tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41749693837294661182024-03-14T02:51:13.499-07:00Dunia Sepedakaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.comBlogger1512125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-18484413472394656182011-10-06T01:16:00.000-07:002011-10-06T01:16:20.844-07:00No. 1 lightweight in the world (?) M2 racer Eagle Saddle<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Swf-IVkAAAI/AAAAAAAAAF4/I9Fo6f9qdiA/s1600/saddle.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406569296862117890" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Swf-IVkAAAI/AAAAAAAAAF4/I9Fo6f9qdiA/s400/saddle.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">Perhaps</span> <span class="hps">still</span> <span class="hps">the world's lightest</span> <span class="hps">saddle</span><span>, "m2 racer"</span> <span class="hps">of</span> <span class="hps">"Eagle"</span> <span class="hps">little</span> <span class="hps">weight</span> <span class="hps">is 39</span> <span class="hps">grams</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">It</span> <span class="hps">was</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">lightest</span> <span class="hps">boasted</span> <span class="hps">"Schmolke seat post TLO" (80</span> <span class="hps">grams</span> <span class="hps">Diameter</span> <span class="hps">31.6mm,</span> <span class="hps">and the</span> <span class="hps">current model</span> <span class="hps">are different</span> <span class="hps">ways</span> <span class="hps">of</span> <span class="hps">clamping)</span> <span class="hps">a combination</span><span>, we</span> <span class="hps">still</span> <span class="hps">use it</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">This kind of</span> <span class="hps">saddle</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">very</span> <span class="hps">broken</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">it is said</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">four</span> <span class="hps">years later</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">still</span> <span class="hps">active</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">have</span> <span class="hps">quite</span> <span class="hps">a hard</span><span class="hps">seat</span><span>, "assos"</span> <span class="hps">light blue</span> <span class="hps">pads</span> <span class="hps">"S5"</span> <span class="hps">on</span> <span class="hps">the ass</span> <span class="hps">so</span> <span class="hps">sore</span> <span class="hps">it</span> <span class="hps">keeps</span> <span class="hps">me</span> <span class="hps">stepping on the</span> <span class="hps">crank</span><span class="hps">is not</span> <span class="hps">hard</span> <span class="hps">wearing</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">While</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">paddle</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">slippery</span> <span class="hps">ass</span> <span class="hps">out</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">stick</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">steady</span> <span class="hps">it</span> <span class="hps">as</span> <span class="hps">the seat</span> <span class="hps">is</span><span class="hps">quite right</span> <span class="hps">Repan</span> <span class="hps">moisture</span> <span class="hps">from the body</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">a little</span> <span class="hps">run</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">More than</span> <span class="hps">that</span> <span class="hps">now</span> <span class="hps">shape</span> <span class="hps">the post</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">straight</span> <span class="hps">so</span> <span class="hps">there is no</span> <span class="hps">lowering the</span> <span class="hps">saddle</span><span>,</span><span class="hps">consider changing</span> <span class="hps">to a type</span> <span class="hps">that</span> <span class="hps">had</span> <span class="hps">been</span> <span class="hps">so</span> <span class="hps">many</span> <span class="hps">setbacks</span> <span class="hps">be folded</span> <span class="hps">with</span> <span class="hps">the rear end</span><span class="hps">of the saddle</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">ride</span> <span class="hps">your ass</span> <span class="hps">recently</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">inside.</span> <span class="hps">Candidate</span><span>, "Ax.2200"</span> <span class="hps">But</span> <span class="hps">the weight</span> <span class="hps">is</span><span class="hps">now</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">may</span> <span class="hps">remain</span> <span class="hps">so</span><span class="">.</span></span><br />
<div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Swf9_3LjsMI/AAAAAAAAAFw/C4ZTH16DFGg/s1600/P1060011.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406569151267582146" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Swf9_3LjsMI/AAAAAAAAAFw/C4ZTH16DFGg/s400/P1060011.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps"> "Schmolke TLO"</span> <span class="hps">seat post</span> <span class="hps">will</span> <span class="hps">at least</span> <span class="hps">draw</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">line</span> <span class="hps">there</span> <span class="hps">during</span> <span class="hps">part of the</span> <span class="hps">maximum</span><span class="hps">extension length</span> <span class="hps">is about</span> <span class="hps">5 cm</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">Mark</span> <span class="hps">given</span> <span class="hps">by</span> <span class="hps">considering</span> <span class="hps">the convenience of</span> <span class="hps">users</span> <span class="hps">of</span><span class="hps">aluminum</span> <span class="hps">as</span> <span class="hps">a general</span> <span class="hps">post</span><span>, but rather</span> <span class="hps">than</span> <span class="hps">tighten</span> <span class="hps">it</span> <span class="hps">does</span> <span class="hps">not stand up to</span> <span class="hps">it</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">extremely thin</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">Using</span> <span class="hps">such</span> <span class="hps">a</span> <span class="hps">cut</span> <span class="hps">unwanted</span> <span class="hps">parts</span> <span class="hps">bought</span> <span class="hps">at</span> <span class="hps">the time of</span> <span class="hps">introduction</span> <span class="hps">is not</span> <span class="hps">longer</span><span>.</span><br />
<span class="hps">Recommended</span> <span class="hps">tightening torque</span> <span class="hps">using</span> <span class="hps">3Nm</span> <span class="hps">in</span> <span class="hps">mounting</span> <span class="hps">paste</span> <span class="hps">limit is</span> <span class="hps">5Nm.</span></span></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-59826588345677479842011-10-06T01:14:00.000-07:002011-10-06T01:14:22.914-07:00Compex (Equipment EMS) increase in muscle<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SwlOxKVGpLI/AAAAAAAAAGI/31R7k24dbVM/s1600/compex4.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406939434128417970" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SwlOxKVGpLI/AAAAAAAAAGI/31R7k24dbVM/s400/compex4.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span title="「Compex」は自主的な運動なしに筋力が増大すると言う、まさに「待ってました」的なトレーニング機器として2006年に導入したEMS「電気的筋肉刺激」のための装置です。">"Compex" says exercise increases muscle strength without the voluntary, just "waiting Temashita" EMS training equipment was introduced in 2006 as an "electrical muscle stimulation" is a device for.<br />
</span><span title="意思の強弱に関わらず脳からの指令による筋肉の出力には限りがありますが、外部からの電気刺激による強制的な筋収縮は(電流を増やせば)容易にそれを超える事が出来る訳で、">The output of the muscle by command from the brain, regardless of the strength of will, but is limited, muscle contraction by electrical stimulation from an external force (increasing the current) Not more than it can be easily </span><span title="それをもって自分の意思では絶対に出来ないような高負荷での鍛錬を実現すると言う、これこそサボりたがりの自分のためにあるような機材に思えたのです。">In his will say that it has achieved such a high load of training can not be absolute, such that the aircraft seemed to own the rolling Saborita make it.<br />
</span><span title="導入前の思惑としては、仕事のメール等を処理したりする間に自転車に使う諸筋肉の増強を図れるはずだったのですが、やってみるとこれが猛烈に痛くて他のことには集中出来">Before the introduction of a speculation, but it was supposed to measure the increase in bicycle use various muscles while processing your work email, etc., to other things and it hurts like crazy but you can try is concentrated </span><span title="ません。">not. </span><span title="せいぜいTVを見るくらいが関の山です。">You just have to watch TV 関No山 best. </span><span title="加えて1メニューに30分を要するので、なかなかあそこもここもと言う訳には行きません。">It takes 30 minutes plus 1 menu, not to say there is also hard not go here.<br />
</span><span title="まあでも痛いのさえ我慢すれば心臓も楽ちんのまま、汗もかかずに見た事のないくらいに自分の筋肉が収縮し続けてくれる訳で画期的であることは間違いありません。">You are easy to remain patient even if the heart also hurts Well, who can not continue to be innovative in their muscles contract about writing a sweat never seen there is no doubt. </span><span title="その効果は覿面で短期間のうちに筋肉が太くなり、筋力が増します。">The effect is a thicker muscle in a short time in the immediacy, the more strength.</span><span title="但し、これだけで鍛えた場合、恐らくは通常のトレーニングでは追随して成長するはずの心肺機能やATPの再合成力、乳酸への耐性等が向上しないんじゃないかと心配でもあります。">However, if trained at all this is probably normal in strength training and cardio resynthesis of ATP and growth should follow, and not even worry about what I like does not improve tolerance to lactic acid. </span><span title="燃費を落としたり持久力が下がったりの弊害があるかも知れません(この懸念が正しいかどうかは知りませんが、それで「POWERbreathe」を導入したって訳です)。">You might have a negative effect on endurance dropped or lowered fuel economy (whether this concern is correct do not know, so "POWERbreathe" What is not introduced.)<br />
</span><span title="僕のモデルは初期型の「SPORTS」と言う製品ですが、買ってすぐの頃からケーブルの接触不良が余りに頻繁だったので使うのをやめてしまいました。">Early models of the type I "SPORTS" is a product called, so I stop using it too often was a loose cable from just about buying. </span><span title="翌年のサイクルモードで販社の方に伺ったところ、「(一見しっかりして居るように見える)本体側のコネクタがすぐに駄目になるから一度差したら抜かないで欲しい」と説明されました。">I asked where in the cycle mode for the next year of reflection, "(appears to be solid and look 居Ru) 差Shitara want you to pull out immediately once the lose-body-side connector" was explained. </span><span title="現行モデルは「パフォーマンス」と言うものに変わって居て、ケーブルの型番も違う(方式も見た目も殆ど同じですが)のでひょっとするとコネクタには改善がなされて居るかも?">The current model is "Performance" on behalf of said residence, also different cable model number (which is also nearly identical look and schemes) to connector maybe it will be 居Ru have been made better?<br />
</span><span title="長らく埃を被って居ましたが久々に発掘したのでケーブルを新調して引き脚用の筋肉強化等で再開しようかな?">I try to restart in a strengthening leg muscles for pulling cable and carefully excavated after a long time I was wearing a long dirt? </span><span title="と思って居ます。">We think.</span></span></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SwlOlnswaZI/AAAAAAAAAGA/Nn7Wl0HHUFI/s1600/compex3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406939235853822354" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SwlOlnswaZI/AAAAAAAAAGA/Nn7Wl0HHUFI/s400/compex3.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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</div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-1328611828516336662011-10-06T01:11:00.000-07:002011-10-06T01:11:24.297-07:00m2 racer bottle cage, 7 g measured<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SwqjDPHMn4I/AAAAAAAAAGY/JVSNB48OkxM/s1600/IMG_4214s.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407313578603356034" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SwqjDPHMn4I/AAAAAAAAAGY/JVSNB48OkxM/s400/IMG_4214s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">I thought</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">better</span> <span class="hps">not much different</span> <span class="hps">from</span> <span class="hps">any</span> <span class="hps">light</span> <span class="hps">it</span> <span class="hps">anyway</span> <span class="hps">Nantes</span> <span class="hps">lightly</span> <span class="hps">bottle cage</span><span>,</span><span class="hps">was</span> <span class="hps">reasonably</span> <span class="hps">light weight</span> <span class="hps atn">(</span><span>7 g</span> <span class="hps">each)</span> <span class="hps">were</span> <span class="hps">paper-thin</span> <span class="hps">"m2 racer"</span> <span class="hps">I got</span> <span class="hps">a</span> <span class="hps">bottle</span> <span class="hps">cage</span><span>.</span><span class="hps atn">(</span><span class="">Sorry for</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">old</span> <span class="hps">bed.</span><span>)</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Lighter than</span> <span class="hps">those</span> <span class="hps">made by others</span> <span class="hps">in</span> <span class="hps">which</span> <span class="hps">I have to</span> <span class="hps">not</span> <span class="hps">Subon</span> <span class="hps">Toka</span> <span class="hps">downward</span> <span class="hps">shape</span><span class="hps">of the bottle</span><span>, and</span> <span class="hps">Toka</span> <span class="hps">array</span> <span class="hps">Dattari</span> <span class="hps">extremely</span> <span class="hps">pleasing and</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">chose</span> <span class="hps">this</span> <span class="hps">line</span> <span class="hps">yet sufficiently</span> <span class="hps">safe</span> <span class="hps">Nada</span> <span class="hps">However,</span> <span class="hps">the product</span> <span class="hps">was</span> <span class="hps">flawed</span> <span class="hps">in</span> <span class="hps">various parts</span> <span class="hps">honest.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">The main problem</span> <span class="hps">that prevented</span> <span class="hps">from entering</span> <span class="hps">the bottle</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">mounted</span> <span class="hps">in the</span> <span class="hps">cap bolt</span> <span class="hps">and</span><span class="hps">bolt head</span> <span class="hps">(!</span><span>) As well.</span> <span class="hps">I do not have</span> <span class="hps">steps</span> <span class="hps">to ensure</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">clearance</span> <span class="hps">of the</span> <span class="hps">bottle</span> <span class="hps">cage</span><span class="hps">mounted</span> <span class="hps">on the</span> <span class="hps">ordinary</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">Likeness</span> <span class="hps">even</span> <span class="hps">get in the way</span> <span class="hps">the thickness of the</span> <span class="hps">derailleur</span><span class="hps">hanger</span> <span class="hps">on</span> <span class="hps">the seat tube</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">Shavings</span> <span class="hps">as thin as possible</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">nylon</span> <span class="hps">washers</span> <span class="hps">so</span><span class="hps">unavoidable</span><span>, and</span> <span class="hps">was</span> <span class="hps">fitted</span> <span class="hps">with</span> <span class="hps">a wrench</span> <span class="hps">to be able to</span> <span class="hps">tighten</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">cap bolt</span> <span class="hps">head</span> <span class="hps">by</span><span class="hps">scraping</span> <span class="hps">of the aluminum</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps atn">(</span><span>Will</span> <span class="hps">be</span> <span class="hps">shaved</span> <span class="hps">and out of</span> <span class="hps">print</span> <span class="hps">because</span> <span class="hps">when</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">bottle</span><span>.</span><span>)</span><span class="hps">Tools</span> <span class="hps">and then</span> <span class="hps">the bolt</span> <span class="hps">was</span> <span class="hps">in the air</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Too bad</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">ran out</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">easy to use</span><span>, not</span> <span class="hps">to say</span> <span class="hps">that</span> <span class="hps">despite the</span> <span class="hps">surprisingly</span> <span class="hps">bottle</span> <span class="hps">design</span><span>,</span><span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">dancing</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">rock from side to side</span> <span class="hps">and on the</span> <span class="hps">bad roads</span> <span class="hps">or</span> <span class="hps">put something</span> <span class="hps">in any case</span> <span class="hps">without the</span> <span class="hps">stiffness</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">crush</span> <span class="hps">the strong</span> <span class="hps">direction</span> <span class="hps">would</span> <span class="hps">apply force</span> <span class="hps">and cracking</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">You</span><span class="hps">can</span> <span class="hps">retrofit</span> <span class="hps">one</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">The</span> <span class="hps">past</span> <span class="hps">can not be</span> <span class="hps">recommended</span> <span class="hps">because</span> <span class="hps">of</span> <span class="hps">vibration</span> <span class="hps">while driving</span> <span class="hps">off</span> <span class="hps">a thousand</span><span class="hps">runs</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">put</span> <span class="hps">the water</span> <span class="hps">may</span> <span class="hps">be</span> <span class="hps">tried</span> <span class="hps">mounting</span> <span class="hps">bolt</span> <span class="hps">with nylon</span><span class="">.</span></span><br />
<div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Swqi7TwsSqI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/I0DBR3AbRro/s1600/IMG_4215s2.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407313442412186274" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Swqi7TwsSqI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/I0DBR3AbRro/s400/IMG_4215s2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-86341503006186988652011-10-06T01:09:00.000-07:002011-10-06T01:09:35.042-07:00Tune Skyline skewer, measured 17.5 g<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SwvvGt0OBvI/AAAAAAAAAGg/GRJPTAymeUA/s1600/skewers.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407678676245284594" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SwvvGt0OBvI/AAAAAAAAAGg/GRJPTAymeUA/s400/skewers.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">Method</span> <span class="hps">omitted</span> <span class="hps">to lighten</span> <span class="hps">the wheel</span> <span class="hps">quick release</span> <span class="hps">lever</span> <span class="hps">from</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">old</span> <span class="hps atn">"Gonzo (</span><span>closure</span><span class="atn">)", "m2 racer (</span><span>closure</span><span>),</span><span>" etc.</span><span>, and</span> <span class="hps">some</span> <span class="hps">manufacturers</span> <span class="hps">incorporate</span> <span class="hps">residence</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">became</span> <span class="hps">the</span><span class="hps">era</span><span>'s</span> <span class="hps">ultra-lightweight</span> <span class="hps">has been achieved</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">Many</span> <span class="hps">models</span> <span class="hps">also</span> <span class="hps">enhance</span> <span class="hps">the effect</span> <span class="hps">by attaching</span> <span class="hps">special tool</span> <span class="hps">to prevent theft</span> <span class="hps">and portable</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Still</span> <span class="hps">"ATIK"</span> <span class="hps">or</span> <span class="hps">"OMNI racer"</span> <span class="hps">like</span> <span class="hps">"m2 racer"</span> <span class="hps">and the</span> <span class="hps">copy</span> <span class="hps">model</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">which can</span> <span class="hps">tighten the</span><span class="hps">hexagon</span> <span class="hps">wrench</span> <span class="hps">5mm "DELTA"</span><span>, etc.</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">but</span> <span class="hps">has circulated</span> <span class="hps">many products</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">the light</span> <span class="hps">of the most</span> <span class="hps">that</span> <span class="hps">this</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">likely</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">"Tune Skyline".</span> <span class="hps">Measured</span> <span class="hps">before and after</span> <span class="hps">the set</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">17.5 grams</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">The</span> <span class="hps">amateur</span> <span class="hps">is not a</span> <span class="hps">translation</span> <span class="hps">居Ru</span> <span class="hps">people</span> <span class="hps">who</span> <span class="hps">come</span> <span class="hps">running</span> <span class="hps">with a</span> <span class="hps">spare wheel</span> <span class="hps">but</span><span class="hps">a puncture</span><span class="atn">, "</span><span class="">at</span> <span class="hps">the Quick</span><span>" is</span> <span class="hps">enough</span> <span class="hps">now</span> <span class="hps">need</span> <span class="hps">a</span> <span class="hps">tremendous force</span> <span class="hps">to tighten the</span> <span class="hps">turn with a wrench</span> <span class="hps">in order to</span> <span class="hps">not use</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">leverage</span> <span class="hps atn">file (</span><span>the</span> <span class="hps">spanner</span> <span class="hps">rather</span> <span class="hps">poor</span><span>) and</span> <span class="hps">that</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">like</span><span class="hps">the nerve</span> <span class="hps">to use</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">tightening</span> <span class="hps">wasted</span> <span class="hps">quite right</span> <span class="hps">place</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">at</span> <span class="hps">ease</span> <span class="hps">今一Tsu</span><span>, causing</span> <span class="hps">the wheel</span> <span class="hps">to the</span> <span class="hps">annoying</span> <span class="hps">installation and removal</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Now</span> <span class="hps">the "power</span> <span class="hps">crank"</span> <span class="hps">to turn</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">for</span> <span class="hps">unsorted</span> <span class="hps">not</span> <span class="hps">wear</span> <span class="hps">roller</span> <span class="hps">wheels and</span> <span class="hps">one</span> <span class="hps">day</span> <span class="hps">for</span><span class="hps">the same</span> <span class="hps">"Tune"</span> <span class="hps">version of</span> <span class="hps">the OE</span> <span class="hps">wheel manufacturer</span> <span class="hps">made</span> <span class="hps">"AC 14"</span> <span class="hps">has been</span><span class="hps">conveniently</span> <span class="hps">used</span> <span class="hps">to</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">Koch</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">around</span> <span class="hps">49 grams</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">(Near</span> <span class="hps">photo</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">have</span> <span class="hps">seen</span> <span class="hps">on</span> <span class="hps">the back</span> <span class="hps">居Ru</span> <span class="hps">"Skyline")</span></span><br />
<div><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SwwHJ7_73BI/AAAAAAAAAGo/uheQ3x6d7e8/s1600/IMG_0873s.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407705119871196178" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SwwHJ7_73BI/AAAAAAAAAGo/uheQ3x6d7e8/s400/IMG_0873s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-15787397288390334232011-10-06T01:06:00.000-07:002011-10-06T01:06:25.580-07:00Various titanium chain<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw1VFSpBEiI/AAAAAAAAAG4/v-VqytjvCEg/s1600/RIMG1721s.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408072276933415458" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw1VFSpBEiI/AAAAAAAAAG4/v-VqytjvCEg/s400/RIMG1721s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">Titanium</span> <span class="hps">bicycle</span> <span class="hps">chain</span><span class="">,</span> <span class="hps">more than a</span> <span class="hps">decade</span> <span class="hps">ago</span> <span class="hps">"Viking"</span> <span class="hps">Manufacturers</span> <span class="hps">of</span> <span class="hps">America</span> <span class="hps">says</span><span class="hps">(which seems</span> <span class="hps">recently</span> <span class="hps">collapsed</span><span class="">) and</span> <span class="hps">a</span> <span class="hps">residence</span> <span class="hps">for</span> <span class="hps">out</span> <span class="hps">Shimano</span> <span class="hps">8</span> <span class="hps">speed</span> <span class="hps">from</span> <span class="hps">the photo above</span><span class="">,</span> <span class="hps">this</span> <span class="hps">link</span> <span class="hps">at 106</span> <span class="hps">231 g</span> <span class="hps">.</span> <span class="hps">But</span> <span class="hps">this</span> <span class="hps">model</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">not</span> <span class="hps">on</span> <span class="hps">its side</span> <span class="hps">for use in a</span> <span class="hps">derailleur</span><span class="hps">or</span> <span class="hps">residence</span> <span class="hps">because</span> <span class="hps">there is a</span> <span class="hps">link pin</span> <span class="hps">pops out</span> <span class="hps">from the plate</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">not</span> <span class="hps atn">only "</span><span class="">track"</span> <span class="hps">was as</span><span class="hps">said</span><span class="">.</span> <span class="hps">To use</span> <span class="hps">or even</span> <span class="hps">try</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">end up</span> <span class="hps">shaving</span> <span class="hps">the links</span> <span class="hps">one by one</span> <span class="hps">pin</span> <span class="hps">must not</span> <span class="hps">protrude</span><span class="">,</span> <span class="hps">I</span><span class="hps">turned</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">leave</span> <span class="hps">the warehouse</span><span class="">.</span></span><br />
