Sunday, December 18, 2011

Random Giveaway #11: Bicycles as Holiday Gifts?

I can't believe that Christmas is less than a week away, and Hanukkah is even closer! Where has the time gone? As the holiday gets closer, I can't help but recall Christmases past, and I am reminded that I am very fortunate to have a fabulous partner in life, and a place to call home. Oddly, these thoughts somehow transitioned into me thinking that it seems as though it is quite common for many people to receive bicycles as Christmas presents. Today's giveaway asks, have you ever received a bicycle as a holiday season gift, and if so, was it something you wanted or had been pining over? What were the circumstances and how long did you have the bicycle? If you haven't received a bicycle for a Christmas/Hanukkah/etc gift, have you ever wanted one or thought you'd receive one during the holiday season?
Image source here
Please submit your response in the comments no later than Wednesday, December 21, 2011 by 9:00 p.m. MST. The comment submission form will serve as the time stamp indicator and any entries after that time will not be included in the random giveaway for this round. The gift for this giveaway is a beer 6-pack strap holder (pictured below).
My apologies for the horrid photo, but the shot of it in use explains it better than I can in words (or what I can show photographed sitting on a flat surface). I thought it was a rather handy device for the bicycle-riding-beer-drinking individual (or any beverage that comes in a 6-pack, I suppose).

9 comments:

  1. The only bike I ever received as a christmas gift was waaay back when I was about 8 or so. My dad gave me my 1st fixer-upper. A little schwinn something or other. We spent the next month or so painting it baby blue, adding a white with rainbows banana seat, white grips with rainbow streamers and white wall tires. It totally felt like Rainbow Brite riding that! No idea what ever became of it. I guess I got too big for it and my parents sold it/gave it away to another kid.

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  2. Don't drink and drive !

    Somehow "Christmas" and "Bicycle" are not associated with each other here in the North especially when we had 30 cm of snow on the streets. This will probably change in the coming years, though.

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  3. Giles, that is an excellent point. I hadn't considered that someone could drink while riding his/her bicycle. I thought of this more as a transportation device than a way to "drink and drive."

    I can understand not associating Christmas and bicycles with so much snow on the ground. It's probably bad enough walking in it! Of course, this is coming from the woman who just half an hour ago fell down walking in about 1/4 of an inch (0.6 cm) of snow. I am so klutzy!

    Amy, I remember fondly my first "banana seat" bicycle. It sounds like yours was quite colorful!

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  4. I've never received a bike as a Christmas present. I got my first two-wheeler, complete with training wheels on my 4th birthday though!
    I wouldn't mind receiving one now. An adorable bike like that Electra Amsterdam would definitely be appreciated!

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  5. I've never received a bike for christmas. This year I put the SOMA Saga frameset on my wishlist, though I know for certain that I won't be getting it (and never expected to). It's just nice to pretend that there's a possibility I might get one of my dream bikes. :)

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  6. When I was 10 I got a totally awesome Huffy mountain bike with a totally 80s pink and gray speckled paint job. I don't know how my parents hid it from me, but I was completely surprised to see it under the tree.
    And that 6 pack carrying device is GENIUS.

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  7. for the record, i do NOT want to enter the giveaway (can't drink alcohol and my bike is a hybrid as you can see in my profile). how are you supposed to pedal with a pack of drinks between your knees? i think bikes are very personal, so getting one that the receiver will like would mean you have to really really know the person. keeping that in mind, i'd love a bike for christmas! even better i'd love one of more handy friends to offer to build one for me. :)

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  8. Ridonkulus said: "How are you supposed to pedal with a pack of drinks between your knees?"

    If you fasten the 6-pack strap holder near the head tube it should be possible.

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  9. Ridonkulus, your "non-entry" is noted. :O) As Giles stated, I would push the 6-pack up closer to the head tube, rather than having it so close to the saddle. Though I haven't tried it, I also thought it might be possible to use it on the handlebars so the rider could keep a better eye on things, or even strap it to a rear rack possibly? Again, I haven't tried it, so make no presumptions that I have any idea what I'm talking about.

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