My "New" Bike

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.