<div></div><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw1V6mP5RsI/AAAAAAAAAHA/-mZLNw8uwOw/s1600/RIMG1722s.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408073192729822914" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw1V6mP5RsI/AAAAAAAAAHA/-mZLNw8uwOw/s400/RIMG1722s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">German</span> <span class="hps">"Wippermann"</span> <span class="hps">issued by the</span> <span class="hps">"Connex 10TR"</span> <span class="hps">is a</span> <span class="hps">chain</span> <span class="hps">made of titanium</span> <span class="hps">limited edition</span> <span class="hps">that appeared in</span> <span class="hps">a long time</span> <span class="hps">yet</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">here</span> <span class="hps">you can use</span> <span class="hps">a bicycle</span> <span class="hps">transmission</span> <span class="hps">with</span><span class="hps">enough</span> <span class="hps">of</span> <span class="hps">the right and left</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">become</span> <span class="hps">slightly</span> <span class="hps">less</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">226 g</span> <span class="hps">at 106</span> <span class="hps">links</span><span>, and</span> <span class="hps">also very</span><span class="hps">beautiful</span> <span class="hps">finish</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">"Viking"</span> <span class="hps">can</span> <span class="hps">also</span> <span class="hps">simply</span> <span class="hps">link pin</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">stainless steel.</span></span></div><div><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw1WR5RBcGI/AAAAAAAAAHI/XAh8k1T9PiI/s1600/RIMG1724s.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408073592971817058" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw1WR5RBcGI/AAAAAAAAAHI/XAh8k1T9PiI/s400/RIMG1724s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">Popular</span> <span class="hps">in the streets</span> <span class="hps">claiming</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">lightest</span> <span class="hps">"KMC"</span> <span class="hps">of</span> <span class="hps">Taiwan's</span> <span class="hps">manufacturers</span> <span class="hps">say</span><span class="hps">"X10SL"</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps atn">"TiN (</span><span>Titanium</span> <span class="hps">nitro</span><span>-id</span><span>)</span> <span class="hps">coated</span><span>"</span> <span class="hps">steel</span> <span class="hps">chain</span> <span class="hps">with</span> <span class="hps">230</span> <span class="hps">grams</span> <span class="hps">is not</span> <span class="hps">the same</span><span class="hps">number of links</span> <span class="hps">made of</span> <span class="hps">titanium</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">Strictly speaking,</span> <span class="hps">"Connex 10TR"</span> <span class="hps">lightest</span> <span class="hps">so</span> <span class="hps">lightweight</span><span class="hps">little bit</span> <span class="hps">better</span> <span class="hps">as the</span> <span class="hps">chaining</span> <span class="hps">steel</span> <span class="hps">that</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">not</span> <span class="hps">on the</span> <span class="hps">lightweight</span> <span class="hps">enough,</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">Shimano</span><span class="hps">"Dura-Ace"</span> <span class="hps">impression</span> <span class="hps">and secure</span> <span class="hps">place</span> <span class="hps">What is</span> <span class="hps">the manufacturer of the</span> <span class="hps">chain</span> <span class="hps">are</span><span class="hps">given</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">"Connex"</span> <span class="hps">rough</span> <span class="hps">finish</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">a little</span> <span class="hps">more</span><span class="">.</span></span></div><div><br />
</div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw1g2baIJTI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/dXGCiSDsbSU/s1600/yaban_s.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408085215728379186" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw1g2baIJTI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/dXGCiSDsbSU/s400/yaban_s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">At present,</span> <span class="hps">Taiwan</span> <span class="hps">also</span> <span class="hps">"Yaban"</span> <span class="hps">so</span> <span class="hps">that</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">218 g</span> <span class="hps">measured</span> <span class="hps">at 106</span> <span class="hps">link</span> <span class="hps">chain</span> <span class="hps">seems to be</span> <span class="hps">titanium</span> <span class="hps">issued by the</span> <span class="hps">manufacturers</span> <span class="hps">say</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">in what</span> <span class="hps">居Ru</span> <span class="hps">in circulation</span> <span class="hps">is probably</span> <span class="hps">this will</span> <span class="hps">lightest</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">The</span> <span class="hps">item description</span> <span class="hps atn">is "</span><span>lubricating</span> <span class="hps">oil-impregnated</span> <span class="hps">※"</span> <span class="hps">was</span> <span class="hps">not</span> <span class="hps">sung</span><span>, but</span><span class="hps">because</span> <span class="hps">of the</span> <span class="hps">oil-bearing</span> <span class="hps">titanium</span> <span class="hps">never</span> <span class="hps">heard of it,</span> <span class="hps">if</span> <span class="hps">this is true</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">with</span> <span class="hps">considerable</span><span class="hps">interest</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">Toka</span> <span class="hps">is also</span> <span class="hps">twice as</span> <span class="hps">common</span> <span class="hps">in the chain of</span> <span class="hps">life in</span> <span class="hps">quietness.</span> <span class="hps">However,</span> <span class="hps">speed</span><span class="hps">is limited to</span> <span class="hps">10</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Titanium</span> <span class="hps atn">[</span><span class="atn">Yaban (</span><span>hopefully)</span> <span class="hps">-</span> <span class="hps">Chain</span> <span class="hps">specs</span><br />
<span class="hps">Name</span><span class="">: SL210-T (TAITANIUM CHAIN)</span><br />
<span class="hps">Dimension: 1 / 2 "x11/128"</span><br />
<span class="hps">Speed of Sprocket: 10</span><br />
<span class="hps">Weight: 210grams/110L</span><br />
<span class="hps">Pin Length: 5.9mm</span><br />
<span class="hps">Special Material: Self-Lubricating Chain Material</span><br />
<span class="hps">Enhanced Durability: Twice as long as a normal chain Noiseless</span><br />
<span class="hps">Lubricating</span> <span class="hps">oil content</span> <span class="hps">※:</span> <span class="hps">iron</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">the oldest</span> <span class="hps">technology</span><span>, we'll</span> <span class="hps">have</span> <span class="hps atn">pre-</span><span>impregnated with</span> <span class="hps">a</span><span class="hps">lubricant</span> <span class="hps">in the metal</span> <span class="hps">sliding parts</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">lubrication</span> <span class="hps">technology</span> <span class="hps">that eliminates the need</span> <span class="hps">for</span><span class="hps">such</span> <span class="hps">extreme</span> <span class="hps">lubrication</span> <span class="hps">speaking</span><span class="">.</span></span></div><div><br />
</div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw1UlRx5pNI/AAAAAAAAAGw/NTst8Wn5h-I/s1600/RIMG1725s2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408071726946428114" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw1UlRx5pNI/AAAAAAAAAGw/NTst8Wn5h-I/s400/RIMG1725s2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">• Photos</span> <span class="hps">from</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">"Viking Titanium", "Connex 10TR", "KMC X10 SL"</span></span></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-5252373781086531542011-10-06T01:00:00.000-07:002011-10-06T01:00:54.792-07:00Schmolke Carbon bolts made of<div><br />
</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw6UNHFc3WI/AAAAAAAAAHY/72LyQhKjMHk/s1600/RIMG1745s.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408423155479666018" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw6UNHFc3WI/AAAAAAAAAHY/72LyQhKjMHk/s400/RIMG1745s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">"Schmolke"</span> <span class="hps">on</span> <span class="hps">"Carbon Screw"</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">beautifully</span> <span class="hps">finished</span> <span class="hps">third party</span> <span class="hps">than</span> <span class="hps">has been</span> <span class="hps">the head</span><span class="hps">shape</span> <span class="hps">include</span> <span class="hps">various</span> <span class="hps">stocks</span> <span class="hps">sizes from</span> <span class="hps">M6</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">M4.</span> <span class="hps">Variation</span> <span class="hps">of the length</span> <span class="hps">of the</span> <span class="hps">pack</span> <span class="hps">is a</span> <span class="hps">little</span> <span class="hps">long</span> <span class="hps">is very simple</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">居Ru</span> <span class="hps">M5</span> <span class="hps">are often used</span> <span class="hps">by bicycle</span><span>, however</span> <span class="hps">(right)</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">noticed that</span> <span class="hps">very few</span> <span class="hps">places where</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">can</span> <span class="hps">obtain and</span> <span class="hps">use</span><span>, but</span> <span class="hps">not</span> <span class="hps">a lot of</span> <span class="hps">momentum</span> <span class="hps">left over</span> <span class="hps">are allowed</span> <span class="hps">only up to</span><span class="hps">the tightening</span> <span class="hps">torque is</span> <span class="hps">1.5Nm</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">On the other hand</span> <span class="hps">"OK</span> <span class="hps">with</span> <span class="hps">if</span><span>" part</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">like</span> <span class="hps">a lighter-weight</span><span class="hps">nylon</span> <span class="hps">bolts</span> <span class="hps">(left</span><span>),</span> <span class="hps">it</span> <span class="hps">would</span> <span class="hps">serve well</span> <span class="hps">in the</span> <span class="hps">practical</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">Kurenai</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">a little more</span> <span class="hps">durable</span><span class="hps">What</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">still</span> <span class="hps">felt</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">The</span> <span class="hps">seat post</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">stem</span> <span class="hps">hangers</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">used</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">handle</span> <span class="hps">in the</span> <span class="hps">NG</span> <span class="hps">is not</span> <span class="hps">even</span> <span class="hps">trying</span><span>, of course,</span><span class="hps">might</span> <span class="hps">go</span><span>?</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">was</span> <span class="hps">useless</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">tried</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">fixing</span> <span class="hps">of the front</span> <span class="hps">derailleur</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">derailleur hanger</span><span class="hps">wire</span><span class="">, "PowerCordz"</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">fixed</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Normal</span> <span class="hps">bottle cage</span> <span class="hps">fixed</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">the fixed</span> <span class="hps">pulley</span> <span class="hps">useable</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">A</span> <span class="hps">brake shoe</span> <span class="hps">fixed</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">withstand</span><span class="hps">surprisingly</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">the front</span> <span class="hps">ones</span> <span class="hps">on the market</span> <span class="hps">that</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">scary</span> <span class="hps">because</span> <span class="hps">there are many</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">do not</span><span class="hps">even</span> <span class="hps">use</span> <span class="hps">aluminum</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">The</span> <span class="hps">Toka</span> <span class="hps">derailleur</span> <span class="hps">adjustment bolt</span> <span class="hps">any</span> <span class="hps">more</span> <span class="hps">small</span> <span class="hps">things</span> <span class="hps">I could use</span> <span class="hps">that size</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">currently</span> <span class="hps">not sufficient</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Nylon</span> <span class="hps">bolts</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">Toka</span> <span class="hps">for</span> <span class="hps">closing</span> <span class="hps">holes in the</span> <span class="hps">case</span> <span class="hps">that requires only</span> <span class="hps">one</span> <span class="hps">bottle</span> <span class="hps">cage</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">under the</span> <span class="hps">lead</span> <span class="hps">wires</span> <span class="hps">fixed</span> <span class="hps">BB,</span> <span class="hps">etc.</span> <span class="hps">used</span> <span class="hps">to secure the</span> <span class="hps">mounting</span> <span class="hps">bracket</span> <span class="hps">and light</span> <span class="hps">machine</span><span class="hps">cycle</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">Can not stand</span> <span class="hps">to secure the</span> <span class="hps">bottle</span> <span class="hps">cage</span><span class="">.</span></span></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-67707892022855215832011-10-06T00:59:00.000-07:002011-10-06T00:59:15.448-07:00Retrofits to the lightweight bolt<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw_228hFYiI/AAAAAAAAAHo/JaYdM2W_e-w/s1600/RIMG1760s.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408813101313516066" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw_228hFYiI/AAAAAAAAAHo/JaYdM2W_e-w/s400/RIMG1760s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span title="直接の軽量化とはちょっと違いますが以前から不思議に思って居るのがディレーラーの作動幅を決める「リミットスクリュー」。">Weight and determine the width of the direct operation of the derailleur is wondering weave a little different from previous "limit screw". </span><span title="ここだけプラスネジになって居るのですが何かそうすべき理由があるのでしょうか?">What have reason to do anything but just weave Phillips is here?<br />
</span><span title="レースの中継で、メカニックが走行中の自転車に車を横付けして調整して居るシーンが映されることがありますが、そう言う不安定な状況下でのサービス性からの要求なんでしょうか?">In the relay race, the scene may be projected 居Ru alongside the car and adjust it while riding a bike mechanic, what's a request from service under conditions instability may say so? </span><span title="でも、そんなことはしないはずのMTBのディレーラーも同じくプラスドライバー仕様なので単にそれだけが理由でもないような…。">But no such a thing is like just because it is simply because the specifications of a Phillips screwdriver MTB derailleur as well ... which should not.<br />
</span><span title="自分の用途だと他のネジがほぼヘキサゴンレンチで扱えるのにそこだけドライバー持ち出して整備するって言うのは億劫なので、前後ともヘキサゴン対応に換えてしまって居ます。">What you say only there but the driver development brought out by hexagon wrench handle almost any other screws, so that his troublesome applications are closed Hexagon replaced front and rear support. </span><span title="フロント(上の写真)はアルミ製、リア(下の写真)はアルミだと頭が大き過ぎて入らないのでより丈夫なチタン製の頭をちょっと削って入れました。">Front (pictured above) is made of aluminum, the rear (pictured below) have put their heads shaved a little more durable titanium so that the head is too large to fit aluminum. </span><span title="これで携行ツールも減らせます。">This also reduces carrying tools.<br />
</span><span title="一般にボルトの軽量化とは「鉄」→「チタン」→「アルミ」→(カーボン)と換える事で素材の比重差を利用するものです。">Generally lighter and bolts "Iron" → "Titanium" → "Aluminum" → (carbon) makes use of the material by changing the density difference. </span><span title="1ステップの軽量化だと嬉しさは少ないですが、純正品の鉄ネジがアルミ製に換装出来たりするとかなり得した気になれます。">I was happy with the weight of one step is small, you get quite come to mind can retrofit or genuine aluminum steel screws. </span><span title="錆びる部品が減って行くと言う所も大いに魅力的です。">Is also very attractive place to go and say less rusting parts. </span><span title="もう一つ、中空ボルトの採用と言う手があるのですが未だみつかりません。">Another hand I have found still say adoption of the hollow bolt. </span><span title="3年前から狙って居たここは本国サイトが消えて居るのでもう潰れてしまって居るかも。">This was aimed at three years longer be crushed 居Ru been closed off since the site 居Ru home.<br />
</span><span title="カンパニョーロ・レコード(10S)のフルセットの場合、比較的簡単に純正よりも軽量な物に交換可能なボルト、ワッシャ、アクセル、ほか各種特殊パーツは40個程で、アルミ/チタンの混成でトータル155">Campagnolo Record (10S) For a full set of bolts can be replaced with something lighter than a genuine relatively easy, washers, axles, other parts in about 40 different specialty, total 155 hybrid aluminum / titanium </span><span title="グラム、オールチタンだと170グラムだとか。">grams or 170 grams and that's all titanium. </span><span title="(ペダルは別にして、シートポスト用ネジとかハブシャフトをも含んで居るのでやや大きめの数字です。)">(Pedal aside, it is slightly larger numbers also include a hub shaft 居Ru Toka seat post screw.)<br />
</span><span title="このうちフロントディレーラー9パーツのアルミ化では僅かマイナス1〜2グラム。">9 parts of aluminum in the front derailleur is a negative one only 1-2 grams. </span><span title="リアはフロントと比べれば大型のパーツの換装になるのでもう少し効果有りとは言え、1箇所での効果はどこも結構小さくて、それでも全部かき集めれば、主にスチールボルトで組まれた純正品のセット">And has little real effect because a large part of the retrofit compared to the front and said, in effect at one location is quite small everywhere, it still Kaki集Mere whole set is made of genuine bolt main steel </span><span title="と比べて100グラム程度の軽量化が望めるそうです。">So overlook is about 100 grams lighter than the. </span><span title="(自分の場合、端から換えて行ってしまって居るのとカンパニョーロ製部品をあんまり使ってないので正確な所はちょっと不明です。)">(In my case, not using so much the exact location and Campagnolo components made tight weave that has been slightly changed from the end is unknown.)</span></span></div></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw_2ns8x-8I/AAAAAAAAAHg/3asTfi3WWV8/s1600/RIMG1752s.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408812839436680130" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/Sw_2ns8x-8I/AAAAAAAAAHg/3asTfi3WWV8/s400/RIMG1752s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-72186975890885536912011-10-06T00:54:00.000-07:002011-10-06T00:54:34.102-07:00Modification of m2 racer Eagle Saddle<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxKE1EwfUBI/AAAAAAAAAH4/lE20DoXTS6k/s1600/saddle70.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409532149770440722" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxKE1EwfUBI/AAAAAAAAAH4/lE20DoXTS6k/s400/saddle70.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span title="今日からいよいよ本格的に寒い季節になって来たようす。">The cold season to come is finally in full swing today.<br />
</span><span title="自分のワードローブには真冬用(メーカーサイトによると6℃以下用)のビブショーツしかないので先週位までの陽気だと日中が暑くて辛いために多少寒くても夏用で済ませて来たけど">My wardrobe for the winter (for less than 6 ℃ Mekasaito said) I had finished for the summer with little cold for a hot hot day last week that there are only gay places in bib shorts </span><span title="、いよいよ衣替え。">, finally reinvented itself.<br />
</span><span title="夏用は「s5」パッドでサドル側にパッドは不要ですが、冬用は旧モデル(オレンジ色のパッド)なので長時間乗ると股間の2箇所に痛みが出ます。">For summer, "s5" pad to the saddle pad is not required for older models in winter (orange pad), I get a pain in the groin in two places and take so long. </span><span title="そこで冬の間だけサドルをパッド付きのものに交換します。">Replace the pad with the saddle during the winter months there. </span><span title="ローラー台に乗る度にレーサーパンツを穿く必要もなくなります。">Users do not have time to ride the bike shorts say a roller bed.<br />
</span><span title="ベースはスペアの「m2 racer Eagle」です。">Spare base "m2 racer Eagle" is. </span><span title="ベースに5mm 厚の発泡ウレタンを貼付けて、ダイアモンドパイソンの皮を(滑り止め効果を狙って逆撫でになるように)貼り付けて居ます。">The 5mm thick paste based on urethane foam, the skin of the diamond python (aiming to be the wrong way-slip effect) and paste.</span><span title="車体が地味なので色は鮮やかなライムグリーン。">The body color is so plain bright lime green.<br />
</span><span title="【パッドの貼り付けについて】">[Paste] on the pad<br />
</span><span title="パッドにしたい材料をサドル全面に両面テープで貼付けて、はみ出た所を切り落とします。">The double-sided tape on the front paste the material you want to saddle pad, and cut off the protruding place. </span><span title="革を貼らないで済ませるなら、5mmから10ミリ位までの発泡ウレタン等がお薦め。">If not put a leather 済Maseru, such as urethane foam is recommended for up to about 10 mm from 5mm. </span><span title="ウレタンを一度仮り留めにして、サドルに貼る前に耐水ペーパーで角を均一に撫でて角を落としたり、全体の形を整えたりしてあげると既製品のように奇麗に仕上がります。">Once the urethane and then temporary fixing, drop the uniform angular angular stroke water-resistant paper put on the saddle before the finish to clean up and as ready-made to your overall shaping. </span><span title="パッドの上から革を張る場合は、内部のウレタンは切りっぱなしでも大丈夫。">If the leather on the pad, the internal urethane safe to leave off.<br />
</span><span title="【革の張り付けについて】">[Leather] for crucifixion<br />
</span><span title="サドル面より一回り大きく切った革を用意します。">Provide a cycle greater than the cut surface of saddle leather. </span><span title="パッドを侵さないボンド(自分はスチのりを使いました)をパッド全面に塗り付けて、半乾きになったら、そこに裏側まで巻き込むようにして革を貼ります。">Infringe the bond pad (I used my glue steel) and smearing the entire surface of the pad reaches the halfway dry, apply the leather to the back and to involve in it. </span><span title="糊が乾くまではサドルの裏側部分で引っ張り合うように縫い合わせ※ておいて(弱粘性のテープでぐるぐる巻きにしても可)、乾いたら仕上げにマチを切り残してサドルの裏側に糊付けして出来上がり">Keep the glue to dry ※ sewn to fit the back portion of the saddle and pull (or even if you tape the coil less viscous), glued to the back of the saddle and ready to leave town to finish off the dry </span><span title="です。">is.<br />
</span><span title="薄手で伸び易い革を使えば写真のようにかなり入り組んだ形状でも十分に元の形状に沿ったものが作れます。">Make a well in line with the original shape even fairly complicated shape, as in the picture With thin stretchy leather. </span><span title="特別な工具を必要としない簡単な作業ですから落車してサイドを切ってしまったり、革がくたびれて来たお気に入りのサドルの再生にも有効です。">Suffers from 落車 off the side with a simple task requiring no special tools are also useful for playing favorite who beat the saddle leather.<br />
</span><span title="※「裏側で縫い合わせ」方式でやる場合、内装するパッドはサドル面や革に貼り付いて居る必要がないので接着剤や両面テープでの固定が出来ないGelパッドとかソルボセイン等を材料として使うことも">※ "sewn on the back" method when doing the pads to be used as interior materials, etc. can not be fixed Sorubosein Toka Gel pads and double-sided adhesive tape does not need 居Ru stuck to the side and saddle leather </span><span title="可能です。">possible. </span><span style="background-color: #ebeff9;" title="あと、スチのりは乾くと硬くなるのでパッドの上面には塗らない方が良いかも。">Then, glue pad on top of the steel is so hard and dry is better to be 塗Ranai.</span></span>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-81003097087124110352011-10-06T00:52:00.000-07:002011-10-06T00:52:34.907-07:00Continental COMPETITION "Lightweight"<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxPZoRoP1fI/AAAAAAAAAII/IafXM9pggyM/s1600/RIMG1804s.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409906863352305138" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxPZoRoP1fI/AAAAAAAAAII/IafXM9pggyM/s400/RIMG1804s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span title="上の写真は「Lightweight」ホイールを製造、販売して居る「Carbon Sports」社が販売する「Lightweight」シグネチャーバージョン。">The photo above is "Lightweight" manufacture wheels, Weaving and selling "Carbon Sports" sold by "Lightweight" version signature. </span><span title="残念ながら一般品より特別に軽いって言う事はないですが、トレッド、サイドウォール、ふんどしがオールブラックで精悍な印象。">What is there to say a special lighter than general products unfortunately, tread, sidewall, all-black fearless impressive loincloth. </span><span title="当初は22mmの「COMPETITION」みでしたが、現在では「PODIUM」、19mmモデルと「Continental」社の高性能チューブラー全てが揃って居ます。">Initially, the 22mm "COMPETITION" was seen, and now "PODIUM", and 19mm models "Continental" has it all's high performance tubular. </span><span title="「Lightweight」ホイールに嵌めると、ホイールとタイヤで同じロゴが縦に並ぶのがちょっと煩いです。">"Lightweight" and put on the wheel is a bit noisy in the vertical line of wheels and tires are the same logo.<br />
</span><span title="自分はホビーとして自転車に乗って居るので、何かと「決戦用」とか「練習用」とかと言って殆どの時間を占める「ケ」の日に敢えて贔屓のものを使わないなんて言うのはとても勿体無い">Since his bike ride as a hobby 居Ru, something "for the battle" or "practice" accounts for most of the time to say or "only," said Nantes dare use any of the favorite day of the very sacrilegious </span><span title="と思うから、「常時使えるなるべく軽くて良いタイヤ」を求めて色々と試します。">I think the "tire may be possible to use light and" always looking for variety and try.<br />
</span><span title="とは言っても、巷の高性能カーボンホイールはその多くが未だにチューブラー専用(うちもチューブラー)なのに、タイヤメーカーの目玉商品は既に軒並みクリンチャーに移行して居るような、両者の最新版を">That being said, the streets are only for high-performance carbon tubular wheels are still many (even among Tubular) Nevertheless, the price leader in the tire manufacturers as well as understated across the board is already moving to clincher, the latest version of the two </span><span title="同時には味わえない微妙な現状にあってはそう多くの選択肢がないんですけど…。">At the same time there 味Waenai the status quo is fine but I do not have much choice ....<br />
