My First Bicycle

My biking journey began when I transformed my first bike – a grey and red aluminum single-speed Giant Bowery – into a speedy road bike.

I first purchased it when I was still in high school for around $300. I saw an ad on Facebook Marketplace and immediately messaged the seller to meet up that same day, despite being scheduled for a shift at Sobeys later that evening. The seller lived on the other side of the city, so the timing was tight. That being said, I didn't care if I would be late for my shift... I had my priorities straight – I was determined to get the bike that day.

My brother and I finally arrived and the bike was propped up against the seller's garage. I was filled with excitement. I took it for a test drive and immediately fell in love. Even though the brakes were loose, the paint job was dinged up, and the handlebars were a bit weird (short flat bars), riding that bike for the first time was a blast. I ended up purchasing the bike and showed up late to my shift.

Unfortunately, I neglected the bike for a few years. Looking back on it, I'm unsure why I didn't ride it more. For the majority of my university life, I rarely took it out for rides. It wasn't until I graduated uni and started my career that I began to truly appreciate it.

I decided to take the bike to a local bike shop to tune it up and upgrade some of the parts. I changed the flat bars to some drop bars, fixed the brakes, upgraded the pedals, purchased a comfier seat, and added a small basket.

I remember when I picked up my bike, one of the sales associates started to roast me for adding drop bars. He deemed it "too dangerous"... It was such an odd experience... Aren't sales associates supposed to be polite and helpful? Anyways, because of that interaction, I have not been back to that bike shop. Now, I always go to Natural Cycleworks. They are hands down the best bike shop in Winnipeg.

I started to commute to work almost every day. Even though the ride took 45 to 50 minutes, it always seemed to fly by. Commuting became the best way to start my day; It helped wake me up, increase my energy, and also made me happier. It has been 3 years since I started biking to work, and I haven't looked back since.

I recently sold my bike for a more commuter-friendly option. That being said, I have to thank that bike for all it's done for me. It may seem silly to say about an inanimate object, but that bike made an incredibly positive impact on my life.

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Me enjoying an ice cream from Fête, one of my favourite ice cream shops in Winnipeg. If you ever go, you neeeeed to try the Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble flavour.

In the background of the picture, you can see my first bike! Oh how I miss it :')