 |
| Shopping around old Shanghai |
No soy una fan loca del ciclismo pero la bicicleta como objeto siempre me ha atraído. Además de su obvia finalidad, es un medio de transporte que simplemente es bonito y si se cuidan los detalles puede llegar a alcanzar lo más alto entre los objetos de diseño.
 |
| Republic Bike via S Moda |
He tenido varias bicis a lo largo de mi vida. Como os decía, no soy una gran fan del ciclismo, pero de todas mis bicis guardo un recuerdo especial y siempre que tengo oportunidad me subo a las ruedas, ya sea para ir a la playa, a comprar pan o explorar la ciudad. En Shanghai es mucho más fácil. A pesar de que se debe ir con sumo cuidado, hay carril especial para bicis y motos, no hay cuestas y el tráfico no alcanza grandes velocidades. Lo que en un principio puede parecer un caos, tiene su propio orden.
Mis primeras ruedas fueron un triciclo. No guardo el recuerdo de cuándo llegó exactamente a casa, pero sí sé que fue un regalo de mis padres. Era precioso, con sillín rojo, estructura metálica y ruedas blancas y enormes. Después aprendí a andar sobre dos ruedas y el triciclo lo heredaron mis hermanas. Después de 16 o 17 años, el pobre pasó a mejor vida tras un accidente tráfico. RIP. Mi padre lo había atropellado con el Land Rover en la entrada del garaje.
 |
| Yeah! It's me riding the tricycle! |
Después vino la G.A.C, de color granate, un regalo de mi padrino. Recuerdo que al principio casi no le llegaba a los pedales. La usé durante nueve años y fue compañera de muchas aventuras y alguna caída… ups. Era en esa época en la que todos los niños teníamos o una G.A.C o una BH o una Orbea. Eran todas prácticamente iguales y la diferencia de una marca a otra eran las tonalidades y matices usados en los colores.
 |
| Vintage G.A.C., BH and Orbea bicycles |
En los 90 se pusieron de moda las mountain bike y yo encontré la mejor excusa para cambiar mi G.A.C. por una de estas con ruedas todoterreno y varias marchas, catalinas y piñones. Mi bici de la infancia se me había quedado pequeña. Recuerdo que para la bici de montaña estuve ahorrando durante más de un año. No me acuerdo de la marca, sólo que el cambio era Shimano. Era fea, pero con ella también recorrí caminos y carreteras durante las vacaciones de cada verano.
A partir de aquí se acabó la vida en la calle de cada verano. Llegó la universidad, las prácticas… los trabajos quitaron tiempo a usar la bici y además, ésta ya no estaría nunca más de moda entre nosotros jóvenes de la generación del botellón.
A partir de entonces y de forma esporádica fueron cayendo préstamos y alquileres en mis manos. Heredé una de mi Sartorialist la cual tuneé con un cestito monísimo para poder ir de compras.
Y llegué a Shanghai, donde puedes adquirir una bici nueva por menos de 50 euros. Los primeros rayos de sol de la primavera aceleraron la compra de mi Phoenix retro. Que sepáis que son como las que llevan los carteros de la China Post. Por ahora se está portando, pero es calidad china, de usar y tirar… ya me entendéis. Así que continuaré buscando bicis bonitas como las de Shinola o las de En Selle Marcel que ya os he presentado en La Última Tentación de Eva.
Aquí os he dejado mis historias de bicicletas y vosotros, ¿recordáis las dos ruedas que han ido pasando por vuestras vidas?
 |
| At the French Concession in Shanghai |
I’ve been seeing bicycles everywhere for a while. Ok, I live in China and the bicycle is the main mean of transport. But when I’m not in China I see bicycles everywhere as well. I belong to a culture and generation in which a bicycle was for poor people or we kids used it to play and get away looking for some adventure, or for cycling amateurs; but a Perico Delgado’s (Spanish former professional road bicycle racer who won almost everything in the 80’s)bicycle style was always quite uncomfortable for me. Nobody commuted by bicycle in Spain. And suddenly… ta-daah… we collect bikes in the garage, in the attic, at grandpa’s, etc. I don’t know if the eco streak has exploded among all us or if the economic crisis is getting up to its old tricks and paying for the public transportation ticket hurts our soul, or just a mix of both. The issue is that Decathlon (mecca for all amateur sporty people and for those ones who want to practice all sports at a time and do none of them) has extended the area dedicated to this sport. There are more and more specialized shops and other multi-brand stores that sell an specific lifestyle where a bicycle is a must (Le Bon Marché, Colette, etc.). And if a bicycle is still too much to fit in their range of products, you have mainstream brands like Pull & Bear which has just launched a collection for the two wheels fans: simple, practical and with that urban touch so characteristic for this label. And when a bike by Pull & Bear?
I’m not a cycling crazy fan, but I’ve always been drawn by the bicycle as an object. Apart from its obvious purpose, it’s a simply beautiful mean of transportation; and if it’s being taken care of the smaller details, it can reach the highest position among the designer objects.
I’ve had several bicycles throughout my life. I’m repeating that I’m not a big fan of cycling, but I keep special memories about all of my bicycles and when I have the chance I always ride the two wheels either for going to the beach, buying bread or exploring the city. This is much easier in Shanghai. Despite you might be very careful when riding, there is an specific lane for bicycles and motorbikes, there is no slopes and traffic does not reach high speed. What at the beginning seems to be a chaos, it has its own order in the end.
My first wheels were a tricycle. I do not really remember when it exactly got home, but I know it was my parents’ gift. It was beautiful, with red seat, metallic structure and white and big wheels. I learned how to ride the two wheels and my sisters handed down the tricycle. After 16 or 17 years, the poor cycle passed away after a car accident. RIP. Dad had run over it with his Land Rover at the garage entrance.
After that the G.A.C. arrived; maroon color; a gift from my godfather. At the beginning I was hardly able to reach the pedals. I used it for nine years and it was the team mate for many adventures and some fall… oops. It happened on that time that all kids have either a G.A.C either a BH either an Orbea. All of them where practically the same and the difference from one brand to the other were the tonalities and shades used on the colors.
The mountain bikes reached their popularity during the 90’s and I found the best excuse to exchange my G.A.C for one of these ones with off-road wheels, speeds, balance wheels and pinions. My childhood bicycle had remained small. I remember that I was saving money for more than one year to purchase the mountain bike. I don’t really remember the brand, only that the gear change was made by Shimano. It was ugly, but I rode through small paths and roads during every summer holiday.
Since then the summer street life was finished. College arrived, internships… jobs stole time to ride the bike and this one would never be again in fashion among us binge drinking generation.
After this and occasionally some loans and rentals were appearing in my life. I inherited one from my Sartorialist; I tuned it with a very cute basket, so I could go on shopping. And I arrived at Shanghai where you can acquire a bicycle for less than 50 euros. The first sun beams last spring accelerated me to buy my retro Phoenix. Note that it’s like the ones the postmen from China Post ride. Up to now it has been behaving, but it’s Chinese quality, use and throw away… you understand, don’t you? So I’ll keep looking for beautiful bicycles like Shinola or En Selle Marcel that I’ve already shown you at La Última Tentación de Eva.
Here they are the memories of my bicycles and you, do you remember the pair of wheels that have been going through your lifes?
 |
| More old Shanghai |
