Revolution Cycles has exceeded my expectations for helpfulness, courtesy and not laughing at me, despite my lack of knowledge. Let’s face it – I was trying to keep it old school when I started looking for a bike but settled for one off the local Freecycle site and ended up with a decent product, but not without need of repair. And no big banana seat like I was hoping for – more of a practical, sensible seat. I was very disappointed.

So in I walk to Revolution Cycles at Clarendon with my wife at my side and a bicycle wheel in my hand, looking desperately for someone who could hook me up with a new inner tube or two. Preferably two, since I need to ride on both wheels. I halfway expected someone to laugh at me for having to bring the whole wheel. I had no idea how inner tubes were sized. I knew this was a sure way to get what I needed.

“Presta or Schrader valves?” the young man asked. I shrugged and handed him the wheel. “Schrader,” he said.

“Can I switch to the other type?” I asked.

“No, but we have these adapters you can screw on to use your pump at home,” he said. That’s funny – he thought I already had a pump. He handed me the inner tubes and sent me on down to the helmet department. In my day we didn’t have helmets. Maybe that’s why so many of my classmates ended up wearing helmets later, after bike accidents. I don’t know.

We found some very stylish helmets, or at least affordable ones. Being practical, I opted for the very cheapest one I could find, figuring that the best way to not suffer through recovery after an accident was to limit the chances of recovery being an option. Alas, the store only carries the highest rated helmets. “The cheapest one is as good as the most expensive,” the salesman told me. “The real difference is in the aerodynamics.”

“I don’t think I will be going too fast,” I assured him, patting my gut.

My wife and I walked out with about $80 in merchandise and a good feeling about a store I look forward to visiting again. I will be back every time I need a part, repair or if the banana seat ever becomes popular again. I can’t wait!