When I got the bike I was the envy of the neighborhood and I recall owning it for about 3 years before I got a new 10 speed (Thanks Mom and Dad). As I grew, the leg to pedal angle became more and more impractical.
The Modifications
I made a number of modifications and for a brief period, it also enjoyed a few hockey cards attached to the frame by a clothes peg or two for the famous clicking sound as the spokes flapped the cards.
Hate to think how many playing cards I destroyed this way and what they would be worth today as trading cards. At least I was not alone doing this, my pretend friend Smerk did it also :)
The Hockey Card Sound
For those who grew up in this era, you'll remember that distinctive clicking sound that made your bike sound like a motorcycle. The stiffer the card, the better the sound. Using a brand new Bobby Orr rookie card might have been sacrilege to collectors, but to a kid in the neighborhood, it was the perfect choice for maximum clicking effect!
A Symbol of Childhood Freedom
That Wedge bike represented more than just transportation - it was freedom, adventure, and the envy of every kid on the block. Those three years of ownership were filled with countless rides around the neighborhood, jumps over makeshift ramps, and the pride of having something that made you stand out.
Looking back now, I can laugh at destroying what might have been valuable hockey cards. But those memories of racing down the street with that clicking sound, feeling like the coolest kid around, are priceless in their own right.
The Transition
Eventually, like all childhood treasures, the Wedge had to give way to something more practical. A 10-speed bike suited my growing frame better, but it never quite had the same personality or made me feel as cool as that Wedge did.
Some things from childhood stay with you forever, not just as memories but as defining moments of who you were becoming. That Wedge bike, with its impractical angles and hockey card modifications, was one of those things for me.