dry run to the markets

On Jun 20, 12:12*pm, "Leo Lichtman"
wrote:
"bob syr" wrote: *(clip) There is one hill of which I still can’t get to the
top.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It would have been okay to end that sentence with a preposition.

Thanks, Leo.

I've always liked Churchill's phrase:
"This is a bit of balderdash up with which I don't intend to put."
I hope my riding becomes better than my grammar.

And thanks to all of you for the good comments.

Bob

a used bike for exercise and fun riding. *I like the 3-speed but maybe
I’ll try a 5-speed to get used to the up-to-date bike gears.

Up-to-date?

Hey, that's what the salesman told me as he tried to sell me a 25-gear
$1,800 special today only.
You gotta get up to date.

In article ,
bob syr writes:

Once I=92m able to climb that hill, I=92ll install my pannier baskets,
which weigh about 6 lbs and try a few more dry runs to the stores.
The baskets will be more or less permanently attached, so I might get
a used bike for exercise and fun riding. I like the 3-speed but maybe
I=92ll try a 5-speed to get used to the up-to-date bike gears.

There=92s another hill right by my house (at the top of the hill)
Lately I=92ve been making it to the top of that one, but by then I=92m in
the lowest gear and I=92m almost to a full stop, not to mention out of
breath. I=92d rather not get into that situation while away from
home.

You don't have to kill yourself to enjoy riding.
And there's no shame in dismounting once in a while,
and hoofing it.

Many of my own urban excursions involve riding to a
general area/part of town, and when I arrive there I
like to walk. That gives me an opportunity to get a
good look at various interesting shops and other sites.
I get to enjoy the best of both velomobile and
peripatetic worlds.

Sometimes I'd rather stop at places, than shoot past them.
There are always new establishments cropping-up here.
By occasionally getting on my feet I've discovered places
like a Louisianan-style restaurant, a shop that sells
board/tile/card/computer games (I bought a nice leather-bound
double-twelve dominoes set from there,) yet another specialty
cheese shop, kosher (and treyf) delis, and numerous
dollar stores from which I can add to my collection of
blinkie plastic skulls to hang on my bike.

Damn, I have it good! I'm so blessed. Bike riding in
Vancouver is beautiful. So is just walking around.

Like I say: best of both worlds.

Riding is wonderful, but you don't have to nail yerself to
the saddle. Riding is a True Love that affords you freedom.


cheers,
Tom




--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

In article
,
bob syr wrote:

a used bike for exercise and fun riding. *I like the 3-speed but maybe
I¹ll try a 5-speed to get used to the up-to-date bike gears.

Up-to-date?

Hey, that's what the salesman told me as he tried to sell me a 25-gear
$1,800 special today only.
You gotta get up to date.

25? I'd like to see photos of that drivetrain.

More confusingly, bikes priced in the $1800 (new) range tend to be
nominal 27-speeds (for MTBs) or 20/30 speeds (for double- and
triple-equipped road bikes).

My newest drivetrain has 8 speeds,

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

bob syr wrote:
I’d like to stand up to pedal, but I’m still quite large and I’m
afraid my chain will break.

It won't.


There’s another hill right by my house (at the top of the hill)
Lately I’ve been making it to the top of that one, but by then I’m in
the lowest gear and I’m almost to a full stop, not to mention out of
breath. I’d rather not get into that situation while away from
home.

Out of breath is normal and nothing to worry about unless you have a
medical condition.

The simple solution for hills that are too steep or too long for you is
to walk the bike.


Local buses now have bike racks and there’s a park in Liverpool with
great bike paths. And also you can ride along the Erie Canal for
endless water-level miles, from what I hear. I think the pannier
baskets will interfere with loading on bus and car racks, but I won’t
know ‘til I try it.

Foldable/detachable panniers are a much better idea for intermodal
transport.

On Jun 19, 11:00*pm, bob syr wrote:


Local buses now have bike racks and there’s a park in Liverpool with
great bike paths. *And also you can ride along the Erie Canal for
endless water-level miles, from what I hear. *I think the pannier
baskets will interfere with loading on bus and car racks, but I won’t
know ‘til I try it.

If they are folding baskets I don't see you having any problem.

John Kane Kingston ON Canada

On Jun 20, 12:54*am, "David L. Johnson"
wrote:

I don't really get the bike-on-bus or bike-on-train idea. *I mean, you
have a bike. *What do you need with a bus or train? *For now, bike where
* you are, and go where you can on the bike.

They are a great combination for example if you want to do a fast 30
km across town to do some shopping or a quick visit to friends Ride
bike , load bike on express city bus, unload bike. I also have used
them to get out of suburban sprawl when going on a ride, Ten or 15 km
of parking lots, fast food restarurants and car washes don't really
appeal all that much if I want a ride in the country.

John Kane Kingston ON Canada

"Leo Lichtman" wrote in message
...

"bob syr" wrote: (clip) There is one hill of which I still can’t get to
the
top.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It would have been okay to end that sentence with a preposition.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I’d like to stand up to pedal, but I’m still quite large and I’m
afraid my chain will break. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Not to worry. The chain tension cannot exceed what it takes to move the
bike up the hill. It matters not whether this comes from standing on the
pedals or sitting and using leg muscles.


What about crank arms?

"bob syr" wrote

a used bike for exercise and fun riding. I like the 3-speed but maybe
I’ll try a 5-speed to get used to the up-to-date bike gears.

Up-to-date?

:Hey, that's what the salesman told me as he tried to sell me a 25-gear
:$1,800 special today only.
:You gotta get up to date.

I don't know if you really need an $1800 25-gear bike or not, but you can
get some much less expensive 27-speed bikes with much better gear options
than is likely on a 3 or 5 speed.

On Jun 20, 10:28 pm, bob syr wrote:
a used bike for exercise and fun riding. I like the 3-speed but maybe
I’ll try a 5-speed to get used to the up-to-date bike gears.

Up-to-date?

Hey, that's what the salesman told me as he tried to sell me a 25-gear
$1,800 special today only.
You gotta get up to date.

I'm not sure that you need a new bike as much as a new salesman.
Me, I like having a wide range of gears. But I think I could get a
nice bike (with low gears for climbing with a load and big gears
deadheading) by spending a lot less than $1800.

$1800 seems pretty pricey for a commuter bike - that's the kind of
dough that them recreational weight weenies spend on their bikes. It
may be a very good deal, but I suspect that it's something that the
store would like to get rid of rather than something that other
customers have been asking for and they are having trouble stocking
due to high demand.

Here is a bike sold by REI - who are generally NOT known as a discount
retailer - It may not be the bike of your dreams but it does seem to
have a wide range of gears (but still only 8 speeds) and luggage
carrying capabilities for about half the price you mentioned:
http://www.rei.com/product/744803?cm...:referralID=NA
Plus it comes with lights and a dyno-hub to generate juice for the
lights, a pretty utilitarian setup in my book. If you have an REI
store near you it might behoove you to look at the plethora of bikes
there before you plunk down more than a grand.

Kona doesn't publish a MSR on their web site:
http://www.konaworld.com/08_ute_w.htm
But their Ute looks like it could be used to bring home some bacon,
even though it doesn't really have the big ring for the empty side of
the trip.

Google for utility bike and I'm certain you'll find lots of reading
material.