Derailed

I got it early summer 2008, so over three years now. The handling is okay -- it's actually kind of a fun contrast to my other bikes, and it's great in urban areas like downtown Chicago. Several times per summer I use it coupled with Amtrak to visit my family in PA, and that involves a 16-mile ride from the train station in Erie to their house. Despite being close to the lake, it is fairly hilly road, and the single-speed Boardwalk definitely makes me work to get up the bigger inclines. But, I kinda get a kick out of it.

It occurs to me that I wrote most of those blog entries when I was still getting the hang of traveling with a folder. I got flats on my first few "significant" trips and, frankly, those were all major bummers because packing as lightly as possible, I don't carry tools, a patch kit or a pump. However, I switched tires: Schwalbe Marathon Plus in the rear and a Marathon in the front, and I've had many flat-free trips since.