Childhood Revisited
I got a new bike this weekend! On Saturday afternoon I was chatting online with Eric and he said he wanted to take his new bike out for a ride but he didn't know where. It sounded like a great idea since Fall is slowly embracing Shanghai and the weather is cool and crisp. So I decided we could make an afternoon out of it and I cabbed over to Carrefour in Eric's part of town to get myself a new set of wheels.
Buying a new bike is a magical experience. It made me recall picking out my first bike at Toys R Us with my parents and riding up and down the aisles like a little maniac. A bicycle when you're young means freedom! Some of my best childhood memories are of riding around the neighborhood with my friends like a small gang, only limited by how far our little legs could take us. Of course being a grown man at 26, I rode up and down the aisles of the Carrefour like a maniac, scaring small children and adults alike.
Bikes in China don't have a very long life expectancy. Because they're so cheap (and cheaply made), most people leave them parked outside to suffer from the elements. Mix in the high rate of bicycle theft here and you're better off not getting too attached to your ride. With this in mind I opted for a middle-of-the-road quality bike, which ended up costing me a whopping $32 US. I could have gotten the $12 special, but I gave it a spin and my life flashed before my eyes. It was like riding a coathanger with wheels.
After having the bike mechanic make all the proper adjustments, like tightening the brakes, raising my seat, installing my lock and my bell, we were off to go terrorize the streets of Shanghai. It was a blast! Picture two big kids with brand new bikes, with the huge flat streets of Shanghai at their disposal. One of these kids has a basket on the front of his bike, like a true Chinaman, and the other one is ringing his bell like a madman to call attention to anyone in their path. Of course most kids don't ride out looking to scout out some local shady massage parlors, but that's besides the point.
Anyway, I'm very excited to have my new set of wheels and I'm crossing my fingers that it doesn't get stolen anytime soon. Eric highly recommends I get a cute girl to ride on the back of my bike with me, so next week at school I'm going to have to cruise around offering girls a ride home. If she's cute, maybe I'll take her to 7-11 for a slurpee too.
Buying a new bike is a magical experience. It made me recall picking out my first bike at Toys R Us with my parents and riding up and down the aisles like a little maniac. A bicycle when you're young means freedom! Some of my best childhood memories are of riding around the neighborhood with my friends like a small gang, only limited by how far our little legs could take us. Of course being a grown man at 26, I rode up and down the aisles of the Carrefour like a maniac, scaring small children and adults alike.
Bikes in China don't have a very long life expectancy. Because they're so cheap (and cheaply made), most people leave them parked outside to suffer from the elements. Mix in the high rate of bicycle theft here and you're better off not getting too attached to your ride. With this in mind I opted for a middle-of-the-road quality bike, which ended up costing me a whopping $32 US. I could have gotten the $12 special, but I gave it a spin and my life flashed before my eyes. It was like riding a coathanger with wheels.
After having the bike mechanic make all the proper adjustments, like tightening the brakes, raising my seat, installing my lock and my bell, we were off to go terrorize the streets of Shanghai. It was a blast! Picture two big kids with brand new bikes, with the huge flat streets of Shanghai at their disposal. One of these kids has a basket on the front of his bike, like a true Chinaman, and the other one is ringing his bell like a madman to call attention to anyone in their path. Of course most kids don't ride out looking to scout out some local shady massage parlors, but that's besides the point.
Anyway, I'm very excited to have my new set of wheels and I'm crossing my fingers that it doesn't get stolen anytime soon. Eric highly recommends I get a cute girl to ride on the back of my bike with me, so next week at school I'm going to have to cruise around offering girls a ride home. If she's cute, maybe I'll take her to 7-11 for a slurpee too.
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