The Bike!

This was the Craigslist find I'd been waiting for: a 1981 Miyata 1000. It's a beautful 53cm all-steel bike, built for touring. It was in a great price range, too, at $650!

Two weeks ago, I took public transit into Portland for a test ride, and was head over heels. The Miyata seemed to fly over the pavement, weaving around potholes and storm drains effortlessly. It was hard to believe that this machine was older than I was. I bought it on the spot, having done some research on Miyatas previously and realizing that for the price and quality, this was a deal that I'd be stupid to pass up.

Later, I questioned the price for a such a seasoned ride. After all, it's nearly 30 years old. Just a few weeks ago I was a nonbeliever, and talked trash about touring bikes from the 80's. I thought that the Miyatas' faithful followers were just a cult of folks who missed Reagan and parachute pants. Now that I've ridden one, though, I can see the appeal. These are solid bikes, with a lean design and smooth ride... but are they worth $650?

My doubts subsided yesterday when I went into Portland to buy panniers. I watched as a bike enthusiast gaped at the story of my Miyata. "Six hundred fifty bucks?" he asked, shaking his head. "You know, you can get $1000 for those things, and not even in the best condition".

While his estimate seems high, it's nice to know at least I wasn't swindled. :)

The Route!

This is my cross-country route! :) Pieced together from Adventure Cycling Association maps and the Mississippi River Trail guide.

Robert's Homemade Tube Patch Kit

I met Robert at a bus stop yesterday. I discovered him looking at me as I was admiring his blue Cannondale with the yellow bar tape. "Nice bike!" I said.

"Thanks!" he replied, "Where's yours?"

We spent the bus ride back to Forest Grove sitting next to each other, with Robert sharing all kinds of great advice with me. It turns out he'd spent over a year riding his bike all across the country, until the diagnosis of a brain tumor finally stopped him in Louisiana. "Forced retirement" he said, and his smile looked sad.

He still tours in Oregon, though his sister's made him promise that he'll never go cross-country again. "I'm over 50 years old!" he declared, "Who is she to tell me 'no'?" It sounds like his next big adventure will be a ride to Crater Lake after the snow melts. I wished him luck.

I'm sure I'll see Robert again soon. I still have so much to learn from him!

Here's Robert's recipe for Homemade Bike Tube Patches:

Materials:

1. sandpaper

2. old bike tube

3. rubber cement

4. aluminum foil

Directions:

Cut the old bike tube down the center, and lay flat. Scratch one side with the sandpaper to give texture. Apply a coat of contact cement, and let dry. Cut into patch-sized pieces, and stick onto aluminum foil. Fold up foil and carry in your bike repair kit.

When you get a flat, just sand the area around the leak, apply layer of contact cement, and allow to dry. Then peel off one of the homemade patches from the tin foil, and press over the leak area. Voila!

The Evils of Choice

Ah, indecision.

Buying my first bike was no issue. I just needed something with wheels for getting around town. It could be a mountain bike, a roadie, or a laid-back cruiser - I didn't care so long as it had a basket on it somewhere. And it could be made out of anything: steel, aluminum, I didn't know the difference at that point. I just wanted something that wouldn't be too rickety. (I failed in the last department, but my bike does have rear baskets).

Now that I need a bike that I can depend on, though, I feel an unprecedented pressure to "get it right". Bikes can be as complicated as you make them, I'm learning, and if you want to care about your bike right down to the spokes-and-nipples, you can. This is a new and confusing world for me, the craigslist shopper. I paid $100 for my first bike (way too much). For my second bike, my spending is going to go up exponentially: I'm looking at $1000 bikes, now. I can only hope there will not be a third bike... what does $10,000 look like, anyway?

It's not just the components that are making me stall and ponder. I'm one of those indecisive folks, often mislabeled as "picky". Actually, last week I realized that my type of cyclist has already been categorized: I'm the "Righteous Cyclist", described in the sassy pages of the book "Bike Snob". Riders like me believe that cycling not only makes us more healthy, beautiful, and sexually voracious, but that it also changes the world. Unlike cyclists who focus on components and mileage and fitness, we worry about impact.

If I buy a bike made in China, does that mean I support slave-labor, or a developing country's industry?

If I get a new bike, am I supporting cycling or consumerism?

If I get a "vintage" used bike, am I sticking to my morals about Reuse & Reduce, or am I setting myself up for disappointment and disaster on the road ahead?

After 4 months of wringing my hands over questions like these, I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and accept some simple truths:

1. I need a bike - pronto!

2. I need a bike that I can trust.

3. Every purchase has an impact... both good and bad. At the very least, my $1000 will say "yes to biking!"

In light of this, I'm considering dropping some serious (in my mind) money on a brand new bike, rather than a used craigslister. My requirements? All steel, designed for touring, and made in the USA. The Surly LHT and Trek 520 are neck-and-neck right now, and the indecision continues...