"It wasn't until Covid lockdowns that I became a regular bike rider, but it has become one of the joys of my life. Nothing melts away a stressful day like whizzing down a hill; not having to think about petrol prices, one-way streets or parking spots does wonders for my mood. When it came to maintenance, though, my attitude was decidedly timid. If something worked, that was good enough for me how it did so was simply none of my business."
"Guided by little more than YouTube tutorials and exasperated phone calls to my dad, I installed new handlebars and brakes, a new chain, a rear rack and a front basket, all with second-hand parts rummaged from the bins at my local community bike co-op. I was hooked; the ability to figure out how each part informs the whole, to diagnose a problem myself and fix it for next to no money, generated a sense of self-satisfaction powerful enough to get me up a medium-sized hill."
Regular cycling began during Covid lockdowns and quickly became a major source of joy and stress relief. Riding eliminated concerns about petrol, one-way streets, and parking, improving overall mood. Initial reluctance to perform maintenance led to frequent trips to bike shops and a perpetually dirty chain. After a crash, a $50 late-1970s Malvern Star sparked a desire to tinker despite rust and worn tyres. With YouTube tutorials, help from a parent, and second-hand parts from a community bike co-op, handlebars, brakes, chain, rack, and basket were installed. Building a bike from a steel frame provided intense gratification and mechanical learning.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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