</span><span title="辿り着いたのは目新しさが全然ないけど上に挙げた「Continental COMPETITION」。">Had not arrived at all but raised on the novelty "Continental COMPETITION". </span><span title="上りオンリーとかでなければこれで全てをこなします。">Otherwise everything in this Konashimasu Toka up only. </span><span title="19mm が235g位、22mmが265g位と、「TUFO」のタイヤと比べてかなりの重量級ながら走ってみるとこれが(特に22mmの方が)実に軽快に転がります。">235g is about 19mm, about 265g and is 22mm, "TUFO" and this is seen running with quite heavy compared to the tires (especially 22mm more) 転Garimasu quite lightly. </span><span title="グリップも自分にとっては不満なし。">No complaints for me the grip.</span><span title="さらに調達も容易で標準タイヤとしては申し分ないと思います。">Standard tire more easily as I do not think raising fine. </span><span title="持ちがちょっと悪いのと重量はガッカリポイントなのですが、ここはその他の性能と相殺して我慢の出来る所です。">And weight is bad for a little bit disappointed with points, this is where you can put up to offset the performance of others. </span><span title="タイヤをリムに嵌めるのはもの凄く大変で、1回限りとは言えかなり嫌な作業です。">Put on the rim of the tire is extremely difficult, and only once is pretty disgusting work home.</span></span></div><div><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxPZgFPUaOI/AAAAAAAAAIA/rc3kXSjesyg/s1600/RIMG1808s.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409906722587568354" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxPZgFPUaOI/AAAAAAAAAIA/rc3kXSjesyg/s400/RIMG1808s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">The photo above</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">commercially available</span> <span class="hps">fold</span> <span class="hps">"COMPETITION".</span> <span class="hps">Sidewall</span> <span class="hps">tread</span> <span class="hps">in gray</span><span class="hps">(There are</span> <span class="hps">various</span> <span class="hps">variations</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">the base</span><span>)</span> <span class="hps">is black.</span> <span class="hps">"Lightweight"</span> <span class="hps">version</span> <span class="hps">compared to the</span><span class="hps">soft</span> <span class="hps">impression</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">this model</span> <span class="hps">will</span> <span class="hps">have a</span> <span class="hps">flavor</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">My</span> <span class="hps">frame</span> <span class="hps">of</span> <span class="hps">Koch</span> <span class="hps">may be</span> <span class="hps">more</span> <span class="hps">apposite</span><span class="">.</span></span></div></div></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-11149642118443677062011-10-06T00:50:00.000-07:002011-10-06T00:50:26.907-07:00Lightweight tire<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxU3FL_F8FI/AAAAAAAAAIY/aA2LD6fotqc/s1600/RIMG1811s.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410291089611812946" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxU3FL_F8FI/AAAAAAAAAIY/aA2LD6fotqc/s400/RIMG1811s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">"TUFO"</span> <span class="hps">as a</span> <span class="hps">road tire</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">the lightest</span> <span class="hps">"Elite Jet <160g"</span> <span class="hps">is</span>. <span class="hps">Weight is</span> <span class="hps">160 grams</span> <span class="hps">less than</span><span class="hps">the product name</span> <span class="hps">違Wazu</span>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Are</span> <span class="hps">among</span> <span class="hps">the carbon</span> <span class="hps">wheels</span> <span class="hps">fitted</span> <span class="hps">with</span> <span class="hps">low profile</span> <span class="hps">with</span> <span class="hps">a</span> <span class="hps">climbing</span> <span class="hps">tires</span>. <span class="hps">The</span><span class="hps">surprisingly</span> <span class="hps">sturdy</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">durable</span> <span class="hps">than you think</span> <span class="hps">because</span> <span class="hps">you have</span> <span class="hps">thick</span> <span class="hps">rubber</span> <span class="hps">at the</span><span class="hps">center</span> <span class="hps">serving</span>. <span class="hps">I think</span> <span class="hps">the tire</span> <span class="hps">enough</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">withstand</span> <span class="hps">everyday use</span> <span class="hps">in</span> <span class="hps">this weight</span>. <span class="hps">Given</span> <span class="hps">at least</span> <span class="hps">10 bar</span> <span class="hps">air pressure</span> <span class="hps">(atmospheric pressure</span> <span class="hps">to 15)</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">manage</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">said</span> <span class="hps">floor</span> <span class="hps">pump</span><span class="hps">also:</span> <span class="hps">What</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">a little</span> <span class="hps">tight</span>.<br />
<br />
<span class="hps">The</span> <span class="hps">standard tires</span> <span class="hps">used</span> <span class="hps">as</span> <span class="hps">it</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">favorite</span> <span class="hps">"Continental COMPETITION"</span> <span class="hps">because</span> <span class="hps">the</span><span class="hps">light</span> <span class="hps">seems to be</span> <span class="hps">no</span> <span class="hps">light</span> <span class="hps">would</span> <span class="hps">be</span> <span class="hps">expected by</span> <span class="hps">comparison with</span> <span class="hps">actual</span>. <span class="hps">The</span> <span class="hps">residence</span><span class="hps">would</span> <span class="hps">have</span> <span class="hps">been made</span> <span class="hps">腰砕Ke</span> <span class="hps">very thin</span> <span class="hps">sidewalls</span> <span class="hps">just</span> <span class="hps">pretty light</span> <span class="hps">weight.</span> <span class="hps">Poor</span> <span class="hps">rolling</span><span class="hps">fairly</span> <span class="hps">well</span> <span class="hps">used in</span> <span class="hps">high pressure</span> <span class="hps">does not improve</span>. <span class="hps">Long-life</span> <span class="hps">"Elite 100g"</span> <span class="hps">felt</span> <span class="hps">called</span>.<br />
<br />
<span class="hps">"TUFO"</span> <span class="hps">The</span> <span class="hps">weight</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">almost the same</span> <span class="hps atn">"S3 Litte <165g" (</span>bottom <span class="hps">photo)</span> <span class="hps">What is</span> <span class="hps">there</span> <span class="hps">to say</span> <span class="hps">well</span>, <span class="hps">here</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">still</span> <span class="hps">on-road driving</span> <span class="hps">because of the rapid</span> <span class="hps">decline</span> <span class="hps">that statement</span> <span class="hps">to say that</span> <span class="hps">thin</span> <span class="hps">tread</span> <span class="hps">for truck</span> <span class="hps">一応</span> <span class="hps">say</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">feel</span> <span class="hps">for</span>. <span class="hps">Also</span>, especially <span class="hps">for</span> <span class="hps">punk</span> <span class="hps">is not</span> <span class="hps">considered.</span><span class="hps">In</span> <span class="hps">addition</span> <span class="hps">to the</span> <span class="hps">assigned</span> <span class="hps">weight</span> <span class="hps">weave</span> <span class="hps">that</span> <span class="hps">in order to</span> <span class="hps">run</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">bank</span> <span class="hps">(?)</span> <span class="hps">I think</span> <span class="hps">you have</span><span class="hps">taken</span> <span class="hps">from</span> <span class="hps">a wide</span> <span class="hps">tread</span>. <span class="hps">The</span> <span class="hps">fluorescent</span> <span class="hps">yellow</span> <span class="hps">sidewalls</span> <span class="hps">clean</span><span class="">.</span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxU2wPgSQbI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/N3ATF5d1u48/s1600/RIMG1813s.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410290729779085746" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxU2wPgSQbI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/N3ATF5d1u48/s400/RIMG1813s.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-73557447459462013602011-10-06T00:46:00.000-07:002011-10-06T00:46:18.826-07:00talking on the headset<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxffT1i8LiI/AAAAAAAAAI4/VaXfqbf_T6Q/s1600-h/head3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxffT1i8LiI/AAAAAAAAAI4/VaXfqbf_T6Q/s400/head3.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">Recently</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">a</span> <span class="hps">system</span> <span class="hps">of</span> <span class="hps">road racer</span> <span class="hps">"Ax-lightness Zeus"</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">lowered</span> <span class="hps">the forks</span> <span class="hps">have</span> <span class="hps">enough</span><span class="hps">spare</span> <span class="hps">length of</span> <span class="hps">the column</span> <span class="hps">at</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">retrofit</span><span>, and</span> <span class="hps">discard the</span> <span class="hps">original</span> <span class="hps">fork</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">handy</span> <span class="hps">because</span><span class="hps">it</span><span class="">'s all</span> <span class="hps">too good</span> <span class="hps">I'm looking for</span> <span class="hps">a</span> <span class="hps">headset</span><span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Assembly</span> <span class="hps">at the time</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">stood</span> <span class="hps">first</span> <span class="hps">in the</span> <span class="hps">lightweight</span> <span class="hps">parts</span> <span class="hps">industry</span> <span class="hps">"m2 racer"</span> <span class="hps">world's lightest</span> <span class="hps">headset</span> <span class="hps">of</span> <span class="hps">the first</span> <span class="hps">plastic</span> <span class="hps">(39</span> <span class="hps">grams)</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">the second generation</span> <span class="hps">of aluminum</span> <span class="hps">(37</span><span class="hps">grams,</span> <span class="hps">pictured above)</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">also tried</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">These two</span> <span class="hps">products</span> <span class="hps">have become</span> <span class="hps">a</span> <span class="hps">big factor</span> <span class="hps">曰Ku付Ki</span> <span class="hps">been</span> <span class="hps">closed down</span> <span class="hps">by the manufacturer</span> <span class="hps">to recover</span> <span class="hps">after the</span> <span class="hps">Depository</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">to use</span> <span class="hps">a decent</span> <span class="hps">level</span> <span class="hps">but unfortunately</span> <span class="hps">not</span> <span class="hps">both</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">were</span> <span class="hps">very dangerous</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">Enough to</span> <span class="hps">slide</span> <span class="hps">the fork</span><span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">put</span> <span class="hps">power</span> <span class="hps">back</span> <span class="hps">before</span> <span class="hps">pulling</span> <span class="hps">the brake lever</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps atn">(</span><span>Stock</span> <span class="hps">was</span> <span class="hps">in the house</span> <span class="hps">"m2 racer"</span><span class="hps">because</span> <span class="hps">I</span> <span class="hps">got</span> <span class="hps">to replace</span> <span class="hps">the saddle</span> <span class="hps">and pedals</span> <span class="hps">to</span> <span class="hps">fold</span> <span class="hps">equivalent</span> <span class="hps">of</span> <span class="hps">closure</span> <span class="hps">does not</span><span class="hps">own.</span><span>)</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">Now</span> <span class="hps">after this thing</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">a trusted brand</span> <span class="hps">"Chris King"</span> <span class="hps">performance</span> <span class="hps">is</span> <span class="hps">so</span> <span class="hps">居Ru</span> <span class="hps">using</span><span class="hps">lightweight</span> <span class="hps">parts</span><span>, but</span> <span class="hps">no</span> <span class="hps">complaints</span> <span class="hps">20 years ago</span> <span class="hps">but now</span> <span class="hps">are</span> <span class="hps">not</span> <span class="hps">truly</span> <span class="hps">重Ta</span> <span class="hps">too</span><span>.</span> <span class="hps">What</span><span class="hps">candidates</span> <span class="hps">want to choose</span> <span class="hps">something</span> <span class="hps">that</span> <span class="hps">will</span> <span class="hps">light</span> <span class="hps">if</span> <span class="hps">the two</span> <span class="hps">long-awaited</span> <span class="hps">bottom</span><span class="">.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxfeInjfcwI/AAAAAAAAAIo/m8F3VtkmNXI/s1600-h/head1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxfeInjfcwI/AAAAAAAAAIo/m8F3VtkmNXI/s400/head1.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">"Cane Creek AER.TR":</span> <span class="hps">skip</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">one</span> <span class="hps">bearing</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">and</span> <span class="hps">a Teflon</span> <span class="hps">bushing</span> <span class="hps">46 grams</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxfeO-ephBI/AAAAAAAAAIw/QGvhwpY7XgE/s1600-h/head2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_e9U0REk4hyY/SxfeO-ephBI/AAAAAAAAAIw/QGvhwpY7XgE/s400/head2.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="hps">"KCNC Morion M3": 44.5</span> <span class="hps">grams of</span> <span class="hps">ceramic bearings</span> <span class="hps">used</span><br />
<br />
<span class="hps">居Ru</span> <span class="hps">賑Wase</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">world</span> <span class="hps">by</span> <span class="hps">creating a</span> <span class="hps">frame</span> <span class="hps">of</span> <span class="hps">bamboo and</span> <span class="hps">other</span> <span class="hps">truss</span> <span class="hps">"BME"</span> <span class="hps">from the</span><span class="hps">old</span> <span class="hps atn">ultra-</span><span class="">lightweight</span> <span class="hps">headset</span> <span class="hps">(Ceramic</span><span>: 50</span> <span class="hps">grams,</span> <span class="hps">the Bush</span> <span class="hps">formula</span><span>, 43</span> <span class="hps">grams)</span> <span class="hps">but</span> <span class="hps">has gone out</span><span>,</span> <span class="hps">the</span> <span class="hps">height</span> <span class="hps">highly</span> <span class="hps">likely</span> <span class="hps">candidate</span> <span class="hps">because it</span> <span class="hps">is outside</span><span class="">.</span></span>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-73409731690895481672011-09-02T07:41:00.002-07:002011-09-17T01:53:50.655-07:00BSNYC Friday Foot Quiz! (And Away-Going Announcement)Monday, September 19th is a very special day. Why? Because that will be the date of my next blog post!<br /><br /><div><br /><br /></div><div>Yes, that's right, circumstances require that as of today I take temporary leave of this blog until <b>Monday, September 19th</b>, at which point I will return with regular updates. This leave has been in the offing for quite some time, so don't act all surprised about it, even though I haven't mentioned a thing about it on this blog until just now. Also, I won't bore you with what I'll be doing during my leave, though I can confirm that I will <i>not</i> be doing any of the following:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>--Going to Interbike</div><div>--Going to Eurobike</div><div>--Going to the <i>Vuelta a España</i></div><div><i>--</i>Going to Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp™</div><div>--Getting an adult Bar Mitzvah</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>In my absence, I suggest that you <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/bikesnobnyc">follow my Twittering account</a> just in case I have important news to relate, such as my consumption and enjoyment of a particularly tasty brand of corn chip that I think you might also like to try. (Where's that check, Doritos people?) And speaking of Twitter, <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/BrooklynSpoke/status/109433384505319424">a fellow Tweeterer recently alerted me to</a> the existence of <a href="http://bklynmag.com/2011/08/31/how-to-pilot-your-bicycle-in-a-decorous-fashion/">this</a>:</div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ie0vp3tEQ8A/TmD9NqjMsPI/AAAAAAAAWAU/yUfWIo35yvk/s1600/HOW%2BTO%2BPILOT%2BYOUR%2BBICYCLE%2BIN%2BA%2BDECOROUS%2BFASHION%2B%257C%2BBrooklyn%2BMagazine.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 334px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ie0vp3tEQ8A/TmD9NqjMsPI/AAAAAAAAWAU/yUfWIo35yvk/s400/HOW%2BTO%2BPILOT%2BYOUR%2BBICYCLE%2BIN%2BA%2BDECOROUS%2BFASHION%2B%257C%2BBrooklyn%2BMagazine.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647792343924650226" /></a>It would appear that someone is trying to achieve a sort of arch McSweeney's-meets-Cycle-Chic effect by combining photos of models on bicycles with prose like this:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><i>When piloting your velocipede it is imperative that you consider prudence, modesty, and decorum at all times, lest you be sanctioned by local law-keepers for improper attire. For, you see, high moral conduct is the chief concern of our metropolitan constabulary, and young women on bicycles must bear in mind the moral weakness of pedestrians as they navigate our sin-besotted conurbation. </i><br /><br /><br /><br />In other words, don't ride with your ass crack showing.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>As for the so-called "Brooklyn Magazine" itself, I had never come across it before, but the following video they've produced is a pretty good summation of the current state of affairs:</div><div><br /><br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/20447969?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/20447969">Brooklyn Magazine Promo</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2007991">Louis Gruber</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p>Yes, Brooklyn does have many faces, and they make you want to grab them by their patterned scarves and shout horrible, horrible things into them.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>In any event, pending my return, I'm pleased to present you with a quiz. As always, study the item, think, and click on your answer. If you're right you'll feel inexplicably tingly, and if you're wrong <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA">you'll hear a song</a>.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Thanks very much for reading, ride safe, and I look forward to "seeing" you when I return on September 19th.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>--Wildcat Rocking Chair<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AiEp2eRiFW4/TmEAgSPdQZI/AAAAAAAAWAc/Y2xIOKnsnN8/s1600/teak-rocking-chair.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AiEp2eRiFW4/TmEAgSPdQZI/AAAAAAAAWAc/Y2xIOKnsnN8/s400/teak-rocking-chair.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647795962351796626" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">(You can't tell from the picture, but it's pretty wild.)</div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJ18ullxPp0/TfCiS_d7x3I/AAAAAAAAUv4/WQMfLZGzWDM/s1600/woo-hoo-speed.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 352px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJ18ullxPp0/TfCiS_d7x3I/AAAAAAAAUv4/WQMfLZGzWDM/s400/woo-hoo-speed.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5616167182489339762" /></a></div><div><b>1) The speed at which a retrogrouch goes "Woo hoo!" is:</b></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">46mph</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">46kph</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.yehudamoon.com/index.php?date=2011-09-01"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">27mph</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">16rph (rods per hourglass)</span></a></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OKMK_X79OG4/TmDt73dGCkI/AAAAAAAAV_s/nHjddTMhQgM/s1600/Dmitriy%252BFofonov%252B2010%252BUCI%252BRoad%252BWorld%252BChampionships%252BqzEmSOBR5_ol.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OKMK_X79OG4/TmDt73dGCkI/AAAAAAAAV_s/nHjddTMhQgM/s400/Dmitriy%252BFofonov%252B2010%252BUCI%252BRoad%252BWorld%252BChampionships%252BqzEmSOBR5_ol.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647775545476647490" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">(Off to a foffing good start.)</div><br /><br /><b>2) There is only one Dmitry Fofonov.</b><br /><br /><br /><br />--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">True</span></a><br /><br />--<a href="http://abovethelaw.com/2011/05/remember-the-allegedly-distracting-breasts-at-counsels-table-they-belong-to-the-dudes-wife/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">False</span></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rb0x6KXjEqc/TmDyoaN-eLI/AAAAAAAAV_8/s3ypn0HiLFA/s1600/wet%2Btaint.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 147px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rb0x6KXjEqc/TmDyoaN-eLI/AAAAAAAAV_8/s3ypn0HiLFA/s400/wet%2Btaint.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647780708769233074" /></a><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>“But with the miles, the pain from the hole in my perineum got stronger."</b></i></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><b>3) Who said this?</b></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Jens Voigt</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/boonen-rides-through-pain-to-sixth-place"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Tom Boonen</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Mario Cipollini</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Walt Whitman</span></a></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gEb1TsSDa5o/TmDs510n1oI/AAAAAAAAV_k/aDAQa65darM/s1600/ti%2Bcommuter.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 237px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gEb1TsSDa5o/TmDs510n1oI/AAAAAAAAV_k/aDAQa65darM/s400/ti%2Bcommuter.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647774411167094402" /></a><br /><br /><div><b>4) This $5,500 titanium and belt-driven commuter:</b></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>--<a href="http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/08/gorgeous-5500-titanium-bike-checks-every-box/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">"Checks every box"</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">"Hits every mark"</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">"Touches every base"</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">"Strokes every member"</span></a></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U6ouL8gIWgU/TmDsJlpPUtI/AAAAAAAAV_c/rwNELe85bFI/s1600/Critical%2BMass%2BBicyclist%2BAssaulted%2Bby%2BNYPD%2B-%2BYouTube.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U6ouL8gIWgU/TmDsJlpPUtI/AAAAAAAAV_c/rwNELe85bFI/s400/Critical%2BMass%2BBicyclist%2BAssaulted%2Bby%2BNYPD%2B-%2BYouTube.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647773582190662354" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">(<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkiyBVytRQ">Officer Pogan was just trying to be friendly on the NYPD's annual "Hug A Cyclist" day</a>.)</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><b>5) Do police officers hate cyclists?</b></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Yes</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">No</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.transalt.org/newsroom/magazine/2011/Summer/10"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">"No" (meaning yes)</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">"Yes" (meaning no)</span></a></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mpTWiyEKrMA/TmDxCauE9BI/AAAAAAAAV_0/9-6zJOEb8Sk/s1600/tater-tots4.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 350px; height: 242px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mpTWiyEKrMA/TmDxCauE9BI/AAAAAAAAV_0/9-6zJOEb8Sk/s400/tater-tots4.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647778956557218834" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><b>6) To this day, nothing gets attention in Williamsburg like a nice set of:</b></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>--<a href="http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/mis/2577674633.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">"Fixie tats"</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">"Foxy tits"</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">"Fixative"</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">"Tater tots"</span></a></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IoGD0mZrQfs/TmD1hy0k_nI/AAAAAAAAWAE/rb3xpIahgIM/s1600/CJ027.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 226px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IoGD0mZrQfs/TmD1hy0k_nI/AAAAAAAAWAE/rb3xpIahgIM/s400/CJ027.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647783893649391218" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><b>7) Hooray! It's ________:</b></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Duck season!</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Wabbit season!</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Duck season!</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/magpie-menace-sparks-wave-of-fashion-follies-20110902-1jp6k.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Bird-swooping season!</span></a></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>***Special Health-Themed Bonus Question!***</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Sj4UswuB_s/TmD2rQJ2RZI/AAAAAAAAWAM/qwcpFfqeKkc/s1600/cycling-injuries-revealed-info-graphic-E.jpg%2B%25281600%25C3%25971244%2529.