I saw a tweet this morning referencing a Bicycling magazine piece entitled, 101 Things to Love About Cycling. I started reading it and got to number eighteen, "Smelling the embrocation waft off your own legs," and decided I had to write my own list with more of a touring/daily-rider theme.
1. Climbing onto a 20 year-old Brooks saddle.
2. 15 miles of flat with a 15 mph tail wind.
3. Stumbling upon a cool vintage mixte in a bike rack.
4. Going to a meeting and parking right in front of the door.
5. Getting to the top of the hill.
6. That first sip of a cool beer after a hot ride.
7. Not knowing where you’re going to camp tonight.
8. Meeting that crazy small town drunkard.
9. Finding an awesome lunch spot where you least expected it.
10. Finding some really awesome IPA at a pub along the ride.
11. Fender mounted headlights and taillights.
12. Vintage… British, French, Italian.
13. Old Blackburn racks.
14. Rolling down a gravel road – three abreast – talking politics.
15. Getting the cones on a hub perfect on the first try.
16. Having that vintage part someone needs to complete a build.
17. Going from gravel to pavement.
18. Going from pavement to gravel.
19. Breaking off from a group ride.
20. Not getting run over by that jackass in a Grand Prix.
21. Riding with an umbrella.
22. Seeing someone riding with an umbrella.
23. Riding to the market and getting it all on my bike.
24. Riding with my daughters.
25. Finding something really cool in the road.
26. Talking to someone that just rode their bike to work for the first time.
27. Having a cold plum after a hot ride.
28. Getting that cyclist in racing togs going the opposite direction to acknowledge your presence by returning your wave.
29. Riding really early.
30. Going past a line of cars waiting for someone in a Lexus to make a left turn.
31. Riding late in the afternoon.
32. Riding under a full moon.
33. Stumbling onto a great swimming lake.
34. Finding a great local park just in time to pitch a tent.
35. Meeting friendly locals that offer you a place to camp.
36. Riding on gravel with a 70 year-old.
37. Riding with a 7 year-old.
38. The sun coming out after a rainstorm.
39. Finding a great place to wait out a rainstorm.
40. The perfect fender installation.
41. Stumbling upon a great cup of coffee.
42. Sweptback handlebars.
43. Brooks Flyer.
44. The feel of a fully loaded bike.
45. Riding your bike after taking all the touring gear off.
46. Riding along the coast.
47. Riding uphill with 70 pounds of gear.
48. Eating a banana while you ride.
49. Fresh cotton bar tape.
50. Knowing that you have everything you need on your bike.
51. Canvas, wicker, steel.
52. Seeing a bike with red label Mavic rims.
53. Slipping on a pair of old cycling shoes.
54. Feeling the sun on the top of your thighs.
55. Brooks B72.
56. Seeing a parent and child riding to school.
57. Finding a great place to take a nap while on tour.
58. Bluemel fenders.
59. TA Cyclotouriste.
60. Barend shifters.
61. Riding downhill on gravel.
62. Campagnolo 1010 dropouts.
63. Riding when the entire city sleeps.
64. Riding home from a party.
65. Seeing that really old guy out for a ride on his Schwinn Sports Tourer.
66. Arriving at a mountain pass.
67. Helping someone discover the perfect bike.
68. Making new bicycle friends.
69. Talking about bikes while riding three abreast.
70. The feel of really nice touring tires.
71. The Lovely Bicycle blog.
72. Old British three speeds with dynohubs.
73. Vintage touring bikes.
74. Finding a really nice touring bike in 66cm.
75. The guy that rides his bike with a parrot on his shoulder.
76. The guy who rides a vintage step-thru Paramount with a wool jersey and a leather hairnet “helmet”.
77. Riding through puddles.
78. Riding in the snow.
79. Riding through fallen leaves.
80. Riding in warm rain.
81. Riding along a river.
82. Going to the local municipal pool after lunch while on tour.
83. Fat tire bikes.
84. Skinny tire bikes.
85. Rebuilding an abandoned bike.
86. Old movies with bicycles.
87. Simplex Retro Friction.
88. The Iowa City Bike Library.
89. Pushing your bike with one hand on the saddle.
90. Singing while riding (usually when riding solo).
91. Trying not to scare off a red fox on a hill while riding past.
92. Finding a small town grocery store.
93. Jack Taylors, Mercians, Woodrups.
94. Wool bike shorts.
95. Cold water on a hot day.
96. Well-made folding bikes.
97. Stumbling onto a local parade.
98. Riding in the forest.
99. Thumb shifters.
100. Front racks
101. Lowrider racks
102. Panniers (preferably canvas)
1. Climbing onto a 20 year-old Brooks saddle.
2. 15 miles of flat with a 15 mph tail wind.
