I was out clubbing after a work event in DC yesterday. I left my bike at a rack outside the bar. I didn’t lock it up because I forgot my bike lock key. When I returned outside after a couple hours, my bike was gone. I only have myself to blame.

What feels like a coincidence though, is that I also just acquired another bike. My university seems to have a circulating population of old bikes (they seem to b from 1960-1995). These cycles are plain vehicles, not cheap garbage from walmart or fancy playtoys for wealthier people. They get you from point a to b w/o fuss, have lasted for decades, and require a minimum of maintenance. I realize this may be survivors bias, but I really admire these bikes. Chipped paint and a rusty chain is usually the worst of their problems, which is saying a lot after 30 years.

Often, these cycles will be abandoned after a minor problem. I found an old blue schwinn traveler with a flat tire a few months ago. A week ago I found an old yellow Atala with rusted chain. I took the Atala in for repair and $200 later, I’m now heading in to pick it up. It strikes me as ironic that I’m going to get a new bike (one older than me) immediately after losing one. Though, this didn’t happen when I got the schwinn. The atlas isn’t a solution to my stolen bike. I’m going to take it for a joyride, then return it to the people of College Park.

So then what will I do for a new bike?