May Day - Apology Day

Greetings Readers

“I Apologize”

You faithful Readers know I rarely apologize and hardly apologize for any of my actions or interactions with others unless it is truly something I need to apologize for.

Yet, I do have to apologize - today - to my Readers and to the unknown people I have met in my travels that are not aware of this blog I have.

Flashback – The first day of the Green Festival Bike Show at the Colorado Convention Center in Downtown Denver.

There I was standing in line with about 20 other bikers getting ready to show off their bikes to the attendees of the Green Festival. Specifically, to the woman from San Francisco with the old style Bianchi bike that now lives in Denver.

Before actually saying “Hi” to her I looked at her bike and thought that looks likes a piece of shit. What I mean Readers, that bike does not look anything special to me. It does not look vintage, hell it does not look beautiful. More to the point, she spent 2K and to me it still looks like a piece of shit. (P.O.S.)

I think, about 6 hours later I soon came to realize that was I in her shoes at a point in time in my past. Yes Readers, that woman was me.

Meaning, my French racing bike – the Motobecane.

I am so fucking proud of my Motobecane that she is the only bike that does not have a “Girl’s” name in my collection. When I say “Motobecane” - old school riders and bike riders who think they know bikes know the word Motobecane look and listen to what I may have to say and show. Hell, the people who know about bikes stop and comment when I ride my Motobecane.

Readers, with that said here is what I realize. I talk about the original metal clips I have for the pedals, the rim that I had to have restrung, the original paint job and gearing located on the slant frame as opposed to the handlebar area of the bike we bike riders are used to seeing. I also brag about the weight of the bike and the steel that is on the bike. I like telling people that I have the original braking parts that I still have on the handlebars.

Now Readers, you just read what was said to me about their bikes at the Bike Denver Fashion show and what I say to people when talking / showing my Motobecane.

I do not have a clue whether or not an old looking bike is from the 70’s, 60’s or 50’s or even from Europe. To me, the old looking bikes look like shit and are just old looking. BUT. I just realized that is me from a road bike perspective as opposed to the everyday old time bikes that were made during those decades in the past.

If I was just an ordinary bike rider I would have most likely taken an interest in most of those bikes at the Bike Denver Show, but I did not. To me all the old “so called” vintage bikes looked the same to me.

Then, I realized that I was them when I ride, talk and show my old school Motobecane to other people and riders who are not familiar with old French racing bikes. To them my Motobecane probably looks like a piece of shit. Matter of fact, they are probably wondering the same thing – How much I paid to have one of my rims re-strung? How come I have not painted my Motobecane? How come I have not replaced those old broken metal toe pedal clips?

With that realization “I am sorry Readers.”

I guess the thing that I did learn was that I found this out all by myself as opposed to someone else pointing that out to me.

In closing, those old bikes were and are nice and I am sure were a hit of the Bike Denver Fashion show. I just hope that my bike, the only road bike, was not too “odd looking” at the bike show. In my view, I was not showing the entire bike off – just the rims. But as seeing this was a bike show I neglected to realize that I was not just showing off my rims, but the entire bike. At least I did clean up Andrea and put on new White Bandannas.

Again Readers “I apologize” for thinking that bike of yours is a P.O.S. not realizing that you too may be thinking the same exact thing about my Motobecane.

P.S. I am only apologizing to the vintage bike owners. I am not apologizing to you bike riders who have bikes that look and are P.O.S. bikes. Rust, dents, and just plain fucked up bikes are just P.O.S. bikes.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete