Same here. Grew up in Brampton and it's just something every suburban kid had before you could drive. I got a Nakamura back in '96 for my birthday and it was $600 back then. Didn't even have shocks. Can't believe my dad spent that much for me. Because of that, I still haven't parted with it. Since 1999 I probably rode it no more than 20 times.
It's feels so heavy now compared to my cousin's 10 year old CCM, and that's a discount brand bike. I can't even imagine what a proper mountain bike feels like now.
I have now stashed it behind the cottage along with my bro in law's old bike, which is much nicer and about 10 years old.
Another bike stashed behind the cottage is some ancient supercycle road bike with tires that are so dry rotted they could explode at any moment the next time it's in use. What is one person's garbage (left at the curb) is another person's treasure. And to my mother in law, anything free is treasure.
It is not safe to ride that bike, so I ride it slowly if there happen to be three of us going for a quick ride around the neighbourhood up there.
We also got two perfectly fine and good condition kids bikes that people left at the end of the driveway up there. For those rich cottagers, who have nice places and not 50 year old cottages like us, they don't care. Just leave it out. Which is also how we got a kitchen island with marble or faux marble countertop that fits perfectly in our kitchen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vorkuta
I did not really cycle at all. But HAVING a bicycle is just something you do when you've lived in suburbia most of your life. In about 1996 I bought this:
Costco. $300 or so. I rode it a total of maybe 60km before I put it in the shed and got busy with life. It followed me through two divorces and was gathering dust in my (now middlish-of-city) garage until COVID-19. The weather was great and I was back to work so I started commuting on it (5km each way) on pavement.
It's kinda like driving a 1980's Bronco everywhere. Howls on pavement. Twist shifters. Cantilever brakes. Old-series RST forks. Loses momentum quickly (26"s) and I pity the fool I crash into on it cuz it weighs 35lbs.
I've been putting on 300-400km/month for the past few months and am hankering for a "proper" bicycle. Something of the "gravel" variety, I think. Saving my pennies, I am.
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