Don’t fear the bike. Sometimes you just have to get on it and say to yourself, “I am riding this thing; I am riding this bicycle I am moving swiftly through traffic powered by my own body. I can do this, I am doing this. Think of all the things that are hard and scary about life that you have done or will do, riding a bike in the city puts it all in perspective and gets you where you need to go quickly, with very little effort.
Think about those tough and scary things and imagine being in a bike accident at age 13 in the seemingly safe suburbs of Chicago and continuing to ride your bike. Riding fearlessly and devotedly everyday to work and band practice for over a decade in New York City – that’s just what Caryn does. Is she fearless? Or is she fierce, facing the unpredictabilities of life with effortless élan on a red Trek hybrid?
Caryn moved to New York City in 1997 and has devotedly ridden her 18 year old red Trek hybrid thoughout the city from her home in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill neighborhood.
She credits the crew at Bicycle Habitat for keeping her aging bike in tip-top condition. “My bike is sturdy, doesn’t look fancy (theft hindrance), and has a bunch of stickers on it from when I was in college. Because I’m soooo cool!”
An upgrade to a road bike with thinner tires might be in the future but she wonders about the increased probability of theft that a newer bike might bring.
As a veteran New York City bike commuter I asked what changes she has noticed in recent years. “ I have been riding to work since 1997/1998 even when I worked at a fancy midtown office. I would change in the bathroom when I arrived. The owners loved that.” “In the past few years the increase in bike lanes has certainly brought out more cyclists.”
Why She Rides
I ride a bicycle so that I don’t have to depend on public transit all the time, and on some days to avoid traffic. In general, I can get anywhere faster (and cheaper) on my bike. When I’m riding, I feel free and I like how I am in control of the motions I’m making. I also like how I get to yell at people to protect myself. I might not always be able to go that fast, do to traffic and bad drivers but I usually feel pretty great.
