The Bicycle

[Bassim]

Would you please correct the mistakes in my text?

My father had a bicycle he used to ride to work and to town. It was a blue, sturdy thing that he rode in all weather conditions. You just needed to oil it sometimes and change tires, otherwise it looked indestructible. During the war, my father carried on it the food from charity organisations or gifts from his friends, who took pity on us. On the luggage carrier, he would put a cardboard box filled with oil, spaghetti, rice and tins of fish, and on the spot where a down tube and a seat tube joined, he put a bag of wheat, weighing 25 kg. This was our salvation.

My father kept his bicycle mostly in our garden, unlocked. He was sure it would never be stolen. Many times, for years, some of our neighbours rang on our door, asking him if they could borrow the bicycle. They needed to go to shops, to their doctors, to a factory, to school, to hospital and other places. My father never said no. I was angry and told him he shouldn't be so generous and lend his bicycle to other people. He looked at me with his sad grey eyes and said, "Son, I'm not going to take this bicycle to the afterlife." I felt my cheeks burning with shame. I knew I would never be as generous as my father, never as kind as he was. His world was much bigger than mine. He had faith in humankind that I would never have. And I knew that when he died, hundreds of people would come to his funeral and share their memories of him. None was going to come to mine.

 

[Tdol]

How about change the tires?

 

[teechar]

the luggage carrier

I would use "the rear rack" instead.

and on the spot where a down tube and a seat tube joined,

I would use something simpler, e.g., "and just behind the saddle".

Many times, for years, some of our neighbours rang on our door,

That can be phrased better. Also, I would use "rang the doorbell" or "knocked on our door".

They needed to go to the shops, to their doctors, to a factory, to school, to hospital and other places.

Note that "the shops" means the local shops, typically convenience stores, mini-markets, grocery stores, etc.

None [STRIKE]was[/STRIKE] were going to come to mine.

The plural verb "were" works here because the reference is to people not just one person.

 

[Bassim]

I can't say "behind the saddle" because that is where "the rear rack stands. I used "on the spot where a down tube and a seat tube joined," because I couldn't find any better expression. That bicycle didn't have a crossbar, so I can't say "on or under the crossbar" either.

 

[teechar]

How about "between the (back of the) saddle and the rear rack"?

 

[Bassim]

Excuse me for bothering you this expression. The place is just above the chain guard and the pedals, i.e. in the middle of the bicycle.

Would this version be OK?

...and down there, on the chain guard and the pedals, he put a bag of wheat, weighing 25 kg.

 

[teechar]

Excuse me for bothering you with this expression. The place is just above the chain guard and the pedals, i.e. in the middle of the bicycle.

Would this version be OK?

...and down there, on the chain guard and the pedals, he put a bag of wheat, weighing 25 kg.

Don't you mean between instead of on?

 

[Bassim]

A bicycle usually has three tubes: top, down and seat. This model had just a down and seat tube and they formed a V shape. And at the bottom of that V, you could put anything and still push the bicycle. Of course, you couldn't ride it, because it was impossible to pedal because of a large bag. All those tubes make a bicycle frame.

Would this version be OK?

"...and at the bottom of the frame, he put put a bag of wheat, weighing 25 kg."

 

[teechar]

Yes, or a 25-kg bag of wheat.
By the way, you don't mean flour instead of wheat, do you?

 

[Bassim]

I made a mistake. I should have written flour instead.

 

[teechar]

You can also use "sack of flour", given that it's such a large amount.