Let me tell you about all the bikes I’ve ridden over the course of my life.

I remember a photo of myself around age four, sitting on a kid’s tricycle, eating an apple.

When I was six, my older brother let me ride on the back of his bike. My sister, out of what I can only guess was jealousy, pushed me off, and my left leg got caught in the wheel. Because of that, I couldn’t walk for six months. I remember being in a cast. Even now, there’s a scar on my left ankle from that day.

I think my mom was shocked when she saw me come home hurt. But you know how it is with Korean moms — instead of comforting you when you get hurt, they get angry. I never understood that. 🥲

I rode a bike again in fifth grade. A pretty pink one… heh.

Then I moved to the U.S.

Three months after we arrived, my dad got me a bike that looked like a Harley-Davidson. It was purple and rusted. The kids in the neighborhood were already teasing me for not speaking English, and riding around on this Harley-Davidson-looking bike that nobody else had just gave them more to laugh at.

Eventually I got a real, decent bike. I think it was a reward for doing well on an English test. I rode it everywhere, all over the neighborhood, down every alley, buying every kind of junk food the local stores sold.

After I moved back to Korea, I rode an “ajumma bike” with a huge front basket for about five years. I always had a friend riding on the back, and after three years the seat bent out of shape and I had to replace it.

I once went on a two-day business trip to Denmark. I went alone, so it wasn’t much fun. Not long ago, while going through some old things, I found photos from that trip. Every single one was of bicycles.

My god. Why do I love bikes this much —even the one that took my ankle.

I mentioned that accident as a kid, when my left foot got pulled into the wheel. I’ve always loved sports, especially tennis and badminton. One day, playing badminton, I sprained my ankle, and an MRI showed the ligament was already torn. The doctor said a sprain alone doesn’t usually tear a ligament like that — it was probably weakened by the childhood accident, gradually getting worse over the years, until it finally gave out.

Since then, I’ve noticed the left side of my body getting weaker. Less strength on the left, more of my weight shifting to lean on the right.

Electric bikes started becoming common in Korea around 2020. My first one felt almost like a motorcycle. I rode it for a while, got bored, and sold it secondhand.

After that, I had a Samchully electric bike for four years. “Had” is really the right word — I barely rode it. It was easy to ride, but something felt like it was missing. I couldn’t figure out what.

Then I discovered the Brompton.

My heart skipped.

What is this thing…

I couldn’t believe a bike like this existed! So small, and it moves so well — better than my electric bike.
And on top of that, I can just fold it up and hop on the subway with it.

The best. Simply the best.

The best bike of my life.