Ever been without?
 

I can remember 2 years in my life (since I was 5) when I didn't have a bike. I can't remember what caused the first year of no bike, but I think it was the time when my very old bike crumbled beneath me, and I couldn't afford another one for a while. The second one was when I got my bike stolen and I couldn't afford another one. It was the last year of college, so I had to walk or drive everywhere. (I know, I would have been better off without the car in the first place, since the insurance and license money could have bought a decent bike.) It surely s***ed. My parents gave me $100 for graduation, so guess what I bought?

I was thinking today that I have rarely been without a bike in my life. I also realized that the times I haven't had one have been some of the most unpleasant ones in my life. Once again, I remembered how the availability of a bike has gotten me through so many difficult times. It's just joy, pleasure, freedom, and happiness. I never want to go without again.

uh...

Well in 10th grade I crashed my bike and the punishment was to be without a bike till I started living with my other parent. In 12th grade my bike was stolen when I left it unlocked for just a moment. I did without a bike till I got to college.

At the University, as I rushed towards graduation I had no money. All my bikes needed major repairs to put them on the road, so I grabbed my brothers bike which was rotting on the balcony. Sure enough, pumping up the tires and lubing the chain and I was good to go. Only a month till graduation.

Two weeks later as I rode along, the bike seemed to be getting soft like a Claes Oldenburg sculpture. It was also getting lower. My downtube had separated from the bottom bracket. I took it home and managed to put it back together with turnbuckles and baling wire. That worked okay till a few days later when I came out of class to find that someone had done some stress relief on the baling wire by loosening the turnbuckles. I walked it home, tried to do repairs and sort of got it back together. At least the repair held me through graduation. Then a couple of days later, while riding to work there was the same soft feeling. I hopped off the bike, walked it to work and at lunch took all the good components off and threw the frame in the trash.

I was once again bike free. It took me till January to find a good full time job, so I walked everywhere for the duration. Then I was able to afford components and got my American Eagle/Nishiki back on the road.

The last time was when I was living in the desert. I had put bike repairs on hold while I tried to start a business. But that didn't go and so finally I managed to find a job. I actually had to delay my starting day by a week so I could go and get all the components needed to get the American Eagle/Nishiki back on the road again.

If only you'd thrown some duct tape into the mix. You'd still be riding that bike.

The right tool for the right job.

After college until I was close to thirty was bike free.
Then I was making enough scratch to afford the bike I wanted in college and the real addiction started.

It was a Montgomery Ward 10 speed. Ewwwww. I don't think I'd want to be riding it. Besides, at that point, I couldn't afford duct tape.

I was just fortunate to have the baling wire and turnbuckles. However, the derailleur I took off that day is still with me. It's on the American Eagle/Nishiki ;)

In theory, I have never not owned a human powered vehicle of some sort for as long as I can remember except for kindergarten between the time that my red scooter vanished from my reality and I got my first Schwinn Stingray.

I did go without a bike for a few years when I joined the Air Force, but I just left my bike at my parents. It was still my bike. I just didn't keep it where I lived.

I've been without a bike twice since getting my first bike around 44 years ago at the age 5. Both times were due to stolen bikes but was only bikeless for a few hours the first time (stolen at high school) and a few days the second time (a little over a decade ago out of my garage).

I had a couple of bikes stolen when I was a kid. One was found, the other was replaced with a crappier bike.

Before April 2008, I only owned two bikes as an adult. One I bought around 2001- a crappy mountain bike that broke every time I rode it. The other I have no memory of whatsoever, but recently found photographic evidence of it's existence. The pictures in question were from 1995.

I didn't miss having a bike for the years I went without. I was stuck on the "gotta have better stuff" treadmill of debt, cars, and stuff. A bicycle had become a toy. It wasn't until April 2008 that I started seeing a bicycle as necessary... just as I had as a child.

I haven't ridden since Friday, and due to weather, it could be a little while longer before I ride again... so, yeah, I wish I had ridden today.

Nope, never.

I was bikefree for about a year- can't remember clearly how long- after my Peugeot U0-8 was stolen from a college dorm back in the 70's. It was my pride and joy in high school, I'd bought it with money from my first jobs. Like everyone above I had little spending money during college and it was difficult to find money for another bike. Luckily my roommate was no longer riding his and sold it to me for $5; it was a cheap old 10 speed with a solid front fork and worn out drivetrain, but I rode it for several years. It was a long time before I could afford another bike as nice as the U0-8.

I doubt if I rode 10 miles between the ages of 15 and 35. I've put more miles on my bike in the last 12 months than I probably did in the last 25 years prior put together.

While quitting for 20 years is probably pretty rare for a BF'er I imagine it's pretty common for the average American.

I lived in West Philadelphia for a couple years, during which time I never rode my bike, I really don't know why. Does that count?

Almost the same situation for me. I rode a bananna seat as a kid and upgraded to a 10-speed in Jr. High. Once I got into high school, I didn't touch a bike again for about 20 years. I bought a used Kona Lana'i in early Dec. 2008 and am slowly converting it to a full commuter. I just put a rear rack on this last weekend as a matter of fact.

I have always had a healthy mistrust of automobiles. My current Saturn has been a really reliable car, but it's 8 years old now, and I'm not sure how much longer it will be reliable. I am now commuting to work by bicycle twice a week and plan to up that to three times a week soon.

I do a hybrid bicycle-bus commute. Every day I do my commute this way saves me from putting 40 miles on my car. I feel great every day I don't have to rely on my car.

not really. i've always had a bike. but up until I bought myself one, they were $5 deals that were found dumpster diving or at surplus auctions. My last $5 bike did last 2 years, I had outgrown it by the time the fork bent and the headtube warped. That was also the worst wreck i've had.