A mixed mode mixed bag

Today I went to the inaugural lecture of my friend Seamus Higson, now
Professor of Bio and Electro Sensing at Cranfield University. I went by
train and bike, taking the recumbent by train from Reading to Paddington,
cycling to Farringdon and then taking the train to Flitwick, finally
cycling to Silsoe.

Cycling through London in the daytime was fine - actually very enjoyable
(even if I did get horribly lost - and thanks to the taxi drivers for
setting me straight!). Coming back was a bit less pleasant - dark,
drizzly, the roads slippery and full of MDGs enmeshed in the Evening Hate.
The low point was (after getting lost /again/) trying to cross four lanes
from right to left, with absolutely no bugger giving me a break, even
approaching traffic lights. If I ride more in London I think I'll get a
mirror on the left as well. Or more to the point a Brompton.

I was goignt o come back on the tube, but after having let me right onto the
platform of the Hammersmith & City along came Jobsworth and told me I'd
have to wait until 7pm before I could get on a train. Actually it might
have been quicker than my circumnavigation of the West End (although riding
round theatreland is always interesting).

I am now starting to envy people who live in London: one of Seamus' friends,
Paul, is a member of the RI and regularly attends their lectures. It
doesn't cost much and is apparently fascinating. Mind you, "not much" to
Paul is not much of an indicator, as he works in the City.

--
Guy

Marvin is dead, long live Zaphod!

If I ride more in London I think I'll get a
mirror on the left as well. Or more to the point a Brompton.

Good grief!! Heresey!!!! ;-)

Guy contemplates getting an upwrong in favour of the bent - even if the upwrong
is a Brompton!!!

Cheers, helen s ;-)



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If I ride more in London I think I'll get a
mirror on the left as well. Or more to the point a Brompton.

Good grief!! Heresey!!!! ;-)

Guy contemplates getting an upwrong in favour of the bent - even if the upwrong
is a Brompton!!!

Cheers, helen s ;-)



~~~~~~~~~~
This is sent from a redundant email
Mail sent to it is dumped
My correct one can be gleaned from
h*$el***$$n*$d$ot$**s**i$$m*$m$**on**$s$@*$$a**$*o l*$*.*$$c$om*$
by getting rid of the overdependence on money and fame
~~~~~~~~~~

Helen S wrote:


Good grief!! Heresey!!!! ;-)

Guy contemplates getting an upwrong in favour of the bent - even if
the upwrong is a Brompton!!!

Well, he /could/ be getting one of these:

http://www.tu-harburg.de/~skfcz/Brekki/brekki_en.html

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
================================================== =========
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
================================================== =========

Helen S wrote:


Good grief!! Heresey!!!! ;-)

Guy contemplates getting an upwrong in favour of the bent - even if
the upwrong is a Brompton!!!

Well, he /could/ be getting one of these:

http://www.tu-harburg.de/~skfcz/Brekki/brekki_en.html

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
================================================== =========
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
================================================== =========

Well, he /could/ be getting one of these:

As much as I like bents - that one is awful!

Cheers, helen s


~~~~~~~~~~
This is sent from a redundant email
Mail sent to it is dumped
My correct one can be gleaned from
h*$el***$$n*$d$ot$**s**i$$m*$m$**on**$s$@*$$a**$*o l*$*.*$$c$om*$
by getting rid of the overdependence on money and fame
~~~~~~~~~~

Well, he /could/ be getting one of these:

As much as I like bents - that one is awful!

Cheers, helen s


~~~~~~~~~~
This is sent from a redundant email
Mail sent to it is dumped
My correct one can be gleaned from
h*$el***$$n*$d$ot$**s**i$$m*$m$**on**$s$@*$$a**$*o l*$*.*$$c$om*$
by getting rid of the overdependence on money and fame
~~~~~~~~~~

Helen S wrote:

As much as I like bents - that one is awful!

With the caveat that I've only ridden one - that belonging to the designer
who is about a foot shorter than me, and that in the wrong shoes - it rode
very well, and I am given to understand that the recumbent conversion adds
very little to the size of the folded package. It doesn't take much longer
to fold either, and if you think it looks bad, well, it's a veritable
Princess Charlotte of Monaco in comparison with this:
http://www.bikefriday.com/bigbike99.cfm?BF=10&CAT=0

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
================================================== =========
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
================================================== =========

Helen S wrote:

As much as I like bents - that one is awful!

With the caveat that I've only ridden one - that belonging to the designer
who is about a foot shorter than me, and that in the wrong shoes - it rode
very well, and I am given to understand that the recumbent conversion adds
very little to the size of the folded package. It doesn't take much longer
to fold either, and if you think it looks bad, well, it's a veritable
Princess Charlotte of Monaco in comparison with this:
http://www.bikefriday.com/bigbike99.cfm?BF=10&CAT=0

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
================================================== =========
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
================================================== =========

wafflyDIRTYcatLITTERhcsBOX wrote:

Good grief!! Heresey!!!! ;-)

Guy contemplates getting an upwrong in favour of the bent - even if the upwrong
is a Brompton!!!

Not really, it's still held to be weird by people you pass, so really is
Quite All Right for a budding Sith warrior to get about on. The last
few yoofs who've laughed at me from astride their gaspipe full-sus MTBs
have declined my offers of a race, however, so maybe they're not *quite*
so stupid as they look (though we are in damning with faint praise
territory here... ;-))

I'm reasonably sure that my next purchase will be another Wedgie, in the
form of a Burrows 8 Freight. A Brox would be Darker and carry more, but
is out of my budgetary league and more than I need in the carrying
capacity stakes as well. If it's good enough for Mike Burrows, it's
good enough for me (and you too!)...

As much as I like bents - that one is awful!

Why? Though there are some very beautiful recumbents about, it's really
more about form than function. By all accounts the Brompton recumbent
conversion is very comfortable, which is the main point of a recumbent.
But though it doesn't add that much to the folded size, a little is
still more than none, and since I chose a Brom in large part for the
fold I prefer the upright version: just makes more sense for what I do
with it.
By the ugliness criteria, a Birdy is pretty horrible thanks to the
layout of the front suspension. But if you'd refuse one as a gift on
those grounds, you need help!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/