Sunday, September 25, 2011

Finally Worthy of My Bike?

















Hello, road bike. We have to have a little talk. You are a beautiful, powerful machine. You are fast, light and agile, and any cyclist would be proud to ride with you.

I don’t know what you thought when I claimed you at the bike shop. You must have been hoping for a serious male rider in his early thirties looking for a race-worthy bike. You got a 42-year-old woman who actually let out a cheer when she heard the pumpkin donuts were again available at DD. Since you came home with me, you have spent almost all of your time sitting in a corner. When you have gone outside, you learned that I have become a nervous rider, and I’m slower than I used to be. I know you want to break free and fly, but I just don’t have that kind of power any more.

Next week, however, is your moment. You get to do the kind of ride your mommies and daddies at Scott Bikes imagined when they created you. It is a 56- mile race, and it has switchbacks and lots of steep and long climbs and descents. Now, we both know that you are far more equipped than I to handle this ride, but we have to do this together. You’ve been bathed, checked and re-greased in anticipation, and you are perfect. I believe in you – you will keep a nice steady ride, your tires will stay inflated, your chain will stay in place and all of your parts will be in proper working order. Since this race is much harder for me than it is for you, I am quite nervous. But I promise you this: I will do my very best to be worthy of you. So let’s do this race and make each other proud.