I would've gone for the femmy one but I decided to go with what was in stock because I'm tired of walking. Once the inheritance is sorted I might decide to get something really nice in a fem frame. The old one in LA got stolen not too long before I moved out of town, and if it hadn't, it would've been in the shipping container that Katrina ate, anyway.
I don't mean to be sarcastic; I think it's actually a good bike. (Despite the fact that I am an obnoxious fixie-riding hipster!) I'm curious to see what you get when you can afford to buy the dream bike!
I'm going to be at ReaderCon for most of the weekend but it ends Sunday at like 3 and I will not have gotten any exercise the whole time, so a bike ride would be great, actually...
I like gears, you know? In my current state of fitness I need all the mechanical advantage I can get - and I just love that relaxed cruise down the hill I just struggled over with the wheels going 'zizzzzzzzz'.
I dunno what the dream bike is, exactly. Some crazy lightweight material; probably no shocks - though the condition of Boston's roads is making me reconsider that.
Congratulations! Yeah, I think that's a totally reasonable investment. So... what bizarre artistic modifications are you gonna make to it? And I believe, traditionally, after eight days -- once it's proven it can survive early infancy -- you should name it and snip a small piece off one of the handlebar grips. :)
Also REMEMBER THIS IS BOSTON -- I'm sure you bought a Pentagon-grade lock for it, right? And for the love of the goddess, remember this is Boston and all motorists should be assumed to hate you on sight. Don't ever ever ever get hit. ;_;
So far I got some bee stickers and put them here and there on it. Dunno if I'll do anything further.
Yes, I got a big-ass Kryptonite lock and chain combo. And I have discovered that riding around this city is not for the faint-hearted - you have to be able to remain cool when you discover yourself facing down two lanes of traffic on a street you hadn't realized was one-way! Obviously I survived unscathed - but I'm gonna have to start adding arrows to my mental map of this place.
And hey, if it encourages you to start taking space on the ROAD like a Mack truck, the cars will SEE you and make space.
I'm real glad I learnt to be an aggressive biker during a few parts of my California commutes; I find myself having to hop out into traffic and claim carspace pretty regularly.
Yay bicycle! Over the last couple of months, since my mate and I are no longer sharing one, I've found myself getting much more mobile and busy-in-a-good-way just by having a bike and not relying on public transportation.
As has already been stated, get a lock you'd feel comfortable securing a safe containing the only copy of all your collected artwork for your entire life with. If the lock's not good enough for that, it's probably not going to hold the bike.
I see you've got a rack, but enwrapped in bungees; it's worth the expense to purchase or manufacture a good set of panniers- possibly two. I can carry a week of groceries for two people on my bicycle, given sufficiently aggressive packing, a large backpack, and a certain masochism about going uphill. Unlike mine, your rack has a real set of connector hooks at the bottom, so you shouldn't have the problem that I've had involving actually getting the things to stay on correctly and not fall off when biking over a highway underpass. (Although if the tension strap on a bike bag is too long to tighten properly, use sewing awl and strong cord to hem it up about an inch. That solved the "dude, where's my bag?" problem for me.)
Good luck, have fun with a greatly expanded range of mobility! And since you're in Boston, you may want to practice the move of jumping a curb, both up and down. (Yes, you'll need to get your wheel re-trued after a few months of abuse like that.) Being able to jump onto the sidewalk when some shithead with a Hummer and a Problem doesn't appreciate having to share the road with you can be a life-saving skill.
I once had a bike with a pair of big deep baskets and really found it to be too much for my purposes; I've preferred the little racks and a couple bungees as a good compromise. More than a backpack, less than a trailer.
Not having to wait for a bus is already making me so much happier - though I'm going to need to build a new mental map of the city that's aware of traffic flow directions!
Although for situations where it's too far to comfortably bike, but you'd like to bike once you're there- do Boston city buses have bike racks on the front?
I spent 12 years riding from Waltham to the Square and direly miss being able to ride to work. Good for you! I'm sure Chris would ride with you about anywhere.
I've had one for nearly 20 years and adore it. I carries a lot of crap and has the shit beaten out of it. They used to have a store in Cambridge but now are in Vermont. I regularly fly with this as my carry on and use it daily.
is that yours? does it have a name? will you be painting this? putting your tarot cards in the spokes? want to go for a ride? let's do the minuteman trail!
