Redesign For Ease
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
Where would you like to redesign for ease?
My bike has been restyled!
Ben Witt and Mike Pofahl—
Two highly skilled “bike wizards”—
Took on transformation.
Now bike matches my current needs.
Talking with Ben Witt,
Owner of Northfield’s Heath Creek Cycles,
I told him how I felt challenged by my bicycle,
This Salsa bike, he built to fit
My needs and size 15 years ago.
Bike’s structure, solid frame, functioning well,
Still fit my body size.
My different flexibility and strength,
Require some modifications to
Create a bike that can I work with,
Rather than struggle with.
My unsteadiness in getting on or off bike?
Cut straight top tube, called Boys Bar in olden days,
Drop it to an angle so that I could step through.
My increasing difficulty in pedaling up steep hills?
New gears.
Gears to be beyond “granny gears,”
I’d say “mountain-goat gears.”
(Of course, it still requires hard pedaling.)
Mike Pofahl,
Custom-bike-builder, in Faribault,
Unassembled bike into hundreds of little pieces,
Cut it up, put it partially together.
Back to Heath Creek Cycles in Northfield,
Where Ben Witt installed new gearing, many tweaks.
I am not at all a bike-techy person.
Who knows what all went into it?
I do know that end result is wonderful!
I am again operating in sync with my bicycle,
Refitted to match my bicycling “Now.”
I am very aware that
I have been given a huge gift.
These two men’s creative thinking,
Experienced skill, and
Commitment made my bike
Into the current best riding bike for me—
Fills me with gratitude and appreciation.
You will recognize this gift
Of creative thinking, skilled crafting, supportive doing.
Whether or not you are even interested in any bicycle.
This redesign keeps me
Engaging while Ageing.
How lucky I am!
Hugs,
Lin
Limerick :
I pedal with fun and with liking,
My bike that I ride as I’m biking.
Though nearly the same,
I loudly can claim
The change that I feel is quite striking.
