It gets me on the bike.

I can't think of anyone who could actually look at me and say, "I hate bikes". Sure, I know plenty of people that don't get on them and some people that might get on them once in awhile, if just do something "different", but I don't think I've ever met anyone who said those three words, "I hate bikes".

Up until about three months ago, I fell somewhere in the category of people that might get on them once in a while. I owned an old Huffy 15-speed mountain bike I had gotten for a birthday some-odd years ago. It had been pretty much in cold storage down in the basement for most of the time since. While I was away at school this past Spring, my brother, who had always been more into bikes than me but had still not rode one in a good long time, decided he would take the plunge and emerge from the ranks of the "Target/KMart/Walmart bike" club and actually pick up a bike that he'd own for a long time. That bike was a Haro Extreme X1 and it rode like a dream (it should, he paid enough for it). Around this time, he decided that he'd like to know more about the culture of biking as well (hey, if you're gonna go, go big right?). So, he decided to subscribe to Bicycling Magazine, touted as the most popular bike magazine in the world.

Around this time, I came home from school for the summer. Upon seeing Dan's new ride, I thought, "What the hell, I haven't been riding in years. Let's go!". So we did. Starting off with that old Huffy of mine, then switching over my other brother's Magna (another KMart special), I rode with my brother all over the place, through trails, roads, in town, out of town, everywhere. For what it's worth, those two "under $150" bikes held up, but neither were all too comfortable, especially that workhorse of a Magna (ouch!). That was when I decided I too would take the plunge and purchase my Trek 4300 Alpha, an entry-level professional bike that is a fantastic ride.

And we continue to ride, all the while reading every new issue of Bicycling Magazine that arrives in our mailbox every month. Not only are there some really great articles ("Morning Buzz" a small piece where the writer talked about riding the sunrise on a double espresso, and "Victory" which talks about conquering that next hurdle, be it in a race or in yourself), there are also a lot of good tips ("How Do I Keep From Bonking?" which is bike talk for basically completely running out of energy on a ride, and "The Best Way To Clean Your Bike") and product reviews as well (which is where I saw the Disc-Brake version of my current ride, the Trek 4300). Besides some of the lingo that you're going to find in any niche group (bonking, hammer, etc...) the language is plain and simple. These people write about biking because they love to bike and they'd love to share what they know with you. I really like that.

Over the course of the four issues I have read, I have noticed on occasion the magazine tends to lean more toward road biking than Mountain biking. Owning a Mountain bike, I gravitate towards that more, however I do take my Mountain Bike to the road often. Since Lance Armstrong is pretty much a living legend now in the world of cycling, what with winning four Tour de France races in a row and all, I can understand some of the reason for the road heavyness at times. I have also, on one or two occasions, noticed conflicting information concerning certain advice. There was one thing in particular on breathing and how to do it when cycling. My brother had read somewhere that it'd be better to breathe deep through your mouth when you tire because you could get more air in that way, I had heard elsewhere that you should breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth. Granted, I am sure these two tips are based on two different sets of circumstances but I do not recall if either article went into those circumstances in great detail.

Still, though, despite little bumps in the road here and there, Bicycling Magazine is fantastic. It not only has so much great information and inspiration, it also serves to get me juiced for riding again if I have been a little lax for a few days. Like that double espresso you might have to down if you want to ride the sunrise tomorrow morning, this magazine makes for an excellent pick-me-up!

One final note, and then I promise to shut up. I want to send a big thank you out to my brother Dan, who will probably never read this because he never goes to this site, for helping me get the love of cycling. I can honestly tell all of you that there are very few things in this world that have given me as much joy and positive light as getting on that bike and going has given me. Of course, one of those other very few things is getting on that bike and going with my brother on his bike right beside me.

Thanks, bro, I'll see you on the trail.

John P. Dunphy