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 348px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Sj4UswuB_s/TmD2rQJ2RZI/AAAAAAAAWAM/qwcpFfqeKkc/s400/cycling-injuries-revealed-info-graphic-E.jpg%2B%25281600%25C3%25971244%2529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647785155653682578" /></a><b>In addition to exposing the dangers of excessive groin and ass use, this graphic also quantifies the importance of:</b></div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Helmets</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Helments</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.utahbicyclelawyers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/cycling-injuries-revealed-info-graphic-E.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Both helmets and helments</span></a></div><div>--<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5euuJsoGYPA"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#ff0000;">Neither helmets nor helments</span></a></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /></div></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-19985256287409815972011-09-01T05:18:00.002-07:002011-09-17T01:53:50.656-07:00Lashing Out: Apparently Everybody Hates EverybodyRemember the Great New York City Bicycle Crackdown of 2011, when cyclists were getting tickets for laughably minor offenses such as mismatched tires, poor taintal hygiene, and having tiny pieces of spinach lodged between their teeth? Well, in the waning days of summer it may seem like all this happened a lifetime ago, but for those who received those $575 spinach summonses the pain is still all too real. (I'll never eat a spinach omelette ever again.) And now, <a href="http://www.transalt.org/newsroom/magazine/2011/Summer/10">"Reclaim," the Transportation Alternatives member magazine, has published an interview with a cycling police officer known only as "Officer X" in which he reveals the truth about the NYPD and cyclists</a> (via <a href="http://gothamist.com/2011/08/31/nypd_officer_says_cops_dont_hate_cy.php">Gothamist</a>):<div><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HauKyKxeSrU/Tl-n_LgvaoI/AAAAAAAAV_E/AXoZXrRk9KY/s1600/The%2BSit-down_%2BBehind%2Bthe%2BBlue%2BWall%2Bwith%2BOfficer%2BX%2B%257C%2BTransportation%2BAlternatives.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 244px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HauKyKxeSrU/Tl-n_LgvaoI/AAAAAAAAV_E/AXoZXrRk9KY/s400/The%2BSit-down_%2BBehind%2Bthe%2BBlue%2BWall%2Bwith%2BOfficer%2BX%2B%257C%2BTransportation%2BAlternatives.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647417161609603714" /></a><br /><br />The biggest revelation is something I've long suspected, which is that pretty much everything is Critical Mass's fault:<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><i><b>Let's get right down to it: Do police officers hate cyclists?</b></i></div><div><i><br /><br /></i></div><div><i>No. But a lot of things have changed since the Critical Mass incident in 2007, when that rookie cop pushed a cyclist off his bike in Times Square. Now whenever an officer views a cyclist, he immediately associates them with Critical Mass riders and that incident. Even when I ride my bike to the precinct, I get that: “You riding Critical Mass? You one of them?”</i></div><br /><br />Thank you, Critical Mass, for screwing us all with your dildo of self-righteousness.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>But wait, there's more! "Officer X" also tells us how exactly to run a red light without fear of reprisal:</div><div><br /><br /><div><i><b>We've got about 10,000 subscribers, many of whom are cyclists in New York City. As an officer, and a cyclist, is there anything you would like to tell them?</b></i></div><div><i><br /><br /></i></div><div><i>As a beat cop speaking to cyclists, I would say to follow the law so you have nothing to worry about. As a cyclist speaking to a beat cop, I'd say sometimes it makes more sense to look both ways and coast through a red light. </i></div><div><i><br /><br /></i></div><div><i>If a cyclist should ride to a light, see that no one is coming and proceed cautiously, why not? But from an officer's perspective, that is too messy. What if a vehicle comes out of nowhere? How long did the cyclist look to each side? Did they actually come to a complete stop? Was he rolling? It would be impossible to make something so subjective stick in court. </i></div><div><i><br /><br /></i></div><div><i>If you must, though, here's a way to safely blow a red light: ride up to it, look both ways, then get of your bike and walk through the intersection, then get back on. No self-respecting cop is going to write a jaywalker.</i></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, this isn't going to work, because while no self-respecting cop is going to ticket a jaywalker, no self-respecting cyclist is going to walk his bicycle through an intersection either. However, I see people on motor scooters do it all the time, which is probably because people who ride motor scooters are already deficient in self-respect.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>And best of all, whether you cycle, drive, walk, or putter around on a motor scooter, you can do whatever the hell you want now anyway, because according to "Officer X" apparently they're no longer giving tickets to anybody:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><div><i>In the next two to three weeks [late July/early August] you may see a sudden decline in the amount of summonses issued to everyone: cyclists, motorists, everybody.</i></div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Let the insanity begin!</div><div><br /><br />Speaking of insanity, now that the fixed-gear is finally falling out of favor among New York City cyclists, I've noticed a new form of idiotic intersection behavior that is rapidly filling the void left by the trackstand. Here's how it works:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>1) Approach a heavily-trafficked intersection without slowing down at all;</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>2) Ride right through the red light;</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>3) When you're almost hit by a honking car, come to an abrupt stop and put down a single foot;</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>4) As traffic continues to roar past you, awkwardly push yourself the rest of the way through the intersection with that single foot like an elderly crab with a walker.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>I don't understand the thought process behind this idiotic behavior, but I've seen it at pretty much every red light I've encountered this week. My best guess is that as fixed-gear riders transition to bicycles that coast they still don't understand how brakes work, and so when trouble arises their first instinct is to put their feet down Fred Flinstone style.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Meanwhile, in Kalamazoo, Michigan (a place that, to my surprise, actually exists outside of cartoons), a reader informs me that, instead of running down cyclists, <a href="http://www.wwmt.com/articles/shop-1395325-bike-kalamazoo.html">drivers are "cutting out the middle man" as it were and driving right into the bike shops</a>:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZewzCoXh_uE/Tl972ZCveVI/AAAAAAAAV9E/hMsGLMFE7Ig/s1600/OLYMPUS%2BDIGITAL%2BCAMERA%2B_%2BTop%2BStories%2BPhoto.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 388px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZewzCoXh_uE/Tl972ZCveVI/AAAAAAAAV9E/hMsGLMFE7Ig/s400/OLYMPUS%2BDIGITAL%2BCAMERA%2B_%2BTop%2BStories%2BPhoto.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647368632111429970" /></a><br /><br />So far the authorities are at a loss as to what happened:<br /><br /><br /><br /><i>There is no word yet on what caused the driver to crash into the building.</i></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Though I hope they're investigating the theory that the motor vehicle operator is a complete and utter moron.<br /><br /><br /><br />Of course, something like this could never happen in Portland--or could it? Apparently not every Portlander is a bike-humping smugmonger, for a reader recently forwarded the following photo:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GqZxxQRLhr8/Tl-XvWKYatI/AAAAAAAAV90/xMiwkg1cIMI/s1600/sidewalk%2B1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GqZxxQRLhr8/Tl-XvWKYatI/AAAAAAAAV90/xMiwkg1cIMI/s400/sidewalk%2B1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647399297404660434" /></a>In which one car owner makes his thoughts on cycling quite clear:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0xSPK8P2pwM/Tl-XqbPPrFI/AAAAAAAAV9s/zyYls_sbT1A/s1600/sidewalk%2B2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0xSPK8P2pwM/Tl-XqbPPrFI/AAAAAAAAV9s/zyYls_sbT1A/s400/sidewalk%2B2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647399212867890258" /></a><br /><br />As it happens, the car would appear to belong to somebody involved with a shop called "<a href="http://www.dynasportllc.com/">DynaSport</a>," and their website describes their enterprise thusly:<br /><br /><div><i><br /><br /></i></div><div><i>DynaSport was founded by enthusiasts to serve enthusiasts. There’s something special about BMW’s and MINI’s, and we believe there should be something special about the way your vehicle is serviced as well. As BMW and MINI owners ourselves, we understand what’s behind the wheel.</i><div><br /><br /></div><div>I'm pretty sure I understand what's behind the wheel too, and that would be a raging douchebag.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>In any case, with all the anti-cycling sentiment out there, it's no wonder that some of us feel persecuted. One way to deal with this is to band together and form rides like Critical Mass, which only serve to make the situation worse. Or, another way is to channel all your rage into a gruesomely violent "hilpster" revenge fantasy, as in this short film to which I was alerted by another reader:</div><div><br /><br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/28411163?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/28411163">Human Cop Killer</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/jaydougrey">jay dougrey</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p>In it, we see a rider who's a member of the "trying to be scary" hilpster subset:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j7DHj--PaT0/Tl-YghYTBXI/AAAAAAAAV-E/aZp8vCME5gU/s1600/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 218px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j7DHj--PaT0/Tl-YghYTBXI/AAAAAAAAV-E/aZp8vCME5gU/s400/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647400142229407090" /></a>As he rides around, he performs stupid hilpster tricks such as skidding into pedestrians so that they're forced to admire the expensive crabon disc wheel he bought on eBay:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ycI0TW2M6W4/Tl-YOJKwVAI/AAAAAAAAV98/EeWlAdj_Fk8/s1600/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 220px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ycI0TW2M6W4/Tl-YOJKwVAI/AAAAAAAAV98/EeWlAdj_Fk8/s400/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647399826492511234" /></a>Then, he stops to drink a wine cooler:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uGQ1_9-CLNY/Tl-YxuXfhII/AAAAAAAAV-M/e2UGjXln3SQ/s1600/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 219px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uGQ1_9-CLNY/Tl-YxuXfhII/AAAAAAAAV-M/e2UGjXln3SQ/s400/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647400437773468802" /></a>After which he is denied entry into his favorite brunch spot by a bouncer who looks like Kevin Bacon on HGH:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T_eXUbAhqdQ/Tl-ZEExKHFI/AAAAAAAAV-U/GILko5hPG5g/s1600/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 222px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T_eXUbAhqdQ/Tl-ZEExKHFI/AAAAAAAAV-U/GILko5hPG5g/s400/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647400753024343122" /></a>This makes him so mad that he sprints wildly--though not so wildly that he's able to overcome his fear of using the drops:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EIeaxmh1jOU/Tl-ZXe--piI/AAAAAAAAV-c/KgU2BD4IYr4/s1600/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-4.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 220px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EIeaxmh1jOU/Tl-ZXe--piI/AAAAAAAAV-c/KgU2BD4IYr4/s400/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647401086479148578" /></a>In fact, the thought of riding in the drops scares him so much that it makes him vomit:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ezl77PRm2n8/Tl-Zkw0E_gI/AAAAAAAAV-k/ZPwWRvHMevo/s1600/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-5.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 219px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ezl77PRm2n8/Tl-Zkw0E_gI/AAAAAAAAV-k/ZPwWRvHMevo/s400/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-5.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647401314603564546" /></a>Two and a half wine coolers later, a driver starts honking at him because he is riding like a upper-echelon idiot:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n8seeJ2LlPg/Tl-Z0TI3skI/AAAAAAAAV-s/S2bj8M8bDas/s1600/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-6.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 223px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n8seeJ2LlPg/Tl-Z0TI3skI/AAAAAAAAV-s/S2bj8M8bDas/s400/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647401581515616834" /></a>So he gets off his bike and confronts the motorist:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-goBxrKGGNrY/Tl-aLfYIbtI/AAAAAAAAV-0/yQ71mu9iaOI/s1600/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-7.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 219px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-goBxrKGGNrY/Tl-aLfYIbtI/AAAAAAAAV-0/yQ71mu9iaOI/s400/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647401979937844946" /></a>And then stabs him to death with his Bartles & Jaymes, leaving the rest of us to wonder what in Lob's name we just watched:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AcRbZxptk5k/Tl-agIzCNLI/AAAAAAAAV-8/bVucrvZTlr8/s1600/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-8.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 221px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AcRbZxptk5k/Tl-agIzCNLI/AAAAAAAAV-8/bVucrvZTlr8/s400/Human%2BCop%2BKiller%2Bon%2BVimeo-8.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647402334653920434" /></a>The moral of the story, of course is this: Fixed-gear riders really shouldn't try to look tough, since the "fierce kitten" effect almost always causes it to backfire.</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3j8Bl-7jHeI/Tl-ySdo5j4I/AAAAAAAAV_M/EEiC0hX16js/s1600/Fierce%252520kitty.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3j8Bl-7jHeI/Tl-ySdo5j4I/AAAAAAAAV_M/EEiC0hX16js/s400/Fierce%252520kitty.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647428488009453442" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">(Leader of the "Hellkrew" will give you the scratching of a lifetime.)</div><br /><br />I'd like to see the wine cooler-swigging Hellkrew guy try his antics in New York, where I've just been informed you're lucky to finish your ride without <a href="http://gothamist.com/2011/08/31/brooklyn_cyclists_beware_flying_bri.php">getting brained by packs of teenagers</a>:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YlyQGvunIdU/Tl-y_6XBIGI/AAAAAAAAV_U/nP9D0R9dv-0/s1600/Brooklyn%2BCyclists_%2BBeware%2BTeenagers%2BThrowing%2BBricks%2BOn%2BNavy%2BStreet_%2BGothamist.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 363px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YlyQGvunIdU/Tl-y_6XBIGI/AAAAAAAAV_U/nP9D0R9dv-0/s400/Brooklyn%2BCyclists_%2BBeware%2BTeenagers%2BThrowing%2BBricks%2BOn%2BNavy%2BStreet_%2BGothamist.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647429268813193314" /></a>I'm pretty sure that once the debris started flying the Hellkrew would immediately cower in the nearest brunch spot, and if nothing else this story adds yet another dimension to the eternal helment argument. Mostly though, I'm relieved that the rider wasn't injured more seriously, and I'll also add that if you haven't had a hard object hurled at you while traveling in a car, on a bike, or on foot in New York City, then you probably haven't lived here very long. Or else you're very, very scary looking.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Speaking of things that look scary, a reader in Washington, DC recently spotted this:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jFLGW7hcQbw/Tl-Wgn3MFOI/AAAAAAAAV9U/HWFQZTqXA04/s1600/faired%2Brecumbents.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jFLGW7hcQbw/Tl-Wgn3MFOI/AAAAAAAAV9U/HWFQZTqXA04/s400/faired%2Brecumbents.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647397944946332898" /></a>Coincidentally, this is exactly what your ejaculate looks like under a microscope after you've eaten an entire bag of Skittles.<br /><br /><br /><br />Even scarier is <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/105718640316326547406/FreakyRecumbent?authkey=Gv1sRgCNfryOyA7eu3xQE">this homemade recumbent spotted by a reader in Sacramento</a>:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Y1vfNrd5XE/Tl-V1YJaNkI/AAAAAAAAV9M/3tzqX5A-2iI/s1600/homemade%2Brecumbent.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Y1vfNrd5XE/Tl-V1YJaNkI/AAAAAAAAV9M/3tzqX5A-2iI/s400/homemade%2Brecumbent.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647397201993414210" /></a><br /><br />Given the situation in New York City these days, if you ride a recumbent in Brooklyn you should probably wear a goalie mask.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div></div></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-7837586320116264242011-08-31T07:30:00.002-07:002011-09-17T01:53:50.656-07:00The Indignity of Commuting by Bicycle: Playing With Your Test-Cycle<div>I'm not what you'd call a "social butterfly." If anything, I'm more of a "social locust" in that I come out roughly once every 17 years, and when I do nobody's particularly pleased to see me. Nevertheless, slimy things with legs do like to crawl upon the slimy sea occasionally, and so it was that I headed into the Manhattan yesterday evening in order to share my unctuousness with the rest of the world.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Now, you may recall that I am in the process of "testing" a so-called <a href="http://baseurban.com/">"Base Urban RD 1.0" belt-driven bicycle</a>, which looks like this when it's not on some flashy website and some sarcastic bike blogger half-assedly points his "smarting phone" at it instead:</div><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BN0ujSH9d_Y/Tl5LV23P_BI/AAAAAAAAV88/gGNJb_erq6Q/s1600/baseurban%2B1b.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BN0ujSH9d_Y/Tl5LV23P_BI/AAAAAAAAV88/gGNJb_erq6Q/s400/baseurban%2B1b.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647033821645765650" /></a>You may also recall that <a href="http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2011/08/juxtaposition-tale-of-two-bikes.html">my first impression was less than favorable</a>, owing at least in part to the fact that the ostensibly quiet belt drive instead made a disconcertingly loud and rhythmic "womp womp" sound that evoked, among other things, swamp life and humping.<div><br /><br /></div><div>Also, I find the bike to be more than a little bit ugly.<br /><br /><div><br /><br /></div><div>Well, it would seem that word of my tribulations made it all the way to <a href="http://www.carbondrivesystems.com/">Gates</a>, the people who make the belt drives, and they were very eager to help me diagnose the problem so that I might, like <a href="http://www.twitterknowledge.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ef3f2afc6dlover.jpg.jpg">Pootie Tang</a>, become a believer in the belt. And so it was that I found myself communicating with--on the phone and with my voice no less!--one of the Gates people, who asked me a question that would require me to muster every tool and bit of technical know-how I had at my disposal. The question was:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>"Have you checked the chainring bolts?"</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>No. No I hadn't.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>So I checked the chainring bolts. Naturally, one of them was loose, and once I tightened it the noise was diminished considerably--not <i>completely</i>, mind you, but enough so that it is audible only in relative quiet and is not especially bothersome. (Though it might be if I'd actually paid for the bike.) In the spirit of good faith I will continue to examine the problem with the help of the good people at Gates, and I have no doubt the system can be made to operate totally quietly, though I am also compelled to note that whatever out-of-whackness still exists in the drivetrain would be a complete non-issue on a chain-drive bicycle. (In the final analysis, chasing down alignment issues is a lot more time-consuming than lubing your chain.)</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>It's also kinda noisy when I'm climbing. Maybe the bottom bracket on the Base Urban is not "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsx4oJb-TzI">beefy</a>" enough. </div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Anyway, with my drivetrain now 75-80% quieter, I decided to use the Base Urban for my jaunt into the city. I know it's going to be a good ride when I spot both a recumbent rider <i>and</i> a rider in bib shorts with no jersey, neither of whom can be bothered to stop at the light or even use the bike lane for that matter:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8H4SOniMqV4/Tl5JSleaxOI/AAAAAAAAV8s/K-88Oc6CYz4/s1600/bent%2Band%2Bbibs.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 288px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8H4SOniMqV4/Tl5JSleaxOI/AAAAAAAAV8s/K-88Oc6CYz4/s400/bent%2Band%2Bbibs.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647031566415348962" /></a><br /><br />Eventually I made it to the city, where I secured the Techno Express to a street sign:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y9qPzNeIBoo/Tl5Gb6Jq2cI/AAAAAAAAV8k/OBj_ZoxXwS8/s1600/baseurban1a.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 291px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y9qPzNeIBoo/Tl5Gb6Jq2cI/AAAAAAAAV8k/OBj_ZoxXwS8/s400/baseurban1a.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647028428049406402" /></a>I happen to believe that one of the most interesting aspects of cycling is what it can teach you about yourself, and this extends to testing bicycles. In the case of this bicycle, what it's teaching me is that my tastes apparently differ from most people's. As I said earlier, I find this bicycle aesthetically objectionable. If it were a person, it would wear Axe body spray and put its Yankees cap on sideways, and would carry an iPod full of music with Auto-Tune vocals. In fact, the company didn't send me an owner's manual, but I'm reasonably sure that while the belt drive doesn't require lubrication the rider is obliged to wear cologne. I don't wear cologne, and maybe that's why the bike is still creaking.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>But while I find this bicycle's circa 2007 "tarck chic" appearance to be tremendously objectionable, apparently nobody else does, and in the short time I've had it strangers have been <i>kvelling</i> over it constantly. At first the compliments seemed to come mostly from recently-arrived Eastern Europeans wearing copious amounts of fragrance, so this was hardly surprising--I'm pretty sure Vladimir Karpets and Dmitry Fofonov would be all over this baby. However, last night as I loitered near it I watched in amazement as people of both genders with no discernible accent went out of their way to look at it and remark to one another how nice it was. Yes, <i>this</i>:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--DK7MHgmeKY/Tl5GUwfrgSI/AAAAAAAAV8c/SCaHJJFVmYs/s1600/baseurban1a.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 291px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--DK7MHgmeKY/Tl5GUwfrgSI/AAAAAAAAV8c/SCaHJJFVmYs/s400/baseurban1a.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647028305198285090" /></a>It made me feel exactly the way I used to in middle school when Bon Jovi was popular, and I just assumed there was something wrong with my ears because there's no way they could be hearing what I was hearing and like it.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>But looks are looks, and what evokes a mid-aughts urban cycling fad to me is simply a shiny, matching, speedy looking bicycle to your average non-"bike culture"-immersed person. This in itself was something of a revelation to me, since it explains how year after year new cyclists continue to buy impractical and uncomfortable race-inspired (or now messenger-inspired) bikes instead of practical bikes. The simple fact is that a bicycle like this draws the eye, whereas a more utilitarian one doesn't, since people don't have the experience that tends to make utility appear attractive. Consequently, this is what they think a city bike should be. And there's your "<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qkjApqM3Fl8/Tlz6p0bLXHI/AAAAAAAAV7E/GvklJiignRs/s1600/thruster%2Bfixie.jpg">Thruster Fixie</a>" at Walmart.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>In any case, more important than looks is how it rides. So how does it ride? Well, not all that well. The handling and fit are good, but there's a harsh quality that could maybe have something to do with the wheels and tires, but is definitely enhanced by this saddle:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DwJO6fAHtuY/Tl5GNxThpTI/AAAAAAAAV8U/8ELcZr7EciU/s1600/baseurban%2Bsaddle.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DwJO6fAHtuY/Tl5GNxThpTI/AAAAAAAAV8U/8ELcZr7EciU/s400/baseurban%2Bsaddle.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647028185156658482" /></a>I realize that saddles are highly subjective, but this is one of the most uncomfortable saddles upon which I've ever perched myself. Have you ever encountered one of those office building plaza ledges in Manhattan that have metal spiky things on them to discourage loiterers, but you're really tired from walking all day so you sit on it anyway? That's what sitting on this feels like. But then again, maybe my posterior is as <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0puJVi2xJpQ">out of step with the world</a> as the rest of me apparently is, and everyone else will like it.