When I was younger, my family spent a summer going on a bike ride in the River Valley pretty much every day. For whatever reason, we basically stopped going on rides after that summer, and I rarely got back on the bike after that. Two summers ago, I bought a used cruiser bike off Kijiji, and finally remembered how much I used to love biking around!

I also ended up buying a road bike off Facebook Messenger so that I could continue prepping for my triathlon goal, so the cruiser has largely been used by my Mom. It’s been really sweet going on bike rides around the neighbourhood together, even though it seems like a bit of a role reversal for me to tell my Mom to relax and not worry when she was the one who taught me how to ride a bike all those years ago. She often jokes about being unbalanced and falling off, but I tell her that just means we will have to go on more rides together until she feels more confident. I’m hoping to buy a basket for the cruiser soon, as I feel like that would complete the look.

My more experienced cycling friends have also invited me out on little rides through the city, and although I’m not at their spandex-outfit and clip-on bike shoes level yet, I do benefit a lot from their knowledge about bike maintenance and riding technique. For example, one of them helped me to align my derailleurs, and another has generously helped me fill up my tires when I was down to 10psi. They also provide me with a lot of moral support when I am running out of steam to bike up a hill, and the confidence to keep trying new things.

My friends also tease me a lot about the size of my road bike. I will admit that most comment on my bike when they first see it, mostly because it seems so small compared to a typical adult bike. I blame it on my unproportionally short limbs, which makes me unable to ride a full-sized bike, even the XS ones. Still, I see a lot of benefits to a junior sized bike, notably how convenient it is for putting into a car, and how much lighter and easier it is for me to handle when I have to move it around.

At any rate, it’s been fun ripping around on a bike again this summer, and I hope that I can squeeze in more rides with my friends before the weather shifts. I know that I still have so much to learn about cycling and bike maintenance, but I figure I can take it slow and learn as I go. Do you like to ride bikes? Where do you fall on the road bike vs. mountain bike vs. cruiser bike vs. e-bike debate? What’s your favourite bike route?

Until next time, happy crafting!