How slowing down a bit from time to time helps us all. 

 A new (old) bike and an idea about making riding normal.

Us ladies leading the guys at local racing.

Let me explain…

I used to be a strictly go fast, in bunches, wearing lycra, kind of cyclist.

I’m a member of our local cycle club committee, I race (and sometimes do well) and take part in events, both fun and a little more serious. To go with that interest I own five bikes, all of which are used regularly and for a specific purpose.

Oh yes – and they’re all named (all very sensibly).

My Bikes

Little Robin Red. My stealth black (with red counter-points), racing bike. A thing of absolute beauty and joy in my eyes.

Little Robin Red and I.

Sam. The same bike as Little Robin but older. This dude is my training bike. Right now it’s almost permanently attached to my indoor trainer where I’m currently spending a lot of time.

Blue Babe. This one’s getting on now. I’ve had it over 15 years, from when I first started commuting by bike to and (sometimes) home from work. Blue Babe has done by far the most kilometres of all of my bikes. My commute started at 37kms until I changed jobs about six years ago. It then went to 55kms each way. Doing this two to four times a week soon adds up.

Libby. My fun-in-the-mud bike. Adrian and I love to mountain bike and get out fairly regularly. While our skill levels are decidedly average we always manage to have a great time riding local and not-so-local tracks.

As an aside, I’m not the only one who names their bikes…  Adrian has Zinny, Ted, Magnus and, his latest addition, Delores the TT bike.

These four were all I needed to fulfil my every biking wish for a long time.

However…

A New Idea

On the cycle club committee we’re constantly looking for ways to encourage any and all riders onto bikes. Added to this is a growing awareness of bikes on roads and the need to share with all vehicles. I started reading a lot in relation to all of this. The result? I realized it was time for one more bike (you can never have too many right?).

Enter Poppy. A bright red, retro, three-geared, sit-up, ‘ladies’ bike.  She’s got a very functional carrier for hauling stuff, and is the perfect candidate for a basket, which I’ll add to the front of her sometime soon.

My Inspiration

The article that really got to me suggested there was a lot to be said for making cycling normal, appealing (how-important-is-it-to-making-cycling-look-normal)  and an everyday thing that can fit into people’s lives. The gist of it was how to get the general public (often car drivers) to see people riding bikes rather than cyclists. I liked one comment in particular (see quote) and have followed Katie’s lead. She bought a non-sporty bike, to ride in her normal clothes to work: an ordinary person being completely normal on a bike.

Out and About

I don’t ride Poppy 55kms to my work, that would be quite the challenge. What I do do is ride, in my normal clothes, to the train station to commute that distance (it’s winter and I’m training on my indoor trainer most nights – that’s my excuse). It’s only a few kilometres and I really enjoy this time; fresh (often chilly) air, the feel of easy riding, and it takes the same time as the car would (once I’ve parked and walked to the train).

I also ride Poppy locally in the weekends, to the library, the shops, into a café, and out with Adrian and Ted on their cool tandem.

Our local community was slightly divided a while ago when a decision was made to provide a cycle-lane along a roadway downgraded from state highway since the opening of an expressway. Some businesses really feel they will lose business as parking areas are not to be increased as much as they want (they are still significantly increasing) due to the addition of the cycle lane.  It’s my hope that, by being seen doing normal business on a bike, I may help break down a perception or two and encourage some better interaction between people on bikes, the general public and local business owners.

Poppy looking resplendent at the station.

How it’s Working Out

I’ve had Poppy about three months now. The car sits in the driveway, except for trips longer than a few k’s, I get to my train awake and refreshed in the morning, and I look forward to the all-downhill cruise homeward in the evening. We’ve had lots of waves from people when out cruising (probably more for Ted than the bike, but hey, I’ll take it as a positive), chats about the bike at the train station, and no negativity. I’ve left it unlocked at the supermarket and other shops and feel quite happy about doing so, I mean, who’s going to want to take such an ‘un-cool’ bike?

I’m just one person, I know I can’t change the world, or even the perceptions of a whole town (small as it is). But I was inspired by one person so if I can inspire one more, who inspires one more… Then just maybe something good will happen. (Adrian is already looking at how he can turn his old steel racing bike into a town and around bike. I suspect he’s just suffering from FOMO and is a sucker for a new (old) bike).

Go ride an uncool bike!