I’ve truly loved three city bikes

All were steel, two were single-speeds,

one was from the nineteen seventies

The first one had been my mom’s 

and this last is one of two by Kona

It’s a size 58 with a 90mm Chromag Ranger stem

Easton DH bars cut to 760mm wide

Fits MASSIVE with drop bars and perfect without

It seems like a thousand people I know told me 

“V-Brake levers don’t work well with caliper brakes”

Sometimes I’d smile. Sometimes I’d say FUCK OFF.

Sometimes I’d take the time to patiently explain that I’m not a neophyte, 

(I know a thing or three about bikes)

the first-generation XTR V-Brake levers have adjustable cable pull.

The PAUL caliper brakes were awesome

Everyone who’s felt them will agree 

except for those poor Velocity Deep-V rims

they’d say “OUCHIE.” 

The front rim had a little dent, from that time I had a blowout

hucking construction work 

after beers with Brygantor

Yes, I do think red and orange go awesome together,

why do you ask?

The post, cockpit, brakes, fork, cranks, and fenders 

were all from my beloved Paddy Wagon

I retired it because single-speeds suck

for pulling kids’ trailers

in North Vancouver

I retired this bike because rim brakes suck

for stopping kids’ trailers

in North Vancouver

I so, so, so wish I’d kept it. But where?

The front hub is a DT Swiss-Hayes unit from 1999

The rear is a Profile Racing hub from Y2K

Left hand friction Thumbie

drives a short cage XTR shadow derailleur

over a DuraAce cassette. Yummy

The cranks are M952 Octalink

They look like the 1996 M950 but they’re from 1999

Things didn’t change as fast back then

King 1-1/8″ Pewter headset 

(Sorry, I mean EC34 and EC34 Pewter headset)

had been in so many bikes at this point

it looks classic on the outside but the cups are sh*t kicked from removing them

Speaking of, ABUS Bordo lock mounted in an interactive location

I miss this bike every time I see a photo of it. 

Dik found the frame so I could pull Claire around

that made it extra special.