The Pedal Drop

I jogged down the front steps and spotted a sleek commuter bike locked to the sidewalk rack. Its rear frame had a rugged ripstop nylon saddlebag that caught my eye right away. I grabbed the pedal crank to pull myself up and inspect the tight grid weave and reflective piping. The moment I planted both sneakers onto the flat pedal, the crank arm gave way and swung downward! I didn’t flinch. I bent my knees, dropped my center of gravity, and rode the spinning pedal like a quick elevator straight to the bottom of its stroke. I popped off with a crisp hop, sticking a clean two-foot landing right on the curb.