Being One With One's Bike

The idea for this column came about shortly after I started working at the Root. My bike was in the basement after riding to work, and Christophe, my now great and loving friend, said, “That’s YOUR bike?? I see it everywhere and never knew!” I started to love the idea of seeing bikes on their own and being able to pair them with their human companion.  I also had (and still have) my fair share of curiosity about many of the commonly seen bikes around Lakewood.

One bike (and person) I was really interested in learning about was the red fixed gear with the polka-dot tires that a Miss Frances Killea was riding all over Cleveland. She can be seen anywhere from Lakewood to Cleveland Heights and everywhere in between. Frances is riding a different bike these days, but one that is equally as unique as her old Miyata, which she refers to as the “red-framed, polka-dot steed.”

As is often with the case with dogs and their owners, one can see distinct qualities between bikes and their owners that just make sense for them to be paired together. Frances is such a great example of this, and what is fascinating to me is that both her old and new bikes are equally able to fill this role. Her new bike is a total mystery, a white steel frame that had already been stripped of its decals and painted before it came into her world. Filled with tiny details that someone painstakingly (and lovingly) put into the frame, such as tiny hearts, pinecones, and holes drilled around the dropouts, it is truly a bike that has as much character, personality, and mystery as Frances herself.

Of all of the people I’ve met through this column and through my time riding in Lakewood, Frances is one of the stand outs for being what I’d call a beast rider. She hasn’t owned a car in all of the years she’s lived in Cleveland, and has gotten around by bike since 2007. I’m talking about four seasons of riding, with public transportation being her only backup, and only in extreme situations. And she’s not just commuting a few miles to work and back, she’s riding extensive city miles every single day.

It takes a person who is more dedicated to their bike than just a casual relationship, and Frances puts it perfectly with this statement: “It’s choice and speed and it’s a really fine relationship between my body and my vehicle, and on top of it all, it’s the most pleasurable way to get a breath of air and a minute away from obligation.” With this, I feel as if Frances has put in to words the almost ethereal feeling that comes with pushing pedals on a machine with which you have such a strong connection.

Frances shares the same concerns as other cyclists when it comes to safety on the road. She brings up a solid point though…when new drivers are taking driver’s education, there should be specific instruction on how to interact with cyclists. Especially with the winter season coming up, where driving and cycling alone become more dangerous, our level of consciousness must be raised across the board.

As opposed to having specific biking idols, Frances gives big nods towards her cycling friends, bike shop owners and mechanics, and messengers as being significant figures in sharing her cycling history and future. We have a strong community in this city, and our cycling community is growing every day. It’s exciting to be a part of it, and I can’t wait for the time when every person I interact with has been able to experience that same excitement and emotion.

Stay on those bikes this winter! Frances and I and many others will be out there with you, loving every minute of it.

…Don’t forget Lakewood Sunday Mass Rides…the second Sunday of every month (November 13th for the next one), with two rides, one at 11:00AM, and one at 7:00PM, both starting at Lakewood Park.

…And grab that winter gear for cold and wet riding…many local shops are stocked up!