What did Freddie Mercury want to ride? I'll give you a hint: It's hard, strong, and gets around... That's right, he wants to ride his bicycle, he wants to ride his bike. I couldn't agree more with the Queen frontman's desire to hop on a finely tuned, two wheeled piece of machinery. Up until recently I've been riding cheap, pre-owned mountain bikes from local shops. That was until a trip to the grocery store with my roommate. He was riding a single gear Trek Soho S and I couldn't keep up! I hadn't realized the benifit of those narrow wheels and lightweight frame. A few days later I went to the bike shop and had them assemble my own Soho 1.0 and took it for a test ride. What a beautiful machine! I immediately felt my stomach sink when those 900 precious dollars left my bank account, but it was well worth it, even after flying over the handle bars at an intersection just a week after the purchase.
(sprained wrist from intersection incident)
My love for this mass of rubber and aluminum stems from many interests. I think the two most inportant reasons to ride a bike are to stay in shape and to support sustainable transportation. There's no greater feeling than passing a line of automobiles stuck in traffic, knowing that you're going to be home before them, and instead of burning petrol your burning fat. I don't know if I'd call myself a "Cyclist". I don't parade around in a spandex onesie and ride across the country, but it is my main form of transportation and I think Halagonians need to consider a bicycle to be just that: a mode of transportation. Bikes are not just for Lance Armstrong and the weekend adventurer. Far too often do people hop in their car to travel to a friends house or to pick up their favorite Queen album at the record store. Ride a bike! Get in Shape! Reduce your emissions! Have fun!
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