Yeah, but one thing that surprised me, only 23 bikes and one jogging stroller were parked at there free valet parking yesterday.

Plus, yesterday we only encountered two other bikers. Today, only one. Normally I see at least six each morning.

The southside walkway on the Ben Franklin Bridge is now open, which is a big improvement over the north side.

But I didn't see any more cyclists this morning.

Yea, they threw me off this moring changing up the sides on me.... I usually take the bus over the bridge, but the traffic was so bad I got off at the bridge & biked across...Alot faster than taking the bus the whole way! Glad to see another Philly-bound Jersey commuter out there!

Ofofhy- If you offer to replace her freewheel with a 13-tooth or something, would she let you?

I actually just picked her up a 16T at lunch today. I just have to hope that the hub isn't some funky metric thread. Komet coaster hub from the '60's.

You see shared misery. I see shared joy.

Sounds pretty mild. When they had a major transit strike in Toronto about 15 years ago, I thought everything would be great, but I was driven off my regular bike and into my car. So many morons hit the road who had never driven to work before, whether by bike or car, it was intolerable on a bike. Really made me appreciate the regular crowd.

Go to work 40 minutes earlier, read the newspapers, relax.

Best way to beat the crowd.

Maybe you should consider getting her a bike that's worthy of riding instead?
A bad bike is bound to make anyone slow and comical looking.-Koffee.

I agree with Koffee. And I am glad you are taking steps to solve this problem for your suffering wife. I would add placing new high pressured tires to the list of improvements. In my experience rehabilitating an old steel British three speed for serious riding, adding new high pressured tires was the number one improvement I done to it. The cranks that are similar to your wife's bike were kept as well as everything else except for replacing cables. The comedy act ends and a "new" bike and commuter is born!

You did better than I did ofofhy. My mind wasn't working well and the only thing I could come up with was Dead Husband which I found pretty baffling.

They had a publicity 'race' yesterday between a cab, a bike, and a car to try to demonstrate that a bike was fastest during the strike.

The actual results were: Cab was 14 minutes, $12.00, Bike was 16 minutes, "free", and a car was 22 minutes, $25 (did they include parking fees?). So bike was 2nd fastest but 2 minutes is nothing.

Did they count the time that takes to actually GET the cab in rush hour?

more bikers out today... motorists still don't feel our pain though.

this will be fun, till it rains or snows.... you wanna see an angry city lets wait for a cold rainy day with no septa.

i wish i thought we were winning converts with this but it is to cold and people are weak!

if your biking the strike, good for you!

The results of the Daily News "race" between bike, taxi, car, train and walking today had the bike winning by four minutes.

See http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/...l/13067781.htm
and
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/...l/13067785.htm

"I finished four minutes faster than any of the others after a heart-pumping 10-mile ride. I could've stopped off for a jelly doughnut, and still finished ahead."

I saw more people out there on bikes as well. I would say that about half of them appeared to be new commuters.

I also noticed that there was less congestion on the roads, at least along Spring Garden and Arch Streets.

Ofofhy previously described the bike in question: "It is geared at 32x20, perfect for her. It has 24x1.75 tires, which were from Holland before I changed them out (rubber was shot). All of the racks, fenders seat, and lights appear to be originals". - IMO a fine and most worthy, decent bicycle for commuting four miles in Philadelphia, assuming that the commute does not involve the hilly areas of Manayunk or the like. If steep hills are a factor, it is unlikely Ofofhy's wife is going to start bike commuting during the strike on any bike no matter how worthy it is of admiration from cyclists in the know.

Ofofhy and Koffee have a different sense of what is a comical choice in equipment suitable for commuting in relatively flat cities. The only significant problem presented by the weight of this old cruiser for short commutes would be if Ofofhy's wife needs to carry the bike up and down stairs as part of the commute. Assuming the size is right what is the problem other than perhaps some snooty cyclist turning up his/her nose at such an unworthy un-trendy bicycle? Can't go fast enough? Not efficient enough? BFD!



For reference purposes, I include pictures of two bicycles parked at Broad and Walnut in Center City Philadelphia last month. IMO, these brakeless, fender less, no comfort bikes are hysterically comical in their unsuitability for commuting/cycling in Philadelphia. They are even funnier and less worthy than the full suspension bikes I saw being used to get around the Penn/Drexel campus area. I am sure I would have had a good laugh if I had actually seen the owners of these "worthy" bikes racing around Center City Philadelphia.