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Gotta have a bike
Date: 2008-07-14 07:00 pm (UTC)What happened to your old one from LA?
Re: Gotta have a bike
Date: 2008-07-14 07:09 pm (UTC)Shiiiiny!
Date: 2008-07-14 07:08 pm (UTC)Let me know if you want to go on a ride sometime! I keep meaning to do the whole Minuteman trail in a somewhat lackadaisical fashion.
Re: Shiiiiny!
Date: 2008-07-14 09:06 pm (UTC)If this weekend isn't too hot that might be a great way to spend part of it! I should have useful things like 'a fender' by then. (they were out.)
Re: Shiiiiny!
Date: 2008-07-14 09:10 pm (UTC)I'm going to be at ReaderCon for most of the weekend but it ends Sunday at like 3 and I will not have gotten any exercise the whole time, so a bike ride would be great, actually...
Re: Shiiiiny!
Date: 2008-07-14 09:35 pm (UTC)I dunno what the dream bike is, exactly. Some crazy lightweight material; probably no shocks - though the condition of Boston's roads is making me reconsider that.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 07:23 pm (UTC)Also REMEMBER THIS IS BOSTON -- I'm sure you bought a Pentagon-grade lock for it, right? And for the love of the goddess, remember this is Boston and all motorists should be assumed to hate you on sight. Don't ever ever ever get hit. ;_;
no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 09:08 pm (UTC)Yes, I got a big-ass Kryptonite lock and chain combo. And I have discovered that riding around this city is not for the faint-hearted - you have to be able to remain cool when you discover yourself facing down two lanes of traffic on a street you hadn't realized was one-way! Obviously I survived unscathed - but I'm gonna have to start adding arrows to my mental map of this place.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 09:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 10:23 pm (UTC)I'm real glad I learnt to be an aggressive biker during a few parts of my California commutes; I find myself having to hop out into traffic and claim carspace pretty regularly.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 09:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 07:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 08:30 pm (UTC)Mine is called 'The Armbreaker Shuttle'.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 09:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 08:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 09:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-15 12:08 am (UTC)And I suppose there's the Sprockettes! Dancing pink ladies on bikes. What more could anyone want? http://sprockettes.org/
no subject
Date: 2008-07-15 01:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 09:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 09:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 09:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 09:39 pm (UTC)As has already been stated, get a lock you'd feel comfortable securing a safe containing the only copy of all your collected artwork for your entire life with. If the lock's not good enough for that, it's probably not going to hold the bike.
I see you've got a rack, but enwrapped in bungees; it's worth the expense to purchase or manufacture a good set of panniers- possibly two. I can carry a week of groceries for two people on my bicycle, given sufficiently aggressive packing, a large backpack, and a certain masochism about going uphill. Unlike mine, your rack has a real set of connector hooks at the bottom, so you shouldn't have the problem that I've had involving actually getting the things to stay on correctly and not fall off when biking over a highway underpass. (Although if the tension strap on a bike bag is too long to tighten properly, use sewing awl and strong cord to hem it up about an inch. That solved the "dude, where's my bag?" problem for me.)
Good luck, have fun with a greatly expanded range of mobility! And since you're in Boston, you may want to practice the move of jumping a curb, both up and down. (Yes, you'll need to get your wheel re-trued after a few months of abuse like that.) Being able to jump onto the sidewalk when some shithead with a Hummer and a Problem doesn't appreciate having to share the road with you can be a life-saving skill.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 10:17 pm (UTC)Not having to wait for a bus is already making me so much happier - though I'm going to need to build a new mental map of the city that's aware of traffic flow directions!
no subject
Date: 2008-07-15 12:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 11:10 pm (UTC)x3
no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 11:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 11:38 pm (UTC)(I should start getting out on my bike some - I could probably commute to school/work on it with a little practice.)
no subject
Date: 2008-07-15 12:44 am (UTC)Get a bag from these people: http://courierbags.com/
I've had one for nearly 20 years and adore it. I carries a lot of crap and has the shit beaten out of it. They used to have a store in Cambridge but now are in Vermont. I regularly fly with this as my carry on and use it daily.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-15 01:19 am (UTC)range++
Date: 2008-07-15 08:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-16 08:08 pm (UTC)putting your tarot cards in the spokes? want to go for a ride?
let's do the minuteman trail!
omfg you are sexier than evar, now.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-18 11:40 pm (UTC)