[Fredke]

is Sunday morning rides with my daughter.

She gets out her single-speed turquoise cruiser with coaster brakes, streamers and the basket with daisies on it, I take out the fixie, and we go together through the neighborhood, saying "Hi" to the neighbors and enjoying the sunshine until we get to the MUT. We match our speeds through steady cadence and we cruise along, nicely matched, with no distracting gear changes to get in the way of a sunny morning. We stop at the grocery store to pick up some colored pencils and a bag of licorice.

A fellow taking a cigarette break asks me about riding and reminisces about a century he rode when he was 14. I think back to my first real bicycle, a red single-speed Raleigh Space Rider back in 1966. Riding a fixie around the neighborhood brings me full circle to my childhood and carefree days when a bicycle, a couple of quarters in my pocket, and a lazy week end stretching out in front of me were all I could ask for.

I could have taken this ride with my geared roadie, but it would not have been the same.

 

[BianchiJoe]

Pulling on a pair of shorts and shoes, donning a T-shirt and a cycling cap, and heading downtown on a Saturday morning. Stopping for a coffee at Mozart's and then going down to Town Lake to watch the university rowing crew practice as the steam rises. Later, running into my friend PJ, racing up to the college campus, stopping at the bike swapmeet for a spare tube and to bullsh*t with the folks I know there. Then it's back downtown to catch the last songs by the bluegrass band playing at the Farmer's Market. Riding over to Waterloo Records to check out the new Calexico cd, then grabbing a burrito and a beer at Chango's on the way home. A day on the bike, soaking up my city, hanging out with friends. All made even sweeter by the simplicity and reliability of my fixed gear machine, which does nothing that any other bike can't do, except this one only goes when I go, and I only go when it goes; and for a few hours out of the hectic chaos that is my life, I'm truly free.

 

[Pablo]

Well . . .

I'm mainly just a fan of the endless bad puns.

 

[Dbroncosfan]

you guys got me teary eyed