Feb 142020
It’s Bike Love Day!

Bike Valentine created by Bike Pittsburgh.

Also known as Valentine’s Day, this is really a day to express your love for your bicycle. I ran with that theme in the questions posed during the Feb. 13 #BikeSchool Twitter chat and am sharing them here so you can have fun in a more extended comment space if you like.

I do occasionally answer my own questions during the chat so those are here as parenthetical asides. I’m also sharing some of the answers received during the chat that illustrate the power of true #BikeLove.

OK, so this is a pretty predictable theme. But WE LOVE BIKES. That’s why we log on Thursday nights, 6-7pm Pacific time, to follow #BikeSchool and have bikey chats for no reason other than pure, unadulterated Bike Love. #BikeLove

Q1: Roll call/check-in. Who’s here and what’s one thing you really, really love about your wheels? (I’m using “wheels” in the metaphorical sense of the whole bike — not just your wheelset. Although you can go there if that’s what turns your cranks.)

A1: (Yes, the prof can answer her own question) I love the help that Zelda the e-bike gives me going up a hill at the end of the day when I’m two-tired.

Q2: Even the most loving relationship can hit a bump in the road. What’s something you don’t entirely love about your current bike set-up? Do you have plans for some therapeutic efforts at improvement? Will your partner go willingly?

[By the way, Q2 *is not* a subtweet about either Zelda the ebike or my own Sweet Hubs (my nickname for my husband, which he tolerates).]

Q3: When you saw your bike was it love at first sight or did it grow on you over time? Was there one special moment when you just knew This Is The One?

Q4: Did you date several bikes before settling down in happy bike monogamy or are you poly-bike-arous? Have just one bike right now but you’re bike-curious about another? So many kinds of love.

Q5: If you still think back fondly on a previous bike relationship, what is it you miss about that lost love? Did you just outgrow that relationship? Would you ever go back?

Q6: Sometimes you need to break up with a bike relationship that wasn’t quite right for you but could be perfect for someone else. Have you ever passed your bike along to a friend and rejoiced that they could be happy together?

Q7: Or perhaps your relationship with that bike was all wrong from the beginning. You knew it, but it took a catastrophic blow-up (blow-out?) to end it. Have you had to be pushed into dumping Wrong For You And You Know It But Need to Admit It Bike?

[A7: For me it was having that all-wrong-for-me cheap MTB from a warehouse store get stolen. I didn’t need the weight of all those shocks, didn’t know anything about rolling resistance and why those were the wrong tires.]

Q8: A question so obvious but it can’t go without asking: Has love of bicycling brought you together with another human being you love? (Any form of love–not just romantic love.)

[A8: My own story is that I met Sweet Hubs thanks to his description of himself as seeking a partner for dancing, cycling and sailing. I wasn’t sure about the sailing but those first 2 were right on the money. Married 13 years as of this July.]

[A8 more: I definitely have tons of awesome friends whom I’ve met through bike connections.]

Q9: Speaking of love… Lots of great bike valentines being shared on Twitter, like these from Bike PGH. Will you be sending one to that someone special? Tweets to follow w/more examples.

Q10: By now you’ve likely seen at least one image of someone riding their bike to create GPS artwork. Here’s a heart-shaped Love Ride in Fort Worth. Have you ever done this? Would you like to try “drawing” with your bike?

Q11: This year Valentine’s Day is also #WinterBikeToWorkDay! Nothing warms your heart quite like a ride to work. Will you commit to your ride on http://winterbiketoworkday.org and give your bike some love?

Q12 The #BikeLove concept doesn’t just apply to romantic love. Maybe you love to ride to school with your kid(s). If so, @SafeRoutesNow has a photo contest for you! Have any great pix to share tonight? 2/28 deadline.

I wrapped up the chat with this:

Sharing is karma--pass it along!

Write a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.