Superstition...

This is more than a little silly. I was thinking about my first Giant CFR2, a nice carbon fiber bike that rode well, fit well, and was just plain comfortable. I liked that bike. I was riding it home from work one afternoon when a teenager showing off for his girlfriend ran into me from behind. The bike was destroyed. I had a broken leg and a concussion.

But ever since then, I’ve been hesitant to add something new to my commuter bike. I realize it’s entirely irrational. There’s no valid reason for it, but it’s how I feel. Every new thing, whether it’s a tire, a light, or just new handlebar tape brings with it a kind of psychic energy for good or ill. I just don’t know which type. Like I said, it’s not rational.

I’m not some New Age nut case, nibbling pesticide free veggies and wearing Earth shoes. (Does anyone remember Earth shoes? Damn! I’m old!) I’m not usually a phobic type. I’m more inclined to think my way through a problem rather than empathize with it. Or as Conan the Barbarian so eloquently put it, “If I can’t kill it with a sword, it doesn’t matter.” I don’t have a sword, but I DO have some nice wrenches!

Did my Giant have bad karma? Who knows? But the Centurion has badly worn handlebar tape and brake hoods. It’s time to replace them. Oh, the agony of uncertainty!