The son of Lebanese immigrants, I grew up in the then working class suburb of Preston. Between 1985 & 2006, I only ever owned second hand bikes. I guess by now your wondering, so what happened pre-1985, to which I’d respond, how would I know, I was five idiot?
Anyway, until one day while talking to my wife about a problem she had at work it came to me. I didn’t want to continue riding my dual-suspension, non-series Shimano equipped Trek. I wanted a brand new bike _ and so I walked into Ray’s Bikes and demanded they show me their best bike under $700.00. That’s right long hair, cancel your tattoo appointment I’m paying cash!
Ten minutes later I walked out pumped having been wacked full retail on an old stock Merida Hardtail MTB and Louis Garneau shoes with no pedals = $1,400. An event that we’ve all experienced once and never will experience again. A lot has changed since then.
Between 2008 & 2011, I have owned a 2008 Merida Road 904, 2008 Cinelli Mecano, 2008 ProGear RX 4000 (don’t ask), 2009 Bianchi Via Nirone7, 2010 Cinelli MASH SF, 2006 Principia Evolution (which didn’t even make it to assembly), 2010 Look 566, 2011 Specialized Tarmac Comp and around 16 different wheelsets.
So why all the hardware you ask? Is this some kind of deeply embedded dark anger that I have towards only being handed down second hand bikes as a child _ you know, the type that never had working brakes, or the one that had it's gears jammed in the 14/53, I don’t know and who cares??
So why all the hardware you ask? Is this some kind of deeply embedded dark anger that I have towards only being handed down second hand bikes as a child _ you know, the type that never had working brakes, or the one that had it's gears jammed in the 14/53, I don’t know and who cares??
What matters is being out with your mates smashing kilometer after kilometer in any weather on whatever the hell bike you can bang together_. what matters is big-chaining that next climb or flying into Frankston in an 11/53, that’s all that matters!
As for that longhair, he’s still at Rays waiting for that next douche to walk in off the street.
McShiney
McShiney wrote this post and sent it to me last week, I caught up with him for a coffee this morning and he told he has just purchased another bike!!
Keep an eye out for more of McShiney's adventures to follow.
Have a great weekend
~VL