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Obviously it's easy to try a different saddle, and I intend to do so. I'd also like to try a different set of wheels to see if that would improve things, but like most people I don't have too many disc brake internally-geared road wheels laying around. I suppose I could just change the tires and maybe put one of my mountain bike wheels on the front, and I very well may do that. I also have a perverse desire to use the bicycle in a cyclocross race, but that depends on whether knobbies will clear the sublimely unnecessary and brilliantly un-drilled rear brake bridge, which is already pretty close to the tire:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S352ClWN0f4/Tl5GHlomFwI/AAAAAAAAV8M/Mv2TU3lOXEU/s1600/baseurban%2Brear%2Bclearance.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S352ClWN0f4/Tl5GHlomFwI/AAAAAAAAV8M/Mv2TU3lOXEU/s400/baseurban%2Brear%2Bclearance.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647028078944589570" /></a>For that matter there's not much clearance up front either:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Crpp7MRFlbQ/Tl5GB_Zu76I/AAAAAAAAV8E/bjtdOwEMqAY/s1600/baseurban%2Bfront%2Bclearance.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Crpp7MRFlbQ/Tl5GB_Zu76I/AAAAAAAAV8E/bjtdOwEMqAY/s400/baseurban%2Bfront%2Bclearance.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647027982782361506" /></a>But I guess there's only one way to find out.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Anyway, here's an obligatory shot of the belt drive:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eDMzrqVfeP4/Tl5F7d0ZnBI/AAAAAAAAV78/xplwYVf6BZw/s1600/baseurban%2Bbelt.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eDMzrqVfeP4/Tl5F7d0ZnBI/AAAAAAAAV78/xplwYVf6BZw/s400/baseurban%2Bbelt.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647027870688189458" /></a><br /><br />And one of the Alfine hub:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gaw4z1yxOQo/Tl5F2gm8LyI/AAAAAAAAV70/sA14MXJpA8Y/s1600/baseurban%2Balfine.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gaw4z1yxOQo/Tl5F2gm8LyI/AAAAAAAAV70/sA14MXJpA8Y/s400/baseurban%2Balfine.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647027785537695522" /></a>And one of the guy wearing an accordion who totally blew by me on the way back to the Manhattan Bridge:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n2PxhGwBN3g/Tl5JfA8TQ9I/AAAAAAAAV80/_ow09pBNmuo/s1600/accordion.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n2PxhGwBN3g/Tl5JfA8TQ9I/AAAAAAAAV80/_ow09pBNmuo/s400/accordion.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647031779946873810" /></a>Accordions, I should not have to remind you, are now the new messenger bags, which is why you can expect to see a lot of <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrlTW75Fz0U">this</a> at the <a href="http://www.bicycleretailer.com/news/newsDetail/5864.html">Interbike "Urban Yard"</a> this year.<br /><br /><br /><br />Still, I enjoyed riding the bike last night. This is partly because it's pretty hard <i>not</i> to enjoy riding a bike, and also because the bike dork in me cannot help nerding out over the drivetrain. It's also nice to not have to worry about getting <i>schmutz</i> on your pants or about your hands getting filthy if you have to change a tube on the way to work, and I think something like this has the potential to be a good all-weather commuter if only the frame weren't so poorly designed. I also still think the $1,750 price is absurd given that this is basically a novelty bike, though you could have had it for free if you took it while I ran into the store on the way home for some eggs:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qi_QUyYnl1w/Tl5Fv1hOqJI/AAAAAAAAV7s/Lv326rd6epA/s1600/baseurban%2Block%2Bfail.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qi_QUyYnl1w/Tl5Fv1hOqJI/AAAAAAAAV7s/Lv326rd6epA/s400/baseurban%2Block%2Bfail.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647027670891800722" /></a>I was quite surprised when I returned to find that I had missed the top tube completely, and insofar as I was not even remotely intoxicated, I can only blame the frame's vexing design.</div></div><div><br /><br /></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-82144243859225083842011-08-30T07:57:00.002-07:002011-09-17T01:53:50.656-07:00Exhume to Consume: Survival of the Flushest<div>Do you like "bi-keen?" Of course you do! It's inexpensive, healthy, and clean. When you get around your gentrified neighborhood by means of "bi-keen," you feel good--not only because it's fun, but because you know what you're doing is helping to save the Earth. Like, you know those people who go to awful countries and give vaccinations to starving children? You're as good as they are, if not better! How many CGI polar bears have <i>they</i> saved recently?</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>But you know what the best thing about "bi-keen" in Uh-merica is? It's that, <a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/2011-08-17/news/michelle-matson-greenpoint-brooklyn-bicycle-accident/">when you do it, you're just a traffic cone</a>!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jOmT80epVHk/Tl0DFRkO0GI/AAAAAAAAV7c/mRSV_75jDgQ/s1600/Anatomy%2BOf%2BA%2BGreenpoint%2BBike%2BAccident%2B-%2BPage%2B1%2B-%2BNews%2B-%2BNew%2BYork%2B-%2BVillage%2BVoice.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 334px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jOmT80epVHk/Tl0DFRkO0GI/AAAAAAAAV7c/mRSV_75jDgQ/s400/Anatomy%2BOf%2BA%2BGreenpoint%2BBike%2BAccident%2B-%2BPage%2B1%2B-%2BNews%2B-%2BNew%2BYork%2B-%2BVillage%2BVoice.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646672896942067810" /></a>You know how, when you're driving, you're theoretically not supposed to run into the traffic cones, but if you "accidentally" do anyway nobody's really going to give you a hard time about it, even if the traffic cone flies out into traffic, gets run over by a bunch of other cars too, and is mangled beyond recognition? Well, here in Canada's underbite, it's the same thing if you hit a cyclist! Somebody from the <i>Village Voice</i> sent me this article awhile back, and I didn't really have the stomach to look at it, but now I have and I feel compelled to share it even though it merely serves to reaffirm our collective status as road furniture:<br /><br /><br /><br /><i>...even though the ditched car was found within 24 hours, a 1990 Nissan Maxima abandoned two blocks southeast of the accident scene, the police would never make any arrests. And that the detective assigned to the case would tell James, as the victim has consistently recalled for months, that the vehicle owner claimed he'd lost his keys at a local bar that same night and walked home—and that without an eyewitness putting him in the driver's seat, there was nothing that could be done. When James or Michelle asked what drinking establishment the auto owner had patronized and whether the police had questioned anybody there or if there were any clues in the car, the officer would become dismissive. They eventually stopped calling. According to the official police complaint, the unidentified hit-and-run driver's highest offense would be categorized a misdemeanor, which seemed preposterous, all things considered.</i><br /><br /><br /><br />See, car sales are an important economic indicator, so it's really important that we don't make it too difficult to obtain them or burden their owners and lessees with too much responsibility. That's why, when someone gets mangled by your car, you can make up a story about how you got wasted in a bar and lost your car keys and then someone else "borrowed" your car to go run down a cyclist. I wonder if I could shoot somebody and then tell the police I was drinking and accidentally left my gun on the bar. Either way, if you're a sub-Canadian like I am you should feel comfortable knowing that, provided you're a consumer of durable goods (especially durable goods like cars, which also require you to buy lots of that non-durable good known as "gasoline"), your freedom and safety are guaranteed.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>If, on the other hand, you're a cyclist and you don't contribute to the robustness of the economic indicators that encourage investment in our financial markets, and you should one day find yourself lying beneath one of these economic indicators in a bloody clump, then you really should have been wearing a helment. Because if they take the car owner's license away, he won't be able to buy another one to replace the one your head so inconsiderably dented, and we'll never get out of this pesky recession.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Of course, what "the system" (which naturally I don't need, along with your "society," which is why I used to draw anarchy symbols on my desk in school) fails to realize is that cyclists are also good consumers. In fact, I'd argue that we're some of the best, and if we were actually afforded protection and allowed to live out our full lifespans we'd eventually mature into gushing revenue streams ourselves.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>See, bicycles too are durable goods (at least <a href="http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ba-n.html">according to Sheldon Brown</a>, and at least the non-crabon ones anyway) and when you buy one you need all manner of soft goods such as clipless sneakers, stretchy technical jeans, complicated luggage, cycling-specific fanny packs, t-shirts with clever cycling references on them, and of course tattoos, though I'm not sure if those are technically durable goods or soft goods. Yes, "urban cycling" has truly come into its own--so much so that a reader tells me <a href="http://www.bicycleretailer.com/news/newsDetail/5864.html">there will be a whole "Urban Yard" at this year's Interbike</a>:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gh8jsxDeMZk/Tlz6to08_pI/AAAAAAAAV7M/LQxojX_DwiY/s1600/Bicycle%2BRetailer%2Band%2BIndustry%2BNews.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gh8jsxDeMZk/Tlz6to08_pI/AAAAAAAAV7M/LQxojX_DwiY/s400/Bicycle%2BRetailer%2Band%2BIndustry%2BNews.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646663694776336018" /></a>As far as I can tell, this "Urban Yard" will be a miniature indoor climate-controlled Williamsburg (or Mission District, or [insert your local trendy neighborhood here]) and with its abundance of "urban cycling and culture magazines," visiting it should be remarkably like an appointment at a hipster dentist's office. (Hipster dentists ride Serotta track bikes with riser bars.) Naturally, as the "bike culture's" answer to Abercrombie & Fitch, <a href="http://www.chromebagsstore.com/">Chrome</a> will also be in attendance, and I deeply regret that I will be continuing my streak of 100% Interbike non-attendance because nothing is more edifying than experiencing "an incredibly dynamic landscape of products and lifestyle identities." Actually, there should be a sign that says that when you head over the Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xw_3pOVtIJA/Tl0SriK_pMI/AAAAAAAAV7k/smm97whmoNY/s1600/Williamsburg%2BBridge%2BSign%2B%257C%2BFlickr%2B-%2BPhoto%2BSharing%2521.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xw_3pOVtIJA/Tl0SriK_pMI/AAAAAAAAV7k/smm97whmoNY/s400/Williamsburg%2BBridge%2BSign%2B%257C%2BFlickr%2B-%2BPhoto%2BSharing%2521.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646690046909064386" /></a>As inviting as this sounds, just remember the veneer of bike-friendliness only runs as deep as that lime green paint, and the streets beneath still belong to the cars.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Speaking of veneer, do you find yourself craving the artisanal smugness of alternative frame materials such as wood and bamboo, yet unable to break your addiction to the lateral stiffness and vertical compliance of sweet, sweet crabon? Well, now you won't have to, because another reader tells me <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Faux-Wooden-Carbon-Road-Frame-Fork-Bar-Stem-56-Rim-/150653937357?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item2313aca6cd#vi-desc">you can buy a <i>faux</i> wooden crabon road frame on a popular Internet auctioning site</a>:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sk7yQMmuMWI/Tlz96a59PII/AAAAAAAAV7U/vfGbJWpda0Y/s1600/Faux%2BWooden%2BCarbon%2BRoad%2BFrame%2BFork%2BBar%2BStem%2B56%2B%252B%2BRim%2B%257C%2BeBay.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 234px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sk7yQMmuMWI/Tlz96a59PII/AAAAAAAAV7U/vfGbJWpda0Y/s400/Faux%2BWooden%2BCarbon%2BRoad%2BFrame%2BFork%2BBar%2BStem%2B56%2B%252B%2BRim%2B%257C%2BeBay.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646667212912409730" /></a>It's laterally <i>faux</i> and vertically deciduous.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div>Or, if you want an inherently contradictory bike that misses the point in a more roundabout way, you could get one of these belt-driven two-speed "fixies" to which I was alerted by a reader in Denmark:<br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe width="400" height="333" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QHeVme8Bmgc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div>Oh, how we consumers want it all: vintage, yet reliable. Simple, yet modern. Fixed, yet geared. One speed for the fast, another for to make with the tricking. It's fascinating to see how desperately some people will cling to the notion of a fixed-gear despite their clear need and desire for qualities that fixed-gears simply don't have, and to see how ridiculous the bikes become in the process. They want to be riding regular geared bikes but they just <i>can't let go</i>.</div><div><br /><br />Meanwhile, here in Canada's chamois, gears have been the new fixed for quite some time now, and the tide has turned so strongly against them that you can now by a "Thruster Fixie" at Walmart, as spotted by the august (like the Caesar, not the month) commenter Leroy:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qkjApqM3Fl8/Tlz6p0bLXHI/AAAAAAAAV7E/GvklJiignRs/s1600/thruster%2Bfixie.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qkjApqM3Fl8/Tlz6p0bLXHI/AAAAAAAAV7E/GvklJiignRs/s400/thruster%2Bfixie.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646663629169974386" /></a>Yes, we are a nation of labelers, and <a href="http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/08/29/graphic_design_show_imprint/index.html">rebranding is our art</a>:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N_fzbsiM5ws/Tlz6kBz2LeI/AAAAAAAAV68/cg5-0XfIgRc/s1600/How%2Bnew%2Btechnology%2Bhas%2Btransformed%2Bgraphic%2Bdesign%2B-%2BImprint%2B-%2BSalon.com.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N_fzbsiM5ws/Tlz6kBz2LeI/AAAAAAAAV68/cg5-0XfIgRc/s400/How%2Bnew%2Btechnology%2Bhas%2Btransformed%2Bgraphic%2Bdesign%2B-%2BImprint%2B-%2BSalon.com.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646663529683889634" /></a>To survive long enough to see your "lifestyle" become a brand name: that is Immortality 2.0.</div><div><br /><br /></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-84740827077343367082011-08-29T05:03:00.002-07:002011-09-17T01:53:50.656-07:00From Suck to Blow: The Storm Before the CalmFirst of all, I'd like to thank the many people who sent well-wishings and messages of support over the weekend as hurricane Irene ambled towards New York City at speeds of up to 14mph, like a cyclo-tourist with panniers full of destruction. However, as much as I'd like to thank everybody, I can't, because I didn't receive any well-wishings or messages of support at all. Instead, I was forced to stock up on a week's worth of cheese steaks with the sad knowledge that my fate meant little to anybody:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLzjnPrLlGg/TluU0i4pRtI/AAAAAAAAV6k/dNY5-xoZ80U/s1600/hot%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2Bgrilled.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 321px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLzjnPrLlGg/TluU0i4pRtI/AAAAAAAAV6k/dNY5-xoZ80U/s400/hot%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2Bgrilled.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646270188277548754" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">(Translation: "Hot, from having recently been grilled, steaks in the Philadelphia cheeseway.")</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Fortunately, New York City didn't receive nearly as much damage as was anticipated, and I extend my sympathies to those who elsewhere who were affected far more adversely than we were. Nevertheless, I find myself dismayed by what seems to be a growing "You New Yorkers are '<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wb8bAl1P-N0/SWDYGJ9gBXI/AAAAAAAAFbA/6t01-UQRGMI/s1600-h/bike+ballot+1.jpg">woosies</a>' when it comes natural disasters" sentiment. I noticed it first when Californians scoffed at our little earthquake last Wednesday, and it seemed to continue when we shut down the entire city and evacuated a bunch of people who, for the most part, probably could have just stayed at home eating "hot" cheese steaks.<div><br /><br /></div><div>If you're one of these people (a "New Yorkers are weather 'woosies'" person, not a "sitting at home eating 'hot' cheese steaks" person), I humbly request that you keep two (2) things in mind:<br /><br /><br /><br />1) Life is much harder in New York City than it is in the rest of Canada's pannier, and on a daily basis we're subject to a degree of difficulty and indignity that most people will never have to experience. If you've never shared a crowded subway car with a homeless person who has recently soiled himself, been kicked in the face by an errant street performer, or shopped at Fairway supermarket on a Sunday (three people were recently trampled to death at the free olive oil sampling station), then you have no right to criticize us. We pay thousands of dollars a month to live in apartments that are worse than your crappiest storm shelters, and laying any sort of "weather event" on top of all this this creates the sort of hardship that would have even the most hardy natural disaster veteran crying to FEMA. </div><div><br /><br /></div><div>2) Our national image has become somewhat tarnished, so as a "real" city New York is one of very few things that keep this country from devolving into a complete laughingstock to the rest of the world. It's bad enough that our status as one of the world's great cities is already being undermined by designer beard-wearing curators of artisanal handicrafts, so therefore any additional threats to our status and well-being (or at least our distorted concept of what qualifies as well-being) should be taken very seriously. Without New York City, the United States is Los Angeles, Chicago, and a bunch of smaller towns that may or may not have a Cheesecake Factory in them. If this doesn't worry you, it should, because if New York City is washed away then America will simply become that place Canadians visit to do their bargain shopping.<br /><br /><br /><br />This is not to say that people in other parts of the country are not culturally enlightened or well-versed in the art of creative expression. Consider Virginia Beach, where <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm-GizYWljQ&feature=related">a man exposed his "pants yabbies" during the Weather Channel's hurricane coverage</a>:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QMVahQgIWdw/TluAFJvWpbI/AAAAAAAAV5k/0U_387RS5P0/s1600/Weather%2BChannel%2Bvs%2BResidents%2Bof%2BVirginia%2BBeach.MP4%2B-%2BYouTube.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QMVahQgIWdw/TluAFJvWpbI/AAAAAAAAV5k/0U_387RS5P0/s400/Weather%2BChannel%2Bvs%2BResidents%2Bof%2BVirginia%2BBeach.MP4%2B-%2BYouTube.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646247383841285554" /></a>In an America Without New York, the country would effectively become a giant college town, and you'd be likely to see this sort of behavior constantly, even during the State of the Union address.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Speaking of the hurricane, most New Yorkers spent the days preceding it stocking up on provisions, which could explain why one woman in Williamsburg was "portaging" a bunch of wooden logs:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k38ptXIEwyM/TluR5-2-y5I/AAAAAAAAV6U/Xou-qV1H9OA/s1600/The%2Bgirl%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bbike%2Bwith%2Bwooden%2Blogs%2Bon%2Bher%2Bback%2B-%2Bm4w.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 168px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k38ptXIEwyM/TluR5-2-y5I/AAAAAAAAV6U/Xou-qV1H9OA/s400/The%2Bgirl%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bbike%2Bwith%2Bwooden%2Blogs%2Bon%2Bher%2Bback%2B-%2Bm4w.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646266983151225746" /></a><i><a href="http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/mis/2566928985.html"><b>The girl on the bike with wooden logs on her back</b></a> - m4w - 30 (Bedford Ave/Williamsburg)<br /><br />Date: 2011-08-26, 10:53AM EDT<br /><br />Reply to:<br /><br /><br /><br />You - the sweet girl in burgundy dress with such major connfidence,<br /><br /><br /><br />Me - the Jewish guy in car,<br /><br /><br /><br />You looked at me and said such a lovely HEY!<br /><br /><br /><br />I wanna see you again and say a lovely HI!</i><br /><br /><br /><br />I'm not sure if she planned to burn the logs for fuel, or if she was anticipating having to "curate" a log cabin shelter by hand using her artisanal axe, but either way I find this budding cross-cultural romance tremendously inspiring, especially given <a href="http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2009/12/measure-of-safety-all-you-cities.html">the strained relations between the "hilpsters" and the Hasidim in this area</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br />Somewhat less inspiring is this indication that incidents of "smugness baiting" may be on the rise:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TASbSDZDgwo/TluSgU4bygI/AAAAAAAAV6c/7izNPG76u_I/s1600/_I_m%2Bannoyed%2Bby%2Byour%2Bsmugness_%2B-%2Bm4w.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 115px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TASbSDZDgwo/TluSgU4bygI/AAAAAAAAV6c/7izNPG76u_I/s400/_I_m%2Bannoyed%2Bby%2Byour%2Bsmugness_%2B-%2Bm4w.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646267641897929218" /></a><i><a href="http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/mis/2564821661.html"><b>"I'm annoyed by your smugness"</b></a> - m4w - 28 (dean st.)<br /><br />Date: 2011-08-25, 1:31AM EDT<br /><br />Reply to:<br /><br /><br /><br /></i><i>What I yelled back was, "You're so cute, I was sorry I passed". Want to have coffee or a bike ride?</i></div><div><i><br /><br /></i></div><div>As <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HFxNtC3rYY8/TkPv0RCunEI/AAAAAAAAVp0/IeMYtHj0RcA/s1600/big%2Bdummy%2Bdumbo.JPG">a smug cyclist myself</a>, I urge you to refrain from hurling anti-smugness epithets such as the one above when we are out "portaging." After all, hath not a smug cyclist two wheels? Hath not a smug cyclist a load of organic groceries? If you tip us, do we not topple? If you ridicule us, do we not become unduly sensitive? If you ask us about our bicycles, do we not unfurl soporific discourses on the relative merits of frontal versus rearward weight distribution? Hath not David Byrne, the Patron Saint of Smugness, a car?</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wb8bAl1P-N0/TSHnYmJO72I/AAAAAAAASRI/hWPUUxIWLxs/s1600/byrnebike.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wb8bAl1P-N0/TSHnYmJO72I/AAAAAAAASRI/hWPUUxIWLxs/s400/byrnebike.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5557977824894054242" /></a>Well, actually, no, I guess he hathn't.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>While I'm on the subject of smugness, as commenter "CE" pointed out last week, <a href="http://extanz.com/2011/08/26/top-50-most-influential-cycling-bloggers-celebrating-the-cycle-chic-movement/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Extanz+%28Extanz.com+-+Social+Media+Marketing+%26+PR+2.0%29&utm_content=Google+Reader">some sort of Internet 2.0 nü-media social <del>circle-jerking</del> networking company or whatever they are has employed some sort of algorithm to determine the "most influential cycling bloggers:"</a></div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BdWG1ObqLg8/TluF-gSINrI/AAAAAAAAV6E/Ll1zLw5HqVg/s1600/Refresh_%2BTop%2B50%2BMost%2BInfluential%2BCycling%2BBloggers_%2BCelebrating%2Bthe%2B%25E2%2580%2598Cycle%2BChic%25E2%2580%2599%2BMovement%2B%25C2%25AB%2BExtanz.com%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2BBusiness%2BIntelligence%252C%2BPR%2B2.0%252C%2BNew%2BMedia-1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 378px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BdWG1ObqLg8/TluF-gSINrI/AAAAAAAAV6E/Ll1zLw5HqVg/s400/Refresh_%2BTop%2B50%2BMost%2BInfluential%2BCycling%2BBloggers_%2BCelebrating%2Bthe%2B%25E2%2580%2598Cycle%2BChic%25E2%2580%2599%2BMovement%2B%25C2%25AB%2BExtanz.com%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2BBusiness%2BIntelligence%252C%2BPR%2B2.0%252C%2BNew%2BMedia-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646253866703402674" /></a>Evidently, the most influential cycling blog is <a href="http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/">Copenhagen Cycle Chic</a>:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NYYkWfyZDeQ/TluElgPtWvI/AAAAAAAAV50/5qmKm4t7FnM/s1600/Refresh_%2BTop%2B50%2BMost%2BInfluential%2BCycling%2BBloggers_%2BCelebrating%2Bthe%2B%25E2%2580%2598Cycle%2BChic%25E2%2580%2599%2BMovement%2B%25C2%25AB%2BExtanz.com%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2BBusiness%2BIntelligence%252C%2BPR%2B2.0%252C%2BNew%2BMedia.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 236px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NYYkWfyZDeQ/TluElgPtWvI/AAAAAAAAV50/5qmKm4t7FnM/s400/Refresh_%2BTop%2B50%2BMost%2BInfluential%2BCycling%2BBloggers_%2BCelebrating%2Bthe%2B%25E2%2580%2598Cycle%2BChic%25E2%2580%2599%2BMovement%2B%25C2%25AB%2BExtanz.com%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2BBusiness%2BIntelligence%252C%2BPR%2B2.0%252C%2BNew%2BMedia.