Fin de Bicyècle

Don't sweat it if you don't get the title. It's a really nerdy French pun. Fleur can explain it if you simply must understand.

This is the right crank arm of the WOB. Note the distressed metal. Note the missing pedal. Note the quiet sense of resignation in this post...

Yes, my trusty steed has suffered it's death blow.

It was nothing grand either. I got on it in front of the student Union, and as soon as I put my weight on it, the pedal sheared off. I shifted my weight very quickly to avoid falling, and destroyed the pair of pants I was wearing on the exposed bolt on top of the old-school gooseneck; nearly castrated myself. The sheared pedal now lives in my office, as a reminder of good rides.

I could have taken it to the shop, and had them put a new set of pedals on it, but it needed so many other things as well. The rear hub was clicking and slipping and crunching. The front rim had a dent in it that made the brakes tick. The seat was falling apart, the shifter was stiff, and the fork bearings needed to be replaced. In truth, it had been totaled for some time - the pedal was just the final straw.

To take its place for getting me to campus, I have purchased a Jamis Commuter 3.0.

It's quite high-tech compared to the WOB; aluminum frame, 8-speed internal hub in the rear, 700c rims, and a shock-absorbing seat post. It rides very smoothly, tracks straight, shifts like silk, and is completely silent, even when you accelerate. I haven't got the rack and bags on it yet, but soon. In the bike nerd sort of way, it's pretty damn sexy for an uncustomized, out-of-the-box bike.

Yet, I still love the WOB. Steel frame and rims, ancient shifter, broken seat, and weak brakes included. It had character, and a gracious, gentlemanly feel, even when ridden "no hands." Some bikes will abruptly dump you on your head, but not the WOB. It would give you a good long time to correct before completely pitching you; it was polite like that.

I had accepted the idea that it was time to let it go, but something forces me to hang on. Instead of going to the junkyard, it's sitting in the garage, awaiting it's rebirth as a fixed gear.


Yeah - like that, but with better music...

9 comments:

Cerus said...

I hope your new ride was smooth all the way home. I won't tell you about Kat's upstairs neighbors who leave their birds outside overnight.

CorianderDragon said...

Sorry about the WOB :(, YAY for the new bike, and oh my gods for the horrible music.

Amber said...

RIP WOB. I hope the new bike is treating you well. I think it's official, I am a bike nerd. The guys at the shop know me and the last 3 charges on my debit card are all to Performance Bike. I just got back from having a rack installed on my bike and I repaired my first flat tire this weekend. I would have installed the rack myself, but it took some modification. I have been riding 4 miles round trip to work at SCR from Eric's office for the last 2 weeks and I'm planning to keep it up whenever I work there.

Linus said...

Glad you're enjoying your bike! Are you using a kid trailer with Bri?

Amber said...

We can't afford the trailer just yet. Maybe we'll get one for Christmas. I've also been looking at 2 wheelers for Brienna because she's just about to out grow the tricycle we got her for her birthday last year. If she can manage that, I may just get one of thos kid half bikes to attach to mine.

Mayren said...

hey - WTH happened to the Electra bike you wanted at one time?

also - poor WOB - he will be remembered fondly by those he never even met.

Linus said...

The Electra Amsterdam Balloon 8 is an absolutely SWEET ride... but I was able to get the internal hub technology I wanted for much less with the Jamis. The bike I got was a 2007, and with the 2009s already hitting the showroom floor, I was able to walk out with it for about $300 less than the Balloon 8.

(Of course I will soon spend most of that $300 bucks putting internal roller brakes and some nifty racks on it, but I'm ignoring that for now...) :)

Rio said...

I have serious bike envy... I love my 7 speed cruiser but it is ROUGH pushing that b*tch all the way to work and back. I borrowed a friend's racing bike a few weeks ago. My butt was so sore I could hardly walk, but dang it was easy to ride...

Tessa K. said...

hee-hee... puns
=)

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