If the world does not know, they will now: Kevin recently got a new mountain bike. I’ve shared how amazing he is on a mountain bike, not to mention amazingly patient when going on rides with me. And I never realized until the other day, that I have not given him nearly enough credit for his ability to handle a bike on rocks, over roots, through mud, especially since he’s been riding a bike with no suspension.
Having multiple bikes within eyesight, or new bikes I should say, cast some sort of strange spell on me, and, for reasons unknown to me, I thought it would be interesting to try out a non-suspended mountain bike. To be more precise, Kevins mountain bike.
And, before I continue, I must apologize to him for what I am about to share, since he doesn’t know what happened until he reads this
- Dean
I think it was fatigue from long, tough hours at work that caused me to think riding a rigid mountain bike would be a good idea. Why not? Nice day for a ride…All I had to do was change the seat height, and change the pedals. (The bike was still too big for me to ride with the seat post lowered…But that did not stop me.) As I went to take his pedals off so I could use mine, I was met with resistance that a giant with the strength of a thousand giants—those suckers were stuck on! (Excuse my lame analogy of giants and strength…) Did Kevin not grease his threads?!? Kevin, the man who told me the importance of greasing any threads on a bike when he taught me how to assemble a bike? I was aghast. After what seemed like eternity trying to take off his pedals I was able to do so with success. For you readers out there, please, grease the pedal threads before installing them onto your bike. It makes it much easier for the person who wants to secretly ride your bike to take them off.
I began my ride along a road, and the bike felt like riding any other bike on pavement, hence leading me to believe it was easy. It only dawned on me, suddenly, upon entering Ferncliff forest that perhaps this “great idea” I had was not such a “great idea.” All you have to do is let your legs and arms be the suspension, Mol, legs and arms was my mantra. For the first few dips and turns, all was well in the world. Yes, the bike was big, and yes, my arms and legs felt like they were disconnected from my body, but I was riding.
Then I came up to trees lying across the path. Ohh crap, trees…Yes, Molly, those are the same trees that have been lying across the path for the past two years you’ve been riding those trails. With my full suspension bike, I just let the bike do the work for me. And so I prepared to go over the trees like I would on normally. Alas as I started to get ready to raise the handle bars, I realized there is no front suspension fork. Panicking, I forced the bike over the tree only to to be startled by lack of suspension and fell. Ka-Boom!
First thing I thought of, “is his bike okay?” (don’t you worry, I researched the value of the bike before I rode it…Man, are Dean Bikes pricey) not if I had any broken bones, which I had not, thank goodness. Part of me thought I should just turn around, and that nothing positive could come out of riding a rigid bike. Not to mention, a bike that wasn’t mine.
Did I listen to the little voice in my head telling me to turn around? Pshh, me? No way. I continued through the forest on the bike attempting to stay on the bike and not off it, and low and behold there have been some changes done to the forest paths…Which are pretty awesome, if I must admit. However, those changes must wait until I have my full suspension bike back…Heaven knows what bones or frames would be broken if I were to attempt them on a rigid. The powers within me decided that it was probably most practical to stop the ride and head back while my Kevins bike was in one piece. Every rock caused my brain to rattle within my skull and arms feel like putty from my death grip on the bars. I think that encounter will fulfill my “longing” to ride a bike without suspension for….meh…the rest of my life.
On a different note, on my run today on pavement, a car stopped and thanked me for wearing such brightly colored, reflective outerwear. I was completely surprised, but it is hard to miss a girl running in bright blinding neon colored jacket, head band, and bright pink running shoes…So, dearest driver, my pleasure for blinding you with my assortment of awesome 3M reflective attire. I will continue to do so with you in mind.
Note: since this has been written, the pedals have been placed back on the Dean with lubricant.
A Rendezvous with Sneakers 