Hi Everyone,
I've been really enjoying the builds and projects on this site! I picked up a late 40's Schwinn DX off Craigslist for $100 about a month ago thinking maybe I'd try to motorize it or something and I've been hooked on researching and learning about old bikes every since. Little did I know it, but this bike would play a larger role for me than I could ever have guessed.
See for 25 years, since I was 12, I haven't been able to ride a bike sitting down. My hip joint was destroyed back then by a nasty bone infection, leaving me unable to bend my hip at all. I figured out I could still ride by standing to pedal and only sitting down to coast. So that's what I did and I mostly mountain biked during that time I guess and never liked flat stretches because of the constant up and down that was the reality of my riding.
Notice how I said "was"! On Tuesday, I'm finally getting my hip replaced at age 37 down at Jefferson University Hospital in Philly. I just found out two weeks ago that they now can go in from the front and that materials are thought to last 30-40 years. And one of my favorite parts of this story is that the surgeon says, "now I want you to be riding your bike, swimming and walking is unlimited during your recovery". So wish me luck and keep me in your prayers too because I've got this Schwinn ready to be restored into proper riding condition and doctors orders to ride it.
Kyle
I've been really enjoying the builds and projects on this site! I picked up a late 40's Schwinn DX off Craigslist for $100 about a month ago thinking maybe I'd try to motorize it or something and I've been hooked on researching and learning about old bikes every since. Little did I know it, but this bike would play a larger role for me than I could ever have guessed.
See for 25 years, since I was 12, I haven't been able to ride a bike sitting down. My hip joint was destroyed back then by a nasty bone infection, leaving me unable to bend my hip at all. I figured out I could still ride by standing to pedal and only sitting down to coast. So that's what I did and I mostly mountain biked during that time I guess and never liked flat stretches because of the constant up and down that was the reality of my riding.
Notice how I said "was"! On Tuesday, I'm finally getting my hip replaced at age 37 down at Jefferson University Hospital in Philly. I just found out two weeks ago that they now can go in from the front and that materials are thought to last 30-40 years. And one of my favorite parts of this story is that the surgeon says, "now I want you to be riding your bike, swimming and walking is unlimited during your recovery". So wish me luck and keep me in your prayers too because I've got this Schwinn ready to be restored into proper riding condition and doctors orders to ride it.
Kyle
