We couldn’t live without our bikes – either of us. We use each car once a fortnight, but both bikes get taken out daily. Even at weekends, when we use them to go to the market.
Trouble is, when it gets icy or wet, I’m always a bit wary of using my light, slick-tyred ride, and at the same time reluctant to use my older bike – despite its better tyres – on account of the weight.
So I’ve bought an old bone-shaker to do up. We saw it by chance chained up outside a house on the main road with a £25 sign tucked in its brake cables, and so when we’d got back from where we were going I walked around and knocked on the door.
The man who was selling it wasn’t at all what I expected. Much older – didn’t look like he’d been on a bike in his life. He explained that it had spent the last few years living in his garage, unused, which was why he was getting rid of it.
Now it’s not perfect: the paint could do with some touching up, the brakes squeal and the gears are reluctant to change, but I reckon it should be fine for doing up, which would be a good project to take on as I could do with learning more about bike maintenance.
So next weekend I’ll head into the greenhouse and spec it up, pricing up what I need to replace. It may be a tricky job, going on my level of expertise, but it’s a good frame for £25, so even if that’s the only bit that remains in the finished bike it was something of a bargain.
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