MSU Biker Culture (Draft 1)

My Champion bicycle is one of many bikes that is used to define Michigan State biker culture and the variety of people that ride them. A lot of ideals and values can be claimed just from looking at one’s bike. It goes along with the way people dress, what people eat, personality, etc. A bike helps to define one person as well as the bigger picture in a community of people. Bikes and bikers on the campus of Michigan State University have no definite pattern, but while there are several differences, there are also several common traits. Bikes are used by people to move longer distances in a shorter amount of time. Communities that tend to have a lot of bikes have a base of people that hates them and loves them. The production of bike paths shows the caring for bikes and the people standing in the way of bicycles as they try to move around shows a dislike for bikes.

Let us start with some ground rules by defining patterns seen in the design of bikes. First, we will define my bike. As we look at the bike in its entirety, we can tell that it is a road/racing bike. It has thin tires which allows it to move faster as there are less contact points with the ground. The drooping mustache handlebar allows the rider to lean over to be more aerodynamic and to move their center of gravity closer to the ground. It is an older bike because we see a 10-speed, high speed set of gears controlled by levers on the frame. Newer bikes have modern switches on the handlebar and are usually 21-speed. Because this bike has high speed gears, the rider has the ability to move at faster speeds without doing much work. We notice the condition of the bike. We see that it is rusting in multiple spots, the chain is over-stretched, and some parts are missing. The bike is well-worn in. The original tires and seat have been replaced, but the rest is the same as it was years ago.

We begin to see some defining details of the rider. Because I know myself, this is easy to do. I ride this bike because it was cheap. It had been sitting in my home garage since my mother rode this bike back in the 70’s. All I had to do was fix it up from retirement and it was mine. It is most certainly not the most dependable bike, but once you get use to its unique character, it will get you where you want to go with little trouble. I do have a slight emotional attachment to the bike as it was a pet project to fix it up and I have been riding it for a while now. The bike is also my favorite color. I ride this bike because I have long distances to go in a short amount of time as well as the fact that MSU makes it convenient to ride bikes on campus. Although the bike is designed for speed, I could care less as long as it gets me where I want to go. I can be aggressive on days where I am late, but usually I am calm with people on the sidewalk. I bike on bike paths when I can and I ride safely.

I am just one out of the several people that ride at MSU. As we take a look around campus, we can see lots of different bikes and riders. We can classify them into three categories. Let’s start with Type I. This is where my bike fits in. In this category, we see the bikes that are too small for people, cheap, and worn down. Cheap bikes of all sorts fall into this category. From observation, we see that these bikers have a very similar mindset to myself. I asked one of my friends why he had a bike that did not even come up to his thighs, and he responded talking about how he had been use to this bike for years and after riding it for so long, it would be hard to switch. He also said it was cheaper this way even though it was not the most effective way to get around. We see an emotional attachment, like mine to my bike. Type I bikers are respectable and care. They may not have the best maintenance for their bikes and may not afford the best either.

We move onto Type II bikers. This is the most common category of bikers. The most common bike seen on campus is the red bike with a medium adult sized frame. It has thicker tires, usually 21-speed, and a straight rod for a handlebar. We usually see average sized men riding this specific bike. Bikes in different colors and smaller frames are usually seen being operated by women. I am in no way claiming that this bike type defines the entire MSU biker culture, but it is a large part of it. The condition of the bike is generally from slightly used to new. These riders are your typical riders. They are nice, not too aggressive, and believe that they are not the only humans on the planet. They try to use the bike paths when they are available and are courteous. Walkers like this part of biker culture. Following the Golden Rule, these walkers respect these bikers as the bikers will respect them. These bikers just have a bike to get to class and other places in a timely manner. I have talked to two people who own this kind of bike. They said that it was a bike that they had received in high school, rarely rode it, and brought it here so they could get to class on time. “It is cheap and reliable,” said my friend. These bikers sometimes ride in caravans with other biker friends.

The third category is Type III bikes and bikers. We see several divides between the majority of bikers and Type III bikers. The cost of bikes in this category is usually significantly more than those of other types. We see the upscale mountain bikes and road bikes. These are the ones that are well oiled, are aesthetically pleasing, and make other jealous. They are beautiful machines with lots of colors and the latest technology in biking. We see disc brakes, self-aligned and correcting gear sets, at least 24-speed, no rust, comfy seats, shocks on the wheels, and bike lighting. The riders are generally have the same mind set. They move quickly and swift. They ride around the campus like they think their tuition paid for them to own the place. They can be aggressive if they are having a bad day and they could tell you the price of their bike faster than naming the first president of the USA. This is the 1% of biker culture on campus. They are hard to come by, but they exist.

As stated, we can see that biker culture on the campus of Michigan State University is very diverse. It is not possible to describe this culture in one word. We see bikes here range from cheap to beautiful and bikers range from heavenly to devilish. Whether we care or not, this is important as it defines a community of people. My bike and I are just one part of a bigger picture. We help to define just one type of bikes and bikers on this campus. We make a statement as well as all of the other people. Bikes help to make a statement about someone as someone wants to make a statement of themselves.