No, not a Tinker Toy:
That's a different story right there.
The Tinker Toys I mean.
So anyways, what I'm getting at is that I find that I like to tinker with my bicycle just as much as I like to ride it.
Maybe more.
Okay, more.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not the sort that stops every hundred feet to adjust things. I'm not constantly fiddling with stuff trying to find the perfect position.
Just the opposite in fact.
Today for instance, I kept thinking, boy, maybe I should move my seat up a bit.
Ten miles later I was thinking, boy, maybe I should move my seat up a bit.
I was still thinking that once I got home.
The thing is, once I get going, I don't like to stop.
Well, I stop for cream sodas.
Don't you know.
Usually, these little tweaks that come to mind while riding, never get done.
I mean by the time I get home, I'm pretty much too tired to care.
Now if I got a new thingy, not that kind of thingy!
A bicycle type thingy!
If a new thingy comes in, I can't wait to install it and try it out.
Why I say I'm a bike tinkerer is that I constantly have a bunch of bike thingys coming in the mail, and I find myself constantly looking for more.
Bike thingys.
Constantly.
Like all my waking hours.
Sort of.
Now, does that make me a bicyclist, or a bike fixer upperist?
A bike tinkerist?
I'm not sure, but I was giving it some thought today as I was hammering around Kailua, leaving a vacuum in my wake.
Okay, not really.
About the vacuum part.
I was thinking of what I was going to do with The Flat Tire V2 Rocket Bike, whether I was going to part it out or just sell it as is.
So that I can move on to my next project and start that tinkering thing again.
See what I mean?
My brother is just the opposite.
He rides his bike until something breaks, then he tinkers it.
Doesn't even wash it.
His bike I mean.
His bike is a tool, not a jewel.
Well, my bikes aren't jewels either, I mean I ride them.
It's not like I sit around at night admiring them.
Not all night.
Sometimes.
Anyways, the thing is, there's nothing wrong with the bikes I got.
They ride fine, do what they are supposed to do, and for the most part, they do it well.
I think there's something wrong with me.
Maybe.
Tinker, tinker, tinker.
Just can't leave it alone.
The bicycles I mean.
4 comments:
I think it is evolution in action. Your exploration of bicycling, for you, involves tweaking, riding, tweaking, riding, etc. I am more like your brother. I ride dirty bikes and sometimes (usually) I don't do any tweaking until something breaks.
Anyway, don't change - this is good fodder for excellent posts!
Tinkering before and after riding is perfectly acceptable. Tinkering while riding, on the other hand, is not recommended.
The trouble with tinkering whilst out riding is something could go wrong and then a 'little tinkering' turns into a problem.
Like adjusting saddle height and ooops - a bit too much tension on the bolt and SNAP.
I've seen it happen.
No, as JRA says before and after is OK but during a ride definitely NOT recommended..
Big Oak, thanks! I sort of envy folks like you and my brother.
JRA, point taken!
Trevor, I see your point. I once adjusted my seat post and could not get the bolt tight again!
I felt really small riding back home.
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