The Silver Streak

March 27th, 2002

My trusty Schwinn mountain bike, affectionately branded as The Silver Streak by my friend Justin, has been with me through four CANDISC tours, semesters of campus commutes, and thousands of North Dakota miles. When I bought it five or six years ago, the $550 it cost me seemed like a fortune. My dad thought I was crazy to spend so much on a bike. These days I realize it was a great value. It saw me through my introduction to recreational cycling. I'm no racer, but riding around for the fun of it has become quite important to me. It has changed my way of thinking about certain things, perhaps even my way of life - to some extent.

I realize bikes can be much more expensive, much more high tech, and much faster than this old Schwinn. But all the same, I'm quite attached to The Streak. That's why, when the bike shop told me (after an overly brief examination of the problem) that it will cost $150-$200 to replace all the worn out parts, I was quite upset. The salesman immediately suggested a trade in on something newer. I was almost offended.

I left the bike shop a little red in the face, all the old parts intact and sans new bicycle. I wanted a second opinion. And I may still seek one out. But alas, the tech geek in me has been scouring the web for the best in mountain bike technology that falls within my price range. What will become of the Silver Streak? Stay tuned to find out.