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646252337684896498" /></a><br /><br />I certainly have no issues with being "dethroned" from the top spot on a meaningless list, nor do I have any illusions that I have any influence at all, though I was puzzled by their explanation:<br /><br /><br /><br /><i>At least 11 of the Top 50 cycling bloggers here are women. Cycling Chic Copenhagen has started a global movement — <b>we can see many links pointing to her</b>. This sub-community is rocking the blogosphere, or shall say women are rocking it! Women bloggers are a definite force to be reckoned with in the cycling world.</i><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div>Now, I love to see women "rocking it!" and all, but I'm also pretty sure Copenhagen Cycle Chic is not a "her," since it was started by Mikael Colville-Andersen:<br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe width="400" height="333" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/07o-TASvIxY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div>(Oh no, he's talking about helments! Seek shelter immediately!!!)</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>And while he may bear at least a stunt double's resemblance to Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, he is clearly not a woman. Yes, I do believe the site has some female contributors, but <a href="http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/2008/02/copenhagen-cycle-chic-faqs.html">according to the site's own FAQ it all started when Colville-Andersen took a picture of a woman from behind</a>:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><div><i>HOW DID THE BLOG START?</i></div><div><i><br /><br /></i></div><div><i>The photos came first. One photo in particular started it all off. Mikael has been involved in street photography for some time and one day he snapped a fellow cyclist in the morning rush hour. All at once a theme, a visual style and a subject was born.</i></div></div><div><i><br /><br /></i></div><div>That style? Surreptitiously taking photos of hot Danish chicks:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AZv5OVZ4SKU/TluFoOA36QI/AAAAAAAAV58/5w2HXgwuH4A/s1600/Cycle%2BChic%25E2%2584%25A2%2B-%2BThe%2BOriginal%2Bfrom%2BCopenhagen._%2BCopenhagen%2BCycle%2BChic%2BFAQs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 382px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AZv5OVZ4SKU/TluFoOA36QI/AAAAAAAAV58/5w2HXgwuH4A/s400/Cycle%2BChic%25E2%2584%25A2%2B-%2BThe%2BOriginal%2Bfrom%2BCopenhagen._%2BCopenhagen%2BCycle%2BChic%2BFAQs.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646253483842070786" /></a>Now, don't get me wrong--I have nothing but respect for Mikael Colville-Andersen and his "Cycle Chic" empire, and he is clearly the Hugh Hefner of bicycle advocacy. However, maybe the people that made this list should take the time to look at the actual blogs, because if Colville-Andersen is a woman blogger then I should get some acknowledgement for being one of the rare cycling bloggers with an indigenous Australian background.<br /><br /><br /><br />Speaking of doing stuff from behind, a reader tells me <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2011/aug/25/cycling-commuter-drafting-etiquette">a writer for British newsing paper <i>The Guardian</i> named Peter Walker is actually questioning whether or not Cat 6 commuter wheelsucking is acceptable</a>:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UEuz3e5DwYQ/TluPg0xfCdI/AAAAAAAAV6M/xYWqogAGNh0/s1600/Cycling%2Betiquette_%2Bto%2Bdraft%2Bor%2Bnot%2Bto%2Bdraft%253F%2B%257C%2BEnvironment%2B%257C%2Bguardian.co.uk.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 357px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UEuz3e5DwYQ/TluPg0xfCdI/AAAAAAAAV6M/xYWqogAGNh0/s400/Cycling%2Betiquette_%2Bto%2Bdraft%2Bor%2Bnot%2Bto%2Bdraft%253F%2B%257C%2BEnvironment%2B%257C%2Bguardian.co.uk.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646264351923833298" /></a><br /><br />How is this even the subject of debate? Of course it is not acceptable, for the same reasons you shouldn't draft people when you're driving to work in your car. (Unless you're David Byrne, in which case you don't have one.) How come we never see articles in the automotive sections of newspapers that ask, "Where do you stand on tailgating?" Yet, shockingly, the writer not only supports commuter drafting, but also performs domestique duties for his wheelsuckers:<br /><br /><br /><br /><i>My position's pretty clear: I'm happy to either draft or be drafted. With the former I don't go ludicrously close to another bike's rear wheel and I'm vigilant in case my temporary helper has to brake or swerve to avoid something. And if we reach a red light I'll often try to set off quickly so as to offer a reciprocal helping hand. When in front I indicate well in advance, and point a helpful finger towards upcoming potholes and the like.</i><br /><br /><br /><br />Wow, do they also get a "happy ending" with all that? Even more amazingly, he's surprised when he drafts people and they don't like it:</div><div><br /><br /><i>These malcontents react in different ways: some turn round and scowl; others begin weaving round the lane, slowing down or speeding up. One young man's facial expression was so laughably aggrieved – you'd have thought I'd propositioned his mother – that when we stopped at a red traffic light I felt obliged to ask him, politely, why he so objected to being drafted. "Look," he hissed, "we're individuals, we're not in this together. We're cycling alone. Don't you get that?" Even by London's famously misanthropic standards this was strong stuff.</i><br /><br /><br /><br />I couldn't agree more with this so-called "malcontent." You are not automatically at someone's disposal just because you are both on bikes--the normal rules of society apply. Is it OK to follow someone at a distance of two inches when you're walking just because you're both wearing sneakers? No it isn't. In reading this article it became increasingly clear to me that Peter Walker must be the most irritating cyclist in London, and it must be incredibly disconcerting not being able to ride around the city without constantly turning around and seeing this:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lf8Ehr-MtPY/Tlu-jd_9w-I/AAAAAAAAV6s/3takozR889o/s1600/peter_walker_140x140.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 140px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lf8Ehr-MtPY/Tlu-jd_9w-I/AAAAAAAAV6s/3takozR889o/s400/peter_walker_140x140.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646316074396664802" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">("Would you mind terribly if I had sex with your mother?")</div></div><div><br /><br />It should go without saying, then, that Peter Walker's solution to all of this is completely insane:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><i>There is, of course, an obvious answer: if someone clearly doesn't like being drafted then don't do it.</i><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div>Yes, this is a great approach. Just imagine if we extended this to every other manner of rude and unacceptable human interaction, too. After all, as I always say, "If a stranger clearly doesn't like it when you fondle their buttocks on public transportation then don't do it." The only people who are allowed to just do stuff to other people until they're told to stop aren't people at all; they're dogs. Sure, a dog can get away with sticking his muzzle in your crotch or humping your leg until you register your objection, but if people start acting the same way then human society becomes little more than a dog pack and the next thing you know your dinner guests are drinking from your toilet and urinating on your carpet.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Though I do acknowledge that, in certain social circles, these are indications that the dinner party was a huge success.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div></div><div>Nevertheless--or perhaps because of it--I remain a firm believer in keeping your distance.</div><div><br /><br /></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-55974338674845878542011-08-26T08:20:00.000-07:002011-08-26T18:37:51.903-07:00Side Street or Main Street?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/4630917562/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Grocery Shopping with Wald Folding Baskets by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Grocery Shopping with Wald Folding Baskets" height="301" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4630917562_98ddf802b3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cycling in greater Boston, I alternate between routes that take me along busy roads and routes that take me through quiet side streets. Each option leaves something to be desired. The busy roads are, well, busy - lots of car traffic, lots of action, lots of chaos. But they do seem to have enough room for everyone, including the processions of cyclists that now travel along them more than ever. The side streets are much quieter and greener, but are often too narrow to fit both a car and a bike side by side - resulting in its own set of challenges. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've mentioned before that when I have <a href="http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2010/09/crime-vs-accident-or-why-i-avoid-side.html" target="_blank">close calls</a> or memorably <a href="http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2011/05/right-of-way-and-driver-education.html" target="_blank">negative encounters</a> with cars, it almost always seems to happen on a side street. But the same is definitely not true for everyone, and a recent post on <a href="http://letsgorideabike.com/blog/2011/08/a-sorry-excuse-for-a-bike-route/" target="_blank">Let's Go Ride a Bike</a> illustrates why many urban cyclists tend to keep away from busy roads. So I keep wondering what it is that, over time, has made me weary of side streets, whereas others see them as a refuge. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One possibility is that I tend to overcompensate for the danger factor of main streets by being extra-vigilant, extra-focused and extra-careful as a matter of course - expecting the worst from every vehicle out there, and cycling in a way that anticipates that. On the other hand, side-streets lull me into a state of relaxation, because they seem so tranquil and friendly - so when something bad is about happen, I don't see it coming and am less likely to avoid it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But this factor aside, I also think that drivers are less likely to keep their aggression in check when there are fewer witnesses. On side streets there aren't many people around, and perhaps the drivers with whom I've had confrontations and close calls were well aware of that. A scary thought, to be sure.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What is your take on main streets versus side streets, and what is your preference?</div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-84580630976636879002011-08-25T06:48:00.000-07:002011-08-26T18:37:51.903-07:00Bella Ciao Superba: Ready and Available!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6077909231/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title="Bella Ciao Superba by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6089/6077909231_196590b127.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Fashionably late and appropriately glamorous, the <i>Bella Ciao</i> Superba is here! I was nervous up till the moment I saw it, but the bicycle is perfect. The pre-ordered bikes should be off to their owners very soon.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6077907945/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Lovely Bicycle Decal by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Lovely Bicycle Decal" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6077907945_a62a746715.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>To recap for new readers, this is the result of a collaboration between myself and <a href="http://www.bellaciao.de/en/" target="_blank"><i>Bella Ciao</i></a>, and you can read about it <a href="http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2011/01/bella-ciao-superba-my-take-on-italian.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2011/03/superba-progress.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Twelve bikes were made as a special edition and they are available exclusively at <a href="http://blog.harriscyclery.com/the-bella-ciao-superba-has-arrived" target="_blank"><i>Harris Cylery</i></a> in West Newton, MA. I know that a good portion of them have already been sold, so please check with <i>Harris</i> for availability. The price is $1,495. I am not the one selling the bicycles (and I do not receive commission on the ones sold), so please contact <i>Harris</i> directly with all sales inquiries.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6077908425/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba" height="277" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6205/6077908425_7a59bdf584.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The <i>Bella Ciao</i> Superba frames were handmade in Italy, using <i>Columbus</i> Thron tubing. The frame size is 54cm, with 700C wheels. Tires are the cream <i>Schwalbe </i>Delta Cruisers, 700Cx35mm. The wheelsets are proprietary to <i>Bella Ciao</i>, made inhouse.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6078449634/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6078449634_bb829fcd69.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The Superba includes all the components and accessories pictured here, which I will detail below. It is a 3-speed bicycle with a rear coaster brake and front handbrake, internally routed dynamo lighting front and rear, leather <i>Brooks</i> saddle, natural cork grips, chaincase, and a handmade rear rack.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6078447492/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Handmade Rear Rack by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Handmade Rear Rack" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6078447492_48c042a989.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The stainless steel racks were designed by me and handmade in Dorcester, Massachusetts by <i>Trimount Ironworks</i>. They are rated to carry 18kg (40lb) of weight, provide attachment for bungee cords, and will accommodate a variety of pannier systems.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6077908077/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Rear Rack, Tail Light by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Rear Rack, Tail Light" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6077908077_086218ddbc.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>There is a provision for attaching a battery-operated tail light to the rack, for those who wish to supplement the dynamo lighting.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6078449548/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6090/6078449548_1578587240.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>One thing I like about the stainless rack with its thin tubing, is that it has the effect of being "invisible" on the bike. I've played around with a number of different racks, and this definitely suits the bicycle best. I may write a separate post about the rack design in the near future.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6078449166/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Handlebars by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Handlebars" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6078449166_0f0cf94532.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The high-polished alloy handlebars are made by <i>Bella Ciao</i>. I would describe them as a hybrid between North Road and Porteur style bars, and they are possibly my favourite handlebars on the market today. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6077907807/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Cork Grips by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Cork Grips" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6181/6077907807_9e1aa33ae2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The bike is fitted with natural Portuguese cork grips from <i>Rivendell </i> and elegant <i>Tektro</i> city brake levers. The cork grips will be left unfinished, but they can be shellacked by the owner - which will make them darker. The brake lever can be placed either on the right or on the left.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6078449030/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Bell by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Bell" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6072/6078449030_fbb683fd0d.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Brass bell, of course.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6077907563/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Headlight by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Headlight" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6077907563_c41904c6b6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The dynamo-powered lighting is by the German manufacturer <i>Buechel</i>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6078448930/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Tail Light by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Tail Light" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6187/6078448930_3da3eeb7dd.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>It looks fairly classic and unobtrusive, and works nicely.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6078447322/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Dynamo Hub by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Dynamo Hub" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6185/6078447322_5633a5c270.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The dynamo hub is Shimano. The wiring is routed externally up the fork, then internally through the frame, exiting through one of the chainstays.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6077906203/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Coaster Brake by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Coaster Brake" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6070/6077906203_38b26a2bde.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><i>Sturmey Archer</i> 3-speed coaster brake hub.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6078448716/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Front Brake by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Front Brake" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6181/6078448716_c36f25b3d9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Front caliper brake.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6078447932/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Saddle by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Saddle" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6078447932_dd75a62723.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Brown <i>Brooks</i> B72 saddle.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6078448648/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Chaincase by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Chaincase" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6063/6078448648_073ac27f67.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Non-slip platform pedals.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6078448260/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba, Fork Ends by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba, Fork Ends" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6078448260_3d58073cc9.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And the fork ends/dropouts (I like to remove those black dust caps, but forgot to do it here). You can also see the bungee cord attachment point on the rack here.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6077908573/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bella Ciao Superba (Photo Taken by Elton Pope-Lance) by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bella Ciao Superba (Photo Taken by Elton Pope-Lance)" height="274" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6082/6077908573_c7e873cdec.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The colour of the bike as it shows up in the pictures here is fairly accurate. It is <i>not</i> the same colour as my own bike, but a more vibrant, saturated pastel green. If you have any questions about the features, I will be glad to answer them here. I hope that the owners of these bicycles will be pleased with them - I am very happy with how they came out. There is some talk of more bikes, but nothing is certain yet - so your thoughts are welcome. Many thanks to <i>Bella Ciao</i> again for the opportunity to work on this project, and many thanks to <i>Harris Cycley</i> for all of their help.kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-3534325388339238932011-08-24T07:27:00.002-07:002011-09-17T01:53:50.657-07:00This Just In: Off 'Til Monday!Firstly, by way of dispensing with mundane matters of scheduling, I should mention that I will not be posting tomorrow or Friday, but that <b>I will return on Monday, August 29th with regular updates</b>. Therefore, you may or may not want to mark your calendars accordingly as I have:<div><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u8URM86UnLQ/TlUZw4sOlwI/AAAAAAAAV5E/EFEubkNnpus/s1600/calendar%2B2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 386px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u8URM86UnLQ/TlUZw4sOlwI/AAAAAAAAV5E/EFEubkNnpus/s400/calendar%2B2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644446035621091074" /></a>I can't confirm that I'm going on one of those new "experiential vacations" where you get to work in a Subway franchise for four days, but I'm also in no position to deny it either.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Secondly, I want to thank everybody who came to the Manhattan Bridge early yesterday evening in order to receive free <a href="http://www.knog.com.au/">Knog</a> products, and I also want to apologize for being a bit late. However, I do have a pretty good excuse. First, after yesterday's earthquake I immediately went to the closet to look for duct tape (as I understand it you're supposed to put duct tape on stuff in an emergency), and the contents must have shifted during flight because as soon as I opened the door I found myself trapped beneath 150 rolls of toilet paper. For three hours my cries of help went not only unheeded but also completely muffled by the patented Quilted Northern Ultra Plushness. Eventually I was able to tunnel my way out by means of a <a href="http://www.surlybikes.com/stuff/jethro_tule/">Surly Jethro Tool</a>, but then I got stuck in slow-moving bike lane traffic:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x44biM32rVA/TlUaGmRFtrI/AAAAAAAAV5M/iQx5tlSOr6w/s1600/bike%2Blane%2Btraffic.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 326px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x44biM32rVA/TlUaGmRFtrI/AAAAAAAAV5M/iQx5tlSOr6w/s400/bike%2Blane%2Btraffic.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644446408632546994" /></a>Ordinarily I'd have passed them, but I was riding a Big Dummy and there simply wasn't enough room.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Eventually though I did make it, and people did proffer coupons in exchange for free stuff, as you can see in this photo that was taken by an attendee:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BwmMgq7JGK0/TlUKUwLAECI/AAAAAAAAV38/IL7IOvI7ddU/s1600/BSNYCa%2B%25281%2529.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BwmMgq7JGK0/TlUKUwLAECI/AAAAAAAAV38/IL7IOvI7ddU/s400/BSNYCa%2B%25281%2529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644429059623489570" /></a>They were also kind enough not to make fun of my hair:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ivrMEz5rnYc/TlUKeKRpevI/AAAAAAAAV4E/uS0ccT5zKeg/s1600/backofhead.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 326px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ivrMEz5rnYc/TlUKeKRpevI/AAAAAAAAV4E/uS0ccT5zKeg/s400/backofhead.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644429221249514226" /></a>I was actually getting my hair cut at the time of the earthquake which caused the barber to lose control of his shears, and this was the only way he was able to correct it.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Speaking of ingenuity, while most people opted to print their coupons by means of ink jet printers that were nearly out of ink, at least one presented an artisanally hand-curated version:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fpJIlK7I8JE/TlUPgKTx_nI/AAAAAAAAV4U/ak-hIn3_Gkw/s1600/hand%2Bdrawn.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fpJIlK7I8JE/TlUPgKTx_nI/AAAAAAAAV4U/ak-hIn3_Gkw/s400/hand%2Bdrawn.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644434753176338034" /></a>It's a pretty good rendering, too:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1S_UbxSjDqs/TlUPmoALmsI/AAAAAAAAV4c/L_rA1OfGnxQ/s1600/hand%2Bdrawn%2B1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1S_UbxSjDqs/TlUPmoALmsI/AAAAAAAAV4c/L_rA1OfGnxQ/s400/hand%2Bdrawn%2B1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644434864226409154" /></a>There are even a bunch of squiggly lines representing the fine print. He must have one of those "MFAs."</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>But the best thing about giving away free stuff is getting free stuff, like this t-shirt:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--xJ7zE24fvE/TlUP0E2kDBI/AAAAAAAAV4k/mCZ_Q6OxF-4/s1600/roy%2527s.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--xJ7zE24fvE/TlUP0E2kDBI/AAAAAAAAV4k/mCZ_Q6OxF-4/s400/roy%2527s.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644435095308995602" /></a>As well as this inordinately fancy bottle of beer:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--0Tmm0Nzo08/TlUP_8jMLRI/AAAAAAAAV4s/AFiFOJC86BE/s1600/beer.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--0Tmm0Nzo08/TlUP_8jMLRI/AAAAAAAAV4s/AFiFOJC86BE/s400/beer.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644435299238685970" /></a></div><div>It must have been pretty strong stuff, because I don't remember much after that. All I know is I woke up in the park the next morning on a pile of coupons:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YQ8ieFHPyAw/TlUQKyldEJI/AAAAAAAAV40/rWj9NfX00-M/s1600/coupons.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YQ8ieFHPyAw/TlUQKyldEJI/AAAAAAAAV40/rWj9NfX00-M/s400/coupons.