onetwentyeight 

1) The little numbers on the crosswalk signs that count down.
2) Racing cars.
3) Commutes that take more than 5 minutes
4) Hills
5) No cruiser bikes.

Right now I even miss the pothole slalom that is valencia street.

God damnit.

I understand all you people who commute 20+ miles a day in small towns. It's damn easy when its flat, the roads are smooth and the traffic is light.

BUT IT IS SO BORING.

The only fixed gear ive seen so far here was a converted mountain bike with front shocks. It was different, I'll give him that.

Sin-A-Matic

haha, do you cry every night?

asterisk

jeez buddy, where'd you move to?

onetwentyeight 

yea its emotacular. I've been gone 3 days and i get back in 3 more. *twiddles thumbs*

i didnt move anywhere, im just stuck in chico, ca for work for a week.

yarr

be glad sf has the countdown numbers, when i went there i was like "what, what?" its like growing up and thinking dogfood was a pretty good meal then discovering steak

Moximitre

Best Invention Ever.

freebird

Yeah dude, I've been stuck in southern Idaho for the last six weeks. I actually MISS riding in Oakland. Say hi to the metal plates at 4th and Mission for me when you get home.

thurstonboise

Boise?
Did you ride in the Scavenger Hunt or the Shutdown last week?

yarr

can't wait to be in oakland next year

helvetica

Chico is wayyy to bike friendly thats another thing i hate about it.

ink1373

this is when you discover trails, and start realizing how stupid track bikes are. build yourself an offroad fix, and these small towns become little wonderlands.

freebird

I said southuhn Idaho, son. Wish I was in Boise. Staying with mom, wrenching on my (gasp) musclecar, and waiting for my house in beautiful Weiser to be ready. See you all's for the 666 bar crawl, no?

thurstonboise

More than likely.

thurstonboise

More than likely.

brunning

do those countdown timers ever lead to trouble?

they don't have them in new york, but i can imagine seeing something counting down as i'm approaching the intersection and doing all kinds of crazy things to time the light so i don't have to stop.

vobopl

And vice versa. My 20+ miles hilly round trip commute is easy compared to 7 miles round trip commute in Brussels. I wished I had shorter gearing - I could not get to my usual speed between stops despite flatter and much shorter climbs and I wished I had even more upright geometry (I did flip stem and move the saddle forward).

onetwentyeight 

yea this city is bike friendly. just got back from the sierra nevada brewery. Good ****.

The people i was with were freaking out i was gonna ride back, telling me i need some reflective jackets an "oh gosh its far!". Luckily they didnt notice my total lack of brakes. Got back in 7 minutes. I wish there was somewhere to REALLY ride to.

freebird - ill give that intersection a hello for you when i get back. Tho why you ride past the metreon I do not know.

jonb

maybe you should carry glow sticks.

onetwentyeight 

i could take lesssons from rdub.

jonb

indeed. that is over the top. in a good way.

freebird

Wifey used to work at the House of Shields, and Mission is the fastest way to get up to the Elbo, and the Knockout for latenite fun.

FlippingHades

I believe they lead to cars accelerating a lot more often to make the light, because they know they have exactly three seconds left -- VROOM VROOM! I hate them for that.

jonb

house of shields has good cookies.

Sin-A-Matic

I visited UC Davis this week and was excited because it's a "bike friendly" campus. There was a **** ton of bikes there, but if that place is bike "friendly," I'm the queen of England. The more appropriate term is bike graveyard.

The number of bikes I saw must've easily exceeded 1000, but 99.999999% of them were ****ty MTBs that I doubt would even roll. Chain lube is apparently not available in that area, because you could hear EVERY one of the bikes that could roll coming from a mile away. Seriously, every bike I saw actually moving was squealing and grinding like it was going to seize up at any moment.




I'm pretty sure that every new student promptly purchases a ****ty MTB, locks it up, and never touches it again.

carleton

128, I'm with you. Personally, I feel freaked out riding in the suburbs. I keep thinking some 15 year old with a learning permit is gonna come barreling 'round the corner.