I’m not very good at bike maintenance, which means that I have to replace my bike every few years. It’s been a while since I last did it - and that time I had to do it because my previous bike was stolen. Now that once shiny new bike has turned into a hunk of junk. Over the years, I’ve replaced small parts, like the brake pads and stuff like that, but now the wear and tear of daily use, often all year through, made it necessary to replace some of the more vital bits and pieces.

After stopping by two bike shops to get estimates on the job, it turned out the frame was pretty much the only thing that didn’t have to be replaced, so in the end I opted for buying a new bike instead. It wasn’t that more expensive and riding this bike is like always having a tail wind pushing me in the back compared to the old one.

Since I don’t have any kids to show you pictures of here’s a picture of the bike.

Nice, eh? I would appreciate it if you didn’t steal this one, either.

I don’t intend to throw away my old bike. Since I won’t be able to get any real cash for it, I’ve decided to give it away. If you need something to get you from point A to point B and you can spare a few bucks to fix only what is strictly necessary to make sure you don’t die the second you sit on it, then this is an offer you can’t miss. It’s your for free if you pick it up yourself at my place in Oslo, Norway. I’d eventually also advertise it on Finn. Because, let’s be honest, more people are looking for new bikes there than on my site. Here’s a recent picture of the old bike - your new bike:

It’s a 2005 Gekko Phelsuma. What needs to be replaced is the drive chain (it’s working now, but it tends to skip a lot and I’ve almost thrown myself over the steering wheel once already) and the rear break wire. If you do that, you’ll have a decent bike that you can use to get around shorter distances, but not much more.

UPDATE: The blue Gekko has found a new owner.

Parting with the old Gekko feels a bit weird, to be honest. We’ve been through a lot together, that bike and I. But I’d probably also have some great adventures with the new Everest Explorer. Godspeed!