The beginning

I’ve loved riding bikes since I was a kid. When I was young, I had a small plastic tricycle that I would ride it to the park every week with my parents. As I got older that love for riding never faded and I biked almost everywhere I went. I loved the freedom and joy it provided me.

When I moved to Waterloo Ontario one of the few things I couldn’t bring with my was my bike. I felt like I was missing something in my life. So, browsed online for a new bike. I stumbled upon Recycle Cycles in Kitchener.

They are a community bike shop committed to providing low cost repairs and bike maintenance to the public.

I contacted them to see if they had any bicycles for sale. Unfortunately, they were completely sold out. However, they mentioned I was welcome to come in and build one with recycled scrap parts.

I spent about 4 weekends and about $150 building a bicycle from the frame and fork up. I took advantage of the university’s paint room to give my bike a fresh coat off paint. Overall, it was an amazing experience and I learned many tips and tricks about bike maintenance and repair that I still use today.

The present

I have since moved back to Vancouver and needed a new bike. I decided to build another vintage road bike. This time I found a used bike that needed many repairs - perfect for a project. I replaced the tires, handle bar, bar tape, brake levers, brake cables, brake calipers, pedals, and seat. I also added fenders, a bell, and some removeable LED lights and performed general bike maintenance. There were many rust spots which I patched up with pink nail polish.

I have since rode the bike for hundreds of kilometers around the city and the seawall without any issues.