Biking has changed my life. I grew up in suburbia and cycled to school from elementary school until I got my drivers license. I put my bike away until college where I used a bike to get around the suburban campus. When I moved to the city for work I had my bike with me but hardly ever used it. I was commuting less than 3 miles by car every day. This seem crazy to me now.
In 2011 I learned about a local maker space called Artisan’s Asylum and signed up for a welding class there with a friend. At the end of the first class the instructor Skunk took the class over to the other side of the shop and said if you’re wondering what to do with these skills once you practice check out this other thing I do at the shop. He introduced us to SCUL and described it as a sci-fi themed bicycle chopper gang. I didn’t know it at the time but I had found my people. I finished the class and then immediately came back to join SCUL. I’ve been busting the funk with them for over a decade now and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
After the first few rides with them I noticed that my friend and I were the only ones that drove to the shop to go on bike rides. Everyone else showed up on a normal bike, put them away and took out their choppers and away we went. I had a normal bike. I didn’t live that far away. Why wasn’t I using it? And if I can ride to the shop why can’t I ride to work which is even closer than the shop? So I took out my old mountain bike and started riding to work. Fortunately it was spring time in Boston so the weather was favorable. After a few months on the mountain bike I decided a road bike would do the job better so I got a cheap on ons craigslist and rode the tires off it for the next year. By then I had decided that this was my preferred transportation method and I was using my car less and less. At some point I got into my car to drive to see my family for thanksgiving and I realized I hadn’t driven my car in months and it was time for it to go. I’ve only gone further down the rabbit hole since then and my bike fleet will expand to fill any available parking spaces and then some.
The Fleet
Elevensies
Belt Drive 11 speed IGH all weather, go anywhere, dependable. This is my every day ride and it’s great.
Chutes & Ladders
Chutes & Ladders is my tall bike that I have been adventuring on for over a decade now. Too much to list here check out its page.
Red Bike
Some bikes get clever names, some have been around so long they predate naming. This was my college bike and the bike I started commuting on. It had been mothballed for quite a while after having its wheel stole while lent out to a guest. It got dusted off in 2020 as my housemate got me into mountain biking but was quickly deemed outdated. It was refreshed again as a gravel touring bike and rode the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail in summer 2021.
Joker
I got into mountain biking in 2020. I rode a hard tail for a year and after taking it to the down hill park twice I wanted full suspension. But I wanted it on a budget. Joker is the result of an exhaustive search of the second hand market for something capable with plenty of life left in it. I moved over all the upgraded components from Walter and it’s great.
BMXs
I have 2 BMX bikes I should probably sell one of them, or both and get a dirt jumper
Decommissioned/Retired
Belty
Belt Drive 8 speed IGH all weather go anywhere dependable. This is my every day ride and it’s great.
Friyata (Free-ata)
Friyata is an 80’s Miyata road bike that I got for free. A fellow A2 member was cleaning out abandoned bikes at his condo building and I took them away, cleaned up those that were nice enough to sell, scrapped the trash and kept this one for me. It has a very unique “alumitech” frame meaning it has an Aluminum front triangle bonded to a steel rear triangle. Someone thought that was a good idea at some point. Now I’ve swapped on “modern” wheels, a 3x9 drivetrain off a crashed hybrid bike, and modern handlebars.