When the leaves start to fall from the trees and the temperatures dip into the 20s and 30s, many cyclists, especially in Minnesota, struggle with the fact that their bikes will soon lie at the mercy of the melting snow. My pair of sleek, stylish and always sexy Lycra bike shorts that I was sporting only weeks ago have been traded in for sweatpants and a fleece. Bummer, right? Well, not this year. This year I can turn the attention of my newfound free time to the upcoming presidential election and find some solace in the fact that both George W. Bush and John Kerry share the same passion for cycling that I do. It’s well known that both men love to get on a bike and ride for fitness and fun, and personally, I think it’s great for the sport. Their notoriety, along with Lance Armstrong’s record sixth victory in a row at the Tour de France, has skyrocketed the popularity of cycling. But their differences in the saddle are just as pronounced as those on the campaign trail, and may give us real insight into their presidential ability.

The most obvious difference between the men is the choice of bicycle. According to The New York Times, Kerry pedals away on an $8,000 Serotta Ottrott, with space-age carbon tubing and, according to Serotta’s website, a “butted titanium S-bend standard or oversize chainstays.” Duh. On the other hand, Bush toddles around his ranch on a $3,000 Trek Fuel 98. It, too, is made of carbon tubing, but unlike Kerry’s bike, it has a full suspension, meant to handle those Texas sized bumps off the beaten path in Crawford. Kerry’s bike is a Ferrari, Bush's is a Hummer.

The two-wheeled chariots of the presidential frontrunners are very much tailored to their choice of riding. Kerry rides long distances on flat, paved surfaces, whereas Bush likes to ride up into the hills of his Texas ranch and then come flying down.

However, the quest for such thrill-seeking comes at a price. During his last publicized crash in late July, Bush performed what is known as an “endo” in mountain bike jargon. Picture a reverse wheelie, with the rear tire lifting in the air. Now picture Dubya sailing over the handlebars. Now try to stop laughing. Thankfully Bush was unhurt except for a cut on his knee, though his bike did land squarely on top of him. The last time he took a spill, in May, he scraped his face, hand and both knees.

Maybe this reflects a little more than biking. The way this reveals the candidates’ political philosophies is best left to the pundits, but you can bet your mom was right when she told you that if you keep falling off your bike, one of these days, you’re bound to get more than a scrape. Fortunately, one of the men already knows that. The real question is if the other one deserves more time to learn.