Like other places in western European countries, bicycle is
a common transportation (see: Bicycle). So it is a natural that I also want to
ride a bike in Germany.
Even before I came back to Germany, I rode a bike in Berau,
East Kalimantan. I rode a bike although most people ride motorbikes and the
weather thousand times hotter than in Germany. My bike in Berau was a new one
and it costs around €100. It is pretty expensive for Indonesian standard, but
surely it has good quality. A decent bike could costs around €30 - €50.
But in Germany, a €100 bike is just a low quality one. I was really
shocked to find out that good quality new bikes cost from €300. My Indonesian
bike costs around €600 here!!! Oh God, I miss my Indonesian bike… Maybe I
should just have brought it here.
The rational option is having second hand bike, and this is how most
of people here have. Second hand bikes cost from €30, and can be found in flea
markets or from the Internet. So I kept looking for a bike for quite a while
until my friend gave me a broken used bike. Actually I don’t know what to do
with a broken bike, but then my friend said that he could fix it. So I took the
bike.
However, months have been passed and my friend hadn’t fixed the bike.
His main reason was that during winter, it is not fun to go biking. Now finally
spring is coming, so I asked for his promise to fix it. And after weeks of
arguing and nonmatching schedule, finally he was willing to fix it under one
condition: I must join in fixing it. So I agree.
Now I am having a bike. Compare to my “old” bike, of course it is very
far different. My “new” bike is like different puzzle being glued together.
Cables from broken computers are mixed with new tire and fasten with cable
ties. It looks like I am going to a children carnival.
