Bike chain

The bike chain seems to be a relatively harmless part of the bike. Most kids are warned not to touch it, and most listen. There may be some that get hurt, but most kids listen and the chain is not a problem for most. I do remember that even though I stayed away from mine as I should have, I had problems with it anyway. It would seem there is no better way to set up a bike or they would not come with the chain any longer. There may be new types, but I have yet to see them.

I remember quite clearly ruining many pairs of jeans. I was a kid in the 70s, so most of the jeans that I had back then were flare, as was the style. I’m thankful my mother never put me in full-blown bell bottoms or I might have broken my neck. The jeans always found a way to get caught in the bike chain, even though the chain guard was always in place. I lost at least two pairs of jeans this way a year, and my mother was never happy. It wasn’t my fault, but after a while, there were new rules about what I could wear when riding bike.

The bike chain would often tell the tale of where I had been that day. I spent a lot of time on my bike, and because we lived on the edge of a mountain, I had a lot of space where I could play safely. My friends and I would be gone for hours and there was never a problem, and our bikes always went with us. I would often come home with grass from the nearby field snagged up in my bike chain and my dad always had to get it out for me. It was a pain for him, but for me, it was a badge of honor in the world of exploration.

My dad recently bought my daughter her first real bike, and one of the first things I did was warn her about the bike chain. She looked at it once and didn’t seem that interested. It’s funny how fashions go, as the jeans she is wearing have the same flare that mine did when I was a kid. She has not fallen in love with her bike just yet, but once she does, I guess I had better prepare for the chain to claim a few pairs of those jeans. Luckily for her, I will understand completely.