My mindset just hasn’t been the same since we got back from Sedona. Being immersed in the beautiful rhythms of nature in the American Southwest for over two months grounded me and left me with a desire to declutter my life even more than I already have.
Last week I sold my VanMoof S3 electric bike. Getting rid of the VanMoof left me with a hint of melancholy but mostly it made me feel awesome. The person who bought it was going to give it to his son who was graduating from college. The deal went so well that it seemed like it was meant to be. The buyer texted me in the days following about how thrilled his son was to get the new bike. He also said it was likely to grant him "the Dad of the year award" which made me happy. Who wouldn't want that?
I made what I wanted, he got an awesome bike for far less than retail. It was a win-win.
I liked the VanMoof but discovered what I didn’t like were all of the complications and worries it added to my life.
Will the battery die?
Will I get a flat tire and have to push the 50lb bike home?
With the recent spike in crime in this area I also thought a lot about this....
Will someone bike-jack me and steal it?
These questions were constantly floating through my head while I was riding the VanMoof. This made it tough to relax and this is one of the main reasons I cycle, to relax.
I’ve had my eye on a Brompton folding bike for a while and the proceeds from the sale of the Moof were more than enough to finally make that dream a reality. I ordered a Brompton C-line last week and had quite a bit left over to pad the savings account.
Now, I know what you're thinking, I’m well aware that the Brompton looks like a clown bike. Come to think of it, Krusty the Clown from the Simpsons rode something very similar. I even joked with my wife and said the first accessories I was going to buy were a red rubber nose and a clown wig. I'm well beyond the age of caring about what other people think.
The magic of the Brompton is it can do this…
These bikes are like the Swiss army knives or the Transformers of cycling. In a matter of seconds, the Brompton folds down to the size of a piece of carry-on luggage and can be rolled once it’s folded on tiny little wheels. The model I ordered is a six speed geared for long rides so it’s actually quite a capable tourer.
Brompton has a strong community of riders. Some riders use them for their daily commute in the city, fold them up and take them on the train or subway. Others cycle thousands of miles on these bikes at a time, tent camping along the way. I intend on putting a lot of miles on mine this summer and finding different ways I can integrate it into my life.
I think having this kind of flexibility will make me cycle more often. It’s also reassuring to know that if this bike runs out of “juice” I’ll just need to go in search of a sandwich instead of an electric plug. Sometimes simpler is just better. The new Brompton will be delivered on Thursday so I'd better get busy shopping for those clown accessories. Thank goodness for Amazon Prime.
As they say one thing leads to another and forty-five years of cycling have led me to Brompton.
Have a great week!
Eric
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(Photos courtesy of Brompton.com.)
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