Early Bikes - Part One

When I was about eleven years old a friend of mine, David Boyle, showed up with a few modifications on his bike. He had replaced the chainring on his Schwinn Stingray with a larger gear. This made it harder to pedal. I asked him why he wanted his bike to be harder to pedal, and he said it was because it was better exercise. Well, and it made it go faster. I guess he was always the kind of guy who wanted to push a little harder. David went on to become a Marine and, unfortunately, at the young age of 19 died in service to his country.

* * *

When I think back on that conversation, it was probably the first time I ever thought of bicycling as exercise. For kids, bikes are fun, freedom, mobility and sport. I got my first bike at the age of four. It was a 20" black Schwinn coaster brake bike. I rode on the sidewalk in front of the house with training wheels and screamed bloody murder when my dad tried to remove them. In a compromise, he left one on. But I couldn't figure the system out, couldn't learn to ride a bike.

The transformation to a functioning bike rider required the intervention of next door neighbor Lou "Buddy" Kessel. Buddy had two older sisters, and he was a couple years older than me. He'd been through this, and had a great idea: start by learning to ride a girl's bike. He brought out his sister Barb's bike, and it turned out he was on to something. Without that top bar, it was a lot easier to straddle and get my balance. Instantly I took off riding. No training wheels. No idea how to stop this crazy thing now that I'd started.

So I just stayed on and kept riding. He ran next to me. I finally glided next to some steps where I could put out a foot and stop with some dignity.

For a few days I wanted my dad to get me a girl's bike. He was wise to resist. Actually, I was able to transfer the technique to my own bike very easily. And then I was a true bike rider.

* * *

During the school year in Kindergarten a new school opened. They were closing the two-room schoolhouse (Old LeClaire) that I went to, and which had Kindergarten and First Grade classes, and we were moving to the new LeClaire School. The entire school walked the distance on Transition Day.

It was a pretty long walk to the new school, so neighbor Chris Kane and I began riding our bikes to the new school. After about a week we were called to the principal's office. Kindergarteners were not allowed to ride bikes to school. We would have to wait until next year. Frankly, the trouble we caused that year walking could have been avoided if they'd just let us ride our bikes.

It was at Chris's house that I first saw an adult bicycle. He took me into his parents' room to show me (no touching) his dad's English Racer. It was a slender tall three speed wonder. I've wanted a bike like that all my life. Someday. An English three-speed racer with leather saddle and bag, fenders, headlight, the works. Someday.

* * *

Bike = Fun, Freedom, Mobility, Sport. And Exercise.

[caption id="attachment_20" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="1950 Raleigh Roadster 3-speed "Sir Walter""][/caption]