How I Came To Enjoy Cycling
I started when really young (3?) on a kids three wheeled little trike. I still have a memory of going for a *huge* adventure all on my own on it (I cycled round the block - about 100m!)
 Then when I was 5-6 I was given a bike rescued from a skip (a theme that will re-appear, since we were skint). I thought I was the bees-kness cos I could ride faster than all my mates. Of course, I was cheating - I didn't have stabilisers, they did.
That bike sadly died. It was a 'ladies' type frame and as I was happly cycling along one day I saw (in very slow motion) the front wheel and handlebars fall away to the left whilst I continue forwards on the back end. The bike had just snapped in half!
Then followed a succesion of bikes rescued from tips, finishing in an old racer that I used to get to middle school (up to age 13). This had been ridden into a wall at some stage, so the front end was a little shorter than it should be. Resulted in my going over the handlebars once while trying a turn a speed.
Then I moved, and stopped cycling. I walked to my new school, the bike died, and then later on my mates all got cars.
When I went to university, I hadn't cycled for 5 years or so. I borrowed a frieds 'racer' to go into town (you know the sort - 10 speed, race-style gears). I had to get off on the way home and walk up Heslington Lane.
For those who don't know York, this is a Big Hill in York terms. It's at least 100m long and rises, oh, maybe 10m! Now I go up in the big ring, or on fixed.
But the bug was back, and the rest is history...
Arthur Clune |