Mountain Bike Mania Read Online Free PDF Page A

pre-owned — bike
     home. He was going to ride itto school first thing in the morning, and by afternoon, he’d be off on the trail!
    “Yo, Julian! You sold my bike!” The voice came from the doorway. They all turned to see a boy who must have been fourteen
     but looked seventeen. He wore a black leather jacket, torn jeans, and black army boots. He had two earrings in one of his
     ears and long black hair brushed back and slicked down. “You said you were gonna fix it up for me!”
    “Ace!” Julian said, stiffening. “Hey, man, I did fix it up for you. Now you don’t have to pay your father back for the damage
     you did when you took it without his permission.”
    “I just borrowed it!” Ace corrected him. “I was trying it out to see if it ran right.”
    “Yeah, right,” Julian said, rolling his eyes. “Be glad I saved your bacon this time, and don’t do it again.”
    Ace looked away and blinked, as though he was just noticing that there were other people in the room. “Hey, don’t you go to
     Hopgood Middle?” he asked Will.
    Will nodded. “Sixth grade. I’m Will Matthews. These are my parents.”
    “Hi,” Ace mumbled, then turned back to Will.“Nice to meet you. Enjoy the bike.” He gave Will a nod, shot Julian an angry look, and walked back out of the room.
    “Whoa,” Will breathed. “Now I see what Gail meant about him.”
    “He’s some piece of work, all right,” Julian said. “Tell you the truth, I don’t think his dad wants him riding the new bikes.
     Ace rides them kind of hard. Don’t get me wrong — he’s a great biker. He does stuff on a bike nobody else around here can
     do.”
    “Not even you?” Will asked.
    “Me? Nah, I’m not that good. I’m more into fixing them up, you know? Getting them in perfect running condition.” Julian wiped
     his hands with a greasy rag, then motioned for them all to gather around him.
    “Okay, now I’m going to give you your first lesson in mountain bikery. This” — he pointed solemnly at the bike — “is a mountain
     bike. It’s different from a regular bike because it goes anywhere. Look at these big, fat tires. Good traction, good padding,
     takes a pounding. Look at this frame. Strong but lightweight, for when you need to carry it. Shock absorbers to keep you from
     feeling the pain.
    “These are the derailleurs. They help shift the gears. The idea of shifting is so you can keep a steady pace. That way you
     don’t tire out. So you want to find the most comfortable gear for flat riding and then adjust from there.”
    He went on to show Will and his parents how to shift gears with his thumbs as he rode. Then he taught them how to brake. Twenty
     minutes had gone by when Mr. Diamond came in, scowling.
    “Julian,” he said. “There are four customers out there waiting for help. I don’t mean to rush you, but…” He gestured frantically,
     gave Will and his parents a little smile, and ducked back out.
    “I’d better wrap this up,” Julian said, not seeming too worried or the least bit hurried.
    “If you need to help someone else, go ahead,” Will’s mom offered.
    “Yes, you’ve been more than kind to take so much time with Will — and with us. I feel like I got an education!”
    “Me, too,” Will’s mom agreed.
    Julian grinned. “Well, Gail sent him. So I had to treat him right.” He gave Will fist fives and ruffled his hair. “Look, man,
     you already wear glasses, andthat’s actually an advantage here, since you won’t need goggles.”
    “Cool!” Will said, smiling. “I’m not used to thinking of them as a plus.”
    “Yeah, and I assume you’ve already got a helmet, yes?”
    “Yes,” Will said.
    “Good.”
    “What about biking clothes?” Will asked.
    “Will, we’re already spending enough for today,” his father counseled.
    “But I’m gonna look like a dork on this great new bike with my regular clothes!”
    “You’re wrong about that one,” Julian said, shaking his head. “Mountain