Never Retire: Unexpectedly Rediscovering An Old Passion In Valencia, Spain

So I'm starting a new Substack about it

That’s my new bike.

I bought it at Good Bike in Valencia.

That’s my Google review of the place. I had to leave a review because it really was a great experience. Fernando not only knows a lot about bikes, he has a passion for them. He is a bike nerd. Sort of like me, but with about 1,000 times the knowledge.

Where to begin?

The whole experience of—really—getting back on the bike and reacquainting just a little with bicycle culture—(it’s a thing in cities around the world)—has been a pretty cool unintended consequence of moving to Spain.

In a minute, I’ll tell you all about my new (used) bike. It’s a pretty cool bike. Not something you can find in most places around the world. Definitely not in the United States.

As Fernando explained, American bikes are exotic in Europe; European bikes are exotic in America. When I rode a lot and worked in a bike shop, European bikes and parts were coveted. And considerably more expensive than domestic brands.

I’ll also connect my past on the bike—as a card-carrying member of San Francisco’s bicycle culture—to what I see as my future on the bike here in Valencia. A future that includes a new Substack I plan to launch later this year.