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THE DISCOVERY ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURE
from Fernie Fix July 2021
by Claris Media
THE DISCOVERY ISSUE SPECIAL FEATURE
The Bike
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by JIMMY VALLANCE
In memory of Tyler McKay and Al Evanchick
There are four things I cannot imagine having lived without, and The Bike is one of them.
But first, in 1943, there was The Trike.
Then two parentapproved bicycles until 1958 when I bought my first ‘Scot’ frame from Rattray’s of Glasgow and rode it until 1966. The Trike
Immigrating that year, I found myself bikeless in Montreal but, having moved to Fernie in ’68, I ventured down the coast and bought a 1965 Cinelli track bike at Ace Cycles in Kitsilano for $90. Leaving it behind when we went to Scotland in 1971, I thus found myself bikeless in Edinburgh and so invested in a WF Holdsworth (nowadays graced with a classic Shimano 600 ‘Arabesque’ chainset and gears).
The arabesque Holdsworth
On returning to Fernie in 1974, I convinced myself that it was ‘unresponsive’ and replaced it with a Bill Nickson, a real workhorse.
The $90 Cinelli ... the workhorse
In the early 1980s, a relatively strong Canadian dollar was good for a Kalispell-built Frank Spicer for our eldest, Keir, who later contributed it to the collection. Keir’s bike - The Spicer
In the 1990s a mid-life crisis was narrowly averted by the purchase of a Bob Jackson frame for its ‘curly backend,’ a feature I had coveted since the age of 14.
The Jackson - a curly backend (and fancy lugs)
(Meanwhile, there were Nashbar bike catalogue offers I couldn’t refuse and our basement was ankle-deep in spare parts. So with these, other necessary purchased components, four repaints by Gene and Foozie, Adam Rigby’s decals and the skills of the Boyz in the Basement at Straightline, the frames were built into the bikes they have become.)
Then eBay, and with it came a Trek 2200 and a most beautiful aluminum Coppi frame, which has been built into my best bike: spry, responsive and looking good.
The Coppi - campionissimo And always hovering in the background, The Scot - a real mystery the mysterious ‘Scot’; acquired in the 1980s, provenance unknown, but the bottom bracket stamp identifying it as 1958 vintage; a coincidence perhaps, but more likely a convincing argument for the existence of bicycloid reincarnation (see para 3.)
The Bike has always been good to me. I’ve ridden solo most of my life but have also shared hardtop and gravel with three memorable roadies.
In the 1950s with Bruce Gunn until university (me) marriage (him) and rugby (both of us) replaced cycling for a short while. Then, in the early ‘70s Bill Frew who, much later at age 83 was most indignant at suffering a stroke because he still had 5,048 kilometers to ride for a lifetime 500,000. And in Fernie, many kms. with Marty Hill, always tolerant of my pointless rants at errant motorists.
To a cyclist every ride is a voyage of both discovery and self-discovery: over Heiko’s with Bernie and Fred in May 2003, for instance, or across the Bull with Marty and Al. Or solo on the Kootenay Pass in April 1998.
Needing mountain miles that year for the summer season, I drove to the bottom of the Creston-Salmo, rode over the Pass, lunched at Salmo and rode back up to the summit.
Traffic was sparse. It was damp and cool after the morning rain, and I was knackered. Then it happened. A tailwind. Downhill. For 21 miles.
I don’t know of a better way to discover transcendent happiness, but if there is, I’d wager that The Bike will be involved.
With roadie Bill Frew (right), Commando Memorial, Spean Bridge, Scotland
... and humphing the Fisher on Heiko’s
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