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Why I Ride #29: To Sweat a Little Every Day
(Grant Petersen is the founder of Rivendell Bicycle Works and author of JUST RIDE from Workman Publishing.)
- Grant Petersen (Credit: Martin Sundberg)
I ride a bicycle because…
I want to get around on a vehicle that weighs less than I do.
I’d rather be a bicycle rider than envy them.
I like to sweat a little, not a lot, every day, and riding is my favorite way to sweat.
I never find money and tools on the road when I’m in a car, but I do when I ride my bike.
A bike fits in places a car doesn’t, and I often want to go into those places—like between cars and the curb, between two cars, on bike-and-pedestrian bridges and overpasses.
My house and yard fit more bikes than cars.
I can park my bike on the sidewalk, or a lawn, or anywhere. I don’t need a parking lot.
If I drive on a sidewalk, I go to jail. If I ride my bike on a sidewalk, no big deal. Somebody might try to make a big deal of it, but it doesn’t register with me as a big deal.
I just want to go someplace without announcing “I’m a-coming!” and a bike does that a lot better than a car or motorcycle.
If I hit somebody when I’m riding my bike, I’m not likely to kill him. I know it’s possible, but I’m not that reckless, and I’ve never hit anybody yet.
I like riding something I can fix.
I own a bicycle company, and it would be weird if I didn’t (though obviously, I rode before I owned).
If I couldn’t ride a bike, I know there would be nothing I’d want to do more. I’m glad I have had that realization while I can still ride.
It’s a habit. It’s not something I have to do, or something I think about doing, and often it’s not something I even think about wanting to do.
Some rides are pure utility, not fun, but they’re never bad.
A few times every year I get on my bike and feel proud that I’ve mastered this flip-floppy thing that doesn’t look like it could do everything it does for me. I don’t need to hop it from boulder to fence-top, and then somersault down to a soft-front wheel landing. I sure don’t need to be able to grind out 10,000 miles a year, or a dreadful double century in under 11 hours.
I’ve mastered my bike for how I ride it.
May is National Bike Month and this year’s theme is One Ride, Many Reasons. To highlight and celebrate the many benefits of bicycling, throughout May we’ll bring you the personal reflections and inspirations of a diverse collection of bicyclists from coast to coast with our daily 31 Days, 31 Reasons blog feature.
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May 29th, 2012 at 11:19 am
I like this one better.
A Bike
A Zen Teacher saw five of his students return from the market, riding their bicycles. When they had dismounted, the teacher asked the students,
“Why are you riding your bicycles?”
The first student replied, “The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!”
The teacher praised the student, saying, “You are a smart boy. When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over, as I do.”
The second student replied, “I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path.”
The teacher commended the student, “Your eyes are open and you see the world.”
The third student replied, “When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant, nam myoho renge kyo.”
The teacher gave praise to the third student, “Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel.”
The fourth student answered, “Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all beings.”
The teacher was pleased and said, “You are riding on the golden path of non-harming.”
The fifth student replied, “I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle.”
The teacher went and sat at the feet of the fifth student, and said, “I am your disciple.”
http://goto.bilkent.edu.tr/gunes/ZEN/zenstories1.htm
May 29th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Grant Petersen had some interesting things to say on NPR earlier this month about bicycle riding. A purest to be sure.
Some of his comments were dismissive of those of use who wear spandex or rather cycling specific gear . No need for those things. Just ride to work in the clothes you work in.
Petersen may own his own business, but I am quite sure he has never ridden a 14 mile commute to work in the middle of an AR summer in work clothes.
No sir. Better to take advantage of the bicycle’s utility and carry a change of clothing.
According to Jim Halpert, who after riding his bicycle to work for two weeks, found that it saves gas and is great exercise. He also found out that he arrives to work sweaty. Change of clothes Tuna.
May 29th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
Grant’s NPR story.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/05/18/152945439/bike-to-work-day-your-photos-and-riding-advice-from-grant-petersen
June 4th, 2012 at 7:55 pm
[...] Why I Ride #29: To Sweat a Little Every Day, by Grant Petersen, founder of Rivendell Bicycle Works [...]