“I have a bike mechanic.”
A few weeks ago, I experienced a devastating bicycle tragedy. Steve, Michelle, Tim and I were driving to St. Louis for a weekend of bicycle fun. The Second Annual World Naked Bike Ride and New Belgium’s Urban Assault Ride were taking place the same weekend on Saturdy night and Sunday morning, respectively. This was a weekend not to be missed,we ditched our kids and set out on our merry way.
The guys loaded the van and the bikes, while Michelle and I taught bike class. After class, Steve and Tim picked us up and we hit the highway. Driving eastbound on I-70 just west of the Route Z exit, Steve looked out the back window and exclaimed something I can’t remember, Tim looked back in shock. I heard something about Black Beauty, my bike, flying off the rack onto the highway and getting run over by a truck. Noone wrecked, and noone was hurt, thank goodness for small miracles. We pulled over and the guys retrieved the battered and broken remnants of Black Beauty from the highway. I sat in the van numb, stunned, and silent.
We headed back to Columbia with Black Beauty’s battered frame draped over the back seat. Our first stop was Klunk, where Karl and Josh met us with looks of disbelief and sorrow. Over the past few years, Karl had built her up from a Plain Jane 2001 Cannondale Bad Boy, into the bad-ass commuting, touring, load-hauling work machine ‘Black Beauty’. Since October 2006, Karl and Josh had replaced every single component and added the xtracycle.
After dropping Black Beauty’s torn and tattered remains at Klunk, we stopped by our house to pick up my single speed and hit the highway, again. We made it to St. Louis and had a great weekend of bicycle fun and mayhem.
The following days were a blur of worry and confusion. We called the insurance company, since Black Beauty had been run over by a truck, she was covered under our homeowner’s policy – lucky me. Talking to insurance agents and claim’s adjustors, I had to answer many questions and explain Black Beauty’s importance as my primary mode of transportation. “We sold our car a year ago. My bike IS my ‘car’.”
During one of these conversations, while trying to justify all the money I had invested in Black Beauty, I found myself answering a question with the following answer, “Yes. I have a bike mechanic.” As I said it, I realized how odd a statement this was. “Yes. I have a bike mechanic.” The statement came out like most folks might say “Yes. I have a doctor/dentist/podiatrist.” I realized, I must have a doctor, but I can’t remember his name. I have a dentist, but I haven’t seen him in ages. Being a healthy active adult with a bike mechanic, I haven’t needed to see a doctor in a really really long time. I don’t know any of my doctor’s phone numbers or office addresses. Try as I might, I can’t even remember my primary care physician’s name.
BUT, I have a bike mechanic. I see him almost every week. I know his phone number and address. I frequent his shop to get some air, see what’s new, pick up some new bike stuff, have my brake pads changed, drop off flyers, have a tire fixed or a wheel trued, or, most recently, have my new dream bike built. You name it, my bike mechanic is always there for my family and me. The more I think about it, if more folks had a bike mechanic, fewer folks would need doctors. Maybe more people should forget their doctors’ names and get themselves a bike mechanic, like me.
So “Yes. I have a bike mechanic.” Actually, I have two, Karl and Josh. Thanks guys, you keep us going.
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Not to knock on a fellow bike lovers disaster, but I can't help but notice a massive portion of this article missing.
ReplyDeleteHad your "Black Beauty" bounced through the windshield of a sedan or SUV(or worst, a motorcyclist) behind your van, it likely would've caused more than the loss of a much loved and labored cycle—most likely the lives and safety of other drivers. Maybe rather than being grateful for having a bike mechanic, this article should be about proper safety rigging techniques and strategies for safely transporting bikes.
You are absolutely right. This event could have been a real, potentially injurious even fatal, disaster. I thank my lucky stars it wasn't. After the bike came off the van, we pulled over, gathered our witts about us, watched the oncoming traffic, waited to ensure that no one and no property was damaged, removed the debris from the interstate, sat a while longer on the side of the road figuring what to do next, then headed back to Columbia.
ReplyDeleteThe bike was attached per manufacturer's directions and actually since we had the rack fully loaded and wanted to be extra safe, we added extra bungee ties to ensure that it was on tightly. We traveled close to 20 miles at highway speeds before the bike came off. I don't know why it came off exactly. I really wish it hadn't happened, but it did. And as I stated earlier, I thank heaven no one was hurt.
That said, the point I was trying to make with the blog entry is that having a bike mechanic, and by implication riding bikes a lot, has made my life healthier and fuller.
While I am making disclaimers, let me add one more. I am not claiming that doctors are unnecessary or good for nothing. Actually about 6 years ago, a team of doctors saved my life when at the tender age of 37, an aneurysm ruptured in my brain. At that time I suddenly and unexpectedly found myself with 3 doctors, whose names I DO remember, but whose numbers and addresses, I don't. A neurologist (Dr. Sherr), a neurosurgeon (Dr. Brandenburg), and and a radiological neurologist (Dr. Saduh) saved my life with the help of lots of nurses, allowing me to make a full recovery.
Upon regaining consciousness, six days after the aneurysm and subsequent repair procedures, I started asking my doctors if I would be able to ride the MS150 the following September (7 months away). My neurologist (also a cyclist) assured me that it was completely possible...and he was right. Three months after leaving the hospital, I was back in the saddle on my way to a rich and fulfilling recovery. So, while the doctors saved me from dying, my bicycle (Black Beauty, may she rest in peace) saved my LIFE.
That said, be sure to strap your bikes on really well before hitting the highway. And, if you have a really really really raunchy headache that will not go away no matter what you do, get yourself to a doctor, pronto! If your life is going pretty smoothly, and you just want it to be a bit richer, more fulfilling, joyous, and challenging, get yourself a great bike that makes you smile and a trusty bike mechanic to keep you rolling.