Popular Post Rattlecan ★ Posted August 25, 2018 Popular Post Share #1 Posted August 25, 2018 In the mid 2,000nds, I operated a bike shop for a few years. Why it only lasted a few years is another sad tale for another day. Anyway, not long after I opened, an older retired gentleman began dropping in with great regularity. Every time he showed up, he was riding a different bike. One day I asked him how many bikes he had. He thought for a moment and said, "I don't really know. Guess I'll have to go home and count them". Shortly thereafter, be started selling some of them off, as he no longer felt comfortable riding drop bar road bikes, and had me alter some of his remaining bikes with raised handlebars and internal gearhubs. I think I renovated about five bikes for him in this way. I ended up offering him a part time job in the store which worked out great for both of us, and we have remained friends ever since. He continued to ride his bikes until a few years ago, when at the age of 80, he underwent heart valve surgery. He rode a little after he recovered from the surgery, but his strength never really returned, and now he is experiencing respiratory issues. He is now 83, and has come to terms with the fact that his cycling days are done. He had sold or given away all his bikes except his two favorites, which were among the bikes that I rebuilt for him back in the day. Anyway, he called me up this week and told me he wants me to have the bikes. I was blown away. One of them is a Rocky Mountain Metro hybrid, the other is a Colnago Mountain bike. Yes, Colnago did make mountain bikes for a brief period, and the original components, which I replaced with a Shimano Alfine gear hub were the Campy mountain bike group, also offered for only a brief period about the same time. The frames are a bit on the small side for me, but I can work with that. I'm just honored that he would entrust his bikes to me, but sad that his cycling days are done. 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrapr ★ Posted August 25, 2018 Share #2 Posted August 25, 2018 Boy that Colnago looks really small Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattlecan ★ Posted August 25, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted August 25, 2018 1 minute ago, Scrapr said: Boy that Colnago looks really small They are both small, but I'll give them as much stem and seatpost extension as they need to ride comfortably. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shootingstar Posted August 25, 2018 Share #4 Posted August 25, 2018 I'm sorry he no longer can cycle. That's hard for any cycling afficando. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerrySTL ★ Posted August 25, 2018 Share #5 Posted August 25, 2018 Love the Colnago's paint job. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Page Turner Posted August 25, 2018 Share #6 Posted August 25, 2018 ...just so you know, I'm not giving you any of them. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petitepedal ★ Posted August 26, 2018 Share #7 Posted August 26, 2018 Great story..but sad as well. Enjoy the bikes! Ian is doing a little of the same...at least getting ready to off load more of the road bikes...He fell again on his last cycling adventure..Same ride that he fell on last year..Both accidents were off the bike..last year he tumbled into a fire pit (not active) and this year it was a hole or dip from where a tree was removed...his vision (what he has) doesn't allow depth perception... Both times racked up the same knee...He feels his riding days are limited. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airehead Posted August 26, 2018 Share #8 Posted August 26, 2018 The passage of time can be sad. What a wonderful friendship. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattlecan ★ Posted August 26, 2018 Author Share #9 Posted August 26, 2018 I dug through my stash and found a rack and a set of fenders for the Rocky Mountain. I think this one will be my new grocery getter. Now as painful as it is, I will have to contemplate thinning the herd elsewhere. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petitepedal ★ Posted August 26, 2018 Share #10 Posted August 26, 2018 Got anything in a 45? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattlecan ★ Posted August 26, 2018 Author Share #11 Posted August 26, 2018 10 minutes ago, petitepedal said: Got anything in a 45? Afraid not. I can get some blocks for the pedals if that helps. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsharr ★ Posted August 26, 2018 Share #12 Posted August 26, 2018 No good deed goes unpunished. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsharr ★ Posted August 26, 2018 Share #13 Posted August 26, 2018 Very cool story though and awesome bikes. I lusted after a Rocky Mountain back in the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petitepedal ★ Posted August 26, 2018 Share #14 Posted August 26, 2018 We tried blocks on the tandem..they didn't work well Please collect some smaller bikes 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattlecan ★ Posted December 6, 2018 Author Share #15 Posted December 6, 2018 I just received a call from my friend's SO telling me that he passed away a short time ago. He had been seriously declining the last while, and was bed ridden in hospital for the last several weeks. I last visited him last Friday, and he was struggling to get two words out between breaths. RIP my friend. I will ride the heck out of these bikes that you so generously gave to me in your memory. 1 1 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longjohn ★ Posted December 6, 2018 Share #16 Posted December 6, 2018 83 is not a bad age to go. It’s always sad to see a friend go but from 80 on up I consider those are bonus years. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randomguy Posted December 6, 2018 Share #17 Posted December 6, 2018 1 hour ago, Rattlecan said: I just received a call from my friend's SO telling me that he passed away a short time ago. He had been seriously declining the last while, and was bed ridden in hospital for the last several weeks. I last visited him last Friday, and he was struggling to get two words out between breaths. RIP my friend. I will ride the heck out of these bikes that you so generously gave to me in your memory. You know what is really great is that he knows you will really ride and enjoy the bikes that were his. I think so many times that when you give something away, the worst part is when you wonder if that something will get used at all. He sounds like he was a cool guy, sorry to hear that he passed. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeman564™ Posted December 6, 2018 Share #18 Posted December 6, 2018 Glad he gave the bike, nice story. And yes, I had no idea Colnago made a mtb. It's great looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bikeman564™ Posted December 6, 2018 Share #19 Posted December 6, 2018 On 8/25/2018 at 6:31 PM, JerrySTL said: Love the Colnago's paint job. Colnago has great paintjobs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petitepedal ★ Posted December 6, 2018 Share #20 Posted December 6, 2018 Any chance you could ride one of his bikes to the memorial service? Sorry for your loss of a true friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattlecan ★ Posted December 6, 2018 Author Share #21 Posted December 6, 2018 8 hours ago, petitepedal said: Any chance you could ride one of his bikes to the memorial service? That would be a nice touch, but 10 km on a bike in a monkey suit in below freezing temperatures means, no, ain't doing it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now