Reminders from the bike shop, it's all about the ride

I often say that before anyone is allowed to be an adult they should be required to do two things work in retail and work in food service.

There's no better way to experience the worst range of human behaviors than in service industries, and to thusly learn humility. To make sure that I'm fully certified to be an adult, I've worked a variety of both hospitality and retail jobs over the years. For the past few years I've worked part time at Blue Sky Bicycles here in Saratoga Springs. In addition to reminding me how to work with a variety of people, this job has the additional benefit of offering me discounts on bike stuff, occasional access to the shop to work on my own bikes, and a highly-convenient bike wash station.

All very good indeed. The greatest benefit, however, may be near-constant reminder that riding bikes doesn't have to be such a serious affair all the time.

Case-in-point: While at work this morning I first sold three bikes to a couple who wanted to ride with their college-aged daughter while in town for the track season. They didn't care about the bikes' features, comparative merits or gear ratios. Did they fit? Can it have a kick stand? Good, we'll take them.

And into the back of the Porsche Cayenne. That was the kind of sale that salesmen dream of, but it was also a reminder that if all you want is to ride to Humpty Dumpty you don't need to make sure that your saddle perfect to the millimeter, or that your knee is centered over the pedal spindle. As someone who now always makes sure his knee is in the correct position relative to the spindle, but who once lived only to ride to the Verrazzano Bridge with Dad, it was a nice reminder that the company is more important than an in-style saddle.

The same was true for an elderly man who came in a couple hours later, who wanted to be able to keep up with companies on bicycle outings, and for whom his beach cruiser-style bike wasn't cutting the mustard any longer. For an older man with trouble hoisting his leg over a tall saddle, a bike with a dropped-top tube (formerly known as a ladies' bike) was just the thing. Did he want to be comfortable? Of course, and a bike that's easy to get on and off was the thing to get him there, regardless of the questionable (to the eyes of some) looks. After all, no one wants to be the guy on the group ride who's holding everyone up.

Lately, an increasing number of people want to chat me up on the subject of my bike -- mostly because they've never heard of a Champion System -- and I find myself increasingly trying to avoid these conversations, because, honestly bikes aren't that interesting. They've all got two wheels and a handlebar. They're all made in the same factory. What more is there to talk about?

But the ride, that's fun. That's worth talking about, no matter how slow you're going or what bike is between your legs.