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644435485542387858" /></a>In any case, thanks again for traversing the Manhattan Bridge a few short hours after an earthquake, because I certainly wouldn't have, and I'm glad I had the foresight to arrange it on the Brooklyn side. Also, if you're the person who took my wallet, keys, and bicycle while I was passed out in the coupons, may I have them back please? Those weren't actually part of the giveaway.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Speaking of bikes, I was tempted to bring <a href="http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2011/08/juxtaposition-tale-of-two-bikes.html">the "Base Urban" belt drive bike I'm testing</a> to the giveaway so that everybody could gawk at its profound ugliness, but with one (1) moderately-sized box to portage I figured I should ride my enormous cargo bike instead. And while I'm still trying to figure out how the bike I'm testing is worth a whopping <a href="http://www.beltdrivebike.com/base-urban/rd1-0.html">$1,750</a>, I suppose it's a relative bargain when compared to this belt drive bike, which was forwarded to me by a number of readers and which "<a href="http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/08/gorgeous-5500-titanium-bike-checks-every-box/">checks every box</a>:"<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ztOLCy73BlE/TlUmIouxAKI/AAAAAAAAV5U/GbFUIP-idOU/s1600/Gorgeous%2B%25245%252C500%2BTitanium%2BBike%2BChecks%2BEvery%2BBox%2B%257C%2BGadget%2BLab%2B%257C%2BWired.com.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 389px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ztOLCy73BlE/TlUmIouxAKI/AAAAAAAAV5U/GbFUIP-idOU/s400/Gorgeous%2B%25245%252C500%2BTitanium%2BBike%2BChecks%2BEvery%2BBox%2B%257C%2BGadget%2BLab%2B%257C%2BWired.com.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644459637793161378" /></a>As far as I can tell, this bike checks at most two boxes, those being the "I paid way too much money for a townie" box, as well as perhaps the "My name is <a href="http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2011/07/stuck-in-customs-bespoke-rationale.html">Larry Olmsted</a>" box. Then again, you do get that all-important belt drive:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><i>It goes on. Instead of a dirty, noisy chain you get a Gates carbon drive belt drive and Shimano Alfine internal hub...</i></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>This confused me, because I didn't know they even sold bikes with dirty, noisy chains. Any new bike I've ever had actually came with a clean, silent chain. Then again, maybe I'm just out of the loop and the bike industry is putting dirty, noisy chains on new bikes now in a massive conspiracy to convince people to switch to belt drives.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Of course, if you really want to be cutting-edge, you should pair your belt drive with <a href="http://www.cateye.com/en/products/detail/CC-VT220W/">the Cateye "Urban Wireless" cycling computer, which will tell you your "carbon offset:"</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fI8qub2mut8/TlUtxdZQ8HI/AAAAAAAAV5c/6VyOSeObRKg/s1600/CATEYE.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 234px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fI8qub2mut8/TlUtxdZQ8HI/AAAAAAAAV5c/6VyOSeObRKg/s400/CATEYE.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644468035706220658" /></a>Yes, the Cateye Urban Wireless will "fluff your smugness" as you ride:</div><div><br /><br /><div><i>In addition to basic ride data, both carbon offset and calorie consumption information will not only help you feel better from your ride, but better about your impact on the environment, too!</i></div><div><i><br /><br /></i></div><div><i>* This product is only available in USA. </i></div><div><i><br /><br /></i></div><div>It goes without saying that this is only available in Canada's "tramp stamp," since in no other country do people need to be coaxed, cajoled, wheedled, and rewarded in order to do ordinary, logical, everyday things in the way that Americans must be. It's also good to know that urban cyclists can now "foff off" over their crabon offsets in the same way that roadies dork out about their "wattage." Still, I would imagine this computer must be very difficult to calibrate, because it certainly can't be as simple as just entering your wheel circumference. I would think it would also need to know what your most recent meal was, and what your frame is made of, and where you're going. For example, someone who's had a locally and sustainably farmed breakfast and is riding a homemade bamboo bicycle to a shift at the local food co-op can't possibly yield the same smugness numbers as someone who's just eaten a McGriddles and is riding a Huffy to the OTB, even if they're riding side-by-side, pedal stroke for pedal stroke. </div><div><br /><br />Presumably though, the Cateye Urban Wireless is an ideal training tool for the Brompton World Championship, and another reader has forwarded me this video of the latest edition, which took place last Sunday:<br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe width="400" height="333" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FGMstwEQUeg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /></div><br /><br />If you're offended by tiny wheels and men panting heavily, you may not want to watch.</div><div><br /><br /></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-90445963109483673232011-08-23T13:28:00.000-07:002011-08-26T18:37:51.903-07:00Ridden to Distraction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mindcaster-ezzolicious/6026711407/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank" title="Copenhagen by Amsterdamize, on Flickr"><img alt="Copenhagen" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6133/6026711407_2ee7443586.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">[image via </span></span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mindcaster-ezzolicious/6026711407/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">Amsterdamized</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">]</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have noticed that I feel a greater need to concentrate on the road when riding for transportation than other cyclists I know. This is not a criticism of others, but an admission of my own cognitive deficit: While in many ways I am a multi-tasker, this trait has bypassed anything that involves sensorimotor coordination, and sadly I am one of those people who has a difficult time chewing gum and walking at the same time. I am also a scary-horrible driver, never quite sure when it's safe to merge or at what angle to approach a parking spot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When it comes to cycling for transportation, I am actually remarkably calm and collected - provided that I pay attention to the task at hand. For that reason I am uncomfortable chatting while navigating traffic, and no doubt appear rude to those who innocently attempt to socialise with me during their commutes. Sometimes another cyclist will pull up and start talking to me when I am on my way somewhere, and all I can think is "Oh my God, you're blocking me in and I need to make a left turn!" - not feeling very friendly at all. Needless to say, talking on the phone or texting is out of the question for me, and I am always stunned to see cyclists who are proficient at this - texting away as they execute complex traffic maneuvers in the most relaxed manner imaginable. Listening to music is something I can do on quiet country roads, but not in busy urban traffic. Drinking coffee on the bike? Forget it. I can sometimes rummage in my front basket for my sunglasses and put them on without stopping, but that is probably the height of my achievements.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Though I believe it is "dangerous" to perform sensory demanding tasks while riding a bike, I am aware that my views on this are influenced by my own inability to do these things safely. So, out of curiosity, what is your distraction threshold when you're cycling in traffic? And if you're also a driver, does it differ from being behind the wheel of a car?</div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-23180514469282945652011-08-23T04:55:00.002-07:002011-09-17T01:53:50.657-07:00Financial Cycles: Bikes is Big Business<img style="-webkit-user-select: none" src="http://glitterimage.info/graphics/image/hi-and-hello-61-67049.gif" /><br /><br /><br /><br />Hi, everybody!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Do you like "bi-keen" in New York City?</div><div>Do you like receiving stuff for which you don't have to pay?</div><div>Are you proficient in the maintenance and repair of German made air-cooled automobile engines?</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>If you answered "Fork yes!" to two out of three of the above questions, I should remind you that later today I will be dispensing free <a href="http://www.knog.com.au/">Knogstuffs</a> (while supplies last) at a secret time and place which is as follows:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>5pm-6pm</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Brooklyn side of the Manhattan Bridge</b></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Also, I found a few t-shirts, which I'll give away too:</div><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nvNDiQLxVVM/TlOcCwXd30I/AAAAAAAAV28/UYmnKpRlno8/s1600/bsnyc%2Bshirt.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nvNDiQLxVVM/TlOcCwXd30I/AAAAAAAAV28/UYmnKpRlno8/s400/bsnyc%2Bshirt.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644026329182363458" /></a>The catch is they're all size XL, which means you either have to be a size XL, or else willing to wear a t-shirt that's way too big for you, or else an able seamster or seamstress who will fashion the t-shirt into a pillowcase, tapestry, or punk rock butt-flap.<div><br /><br /></div><div>I'm not sure where exactly I'll be on the Brooklyn side of the Manhattan Bridge, but just look for someone who looks slightly addled and extremely disheveled who's sitting in a folding chair next to a <a href="http://www.surlybikes.com/bikes/big_dummy_complete/">Surly Big Dummy</a> with an <a href="http://www.xtracycle.com/peapod">Xtracycle PeaPod LT</a> and loaded with Knog products.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Then give him $20 and he'll tell you where I am.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Lastly, remember, while everything's free, you must (<i>must</i>!) present <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MHwVs-tm60w/Tk5UfvZ5IsI/AAAAAAAAVzk/rg9DSNSrG0A/s1600/knog%2Bcoupon.jpg">a coupon</a> in order to receive anything. Think of it as organized looting.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Speaking of looting, a reader informs me that, in the United Kingdom, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14610857">cycling generates three <i>billion</i> sqiggly "L"s with lines through them for the economy</a>:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BLj1_1eBR2c/TlO_HvKpVLI/AAAAAAAAV3E/VnyFNh4vTPE/s1600/BBC%2BNews%2B-%2BCycling%2Bindustry%2Bgives%2Beconomy%2B%25C2%25A33bn%2Bboost.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BLj1_1eBR2c/TlO_HvKpVLI/AAAAAAAAV3E/VnyFNh4vTPE/s400/BBC%2BNews%2B-%2BCycling%2Bindustry%2Bgives%2Beconomy%2B%25C2%25A33bn%2Bboost.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644064897666471090" /></a>Three billion whatevers-they-are is something like US$5 billion, which is a lot of of bike stuff, though it will only cost you $4billion if you order everything from Nashbar between now and Sunday and enter coupon code "PLUMMETING-GNP." Also, sales of bike stuff is only part of the story, since it turns out that people who ride bicycles are more productive in the workplace:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><i>The report says that regular cyclists take 7.4 sick days per year, compared with 8.7 sick days for non-cyclists, saving around £128m through reduced absenteeism, with projected savings of £2bn over the next 10 years. </i></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>See that? Cyclists aren't shiftless non-conformists looking to subvert the system, smash capitalist greed, and undermine the status quo. We're actually good little consumers, and we also give more of ourselves than non-cyclists to the soulless corporations for whom we work. This allows them to extract that much more of our hearts and spirits, which they can then render into more profits for themselves so that their executives can receive bigger bonuses.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Yay, "bi-keen!"</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>So, like, maybe we can have a few more bike lanes now? Or not. Sorry, I was just asking. I'll get back to work now.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>But if cycling is big business in the U of K, it's even moreso in Croatia, where <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/violentgrind">a reader</a> tells me riders are so flush with cash that they are "rubbing" Mercedes cockpits:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PEI3jitfNk0/TlPDP7juiYI/AAAAAAAAV3c/p5RCGLXPCgo/s1600/mercedes1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PEI3jitfNk0/TlPDP7juiYI/AAAAAAAAV3c/p5RCGLXPCgo/s400/mercedes1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644069436478359938" /></a><br /><br />Not only that, but they've got matching Mercedes leg shields too:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-38ioH0FDPS8/TlPDxe-MFFI/AAAAAAAAV3k/uVBzNNjsOXY/s1600/mercedes2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-38ioH0FDPS8/TlPDxe-MFFI/AAAAAAAAV3k/uVBzNNjsOXY/s400/mercedes2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644070012920271954" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>Notice the exquisite hand-stitched artisanal curation of the Mercedes logoway:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ML4U_bbIefo/TlPED8vh6ZI/AAAAAAAAV3s/hzCe8ewwlB0/s1600/mercedes3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ML4U_bbIefo/TlPED8vh6ZI/AAAAAAAAV3s/hzCe8ewwlB0/s400/mercedes3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644070330149497234" /></a>And since cyclists the world over have such formidable buying power, this entrepreneur should have no problem whatsoever raising the quarter of a million dollars for <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/81926444/pumptire-self-inflating-bicycle-tire?ref=live">his self-inflating bicycle tire</a>:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KiQkoZWurX4/TlPB5xdu03I/AAAAAAAAV3U/vgX_gKu-hfY/s1600/PumpTire_%2BSelf%2BInflating%2BBicycle%2BTire%2Bby%2BPumpTire%2BTeam%2B%25E2%2580%2594%2BKickstarter.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 173px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KiQkoZWurX4/TlPB5xdu03I/AAAAAAAAV3U/vgX_gKu-hfY/s400/PumpTire_%2BSelf%2BInflating%2BBicycle%2BTire%2Bby%2BPumpTire%2BTeam%2B%25E2%2580%2594%2BKickstarter.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644067956300108658" /></a><br /><br />Here's the pitch:<br /><br /><br /><br /><i>Imagine taking your bicycle out of the garage and never having to fill up the tires or even check the pressure. Or imagine yourself being able to change your tire pressure on-the-fly with a simple adjustment from the handlebars. Our project is to bring two self-inflating bicycle tires to market, the City Cruiser and City Pro. Both tires are intended for the urban cyclists and both tires incorporate the patented PumpTire technology.</i></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Gosh, yaaah! That would like totally make bi-keen even more ahsome! Can you explain it to me in greater detail in an video?<br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" height="410px" src="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/81926444/pumptire-self-inflating-bicycle-tire/widget/video.html" width="480px"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div>A number of people seem to think that there's one crucial obstacle keeping people from riding bicycles, and that if they can remove it then millions more people will ride and then they will become rich. Moreover, every one of these people seems to have a different idea of what this obstacle actually is. Some people think that it's the greasy chains scaring people away, so they market bikes with belt drives, shaft drives, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y6BXbIM5uc">no drivetrains at all</a>... Others think it's the Lycra or fixed-gears or general competitive vibe that's so off-putting, and so they sell comfy bikes in pretty colors and invent imaginary countercultures like the "<a href="http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2011/08/regular-movements-ordinary-is-new.html">slow cycling movement</a>." For this guy, though, the big obstacle is pneumatic tire maintenance, which ironically has not prevented the entire Earth from being overrun by automobiles. Anyway, with his invention, you'll never have to go through the huge inconvenience of topping off your tires every month or so ever again:<br /><br /><br /><br /><i>Why Bicycle Tires Lose Pressure<br /><br /><br /><br />Bicycle tires lose pressure due to air molecules diffusing through the rubber sidewalls. This requires cyclists to fill their tires on a fairly regular basis due to the high operating pressures (up to 120 psi) and thin sidewalls of most bicycle tires. PumpTire solves this problem by incorporating a pumping mechanism directly into the tire. And this means ... fewer pinch flats, no more pumping, hands stay clean, less time getting ready and more time on the saddle.</i><br /><br /><br /><br />Of course, what he fails to take into account is that most people can figure out how to put a little air in their tires if they feel squishy (triathletes excluded, at least based on what I've seen), but what they do have trouble with is repairing punctures while they're riding--you know, the nails and pieces of glass that cause all the air to escape. When this happens, regardless of whether they're riding a regular tire or a "self-inflating" one, they're going to do the same thing they do in their cars, which is stand there looking helpless until someone comes to help them. Plus, the sorts of people who don't know how to top off their own tires are also the sorts of people who leave their bikes sitting so long that the tires go totally flat between rides, and I doubt even a "self-inflating" tire will inflate itself if the bike is unrideable to begin with.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>This is not to say his invention is not clever, but it does seem to be a rather complicated solution to a highly specific and extremely minor problem. Then again, just imagine how smug you'd feel if you knew your tires were topping themselves off as you moved your neighbors by bike--especially if you were also <a href="http://rustwire.com/2011/08/22/clevelands-first-ever-bike-move-as-far-as-we-know/">the first Clevelanders ever to undertake a bike move (as forwarded to me by another reader)</a>:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cN0pPeBO9y8/TlO_wYbg7TI/AAAAAAAAV3M/1c1rSPgSzbM/s1600/Cleveland%25E2%2580%2599s%2BFirst-Ever%2BBike%2BMove%2B%2528As%2BFar%2BAs%2BWe%2BKnow%2529%2521%2521%2B%257C%2BRust%2BWire.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cN0pPeBO9y8/TlO_wYbg7TI/AAAAAAAAV3M/1c1rSPgSzbM/s400/Cleveland%25E2%2580%2599s%2BFirst-Ever%2BBike%2BMove%2B%2528As%2BFar%2BAs%2BWe%2BKnow%2529%2521%2521%2B%257C%2BRust%2BWire.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644065595937844530" /></a><i>Mazel Tov</i>, Cleveland, on this, the occasion of your <i>Smug Mitzvah</i>. Perhaps PumpTire guy should create a special bike-moving tire, which would allow the mover adjust the blow-off valve depending on what he or she is hauling at any given moment. "Hold on, I think I just bottomed out! Can we stop for a minute? I need to set my valve to 'ottoman!'" Sure, stopping a smugness convoy like that can be irritating, but it does give everybody time to drool over each other's cargo trailers:<br /><br /><br /><br /><i>This was an obstacle for us, because as much as excitement is building around biking in Clevelandtown, there still aren’t a whole lot of carfree Clevelanders, and those are the types to have the fully-loaded drool-worthy cargo trailers.</i><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div>It's a good thing the sorts of people who drool over cargo trailers also tend to have highly absorbent beards, or else they'd get saliva all over the furniture.<br /><br /><br /><br />Speaking of body hair, yet another reader tells me that <a href="http://www.rtve.es/deportes/components/noticia/popup/9/7/0/5/foto455079_1174819.shtml">the Movistar professional bicycle cycling team has recently signed a new rider, though apparently his kit is not ready yet</a>:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3qoEEDbRqCg/TlPFXNM1NsI/AAAAAAAAV30/IhnyXUFo4MI/s1600/movistar.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 276px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3qoEEDbRqCg/TlPFXNM1NsI/AAAAAAAAV30/IhnyXUFo4MI/s400/movistar.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644071760496506562" /></a><br /><br />Forget low spoke counts and crabon rims; he's such a retrogrouch he thinks the entire concept of the wheel is gimmicky.</div><div><br /><br /></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-9379177847582146772011-08-22T14:28:00.000-07:002011-08-26T18:37:51.904-07:00Paint It Good: On Bicycles Becoming Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QAdob67Bo50/TlQI3Td4UyI/AAAAAAAABjQ/vsWIpOtRytY/s320/goodbike.jpg" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">[image via </span></span><a href="http://blogthegoodbike.tumblr.com/" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">The Good Bike Project</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666;">]</span></span></div><br />Once upon a time I was enrolled in art school and we had this visiting professor - a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_media_art" target="_blank">new media</a> guy - whose sulky catchphrase was "painting always wins." By this he meant that painting, being the traditional form of artistic expression, enjoys an unfair advantage over less conventional art forms in that it is more readily accepted as "art" by the general public - even if it is not. Those students who were not painters nodded sagely every time he said this, whispering "patriarchal" and "privileged" while throwing scornful sideways glances at their painterly peers. Whereas those students who were painters shrugged dismissively: "Well of course he's going to say that; he's a new media guy who hates painters." Naturally, both groups were right, but this is the sort of debate that is taken very seriously in art schools. I hadn't thought about Professor Sulky New Media Guy in some time - until I came across a link to <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/08/neon-bicycles-pop-up-toronto.php?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29" target="_blank">this article on TreeHugger</a>.<br /><br />My understanding of the story is like this: A woman in Toronto decided to decorate a bicycle that was abandoned, locked up to a bike rack. She painted it neon orange and placed potted flowers in the basket. The city of Toronto then ticketed the bicycle, indicating that it was tagged for removal as a result of being abandoned and now clearly unridable. The woman and her friends decided to protest this and formed a collective, seeking out other abandoned bicycles and painting them neon colours as well. They received publicity. Eventually, the city stopped ticketing the bikes and reluctantly agreed to treat the project as public art. It is called <a href="http://blogthegoodbike.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">The Good Bike Project</a> and it has been applauded by cycling and environmental blogs for "defying" the city of Toronto.<br /><br />Call me a disloyal artist if you will. Tell me I lack appreciation for symbolism. Accuse me of being no fun. Fine. But I look at these pictures of spraypainted bikes locked up to bike racks and I think: "Someone could have used that bicycle. Someone could have used that bike rack." I've read the article a couple of times and have browsed the project's website, but I don't get what exactly it is protesting and what exactly it is trying to say. It seems to me that in removing blatantly abandoned bicycles, the city of Toronto was actually doing cyclists a service by freeing up bike racks and other potential lock-up spots. Of course it would be great if those abandoned bikes could be rescued, then refurbished and donated to those who need them. But to turn useful objects into decorations, while also taking away parking spaces from cyclists? I don't know. Spraypainting a bicycle so as to render it unridable is not recycling, and perhaps what irks me is that this word is being used to describe the <i>Good Bike Project</i>. Refurbishing a bicycle is recycling, and I would love to see that become the <i>de facto</i> fate of abandoned bikes in cities throughout the world.<br /><br />Whether spraypainting abandoned bicycles is art is not my call. And perhaps it's ironic that in the back of my mind echoes the sulky professor's complaint that painting always wins. "Paint it and they will applaud," he'd say - to warn, I now realise, rather than to mock.kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-19729097950076870712011-08-22T07:16:00.002-07:002011-09-17T01:53:50.657-07:00Juxtaposition: A Tale of Two BikesThere is a bridge called the George Washington Bridge that connects the island of Manhattan to the state of New Jersey. This is the main escape route for New York City's roadies, and I would estimate that it sees the highest volume of Fred traffic of any roadway in the entire world. In fact, if one were one to seal it off completely, the city would swell and swell and swell like pimple until it exploded in an atomic blast of Lycra, crabon, and pie plates.<div><br /><br /></div><div>This past weekend, I joined the legions of cyclists who use this bridge, and just a few of the things I observed while on my ride included:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>--A gentleman wearing a Bert and Ernie jersey and riding a Colnago Ferrari;</div><div>--Another gentleman wearing a sleeveless base layer with no jersey at all, complete with teardrop aero helmet;</div><div>--Yet another gentleman who proved the old adage "the bike goes where you look" when he turned to admire the scenery and rode right into the guardrail.