3. Stumbling upon a cool vintage mixte in a bike rack.
4. Going to a meeting and parking right in front of the door.
5. Getting to the top of the hill.
6. That first sip of a cool beer after a hot ride.
7. Not knowing where you’re going to camp tonight.
8. Meeting that crazy small town drunkard.
9. Finding an awesome lunch spot where you least expected it.
10. Finding some really awesome IPA at a pub along the ride.
11. Fender mounted headlights and taillights.
12. Vintage… British, French, Italian.
13. Old Blackburn racks.
14. Rolling down a gravel road – three abreast – talking politics.
15. Getting the cones on a hub perfect on the first try.
16. Having that vintage part someone needs to complete a build.
17. Going from gravel to pavement.
18. Going from pavement to gravel.
19. Breaking off from a group ride.
20. Not getting run over by that jackass in a Grand Prix.
21. Riding with an umbrella.
22. Seeing someone riding with an umbrella.
23. Riding to the market and getting it all on my bike.
24. Riding with my daughters.
25. Finding something really cool in the road.
26. Talking to someone that just rode their bike to work for the first time.
27. Having a cold plum after a hot ride.
28. Getting that cyclist in racing togs going the opposite direction to acknowledge your presence by returning your wave.
29. Riding really early.
30. Going past a line of cars waiting for someone in a Lexus to make a left turn.
31. Riding late in the afternoon.
32. Riding under a full moon.
33. Stumbling onto a great swimming lake.
34. Finding a great local park just in time to pitch a tent.
35. Meeting friendly locals that offer you a place to camp.
36. Riding on gravel with a 70 year-old.
37. Riding with a 7 year-old.
38. The sun coming out after a rainstorm.
39. Finding a great place to wait out a rainstorm.
40. The perfect fender installation.
41. Stumbling upon a great cup of coffee.
42. Sweptback handlebars.
43. Brooks Flyer.
44. The feel of a fully loaded bike.
45. Riding your bike after taking all the touring gear off.
46. Riding along the coast.
47. Riding uphill with 70 pounds of gear.
48. Eating a banana while you ride.
49. Fresh cotton bar tape.
50. Knowing that you have everything you need on your bike.
51. Canvas, wicker, steel.
52. Seeing a bike with red label Mavic rims.
53. Slipping on a pair of old cycling shoes.
54. Feeling the sun on the top of your thighs.
55. Brooks B72.
56. Seeing a parent and child riding to school.
57. Finding a great place to take a nap while on tour.
58. Bluemel fenders.
59. TA Cyclotouriste.
60. Barend shifters.
61. Riding downhill on gravel.
62. Campagnolo 1010 dropouts.
63. Riding when the entire city sleeps.
64. Riding home from a party.
65. Seeing that really old guy out for a ride on his Schwinn Sports Tourer.
66. Arriving at a mountain pass.
67. Helping someone discover the perfect bike.
68. Making new bicycle friends.
69. Talking about bikes while riding three abreast.
70. The feel of really nice touring tires.
71. The Lovely Bicycle blog.
72. Old British three speeds with dynohubs.
73. Vintage touring bikes.
74. Finding a really nice touring bike in 66cm.
75. The guy that rides his bike with a parrot on his shoulder.
76. The guy who rides a vintage step-thru Paramount with a wool jersey and a leather hairnet “helmet”.
77. Riding through puddles.
78. Riding in the snow.
79. Riding through fallen leaves.
80. Riding in warm rain.
81. Riding along a river.
82. Going to the local municipal pool after lunch while on tour.
83. Fat tire bikes.
84. Skinny tire bikes.
85. Rebuilding an abandoned bike.
86. Old movies with bicycles.
87. Simplex Retro Friction.
88. The Iowa City Bike Library.
89. Pushing your bike with one hand on the saddle.
90. Singing while riding (usually when riding solo).
91. Trying not to scare off a red fox on a hill while riding past.
92. Finding a small town grocery store.
93. Jack Taylors, Mercians, Woodrups.
94. Wool bike shorts.
95. Cold water on a hot day.
96. Well-made folding bikes.
97. Stumbling onto a local parade.
98. Riding in the forest.
99. Thumb shifters.
100. Front racks
101. Lowrider racks
102. Panniers (preferably canvas)
RSS Feed
