WHAT GOT YOU INTO THE BIKE HOBBY

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Long story short. same deal as most, into bikes as my only transportation as a kid, we lived on top of a hill 3 miles from everything and 10 miles to town, so I was in pretty good shape. Fast forward to now, my day job is riding in my pickup truck doing oversize load escorting, so I'm not in that good a shape. Started out just buying an old Murray at a yard sale to ride daily. Then I found a folder at a flea market, so I rode that every morning. We have frequent off days when I can wander around the towns we stop in and check out what's in the local junk shop or at an auction, so I drag stuff home with me too. Worst was a heavy Schwinn tandem from Iowa I had to hitch a ride for on a buddy's 18 wheeler. Also ended up renting a storage unit in one of my frequent stops to stash stuff in, ended up with a full storage unit that took three trips to empty. Went to Trexlertown swap while waiting for a run to start, and bought my Roadmaster I had no idea what it was, wanted to build a WWII clone from it, but that changed in a hurry....Since then went to Memory Lane's swap and found some parts for it. This stuff is way too addicting, it is taking time away from my other addiction, old jeeps. And as soon as this weather warms up I need to start riding again.
Hi, My name is Bill, and I'm a packrat.
 
When I started working on bikes, my friends got word of it because both my parents work maintence, so there were tools. I had eight bikes that never got built. I had finished one bike, a low rider built from a chrome bmx kawasaki frame. It had upturned road drops as mini sweepbacks, the front wheel and fork from a toddlers bike and it's crank. It wasn't ridable and was true ratrod. This had to be the true begining. Everybody I know comes to me with bike issues. My closest friends and girlfriend call me a bike snob. It doesn't need to be something exclusive, it can be big box as long as it can do what I want. which is traverse this city quick as possible.
 
Bicycle808 said:
As a teenager, I learned just enough to keep my bike rolling, but when I think back to how sloppy all my bearings were, and how hard it is to work on bikes with ONLY a couple screwdrivers and an adjustable wrench, it makes me pretty embarrassed.
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I believe there is another thread like this somewhere, but none the less I like reading what got people going on this hobby.

808, I give it up to anyone that can make things work with the least amount of tools possible. Its not the best procedure, but ingenuity is needed to make those wheels roll when you just have a adjustable wrench and few screwdrivers.

I started my 2 wheel hobby when I was a kid looking at lowrider bikes. Never built one and my taste changed by the time I was able to buy my first bike at a garage sale for $10.
 
The price and availability of ammo got me into bikes. I needed a new hobby. Still got the guns but can't afford to shoot them.


Chuck

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
A.S.BOLTNUT said:
Traded my Bologna sandwich for a Westrenflyer when i was 6.



~RafaeL~
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Trying to work out the inflation rate on bologna, but I think you did well!

Luke.
 
I've liked bikes since I was a kid. I was heavily into BMX back in the 70's and early 80's and later I used to commute to work by bike. I tried mountain bikes, road bikes and recumbents, but for the last decade or so I'd kind of drifted away from them. Then I ended up with the combination of an extremely high energy dog and an injured hip and knee. I had been taking the dog on long runs every day, but my joints told me emphatically to stop doing it. They didn't particularly like walks much either. Cycling on the other hand didn't bother them at all, so now I take the dog on a 6+ mile ride every day. It actually works out quite well. I choose a hilly route so that I get more exercise and I end up bunny hopping lots of curbs and obstacles which keeps it interesting.

What appeals to me about RRB's is that there is an open minded view of bikes here. I like unusual stuff and the whole ultra high performance, ultra expensive racing bikes that roadies and mountain bikers obsess over just seems kind of silly to me. How do you justify a $5000 bike that you can't leave anywhere for fear of it being stolen? Here it seems that bikes are about having fun not having the latest, greatest high techiest bike or the absolutely perfect antique.
 
Was watching TV with my Wife(Fiancé at the time) saw a tank bike in a commercial. Then she mentioned how she would like to ride bikes but only if it was old like that one. I took note and started hunting around for one I could restore for Christmas. I ended up getting her a 55 Roadmaster and go to work, about the time hers was almost done I realized I had to have something to ride with her or the bike wouldn't get used. I picked up a 37-39 Mercury and gave her and early Christmas present in November, only because I couldn't store a freshly painted bike in the shop for nearly 2 months. Now I think she wishes she hadn't got me started in this because there are now 9 bikes, and lots of parts.
 

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