I've ridden a bicycle almost every day for the last nine years. It is more than just the best way to get around a city; it is a lifestyle. I save hundreds of dollars in gas money and metro fare every year by riding to and from my destinations (and I never have to worry about where to park!). I'm not polluting the environment by burning fossil fuels, and by rejecting cars, I'm not supporting the war in Iraq. Plus, I get to exercise for free, and I've got a great set of stems to show for it!
I started as a college kid, late for class on an old beater, and through a strange twist of fate involving a Budget rental truck, a chain link fence, a crushed frame, and a manager's crush, I found myself riding a Lemond Tourmelet a few years later. The jump from my old Schwin to this amazing ride was the distance of oceans. If you've ever wondered why on earth a bicycle could cost hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars, go to your local bike shop and take a fancy bike for a test ride. Suddenly, it will all become clear. I can only describe it with the German word "farfagnugen", which means "driving pleasure." Red Eye (as i affectionately dubbed this ride) was a trusty steed, I used this bike to work briefly as a bike messenger and to participate in the 2001 Tanquerey New York/Boston AIDS Ride. Sadly, he was "killed" when I was hit by a car in May of 2003, just as I was moving from Boston to Rhode Island.
I purchased a second Tourmelet of lesser quality soon thereafter, only to have it stolen in July of 2005 from the Whole Foods parking lot in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, VA. Ironically, it was just across the street from Revolution Cycles, the bike shop where I worked and learned to build up bikes and do simple maintenance.
Currently, I ride a 55 in. Raleigh Rush Hour, a single-speed bike with a flip-flop hub. Upon purchase, I flipped the wheel to the fixed gear and haven't looked back. If I could improve my track stands and learn to skid stop, my life would be complete....