In smug circles, bicyclists often congratulate themselves for using a mode of transport that keeps them in touch with the world around them. This is certainly valid, in that yes, you absolutely notice stuff on your bike you'd never notice while driving. I've discovered all sorts of little out-of-the-way spots over the years, from restaurants... Continue Reading →
Making My Way Through Life One Gear At A Time
Happy Judeo-Christian Free-For-All Week! [Hard to imagine a drier food than gluten-free matzoh, you might as well eat spackle. As for Easter, I'm fairly certain you don't eat the eggs.] Sorry for my absence, I've been busy observing the holidays: Just kidding! No, I'm so profoundly spiritual I've transcended mere religious ritual and can now... Continue Reading →
It’s Friday! Don’t Even Read This! Go Ride Your Bike!
Sorry, for my absence, things have been hectic. Just kidding! "Things have been hectic" is just something you say. Obviously as a semi-professional bike blogger my life is almost cartoonishly easy. For example, today my biggest challenge was deciding which bike to ride--a challenge I'm pleased to report I met decisively: I may be 75%... Continue Reading →
Friction-Shifting and Fancy-Free
As the weather continues to warm up and cycling becomes enjoyable to normal people as well as terminal bike weenies, family rides are now back on the table: Yes, that's two (2) Rivendells for maximum pretentiousness: And of course one (1) vintage mountain bike complete with Suntour thumbshifters in friction mode: At this point the... Continue Reading →
The Truth, The Hole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth
As I mentioned yesterday, I'm Voltron-ing some parts for a new bike, and as part of this process I stole the cranks off my Artisanal Singlespeed early this morning, replaced them with the ones pictured below, and then scampered off into the park for a quick shakedown ride: You know when you dig out a... Continue Reading →
Spring Chickens
Spring is a time of rebirth. Trees bloom. Flowers...also bloom. And mammals (humans included) copulate, resulting in offspring--excluding of course the sorts of people who don't produce offspring and instead complain about other people's offspring being too noisy on airplanes. Spring is also a time to tend to one's bicycle fleet, and to welcome new... Continue Reading →
The Power Of The Claw
Yesterday I took a grey ride through the park on the Brompton, which can only mean one thing: It was time to retrieve THE CAR THE BANK NO LONGER OWNS BECAUSE I FINISHED PAYING THEM BACK, AND THAT I ACKNOWLEDGE OWNING BECAUSE NOT TO DO SO SEEMS KINDA WISHY-WASHY from the auto mechanic. I won't... Continue Reading →
Classic Cycle Thursdays: Special(ized) Upgrade Edition!
This is to let you know that I've officially divested myself of my crabon fiber bicycle holdings: I did, however, trade up to a more au courant offering from the same company: One that is more in keeping with my current lifestyle: Yes, my beard and I could not bear to see the RockCombo go... Continue Reading →
One Way Or Another, They’re Always Writing Off Bikes
You are not seeing this bike: If you were, it would mean I was riding someplace I'm technically not supposed to, and of course I'd never, ever do that: Therefore, everything you see above must be a mere trick of the light. Still, it's a highly convincing illusion--and a quite unfashionable one. A textbook example... Continue Reading →
Watching It Unfold
This morning I undertook an epic ride on my Brompton to an exotic destination: Just kidding! No, I just rode it home from the auto mechanic, which took me through the park: Astute readers may have noticed I've made a number of visits to the auto mechanic recently, and if you're an Auto Fred/"Avid Driver"... Continue Reading →