I think it’s time for me to invest in a new bicycle. The mountain bike that I brought out west with me has seen too many winters-- and summers for that matter. It’s nearing a decade in age. Age is not on its own a problem, but my frame is showing the classic sign of fatigue: It creaks.  

 

I’ve had this current mountain bike since my first year of university. I bought it to be my commuter bike in all seasons to get to and from school and work. When I moved out west in 2003, I opted to take my mountain bike along with me. (The thought of having the movers handle my other bike, a road-racing model, was too much to bear, so I left it behind, and it sits idle in my parent’s basement.) Since then, my mountain bike has become my primary riding machine.

 

This summer has been fantastic, each day bringing near ideal weather conditions for cycling. I’ve been getting out on the bike as frequently as I can, and I feel like I’ve advanced myself in the sport this year, building strength and endurance. It’s been very satisfying and a most appropriate send-off for my retiring mountain bike.