Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.JCFlack
07-04-09, 09:46 AM
I'm back from a 2 week trip to Round Rock (north of Austin) TX, Monterey CA, San Jose CA and Irvine CA. Because I was making so many stops, and at least once needed to carry on all my luggage, I decided that this could not be my inaugural trip with my folder. Too bad, because all of my California stops are very bikable cities.
I did rent a bike - a hybrid - in Monterey one afternoon. I had a great time. This was my first time ever on a bike with a front derailleur. Had a little trouble figuring out how to use it properly, but I adjusted. I liked riding the hybrid, and especially liked going faster than my Tokyo can go, but I found some advantages of my folder that I hadn't considered. Like getting on and off a bike with a lower frame is a lot easier. I caught my pants once on the saddle of the hybrid, and nearly ripped them, not to mention falling. Embarrassed, but not hurt. I saw a girl on a folder with her friend on a beach cruiser on the far side of one street. I yelled to ask her what kind of bike she was riding, and that I owned a folder myself, but she didn't know - maybe it was a rental. They rode on before I could go get a better look.
I visited Round Rock and Irvine because I have relatives there. Round Rock is a terrible place to bike - you can bike the immediate neighborhood, but you'll face high speed automobile oriented roads even to get to the local grocery store. But Irvine (and much of Orange County) has bike lanes everywhere - I WISH I'd had a bike. Next time, I WILL.
Of course, when I got back home, I HAD to take a long ride on MY bike.
I did rent a bike - a hybrid - in Monterey one afternoon. I had a great time. This was my first time ever on a bike with a front derailleur. Had a little trouble figuring out how to use it properly, but I adjusted. I liked riding the hybrid, and especially liked going faster than my Tokyo can go, but I found some advantages of my folder that I hadn't considered. Like getting on and off a bike with a lower frame is a lot easier. I caught my pants once on the saddle of the hybrid, and nearly ripped them, not to mention falling. Embarrassed, but not hurt. I saw a girl on a folder with her friend on a beach cruiser on the far side of one street. I yelled to ask her what kind of bike she was riding, and that I owned a folder myself, but she didn't know - maybe it was a rental. They rode on before I could go get a better look.
I visited Round Rock and Irvine because I have relatives there. Round Rock is a terrible place to bike - you can bike the immediate neighborhood, but you'll face high speed automobile oriented roads even to get to the local grocery store. But Irvine (and much of Orange County) has bike lanes everywhere - I WISH I'd had a bike. Next time, I WILL.
Of course, when I got back home, I HAD to take a long ride on MY bike.