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>I of course was astride my gleaming new <a href="http://www.ritteracing.com/blog/splash-page/">Ritte</a> Fred Chariot, which I've ironically parked in front of the words "No Parking:"<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7yh4KNw0rQo/TlJq5AaqIsI/AAAAAAAAV2k/Qo3WMY9uYZU/s1600/ritte%2B1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7yh4KNw0rQo/TlJq5AaqIsI/AAAAAAAAV2k/Qo3WMY9uYZU/s400/ritte%2B1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643690810645553858" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">(I don't need "society", your yellow letters mean nothing to me.)</div><br /><br />Having finally maneuvered through traffic and up and down moderate hills and around wayward triathletes I'm pleased to report that the bike rides beautifully, and while I have no intention of subjecting you to incessant "foffing off" over this thing I do realize that in <a href="http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2011/08/bsnyc-friday-awkward-encounter-with.html">last Friday's post</a> I failed to include certain images that are mandated by the American Bike Dork Society of America. Therefore, I will dispense with these Obligatory Bicycle Shots (OBS) so that I can avoid being subject to further fines and we can then move onto more pressing matters.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Firstly, here's the Obligatory Derailleur Shot:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fNktRBT6CqQ/TlJqvfuAIuI/AAAAAAAAV2c/VeSfEN1GL_M/s1600/ritte%2B2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 342px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fNktRBT6CqQ/TlJqvfuAIuI/AAAAAAAAV2c/VeSfEN1GL_M/s400/ritte%2B2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643690647249494754" /></a>Notice that the bicycle makes use of something called a "derailleur hanger," which is "replaceable." This is so when you "crash" because "some guy with a TT helmet and no jersey on" runs into you, the bicycle will be easily repairable--provided all the damage is limited to the derailleur hanger.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Next, here's the Obligatory Non-Drive Side Dropout Shot:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CvuftEKuXX4/TlJqoKReToI/AAAAAAAAV2U/l453GP4jibc/s1600/ritte%2B3.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 337px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CvuftEKuXX4/TlJqoKReToI/AAAAAAAAV2U/l453GP4jibc/s400/ritte%2B3.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643690521233608322" /></a>Notice it's "cowled" to provide more surface area for the oversized blahblahblah. Alas, notice that the dropouts are vertical, which is the only reason I haven't yet converted this into a sweet, sweet fixie. The wheels use "Itchey" hubs, and Itchey apparently employ a marketing technique known as the "Trifecta System." Ordinarily I prefer handbuilt wheels, but when you have 17 children like I do it's very difficult to sit around building wheels because kids like to do stuff like eat nipples and put spokes up their nose. Therefore, in the interest of time I took a gamble on "instant" wheels, and I guess I'll just see what happens.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>This, of course, is the obligatory Seat Tube Junction shot:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7GJitY8InrU/TlJqh56j6UI/AAAAAAAAV2M/WeYbtnRbOII/s1600/ritte%2B4.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 365px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7GJitY8InrU/TlJqh56j6UI/AAAAAAAAV2M/WeYbtnRbOII/s400/ritte%2B4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643690413763324226" /></a>The tubings are being made from stainless steel because I tend to wet myself when I'm excited or tired (on a good road ride you'll be both excited and tired at various times), and they are joined by a revolutionary new process known as "welding." It'll have to do for now--at least until I get those fake stick-on lugs.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>This is the Obligatory Head Tube shot:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YhoPN_oO7w4/TlJqccADAEI/AAAAAAAAV2E/uiBsVWhMECM/s1600/ritte%2B5.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YhoPN_oO7w4/TlJqccADAEI/AAAAAAAAV2E/uiBsVWhMECM/s400/ritte%2B5.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643690319833923650" /></a>Given the collapse of the world economy, I'm putting all my resources into Chris King headsets based on the relative strength of the <a href="http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2008/10/no-getting-around-it-cycling-and.html">Chris King Headset Composite Index (CKHCI)</a>. As you can see, the stem is not "<a href="http://slamthatstem.com/">slammed</a>." I'm not sure why a "slammed" stem is a good thing anyway; it's the equivalent of having your saddle jammed all the way forward. I'd think you'd want a bit of adjustability in either direction. But what do I know?<br /><br /><br /><br />Here's the Obigatory Head Tube Badge shot:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tjtoGyYX9cM/TlJqT9aVG1I/AAAAAAAAV18/6ywRY1jX6jA/s1600/ritte%2B6.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 349px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tjtoGyYX9cM/TlJqT9aVG1I/AAAAAAAAV18/6ywRY1jX6jA/s400/ritte%2B6.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643690174183709522" /></a>The head tube badge is essential because it tells you what kind of bicycle you have in case you forget. I think it's the first head tube badge I've ever had that wasn't plastic and mounted with foam tape. There's also a spare one on the seat tube:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LGr5f66Vc3Q/TlJqM3U68kI/AAAAAAAAV10/taO9ThYMV-A/s1600/ritte%2B7.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LGr5f66Vc3Q/TlJqM3U68kI/AAAAAAAAV10/taO9ThYMV-A/s400/ritte%2B7.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643690052291326530" /></a>And lastly, the most obligatory of obligatory photos, the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsx4oJb-TzI">Beefy Bottom Bracket Shot</a>:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J5xXa1VkYEQ/TlJqHHbHhCI/AAAAAAAAV1s/9MWSf-wSS_8/s1600/ritte%2B8.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 322px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J5xXa1VkYEQ/TlJqHHbHhCI/AAAAAAAAV1s/9MWSf-wSS_8/s400/ritte%2B8.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643689953533068322" /></a>The plastic band is a chain catcher anti-drop thingy, because the bottom bracket is so incredibly beefy I'm afraid its gravitational pull will overcome the strength of the derailleur cage and draw the chain to it.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>And that's my road bike, big freaking deal.</div><div><br /><br /><iframe width="400" height="333" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BmjHT5GpAYQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br />Moving on to the "more pressing matters" I alerted to earlier, these matters concern a bicycle that is <i>not</i> mine but that I am in fact "testing." The bicycle looks like this, and it is called a "<a href="http://baseurban.com/">Base Urban</a>:"</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QlRapiElOjc/TlJmFAAML7I/AAAAAAAAV1c/TcLs9kPxZrc/s1600/belt%2Bdrive%2B1.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 272px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QlRapiElOjc/TlJmFAAML7I/AAAAAAAAV1c/TcLs9kPxZrc/s400/belt%2Bdrive%2B1.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643685519134830514" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">(No, I don't have any idea why the top tube is shaped like that, and no, a U-lock does not fit through it.)</div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Now, few things are more subjective than aesthetics, and while aesthetic considerations can sometimes overlap with practical ones, other times form and function can be mutually exclusive. In other words, sometimes something that's really ugly can work great, and sometimes something that's really beautiful can work like crap. And what's ugly to one person can be beautiful to another, and so forth.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>As it happens, I think this bicycle is wildly ugly. To me, it evokes throbbing dance music, and flat brim caps with the stickers still on them, and cars with neon underneath, and the smell of cologne, and all manner of other things I find aesthetically offensive. Nevertheless, I agreed to test it for a simple reason:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>It has an 8 speed Alfine hub and a belt drive.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Belt drives have been <a href="http://twentynineinches.com/2010/12/12/the-gates-carbon-belt-drive-report-a-true-alternative-to-the-chained-life-part-i/">debunked to a certain extent where hard recreational offroad use is concerned</a>, but for commuting purposes this particular combination seemed intriguing, since arguably a drivetrain with no chain grime or derailleurs that still offers you the ability to shift and coast is the commuting ideal. And never having ridden a belt drive bicycle in any application before, I was eager to try one, and I figured if it worked well I could overlook the bike's questionable aesthetics in the same way I don't really care what my toilet looks like so long as it accepts waste and flushes reliably. </div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Anyway, I've only just taken delivery of the bike, so what follows are first impression.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Firstly, the hub shifts by means of this STI-type lever:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JapissYshYo/TlJl-0Wa6wI/AAAAAAAAV1U/UdkVdmTpknk/s1600/belt%2Bdrive%2B2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 358px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JapissYshYo/TlJl-0Wa6wI/AAAAAAAAV1U/UdkVdmTpknk/s400/belt%2Bdrive%2B2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643685412927630082" /></a>This may look familiar to you as shifters in this configuration are sold variously as Microshift (I think technically it's "microSHIFT," and you should always be sure to shout the second syllable), Nashbar, Samson, and so forth. The lever body feels pretty much exactly like the last generation Shimano levers did, and you shift by means of these nubbins:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_8XDoLGzPvs/TlJmmNGOfGI/AAAAAAAAV1k/KQ4l6zuSuuc/s1600/nubbins.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 352px; height: 391px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_8XDoLGzPvs/TlJmmNGOfGI/AAAAAAAAV1k/KQ4l6zuSuuc/s400/nubbins.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643686089585491042" /></a>It's all fairly intuitive and comfy, but the shifting isn't anywhere as quick as with a derailleur drivetrain--though it's perfectly adequate for riding around town. I'd argue that there's little point in a riding-around-town bike that looks like a race bike but doesn't shift like one and that also weighs many many pounds, but that's more of an aesthetic quibble, and the bike does have practical features such as fender eyelets on the fork:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pRT3L5QzsOU/TlJl5I4fCsI/AAAAAAAAV1M/Kg-RsAM6xX8/s1600/belt%2Bdrive%2B3.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pRT3L5QzsOU/TlJl5I4fCsI/AAAAAAAAV1M/Kg-RsAM6xX8/s400/belt%2Bdrive%2B3.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643685315360000706" /></a>And both fender and rack eyelets in the rear:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aIevxYNP9w4/TlJlyShTFmI/AAAAAAAAV1E/FgI6D5p-v6U/s1600/belt%2Bdrive%2B4.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aIevxYNP9w4/TlJlyShTFmI/AAAAAAAAV1E/FgI6D5p-v6U/s400/belt%2Bdrive%2B4.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643685197688018530" /></a></div><div>Though arguably the fender eyelets are of little use since the fork crown is not drilled:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M4gxePTVw2Q/TlJlsJF2UvI/AAAAAAAAV08/UAZ6W0vlltA/s1600/belt%2Bdrive%2B6.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M4gxePTVw2Q/TlJlsJF2UvI/AAAAAAAAV08/UAZ6W0vlltA/s400/belt%2Bdrive%2B6.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643685092077753074" /></a>And neither is the brake bridge for that matter:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BRHiKrV399A/TlJlmYZupeI/AAAAAAAAV00/X8S6j-o7uCY/s1600/belt%2Bdrive%2B7.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BRHiKrV399A/TlJlmYZupeI/AAAAAAAAV00/X8S6j-o7uCY/s400/belt%2Bdrive%2B7.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643684993108452834" /></a>And anyway even if they were it's tough to imagine a fender strut clearing the brake caliper:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--KfNgdxn7oo/TlJlTCNB3gI/AAAAAAAAV0k/u1jD6KrGp5g/s1600/belt%2Bdrive%2B9.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--KfNgdxn7oo/TlJlTCNB3gI/AAAAAAAAV0k/u1jD6KrGp5g/s400/belt%2Bdrive%2B9.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643684660732091906" /></a>Not that I tried it, mind you, but it's pretty clear to me that this bike does not want fenders since it's guarding the integrity of those holes like a [insert bad prison joke here].</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Speaking of the disc brakes, they're Avid BB7s, a brake with which I have considerable experience and which I generally find to be excellent:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l6Z6_Tu_n3g/TlJlfOgz9YI/AAAAAAAAV0s/JL1hCtG4HHQ/s1600/belt%2Bdrive%2B8.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l6Z6_Tu_n3g/TlJlfOgz9YI/AAAAAAAAV0s/JL1hCtG4HHQ/s400/belt%2Bdrive%2B8.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643684870194722178" /></a>On this bike, however, they feel almost disconcertingly spongy. It could be that they need to wear in a bit, or it could be a cable routing issue, but I've never experienced this with new BB7s in the past, and even my Big Dummy with it's roughly 900 foot long rear brake cable housing has never felt this vague. Though ostensibly a bad thing, the brake's sponginess was in keeping with the overall feel of the bike, which basically rides like the eponymous airplane in the movie "Airplane!":<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lr-QdGo4m8o/TlKERCUkPJI/AAAAAAAAV2s/bxZ_Wl9wwEU/s1600/Ted%2BStryker%2Bsweating.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 216px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lr-QdGo4m8o/TlKERCUkPJI/AAAAAAAAV2s/bxZ_Wl9wwEU/s400/Ted%2BStryker%2Bsweating.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643718711264427154" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">("Sluggish...like a wet sponge.")</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>I suppose this is what happens when you take not particularly supple tires and very heavy wheels and spongy disc brakes and not-crisp shifting and assemble them in the shape of a road bike when they really want to be <a href="http://www.genesbmx.com/2004-stingray-walmart.jpg">one of those department store chopper bikes</a>. As for the belt itself, I thought the idea was that they were quiet, but as I rode it made a rhythmic creaking noise, which made me feel like I was in a cheap hotel room with thin walls and my neighbors were having a "collabo:"</div><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zQdZ9O2qMtU/TlJlCoUloII/AAAAAAAAV0c/0pdj0tIYZqM/s1600/belt%2Bdrive%2B10.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zQdZ9O2qMtU/TlJlCoUloII/AAAAAAAAV0c/0pdj0tIYZqM/s400/belt%2Bdrive%2B10.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643684378906566786" /></a>Granted, I've only just taken delivery of the bike and have not had time to try to adjust it out, but from what I can see while riding, the chainring (or belt ring, or belt wheel, or whatever you would call it) has a wobble in it and as such is moving laterally in relation to the belt. It's very slight--about as much as a typical chainring wobble--but evidently with the high tension the belt requires it's enough to make a racket. </div><div><br /><br /></div><div>Again, this is just a first impression, but overall so far I'm pretty impressed by how poorly thought through this bicycle is, right down to the fact that the bars were wrapped backwards from the factory so the tape kept peeling under my hand:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q0IMZJnPbaE/TlJk3EM5ALI/AAAAAAAAV0U/QtlVGjZtKPs/s1600/belt%2Bdrive%2B11.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 298px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q0IMZJnPbaE/TlJk3EM5ALI/AAAAAAAAV0U/QtlVGjZtKPs/s400/belt%2Bdrive%2B11.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643684180232044722" /></a>All of this for <a href="http://www.beltdrivebike.com/base-urban/rd1-0.html">the low price of $1,750</a>:</div><div><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VK6V7SSIlWc/TlKIcZ6RBgI/AAAAAAAAV20/rdSWrUgxCn8/s1600/Base%2BUrban%2BRD1.0%2BBelt%2BDrive%2BBike.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 160px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VK6V7SSIlWc/TlKIcZ6RBgI/AAAAAAAAV20/rdSWrUgxCn8/s400/Base%2BUrban%2BRD1.0%2BBelt%2BDrive%2BBike.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643723304621639170" /></a></div><div>Though you do get one (1) set of bottle bosses <i>and</i> a bottle cage.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>In the coming days I will invent paces for this bike and then put it through them, but given that you could buy a pretty decent road bike <i>and</i> an inexpensive singlespeed commuter for this price (<a href="http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2009/01/bsnyc-product-review-scattante-empire.html">my Scattante</a> rides quite nicely and is still serving me well as a commuter two and a half years later) instead of merging the two concepts into one bike, I'm sort of struggling to see the point of this.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div>But in the interest of science, I'll keep trying.</div><div><br /><br /></div>kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-34195951759803070072011-08-21T12:06:00.000-07:002011-08-26T18:37:51.904-07:00Unexpected Interludes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6065720231/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Cabin, North Shore by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Cabin, North Shore" height="326" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6065720231_b21ba1dda1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Back in the city now from our stay on the shore, I am looking back in bemusement at what had been intended as a bicycling-heavy trip, but turned out to be anything but. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6065721105/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Surly Peeking Out by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Surly Peeking Out" height="310" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6076/6065721105_25e3c79f55.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>It did rain a great deal. But even when the weather was good, we hardly did any substantial cycling. In fact, we probably cycled less during this trip than at any other point since winter ended. Like everyone else who rides a bicycle, I go through periods when my enthusiasm for it waxes and wanes. But this was probably the strongest and most unexpected case of the latter I have experienced since I started this blog. Why?..<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6066264870/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Beach, Rockport MA by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Beach, Rockport MA" height="300" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6066264870_6fbbc5ffd8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>On a superficial level it was really very simple: I lost interest in cycling when I discovered that the water was warm enough to swim. You see, I love swimming in the ocean but can't tolerate hot climates, so my options are severely limited and I've been swim-starved for years. In Northern New England the water is too icy, but in Southern New England (let alone popular vacation spots such as Florida) the weather is already too hot and humid for me. It is as if there is an imaginary line somewhere along the MA/RI border where the climate and the water temperature undergo a dramatic change and what I really need is a place that is north of that imaginary line as far as climate goes, but south of it in terms of water temperature. And unexpectedly, I found such a place in Rockport, MA. Despite it being August, it was never above the low 80s, and dipped as low as the 60s on cooler days. Yet, the water remained swimmable the entire time and I found myself perfectly content to spend my waking hours at the beach: swim, read, eat, repeat. I cannot remember the last time I've been able to do anything like this!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6064052642/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Loaded Bikes, Rockport MA by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Loaded Bikes, Rockport MA" height="274" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6064052642_fac2f31193.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I also must admit that we did not enjoy cycling here as much as we hoped during the few times we did it. Going north to Ipswich and beyond, water views were limited, car traffic was pretty heavy and there was not a whole lot of shade. We know from experience that once you get up the coast to New Hampshire and Maine it gets better, but we never made it that far. Truthfully, cycling "at home" - along the tree-lined, quiet country roads Northwest of Boston - is, on the whole, considerably more enjoyable.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6065718877/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Bearskin Neck, Rockport MA by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Bearskin Neck, Rockport MA" height="278" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6065718877_81abfcb875.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>So at some point we decided to just let it go and accept that there wasn't going to be a whole lot of cycling during this trip.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6034173402/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Carradice Pannier by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Carradice Pannier" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6061/6034173402_8e4d41feba.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We used the bikes for transportation when necessary, but gave up even trying to go on "real" rides after the first week.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6064053118/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Loaded Rivendell, Rockport MA by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Loaded Rivendell, Rockport MA" height="300" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6074/6064053118_49b8a6ab61.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>By the time we loaded up the bikes again to head back, I felt as if I'd gotten completely unaccustomed to it and the weight of our luggage was challenging. There are many short, but steep hills en route from the place where we stayed to the train station, and the bike fishtailed wildly every time I attempted to feather the brakes on a downhill. Given the huge amount of Saturday tourist traffic and the narrowness of the road, this made me so nervous that I was shaking and covered in sweat by the time we got on the train. Ironically, the final leg of the trip home - from the train station in the center of Boston to our house on the outskirts - was less stressful, but by the time we got home I was completely drained and did not want to look at another 100 lb luggage-laden bike again for a long, long time.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6066263208/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Beach, Rockport MA by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Beach, Rockport MA" height="286" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6066263208_40ffc6f99a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>24 hours later, I still can't shake that feeling - a feeling that somehow morphed from that of being tired of just the trip home, to being tired of cycling in general. Maybe the hot, dusty, overloaded final ride was just a particularly cruel contrast to the cool, light feeling of being on the beach - swimming so far out from shore as to be surrounded by complete silence, submerged in the blissfully perfect temperature of Rockport's water. Also, maybe having taken a step back from cycling has made me realise that I've been neglecting other activities that I used to love - still love, in fact, but just don't get a chance to do. Maybe I ought to try harder to find time for them. Take swimming for instance: After all, Rockport is just a commuter rail's ride away and I can take one of my upright transportation bikes on the train, and... Ah, there. I guess I am still thinking of everything in terms of bikes, and there is really no danger of <i>Lovely Bicycle</i> abruptly ending as I run off to spend all of my time on the beach. Everyone needs an interlude, but cycling is such an inherent part of me now that I can hardly imagine life without it, at least in some form.kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4174969383729466118.post-34054609304642360922011-08-20T20:41:00.000-07:002011-08-26T18:37:51.904-07:00Bikes by the Water<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovely_bicycle/6025820930/" target="_blank" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Seaside Photos by Lovely Bicycle!, on Flickr"><img alt="Seaside Photos" height="266" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6025820930_31223864c3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>With all this talk of oceans and bicycles, I wanted to inform/remind readers of the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/bikesbythewater/" target="_blank">"Bikes by the Water" pool</a> (no pun intended) on <i>flickr</i>, which I administer. What is it about pictures of bicycles next to bodies of water? I don't know, but I feel compelled to take them, and happily I am not the only one. The collection currently consists of 3,110 images from 284 people, and you are most welcome to contribute to the genre. Enjoy your weekend!kaniamazdarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02106634968442194702noreply@blogger.com0