By RAZ
Do this, don’t do that …
Whenever I talk about the tikit with a customer, it usually comes down to absolutes.
“But can you do this?” a customer will ask, skeptical about whatever I will say. It is usually quickly followed by a, “but you certainly can’t …”
I’ve never been really good with rules. Or suggestions, for that matter. So it’s hard for me to come up with answers that would probably satisfy them.
I find my answers, one way or another.
So when I had an hour or so to kill in Boulder, Colorado, during my trip to the North American Handmade Show in February, I decided to relive my past on the Boulder Creek Bike Path.
It didn’t dawn on me at first what time of the year it was. The bright sunshine and warm breeze probably had a lot to do with that.
A great day for a ride.It was mid February. The exact time of the year that I moved to Boulder many years ago, in another lifetime.
Back then I remember hitting the Boulder Creek Bike Path on a wonderful Saturday. My initial taste of cycling around town.
The first thing one must do on the Boulder Creek Bike Path is overcome the temptation to stop every 50 feet for another wonderful photo.
Creek crossing in style.The views themselves are tiring.
Yet, you slowly climb on the path, following Boulder Creek as it snakes down Boulder Canyon.
Eventually, the pavement gives way to gravel. One of those absolute areas customers will question sometimes.
“You would never ride on gravel with these tiny tires, would you?”
That’s when I bite my tongue and wonder if they are really asking me if I would, or if I thought they should.
You probably have surmised the answer to my motives.
I didn’t even slow down. The Carbon Infinity tikit was on the move.
The farther you ride up Boulder Canyon, the more Mother Nature reminds you it is February.
The frozen edges of the creek beg for more photo stops.
The tikit on the rocks.Eventually, however, there’s no avoiding it.
The trail morphs into a snowy, icy path.
I remember that so well, way back when. It was my first taste of snow riding in a long, long time — having moved to Boulder from Southern California.
It didn’t take long for me to begin to sweat the slippin’ an’ a slidin’. And I was on a mountain bike. With fat knobbies.
This time around? Let’s just say I won’t be sharing this insight with customers, least the really believe me.
Ready. Set. Go.I can honestly say rolling on a slick surface with 16-inch wheels is a totally different experience than larger wheels.
I know I’m no more a bike handling expert today as I was back then [and in reality, at both times, I’m not much beyond a beginner in this respect]. But dang if that wasn’t easy. Simply. Comfortable.
I loved catching the looks of the cyclists who rolled past. Giving me the “Really! On that bike! Are you insane?” looks.
Those are the looks that get me amped.
And usually, it’s the look I try to keep under wraps, especially when a customer is asking me about limits. Limits? For the tikit?
Hmmmmmm….
My kind of museum display.
One Response
Nice article and photos, I love my Tikit Infinity too and find it very practical pretty much everywhere. The only thing I wish was a better gear range, now I’m waiting for my Infinity Silk and I see what I can do or don’t 😉