Note: Since i also visit the usenet newsgroup de.rec.fahrrad regularly, there is a “public” Wiki since May 2006, especially for German speaking bicycle users – see http://de-rec-fahrrad.de.

“Don't you have a car?”… while many of my contemporaries see bicycles more as a kind of sports equipment, it's the primary means of transportation for me. As long as it's not raining all the time or the street conditions during winter are too harsch to drive, i usually use my bicycle every day (and even rain is not a big deal with the proper clothing). For bigger transports (which don't fit the cargo trailer) i still can call a Taxi – the money, which i save since i don't have to pay a car, allows such “luxury”.

During the years i used a number of models:

• As a child in the 1970ies: Like many contemporaries – a “Bonanza” bicycle without gears but with a back pedal brake
• Until about the early 1980ies: a classic 3-gear bicycle with 26” wheels, back pedal brake and a mechanical speedometer (scraped)
• Until about the end of the 1980ies: a refurbished “grand ma bicycle” (so it is called in german) taken from the bulky waste (which was stolen by someone – unfortunatley)
• 1989 to 1993: A “ladies' bicycle” with 18-gears derailleur and cantilever brakes, which was been taken over by a friend later
• 1993 to 1996: A beach cruiser, brand “RS Boomer” with 6-gears derailleur (was stolen too – which was really annoing for me, as this thing was really nice to drive and nearly “indestructable”)
• 1996 to 2005: The "Trekker" with 21-gears derailleur, which accompanied me for the longest time and had to be given up in the end because of a broken frame (parts of it where reused in another bike)
• 2005: "Spare bicycle" with 18-gears derailleur, which i used during building my current “every day crosser” and which is meanwhile used by my brother

Currently in my “fleet”:

• Since 2005: "Every day crosser" with a higher grade configuration as “main bicycle”
• Since 2008: Peugeot "Country" as a spare bicycle and for guests
• Since 2009: "Berlin Oldie" – an old “sports bicycle”, which i purchased for my residence in Berlin

Besides the financial aspect also the independency from timetables and the regular physical training at fresh air is important for me. And finally – with a bicycle you can get everywhere and you don't need a parking lot. If nothing else works, you can still walk taking your bicycle with you.

After a while i started doing nearly all maintenance and changes myself. Meanwhile i also build my own wheels and i my latest bicycle was build completely from single pieces. In a certain way this is also a relaxation to my work on computers and i have the good feeling not to be dependant on a workshop.