Old Friends Reunited
 

Michael Gill was a real hardcore racing roadie back in the early 1980's. Wherever he went, you could be assured that his coveted Peugeot PX-10 was right there with him. He averaged anywhere from 200 to 300 miles per week on what was then considered as a high end road bicycle. Being a native of Cleveland, Ohio, in his youth, Michael decided to join the Cleveland Wheelman, a bicycle racing team. This bicycle racing team would travel from Cleveland, to Michigan, and New York to compete in various races. Overall, Michael logged in over 30,000 miles on his PX-10.

Michael has always commuted by bicycle. Upon his graduation from college back in the late 80's, he was quickly accepted into a college master's program. It was at this time that he decided to upgrade to an even more prestigious bicycle. After purchasing a brand new handmade Colnago Super, he decided to sell his Peugeot PX-10 for one hundred bucks. He would later be heartbroken, upon learning that this same Colnago, had been twisted around a pole after he had given it to a friend. This friend of his had a brief stop while on errands, in Cleveland, when the incident occurred.

Since then, Michael has owned several other bicycles for the sole purpose of commuting. However, his heart has always longed for the good ole days when he and the Peugeot were racing and rolling from state to state, in perfect harmony together, as one. This yearning became intensified after learning about the total destruction of Italian road bike artistry, in the Colnago Super.

During one period of Michael's nostalgic trips into the past, he decided to seek out the very types of bikes he used to ride with, on all of those long interstate journeys of yesteryear. He began to scour the local Craigslist of Cleveland. His eyes caught an interesting advertisement about vintage racing road bikes from the eighties. Michael decided to take a spin over to a converted laundro-mat, now a bicycle shop called, the Blazing Saddles Cyclery.

As soon as Michael entered the Cyclery, his eyes became quickly focused upon two vintage racing bicycle frames, sitting on top of the counter. One was quite obviously not his size. His eyes therefore, became fixated upon the color of the other bicycle. It was the same as his old Peugeot frame! It was also the same exact size as his old PX-10. As a matter of fact, it was a PX-10! Not only that, but from the worn decals that Michael personally attached to his old Peugeot of the early 80's, Michael could tell, that this frame was his very own Peugeot frame from many years passed. He couldn't believe it! After all these years...

Michael pulled out his wallet and paid the asking price, with no bickering or bartering whatsoever!

Michael picked the frame up and held it, as he stood there amazed. Amazed and completely soaked with over twenty-six years of pure nostalgia.

So there they were, friends united again...

I'm sure tears were hard to hold back on that one!

- Slim

Reference:

www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/10/13/141322335/man-celebrates-26-year-reunion-with-his-old-racing-bike

Beautiful story. I wish I could find my old Trek 520 that I bought new in 1983 and left to goodwill in 2005.

I just cried, thank you for sharing!

Great story! Hope he does more research before selling a bike again. ;)

I had an old Korean 3-speed that got stolen from my garage that I still dream about, sometimes. Boy! Do I ever wish I could get that one back! :thumb:

I didn't really cry, but almost!

Glad you enjoy it, Scott!

Most respectfully,

- Slim :thumb:

I have a brother who's over a decade older than I am and he's pushing 60. He didn't get a driver's license until well into his 30's for reasons I don't even remember.

He owned a Peugeot a notch below the PX-10 that he rode everywhere back in the 70's. We didn't live in an urban area. The automobile ruled that town. Of course I looked up to him and when it came time to buy my first bike (one that my parents didn't get for me), I wanted a Peugeot. I was a recent college grad, this was the late 80's and Mountain bikes were all the rage then but I wasn't interested.

My Peugeot was the first bike I commuted on and the first bike I raced. It wasn't one of their high end models, it was outdated and eventually I replaced it with something more modern. I kept it for awhile out of nostalgia but sold it a few years ago because I had no real use for it anymore.

In the late 70's, my brother left for graduate school in Hawaii. His Peugeot went with him. It suffered some being left outside in the salty air but it endured. Decades later my brother still has it and still commutes on it.

If it weren't for my brother and that Peugeot of his I probably wouldn't be commuting by bike today. I learned at an early age that cars aren't the only way to get around.

Good for you, TJ!..Sometimes, older brothers are indispensible!

Just think, if not for your older brother, we wouldn't even have the pleasure of reading your wonderful comments today, here on BF...

Thank you my friend,

- Slim

great story

Great story Slim, thanks for sharing it! I'm fortunate in that I haven't regretted getting rid of any of the bikes I've sold or given away.

Don't worry, I found it :)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v.../83_520_03.jpg