6 years and counting with Andy Rogers.

Words and Photos by: Andy Rogers

Things improving with age is what I would label as one of those almost universally understood ideas; wine, cheese, a cast iron skillet, jeans - there’s a myriad of things that we use that we agree only get better as time goes on, as they’re used and worn with love. Why should a bike be any different?

In an industry obsessed with developing the next bright idea, and constantly making improvements to quench the seemingly endless thirst of the consumer urge, the idea that a bike could last the test of time and stay in someone’s garage for more than a season or two has almost vanished.

I’ve always had an affinity for steel bikes. My first road bike was an old, un-marked steel frame that had been painted over at some point in its life. All that was known was that it was made with Columbus tubing. From there, my love of steel bikes only continued to blossom - which ultimately ended up deciding that a hand built Speedvagen was the bike of my dreams.

I knew I wanted a bike that would stay with me. Stay with me through adventures. Stay with me through crashes. Stay with me through the ups and downs of cycling - and it has done just that.

It’s been almost 6 and half years since I received that unassuming bike box with a small flower design cut into it. Since then, this bike has seen many things. It has seen mountain tops. Pouring rain. It’s seen gravel roads that were probably a little bit much for it but hey, they were fun! It’s seen different countries. It’s seen abuse but it’s also seen care and attention.

It’s starting to show its age a bit - there’s chips in the beautiful paint from stones, being thrown in boxes on planes and crashed - but I think that’s the part I love most about it. I’ve gone through waves of wanting to change the paint as my aesthetic changed but now I couldn’t imagine getting rid of that character. Much like scars on our bodies, these scrapes and dents hold memories for me that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

I hope that when I’m older and sore and maybe not riding much any more that this bike will still be waiting for me in my living room, or worst case hanging on the wall.

When you are ready for your next bike, think about all the fun escapes you could take over the years. All the races you could go to and all the memories you could store in it. Maybe think of your bike less like a tool, and more of a companion - It's about where you want to take cycling, not where the cycling industry wants to take you.