Any of you ride modern bikes?

[Two Wheeler]

I never had many bikes as a kid. Where I live(d) we walked most places. Everything we needed was close, grocery store, movie theater, school, etc all within walking distance. Plus bikes got ripped off here. I remember finding my locked Schwinn seatless!

I got into vintage bikes when I was at a mountain bike race. I saw a American Flyer boardtracker. Bam set the hook! The builder had even airbrushed rust on it.

I raced motocross and needed a fun training tool. A mountain bike fit the bill. Bicycles took over my life and I never looked back. I still love moto, I'm just to old to race it now. Now some freaks will ride a moto bike when they're 68 and that's fine. I see em creeping around the track. Creeping ain't fun. Smashing berms, grabbing air and going warp speeds on rough ground that's fun. I can't do that anymore.

Bike racing was my life. I had a wheel building business and worked as a mechanic at a couple of shops. Later I was hired by Ventana Mountain Bikes as a frame builder. Best job I ever had. They paid me to make cool stuff all day long. They also told me I could make anything I want for myself and I did.

View attachment 1056098
Ventana El Toro. Ventana was the first company to make a production single speed mountain bike.View attachment 1056099
Ventana El ReyView attachment 1056100
Ventana El ComandanteView attachment 1056101
Ventana El Martillo CXView attachment 1056122
Giant Defy SLRView attachment 1056116
Blue Collar Nigel

Just the tip of the iceberg.

I ride my Specialized Road Bike all the time. I'm trying to ride it in all 50 states. I recently took a 3 week road trip and added seven more states and Washington DC.

 

[Speed King]

 

[Rust in Peace]

Mostly Gravel for me now and days but want to hit the trails soon.