new purpose of this will be to talk about the life of a bike mechanic (thrilling), living in north east Tennessee (sometimes exciting, always tasty), and being a new husband (sometimes a challenge, but also always tasty).

On that first one I will write a little bit tonight. I have been working in bike shop for over seven years now in three different states, under four different store names, and six different locations. I have worked on everything from yard sale specials to 20k dream bikes. Dirty mountain bikes that are ridden hard and put away wet. Polished road bikes that never see the wet of spring. Triathlon bikes that have not so pleasant fluids relieved on them.

I would love to say that is a joy to work on all of them. That I get some pleasure out of making something that is not working properly, work fluidly again. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way. There are bikes that I work on just to get their corresponding tickets off of my desk. There are bike the I get working to the point of good enough, because to get them working perfectly would just take too long or cost too much money. These can be Walmart bikes and they can be crazy carbon race bikes. Usually the first, occasionally the second. But then there are the good ones.

Every once in a while I get a bike handed to me that is special. It is not necessarily because it is a nice or expensive. Quite often these bikes look rough. Old. Worn out. Tired. What makes these special is that they are more to their rider than just a bicycle. These are the ones where the customers say, "Do whatever it takes." They don't care about the labor or the parts that need replaced. They just want their rides back.

I have a few of these bikes myself and it always wonderful to get back on them after they have been out for the count for a while. Everything just clicks. I find the perfect position on the saddle. My hands find my favorite place on the hoods. The cleats find the the pedals without a look down. Everything just clicks. Just like it should. And the ride. Oh, the ride. A weight lifts off of my shoulders and my legs feel fresh. The bike glides without any effort and responds to my every thought. Sublime. Perfect for the moment.

Enjoy the moment.