Q: Why do you ride your bike to school?
A: I ride my bike [to school] because of exercise. It is cost efficient, and it also is good for the environment.
Q: Do you have a long commute to and from the school?
A: No, even on my bike it’s somewhere between five to ten minutes, so not very far at all.
Q: How long did it take you to repair your bike?
A: I have had [the bike] for a while, and I’ve been using it for some time. Just over the winter, when I didn’t have an opportunity to ride it, I decided [that] there’s a lot of gears on it, [and] I don’t want to have those gears. So, I changed it to a modified-fixed gear. I got rid of the extra brake. It didn’t take me long. Maybe a month to take it all apart, spray paint it, and build it back up with just the bare essentials. I’m a minimalist. I like things to be simple. I don’t like a lot of complexity.
Q: What kind and brand of bike is it?
A: I do not know. I purchased a rental property, and the previous owner had left it there. It’s an older bike. I know it is from Germany, but I’m not sure what the branding is. I saw some German writing [on it].
Q: Did you previously own a bike before fixing up this one?
A: I did not. I wanted to buy a bike, but I’m super cheap. The fact that this one was free, it gave me an opportunity to kind of take something, make it better and make it my own, and it was very cost effective. I spent maybe a total of under fifty dollars to remodel and rebuild the whole thing. Some bikes can cost hundreds, and that’s a pretty decent road bike.
Q:Where do you keep your bike during the school day?
A: I actually bring it up into my classroom. I freshly painted it, so I don’t want it to be exposed to the elements. I also don’t want it to be exposed to other students maybe scuffing it, or hitting it, or vandalism. It is also a way to show it off.
Q: Will you ride your bike on days that it rains, as well?
A: I don’t anticipate that I will. I’m sure there might be a time when I get stuck riding in the rain on the way home. On days that it rains, or if it is super cold, or if it is dark, because I don’t want to risk my self to getting into an accident or being hit, I won’t ride on those days. So [I’ll] typically [ride on] nice, warm, sunny days.
Q: What advice would you give to someone who is interested in riding a bike to school or work?
A: As far as riding to and from school, bring an extra set of clothes. If ever there’s an accident, or if you sweat a lot or sometimes when you ride through mud, it will kick it up [on your shirt], and your back will get dirty. Also, [I suggest] wearing a helmet, and also being very, very cautious, especially when I ride to school [since] there’s teenagers on the road and there’s texting. You have to be very careful.
Q: What advice would you give for someone who wants to fix up a bike?
A: [Use the] internet, YouTube [and] Google. I did everything. I taught myself, and I learned it all by just by watching YouTube videos and Google searching. The internet is very informative.
