You can’t do this on that
I’ve been off my Condor for a while now due to a little off on a patch of diesel before Christmas. It’s been in the shop getting rack mounts brazed on and a new powder coat done. I’ve been left with the fixed and the Brompton as my choice of bikes for getting around.
When I had the Condor I was getting in to doing more distance and getting my weekly numbers up. I’d even started doing laps of the park at lunch and finding longer ways home. Having just the fixed to use, for some reason I didn’t feel like it was the right bike to do this kind of activity on. I’m not sure why but it felt like I’d look stupid, not the part, out of place or just wouldn’t be right. Dare I say that it would be too much like hard work too. My bike is a knackered old thing held together with jubilee clips and stickers and is completely filthy. It doesn’t quite match my nice cycling clothes I’ve got and the silly little hat I wear under my helmet. To make matters worse I had added a rack and now ride with a pannier.
As time went on I cared less and less about these things. I still wanted the exercise and to improve my distance ridden during the week. My fitness improved slightly and I gave a few laps of the park a go one lunch to shake some midday stress out. Thoroughly enjoyable if a little tiring. I then started adding some more miles in on the way home, three laps of Regents then up Dog Kennel Hill. Again with rack and pannier and a shitty old bike.
The best thing is no one cares. Well that’s not quite true, some of the roadies in the park hate being overtaken by me. I’m sure the pannier rubs extra salt in the wounds. But as I’ve said before, I’m not racing against anyone else, just myself and my own fitness. I always want to push myself that little harder. Its only self consciousness that had stopped me before. Besides I’m still out on my bike with a reasonable pace getting the miles in and who cares on what bike I’m using.
The whole experience has been liberating and I’ve gained a lot of fitness from riding fixed at a quicker pace over longer distances. I can’t say I haven’t missed a freewheel at times. The sound of a lovely clicky free hub behind you sometimes drives me mad. I’m just hoping that this extra will pay off when the Condor returns. That feeling of the bike running away from you will be hard to get used to at first but I’ve got so many nice rides in mind. I’m also going to join Brixton Cycle Club and join the Sunday club run which was partly inspired by reading the Escape Artist by Matt Seaton.
