Electra Amsterdam - First ride

Despite the three-foot snowbanks still covering the lawns, the temperature rose today to a balmy 4 degrees Celsius (39 F). I couldn’t take it anymore - the sight of our two new Electra Amsterdam bikes sitting in the laundry room (the outside basement “coffin” door is still deeply covered in snow, so no way to get the bikes downstairs) was too painful to me and I suggested a short ride to my wife. Committed to do this normally dressed, we donned our light ski-jackets, hiking shoes, helmets, and off we went.

Anthropologists suggest that Man’s domination of his environment was only possible once he had stood fully erect….that Homo Sapiens (Knowledge Man) could not evolve until Home Erectus had managed to “stand on his own two feet” and actually look at his world. Today I understood why. I have spent the last 40 years or so on a bevy of fantastic “sport” machines..from custom-made racing bikes to thunderous mountain bikes. I can describe a variety of pavement types, can distinguish clay from sand on a trail, and describe most roadways I’ve traversed in terms of how “good” or “bad” the asphalt condition - all products of a near-lifetime staring down at the road in front of me.

The first thing one notices on the Electra Amsterdam is that the bolt-upright position forces you to look at the world around you. “Hey, the ice-cream shop in the Village is already open” I exclaimed to my wife. I saw the lake, still half-frozen over, and the sun casting its shadow on the trees in the park. The long-wheelbase frame, sprung seat, and big wheels cushioned every bump and crevice better than the dual suspension on my mountain bike. In a nutshell, I HAD FUN!

The challenge is to see if we can integrate the bikes into our daily lives…grocery shopping, visiting friends in the area, and riding at night…not to mention continuing to use them for these purposes even if the weather isn’t great.

Explore posts in the same categories: Environment, Uncategorized