Freaks of the Industry

Why in the world don't my bikes look like anyone else's? I think I have a problem. I have a collection of some of the freakiest bikes in this area code. I guess there just isn't much about "off-the-shelf" bikes that intrigues me. When I do buy a "stock" bike it usually stays that way from the box to the workstand. After that, there are NO rules, and all bets are off. The change is perpetual, and most bikes don't stay the same way for longer than a few weeks or a couple of months. I see some bikes come into the shop that are over ten years old, and they still look the same way that they did the day they were purchased. Many of them still have the size sticker plastered on the downtube like one of Minnie Pearl's tagged hats on Hee-Haw. How drab. What a shame. How am I supposed to know anything about the person who owns this bike? It's kind of like people who drive non-descript burgundy or champagne colored sedans with absolutely no distinguishing features. Although decals of large soccer balls, fuzzy dice, crown-shaped air fresheners, and "My kid is an honor student" bumper stickers are not exactly creative, at least they tell me something about the owner of the vehicle. They've at least gone out of their way to say, "Hey, this is me!" If you haven't already, take the time to make your bicycle (or bicycles) your own. Maybe a bell will do it. Maybe a sticker in just the right place. Maybe some pink streamers, spokey-dokeys, or one of those little plastic license plates with your name on it. Heck, kick it old school and put a baseball card in your spokes. The bicycle is a playful, fun thing. Not only can it propel you through space and time, but it can also be a billboard for the interesting, unique person that you are. How will you say it?