The Bike That Got Away
Every cyclist has that bike—the one you wish you hadn’t sold, gave to a friend, or otherwise let go of. It’s not just about the bike itself but the time and place in your life it represents. Maybe it was your first touring rig, your first custom build, or the bike you commuted on during a formative stage of your life. Whatever the case, these bikes have a way of lodging themselves in our memories, long after they’re gone.
For me, it’s my old Schwinn Super Le Tour. It was the first bike I did any significant touring on - especially the Assateague Trip where Adrian and I got custom boardwalk t-shirts to commemorate the journey.
I’ll admit I went all-in on nerding out over the parts - building custom wheels with a dynamo hub, swapping in Suntour Cyclone group with a half-step 52/46 double, various racks, elkhide wraps, and fenders. It had a cockpit I dialed in after countless adjustments, a pannier setup that made me feel ready to tackle any road, and a beautiful appearance. That bike taught me about gear ratios, pannier balance, and the joy of a long tour filled with self-sufficiency.
At the time, I had to let it go. Life circumstances nudged me toward selling it, and I told myself I could always replace it someday. But bikes aren’t just metal and rubber—they carry stories. The Super Le Tour wasn’t just a bike; it was that bike. It represented a time in my life when I was discovering what I loved about cycling: the sense of freedom, the connection to the road and landscape, and the satisfaction of solving mechanical puzzles on the fly. Letting it go felt practical then, but in hindsight, it’s the bike I wish I had kept.
Why do we let go of these bikes? Maybe we needed the money or were making room for a new build. Perhaps it was the lure of something lighter, faster, or shinier. Or maybe we didn’t realize how attached we were until it was gone. Sometimes it’s practical; other times, it’s a simple matter of not knowing how much we’d miss them. Whatever the reason, it’s often only in hindsight that the regret sets in.
I sometimes wonder where the Super Le Tour is now. Is it still rolling under someone else’s care? Is it leaning against a shed wall, waiting to be rediscovered? The thought of it being neglected stings a bit, but I like to imagine it’s out there, doing what it does best: carrying someone else through their own adventures.
If you’re reading this and thinking about your bike that got away, take heart. Maybe it’s a chance to rekindle the memories or find another bike to create new ones. Because every bike has the potential to become the next Super Le Tour—a new story waiting to unfold. Sometimes, we even get lucky and find our old bikes again, or we come across a similar model and make it our own. Either way, the story continues.
What was your bike that got away? Was it a childhood BMX that saw countless jumps off makeshift ramps? A randonneuring bike that carried you through brevet after brevet? Or maybe it was a quirky garage sale find that turned into an unexpected favorite. Share your stories in the comments. Who knows? Your tale might inspire someone to hold onto their own bike a little tighter.
A Meral from 1989.
How tonsend a photo?
Thanks
I rebuilt a lot of this lost old bikes
Mine allwais actif.
An early 1980s Olmo Competition, in pink no less. In the summers during my undergrad I worked up in the arctic, cooking at construction camps and on a tugboat. Nowhere to go, nowhere to spend your money, but when you came back down south look out. I’d been dreaming of a new bike for a while without any specific idea of what I wanted. I walked into Pedlar Cycles in Vancouver, “just looking” (and if you believe that I have something else to sell you!), and then I saw the Olmo. Later that afternoon I rode it home, feeling like I was flying a plane more than riding a bike. It came with me back east for grad school and then had to be turned into cash for grad school. I’ve had a few stolen that I’d like to get back too, but the Olmo is one I wish I still had.
I had a Ciocc 12.5 COM made from this beautiful hexagonal Deddaciai (sp?) tubing. The carbon fork was cracked so I used a chrome fork from SomaFab. Campy veloce groupset, Mavic wheels. It clashed too much with a Dale Saso custom that I had made a few years earlier that was simply much faster, so I sold it. But man that bike was pretty fun and was the prettiest bike I owned.
The one that I regret selling was probably the craziest, and that was a Surly Big Fat Dummy. It was ridiculous and people would step aside when they heard me coming. Yes, on pavement with those knobby, fat tires and all that weight, you could hear me coming, no need for a bell on that thing. But, now that I’m often riding a cargo bike, I think of all the places I could get to with the dog and whatever gear I want to carry.
Leave a comment