New Bike for Gaia

I have to admit that one of the ways that I treat myself is to buy new bike stuff. One could argue, based on the lifestyle that I live, that bikes are my one vice. I guess that arguing what is a "vice" and what is a "necessity" is a matter of perspective, but clearly bikes are the closest thing I have to a vice. I wear clothing that is mostly second-hand and wear out almost everything I own until it becomes, literally, a rag. I eat modestly, infrequently at restaurants, and my diet is 99.5% vegan. We live in a very small apartment with low energy requirements. I don't own a car. Excess? Yeah: I own five bikes, each of which is worth over $1000. Even if you judge my overall lifestyle as excessive by global standards, my worst vice by far is biking.

So with purchasing myself bike stuff being such a self indulgence, you would think that it would be uniquely satisfying. Well, it turns out that there is a way that I can make myself exponentially more happy with a purchase, because far more satisfying than buying myself a new bike is buying one for my daughter:


Gaia and I picked up her new bike about a week ago from Bicycle Habitat. They remain my favorite shop in the city for their tasteful selection of bikes and helpful unpretentious staff. Gaia was outfitted with a new Specialized Hotrock with 20" wheels, v-brakes, and six speeds. Of course dad can contemplate the specifications, but to Gaia it is all about the ride experience...


This is a defining moment. Getting that bike that expands your world and turns you into an explorer...



So far we have ventured deep into Prospect Park. Gaia's still not old enough or skilled enough to ride in the street, but we make good use of isolated sidewalks to pick our way over to the big glorious loop in Prospect Park. The first day she got the bike we were just trying to make it all the way up to the top of the sidewalk hill alongside Greenwood Cemetary (our training grounds), but when Gaia got to the top she insisted that she wanted more. We made it all the way over to the park and in twilight we explored before returning home victoriously.

Gaia's now all outfitted and ready for anything from the city streets to the mountain trails...


Since she was about six months old, Gaia has enjoyed every means of bicycle transport that I could strap her into or plop her on top of. I enjoyed every one of these stages, but nothing compares to watching your child pedal along on her first mountain bike...