The bike. Or, better said – time on the bike – is golden.
Bikes can be fitness, social, alone time, taking time, getting away, getting with, seeing things, seeing people, going places …. it can be many things.
From the look of the pages selling used bikes, it can also be a hobby of just building bikes. How many times do I read of a bike that is “new and never been ridden.” “Built just for me.” Or “… a gravel bike that is perfect for gravel and has only been used on the trainer inside for about 70 miles, so it is like new.” Like the trainer miles are good miles? Or even miles at all since you never moved … but that is another story. I would say trainer miles are often worse for the bike than outdoor miles. Regardless, they want to sell a bike that is ‘great’ but has not really been ridden. Then they want 7 thousand dollars for the bike.
I wonder about so many things. What specifically you ask? They bought the bike and/or took the time to build it and said they built it to ride it, but then never even rode it … even once? Or, never rode it on the terrain it was designed to ride on? Are you serious? Are you lying? I am confused.
Truth is, I know a guy. A guy that used to ride big miles. Now he does not. At the end of his riding days, he spent more time ‘building bikes’ than he did riding. He loved the act of getting a frame. Getting this part. Finding that part. Then putting them all together. Great bikes. He would actually ride them. But soon after he would sell that bike because he was putting together another one.
So, I believe there are those that love the act of putting a bike together more than riding the bike. I believe it, but I do not understand it.
Overall, it is difficult for me to fathom. You spent how much money and how much time finding the exact parts for this perfect mountain bike build and you say it is your dream bike. But then you say that it has only been ridden 10 miles on pavement. How is it that you know it is your dream bike and that it actually performs on dirt? I thought you said you dreamed of riding it on trails, but once it was together – what? That changed? You did not want to get it dirty? Thought saying it has not seen dirt holds its value? It has never touched dirt; so I would say you do not know it is the dream bike for dirt. Currently it is still just theory. How it is that you are exceedingly excited about how it rides but you have not ridden it?
We are all different. I accept that. If I am going to spent big $$ on a bike, I am buying it from a shop. Sure, anything is possible, but if you are really spending that kind of money do you really want a bike that has an ‘unknown’ history. Most of these folks selling these used bikes are online. They do not live in your community. You do not really know them. Let’s not even bring up counterfeit bikes. Maybe I am cynical.
Yes, I have bought used bikes and used bike parts. From the internet, but most often from people I actually know. I have also bought new bikes and new parts.
Yes, I have also sold bikes. The last mountain bike I sold was my dream bike. Why did I sell it? Well, my frequent travels to Colorado … they stopped … and we lost some trails in our area. I was riding dirt roads more because of my time limitations. That, coupled with a friend that wanted a great mountain bike to do the Leadville 100. A great bike should not be hanging on the wall. No matter how hard you ‘used to ride it’. Of course, when I sold it to him, I did not say, “low miles and easy riding.” I said, “I have put this bike through its paces and pushed it to its limits. It is awesome. It has been all over and ridden hard but well taken care of.” He understood. He still has it and loves it.
Anyway – just verbalizing my confusion about the so many ‘dream’ bikes on the market that apparently ‘have not been ridden’ and are ‘just like new’ reminds me of a promotional tag line from years ago that I still love.
It was Whisky brand from QBP, and the tag line was something like this – a tool not a trophy. I like that. That communicated to me that it was to be used; not to be hung on the wall. Or leaned against the garage wall or ridden lightly on easy terrain to keep from scratching the paint. It was nice and maybe even ‘pretty’ but was not made to be pretty … it was made to perform well and be a joy to use. That is my kind of bike.
If you ever buy a bike from me and I say that it was, ‘lightly ridden, never went off road or only used on the trainer,” send me to the hospital because there is something wrong in my brain. Either I have lost my memory, or I have lost my understanding of riding my bike. Maybe I banged my head on the last ride … or against the wall too many times. But that is yet another story…
