Bicycling - while living closer to sky (on 2nd floor)

We, the denizens of Metropolitan cities have an additional problem at hand - which is almost never-ever faced by our less urbanized fellow countrymen - where to keep or park your bicycle at home. Bicycle is the tiniest mode of transportation - just a one-dimensional, linear structure  - that is how motorists view us - which is more agile than a small-car, is more capable of off-roading than an SUV, is cheaper than a pint of petrol(again...motorists' view), save millions a month on petrol, parking, traffic-tickets - and not to mention, require slightly above zero square feet of parking space.

But if you are living in a multi-story apartments, aka "societies" sometimes, then a few problems arise - unlike your car, which could shut itself out on click of a button to be left, and you could leave the lady alone, a cycle is open to all  sorts of intrusions - from seat mutilators, tire deflaters (and thieves for those having detachable tires and / or seats). Believe me, the lazy, once-a-week bicyclists' cycles are more noticed, for getting stolen / mutilations than the regular-horses.

We learn to manage this with time - learn to carry home the black-beauty every Sunday evening - after our occasional Saturday and / or Sunday mornings' touch of dirt. We become strong enough - not just to carry it on shoulders, but to go through the bemused smiles of next door long-nose interferes who have a right to know each and every activity which could provide any inane, useless information.

We become careful - careful enough to pick it up to the place where we live - either on Sunday evening or before leaving for work on Monday morning.

Not to mention any repairs and cleanings - all have to be done in the 4x2 ft balcony space - where the space has to be shared with  the drying stands for clothes.

In short, bicycling may be good, but for those living on upper floors, it becomes better as it teaches a few valuable lessons of life...be strong and manage space and time!

PS - November 2014: I manged to live with this too when moved closer to sky - now to the 8th floor. Now I have a folding bike which I can carry up and down without much problem. Also, I do ride it to my office - OK, only to my bus and then back from bus to my home in the evening....will shortly provide my feedback about that :)