Fifty Plus (50+) - When I die, I want my bike(s) to go to ............

I'm posting this here in the 50+ Department because I assume most of you here are more mature about life.

I'm currently living with a girlfriend, and we sometimes talk about our kids, family members, our stuff, and about our eventual deaths. Yeah, I know. Most people try to avoid that topic. But since last fall, we've buried my mother, her mother, her older sister, and now, her younger sister has cancer. So, death is all around us these days.

So I was suggesting to Cora that if I should croak before her, I would like her to have my bike. If not her, I would want her to put my bike up for sale on CraigsList for a stout asking price.

My logic is, I love my bike. I've had her for over 16 years now and have kept her modernized and very well maintained. I think that if I just left her to one of my kids, they wouldn't appreciate the true value and would just leave her outside or wherever and let her go to waste. Someone who pays good money for a titanium hardtail mountain bike probably would be more likely to take good care of her and appreciate her much more.

I'm posting this thread here, thinking that maybe some of you out there have similar feelings for a special bike or some other special possession. And I'm wondering what you're thinking about who to leave them to... ;)

At this point I do not have my bikes in my will, they are just part of the whole that will be taken care of, but I am not super attached to them. They are what I use to get exercise and enjoy life. Yes they are special and I hope they will find a good 'home' but I am not worried ... or will not be at that point : ) as to where they go.
peace

...hell, with me.

Sorry, someone immature had to say it.

;)

Seriously, though, I haven't formed any kind of emotional attachment to my bikes. In fact, about the only things I've mentioned specifically in my will are the stone in my wife's engagement ring (it's an heirloom from my side of the family), and my guitar and banjo. I just don't feel that kind of bond with anything else I own.

die?

True value of a passed father has no price, leave it to one of your sons.

Hey, you'll be dead, so really it doesn't matter. Don't do anything that causes hard feelings for those you leave behind.

I love my bike too, but in the end, it's just a bike. What we do on them matters (at least to us), but a bike (however beautiful) is just stuff. Let it go.

I recently gave my well loved 1987 Jamis Explorer to my nephew. He was 14? 12? when I bought it new and we used to ride together, he always lusted after that bike. I even let him ride it a couple of times. He lives in Hawaii now so I'll never see it in person - just enjoy the pictures he sends me of him enjoying it. AND he's taking care of it just the way I told him to. He was SO SURPRISED and happy when I told him - it was worth more than anything. How many people would love that bike that much? Me and him.

I was a bit surprised to learn several years ago that a good bud of mine and my son had a discussion on how they were going to divy up my bike collection after my demise. I guess it does not really matter that they are the wrong size frames for them.

By the time I kick the bucket- My bikes will be going to a museum somewhere.

I want to be cremated, my ashes put into the tubes of my bike, a small hole drilled, and the bike ridden by friends on my favorite route, my ashes slowly being released. After that, I don't really care what happens to the bike.

When I die what I want ceases to exist. As Curtis said, It's just stuff; let it go.

I asked Gina to cut my frame in half then mount the front end on the wall as if it were riding from out of the wall. :D

Little roughdraft (couldn't find and example)

201817

My nephew will get at least one if not all my bikes. He's the closest thing to an offspring I have. Also the only relative remotely tall enough to fit my bikes. And he's only 15 now, so he'll have a long time to enjoy them after I have a long time to enjoy them!

Good question, with no good answers.

No one I know would truly appreciate my bike as much as I do. My utility bike will probably find its own place, but for other bikes... It's a Nishiki/American Eagle 10 speed, to me, it's a token from a friend, many thousands of miles of memories and a special part of history. How can they know? Hopefully people's accquisitiveness will show up and people will show interest in the bike(s) they like the most.

I think I will leave those questions to the executor. They have a better perspective on the matter. Though I have noted that the large diameter frame to the Bacchetta might serve well as an urn.

presumably we will all be worn out by then so my steel bike will end up in the smelter and my CF bike in the land fill.

Donate it to hospice

I was a bit surprised to learn several years ago that a good bud of mine and my son had a discussion on how they were going to divy up my bike collection after my demise. I guess it does not really matter that they are the wrong size frames for them.

They didn't have a further discussion focused on speeding up your demise, I would hope not?

Not worried about the bike but very concerned about the guns, especially about the shotgun that was my Dad's prize and the Winchester .22 that he was given when he was 12 (depression era) and that I learned on. I've got lots of others but only a couple with emotional attachments.

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x229/TomD77/post%20from/SW45.jpg

Don't worry about the guns. It won't be long until the government confiscates all of them and melts them down. Our bikes might be safe a little longer.

TomD,
Great pix! Thanks for the link.
...how many pictures WAS that! I couldn't believe how many you have linked! Very kewl.

Not worried about the bike but very concerned about the guns, especially about the shotgun that was my Dad's prize and the Winchester .22 that he was given when he was 12 (depression era) and that I learned on. I've got lots of others but only a couple with emotional attachments.

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x229/TomD77/post%20from/SW45.jpg

As I recall, the Colt Model 1911 semi-automatic pistol was designed by Browning. He was quite a firearms designer and machinist. That particular model has been produced by different manufacturers for a hundred years now (like the S&W in your photo). Can you imagine a design of any mechanical thing so good that a hundred years later, it's still being produced and so sought after? Do you suppose the Glocks will still be as sought after a hundred years from now? Can you imagine one particular bicycle design that would be popular for over a hundred years?

After I'm dead my bikes would ideally go to my widow's fortunate second husband or my daughter's equally fortunate first.

My older son is too tall for my bikes and the younger one will be in a few years. If they can't use them, I suppose my wife will sell them or give them away. I hope they end up with someone who will ride them and take care of them, but it really doesn't matter.
I did think more about this before Ribby* met her demise. I really like all my bikes but she was the love of my life. I kind of hope someone in the family will keep her around as an art piece.

* My 1992 Bridgestone RB-1 that I rode for 18-1/2 years before we were hit by a car.

...who to leave them to... ;)

Begin by determinining what's important in the time you have left vis-a-vis the family...all else is just 'stuff'. [Note To Self.]