So many times we get asked by nervous customers if we repair bikes which aren’t shiny uber-tech road bikes, dripping with all the latest gear and looking like they had just literally slid off the pages of the latest issue of Cyclist Magazine (I mean, don’t get me wrong, those bikes are gooooood looking’!)
FAQ – Do we Repair Old Bikes – Of Course we Do!
Anyway, back to the question. Yes, we absolutely DO repair old bikes, and rusty bikes and bikes-which-have-been-at-the-back-of-your-garage-for-20-years. These are the bikes which are the spirit machines of cycling – they hold history, and experiences, and moments, and stories as well as lots of grease, and build up and dirt which can be slightly less nostalgic.
Too often the poster image of bike culture is the carbony speed machine, captained by the MAMIL, or I would like to say more correctly the MAPIL (middle aged person in lycra). But although the kit, the bikes, the speed are all so alluring this glossy veneer of an image hides a much deeper, and rich and diverse group of bike sub-cultures and movements which embody community, inclusivity, thrift, ingenuity, courage and fun.
Geeky, Nostalgic History Bit…
Peel away the veneer and we can start to find some really interesting history. Let’s take mountain bike heritage, which lies in the klunkers of the 70’s. These bikes were cobbled together from frames and spare parts – no suspension rigs, seat risers, gears or even brakes for that matter. Mountain biking as we know it today started as cyclists in Marin County, California started using salvaged paper boy bikes form the 1940’s and 50’s to create ‘klunkers’ to ride down trails and fire paths. Riding was navigating the wildlife trails, as they unfolded before you. Desire lines they were not. The riders they were after freedom, a connection with nature and as such these mountain riders embodied a spirit of adventure and carefreeness. There was no money, no brand. No goal, no ‘look’. That is until opportunities were found to monetise and Mountain Bikes became the full squish, carbon tech speed machines we are familiar with today. Nostalgia naturally impresses on us now that wildlife trails are now curated trails. The outdoors are now ‘venues’. Moving long from this bar-humbug approach to technical innovation, I admit progress and monetisation is a natural evolution. Everything is impermanent and there are plenty of good reasons to embrace and love these developments in technology, and accessibility – namely the opporuntity for more to participate.
But sometimes it is good to remember the founding roots. That 90’s mountain bike, with all its rust and scrapes and dents, tucked away in the back of a garage, might actually be the gateway to an amazing experience. With a little love, maintenance, repair, you will be able to ride with a more simplistic and carefree spirit. Because what’s another scratch on a rusty frame? And a bit like the old clunkers….if the worst happens and you completely write off your two-wheeled machine…. there’s plenty more ‘old’ bikes out there to jump on. You too can be as carefree and wild as your Clunker predecessors (sort, of).
Shameless Marketing Plug….
Seeing as this is our blog… we can just put it out there that we can totally help you fix up your old bike AND when you break it during a carefree bout and crazy klunker style downhilling, can help you source your next new old bike. In fact Matt has an obsession with retro mountain bikes, especially if it involves some psychedelic contrasting neon colour vibes…. but that’s a subject for a whole new blog.