What do the idylls of youth, simple pleasures, true love, and Trek’s Wasabi all have in common? That’s right, they’ll all move you to hum a little ditty and break out into song. When Chuck Stewart sent us a few riffs of a song he’d written with our Wasabi as a central character, we were intrigued. We were also deeply honored. After all, eliciting this type of visceral response is precisely why we make the bikes we make. We couldn’t help but ask Chuck for the full scoop, so here’s the story behind the song.
“I have been a cycling enthusiast for some time. Growing up I didn’t have a bike, but my wife had one in high school. It was a hand-me-down from her three older sisters. We called this bike the tank. It was painted red (I think that was its third color). That bike was a late 1940s vintage, very heavy with wide tires. I learned to ride on that bike when I was 19. But being a guy, and interested in speed, I purchased a 10-speed bike with drop handlebars and have ridden that kind of bike ever since. That is, until this past year. I have been an outdoor enthusiast all of my life, and my wife and I have enjoyed walking together over many miles and in many parts of the country, both in Canada and in the United States. Currently I am waiting for back surgery and am unable to walk very far at all, but I can still bicycle. I purchased a mountain bike last summer and have been enjoying the back country on that bike. My wife had a twenty-year old 3-speed bike, and wanted to purchase a new one to be able to ride more easily with me.
“A few weeks ago my wife and I went to a local bike shop, Western Cycle in Regina, Saskatchewan. We thought that she should get a mountain bike so we could go on some local trails together. This bike shop has a small indoor track where one can try out the bikes, actually riding—a great idea. She tried a mountain bike and didn’t like the position, and felt rather unstable on that bike. Then she saw the Trek Wasabi bikes. She tried one and liked the feel and the ride. After a few minutes of riding around and trying some other styles of bikes and a bit of discussion, all that was left was to decide the color. She liked the light blue Wasabi, and the purchase was made. She really loves the bike, and we have gone riding almost every day since the purchase.
“I have written a number of songs in my life. Some have been worked on for weeks, but others have come rather quickly. One day we went riding first thing in the morning and later after supper. During the evening ride together I started to hum a tune and was looking at Nancy on her new bike just in front of me. I started thinking about the bike, and how great it was to be doing some activity together, and how much Nancy was enjoying the new bike. It had been a long winter with no bike riding, and no walks together. We rode that evening rather late and could see the stars starting to come out just as we slipped our bikes into the garage. We came into the house and I sat down with my guitar, a pencil, and piece of paper. A few minutes later the sketch of the song was down on paper, and finalized the next morning.
“Since I am currently not working, I have lots of time to do whatever I want, or can. I have Garage Band on my iMac, so I have been recording my songs, for my family mostly. I have played in some places lately, but music is mostly a hobby and not a vocation for me. I recorded a vocal and guitar track of the song, and wanted to share it with someone else. I thought of Trek Bicycles and how much pleasure this new bike had given us, so I sent off the lyrics and a copy to the company via the internet customer service link.
“Since e-mailing Trek earlier in April, I have added some more tracks to the song. Since the bike looks like that 1950s vintage bicycle in its appearance (certainly not in its technology) and the lilt of the melody, I thought that it reminded me of the jug bands that played in the coffee houses during the 1960s. I have tried to emulate that style and feeling in the song and in the selection of the instruments.
Got a song or a story about your Trek that you think’s worth sharing? Send us a note. We’d love to hear from you.
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