Joined
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1,500 Posts
or I should say, new lust. Bike lust. I swore I would not succumb to it this year, since I've already got 6 bikes. I should never have taken that spin on a friend's bike!
It started innocently enough at the local BMX track's open house to kick off the season. I brought my sturdy Haro cruiser, whose diet program had it slimmed to a "svelt" 24 lbs from around 30 at birth. I was pondering whether or not to squeeze BMX races on Friday nights into my already crowded schedule, but was there to take advantage of the free practice session. When I arrived, one of the moms who ran the registration desk recognized me and called me by name. She wondered where I'd been last summer, and I told her about my wrist surgery. She told me that there were now a few other women in my class, and I wouldn't have to race with the guys. I felt welcomed.
I signed my waiver and went up to wait my turn at the gate. Midway through the first practice lap, I was giggling like a schoolgirl. My inner child had come out to play. Afterward, I immediately headed to the car for my checkbook and renewed my license for the year.
I went back for another lap, and another, and another. That first hill was far less intimidating than it was when I first started two years ago. I was getting the rhythm of the track, though I realized I could use some coaching regarding the best approach to turns. This practice session involved a lot of dodging some of the wee kids who were not riding straight lines, and others who would suddenly slow down, stop or crash. Finer skills honing would have to wait for a less crowded day.
On rest breaks between laps, I would watch the expert kids launch over the doubles, landing smooth as silk, on the far slope. In my dreams, I can do that, but only in my dreams. In reality, I keep my wheels close to the ground.
As I wandered around, I ran into another woman rider and we traded stories. While we were standing around, a mutual friend, Dave, joined the conversation. When I raced two years ago, Dave and I had exactly the same bike. He won't be riding this year because he's got some external metal bracing on one ankle - broken while snowboarding over the winter. However, he was there with his kids and a new bike, a shiny white Brew cruiser with FMF Powermoto wheels. This is where I ran into trouble. He offered to let me and my new friend Donna take it for a spin. She came back after a lap, raving at how quick and light it was. I lifted it and felt its lightness as Dave told me it weighs a scant 19 lbs. I knew better than to do this, but I leaned my Haro against a tree and wheeled the Brew up to the gate. By the top of the second jump, I was smitten. Between the weight and the much shorter chainstays, it felt like it jumped forward at the push of a pedal. Accelerating out of turns was a snap. The Haro felt sluggish by comparison. "I don't need another bike, I don't need another bike, I don't need another bike," I told myself. I don't need just any other bike, I need a Brew cruiser.
It's on order and will be here in a couple weeks. *giggle*
Kathy :^D
It started innocently enough at the local BMX track's open house to kick off the season. I brought my sturdy Haro cruiser, whose diet program had it slimmed to a "svelt" 24 lbs from around 30 at birth. I was pondering whether or not to squeeze BMX races on Friday nights into my already crowded schedule, but was there to take advantage of the free practice session. When I arrived, one of the moms who ran the registration desk recognized me and called me by name. She wondered where I'd been last summer, and I told her about my wrist surgery. She told me that there were now a few other women in my class, and I wouldn't have to race with the guys. I felt welcomed.
I signed my waiver and went up to wait my turn at the gate. Midway through the first practice lap, I was giggling like a schoolgirl. My inner child had come out to play. Afterward, I immediately headed to the car for my checkbook and renewed my license for the year.
I went back for another lap, and another, and another. That first hill was far less intimidating than it was when I first started two years ago. I was getting the rhythm of the track, though I realized I could use some coaching regarding the best approach to turns. This practice session involved a lot of dodging some of the wee kids who were not riding straight lines, and others who would suddenly slow down, stop or crash. Finer skills honing would have to wait for a less crowded day.
On rest breaks between laps, I would watch the expert kids launch over the doubles, landing smooth as silk, on the far slope. In my dreams, I can do that, but only in my dreams. In reality, I keep my wheels close to the ground.
As I wandered around, I ran into another woman rider and we traded stories. While we were standing around, a mutual friend, Dave, joined the conversation. When I raced two years ago, Dave and I had exactly the same bike. He won't be riding this year because he's got some external metal bracing on one ankle - broken while snowboarding over the winter. However, he was there with his kids and a new bike, a shiny white Brew cruiser with FMF Powermoto wheels. This is where I ran into trouble. He offered to let me and my new friend Donna take it for a spin. She came back after a lap, raving at how quick and light it was. I lifted it and felt its lightness as Dave told me it weighs a scant 19 lbs. I knew better than to do this, but I leaned my Haro against a tree and wheeled the Brew up to the gate. By the top of the second jump, I was smitten. Between the weight and the much shorter chainstays, it felt like it jumped forward at the push of a pedal. Accelerating out of turns was a snap. The Haro felt sluggish by comparison. "I don't need another bike, I don't need another bike, I don't need another bike," I told myself. I don't need just any other bike, I need a Brew cruiser.
It's on order and will be here in a couple weeks. *giggle*
Kathy :^D