As a former resident and bike commuter of Philadelphia, with a daughter in college there I appreciate Ofofhy and other's commentary on biking there during the strike.

When I originally posted my description it was in the Classic and Vintage forum, where all of those points I raised were directed towards that crew there. When we purchased the bike, we lived in Center City about 10 blocks from her place of employ. It was the perfect, fun bike for that particular area. She didn't commute by bike then, but we would ride it to the market or the bar.

Now that we have moved further out, I agree that she should have a better bike for a commute, but she does not want to be a regular commuter. I just didn't like the way K.B. was implying that I forced her to ride this bike and that I rode behind her laughing all the way and making jokes at her expense.

As for stairs, it only needs to go up and down our front steps (all three of them), and I carry it in and out for her. I am enjoying commuting with her, as I normally walk her to the El stop and bike from there. Do I wish she would commute daily? Yes. Will she? No. Am I OK with that? Of course.

What would a "better" bike than the one that was perfect for a 10 block area bring to a 4 mile commute? Other than being theft bait? If your wife chooses not to bike commute, no problem -as you have written. The "better" bike stuff is irrelevant to changing the situation IMO.

The single speed bikes in your photos are probably used by messengers.

They are really nice bikes ... yup ... either messengers or wealthy hipsters

Perhaps, and just as comical as if used by regular commuters. Track bikes and fixed gear bikes are still bicycle fish out of water in Center City Philadelphia (or any other city with nutty stop-and-go traffic and frequent wet conditions) despite their alleged "street cred" for simplicity. No brakes - what could be simpler - Maybe no seat?

I do ride a singlespeed, because I hate derailers, and because of the flat lay of the land, there really is no need to shift in the city. I wouldn't mind riding a fixed gear, but I prefer having the ability to coast in traffic. Most of the brakeless riders I know are well in control of their bikes and they know how to stop and ride just as well as anybody with brakes. I did see a guy riding a brakeless, geared bike, but he was a true idiot. I saw him have three near accidents in three blocks.

As for being a fish out of water in Philly, I think this city might have the highest per capita number of fixed riders. I see more here than in BOS, NYC, WAS, ATL... etc.

Single speed = sensible if gears aren't needed.
Fixed gear on city streets = masochistic and trendy.
I'm happy to see bicyclists riding anything but don't find owners of trendy or race oriented bikes any more "worthy" or "serious" than those riding old Huffys, Sears, x-marts or any other bike that meets the owners' needs.

The reference to brakeless drivers in control reminds me of the Philadephia Flyers owner making excuses for one of his players who was killed while driving after getting drunk at the owner's party:<paraphrase IAW my memory of the quote>"He could drive better drunk than most people sober." Yes, true until it wasn't.

Masochistic and trendy.

http://sheldonbrown.com/images/scb_eagle.jpeg

http://www.antbikemike.com/images/Bu.../step12big.jpg

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/feb/snyder1.jpg

So?

Some would say people who play golf are masochistic and trendy as well.

Did you feel the breeze on your face, because that just went over your head.

I am sorry I completely disagree. Although having toured on the West Coast over the summer I agree Philly is fairly flat, I still think a fixed gear is a trendy thing rather then a wise thing in Philly. You obviously are not ridding around Philly only in the center city. If this is the case I completely understand, the singlespeed and more power to you. In fact I have wished I could go that way. However, I personally like to go for long rides into the city and to New Hope and such. I live in Germantown at the top of Schoolhouse Lane which is a pain as it comes at the end of my 10 mile (one way) commute. I think the hills in Manyunk would be a pain in the behind on a single speed, as would rides into the burbs. On the singlespeed I can see it being a preference, on the brakeless thing I think it should be illegal. It is amazing how many messengers I have seen nearly get killed by not having brakes and having to turn quickly instead. Would you be allowed to drive a car at 20 mph without brakes? Why should you be able to ride a bike at the same speed without brakes? (Yes, I understand that a car can cause much more damage but I still wouldn't want to be hit by a bike going 20 mph.) You may have to take my opinion with a grain of salt as I am biased. I was picking up my sister in South Philly for a drive to the Poconos when I was STOPPED at a red light when there is this huge crash into the rear side of my car. My girlfriend sister and I jumped, got out of the car only to see a biker on the driver side and a track bike with no brakes still on the passenger side where he hit. I was much more worried about him then the dent he put in the car. He kept saying he was fine but he was worried about the bike (track style tires). The tire was a little bent, I have two dents in the car (I chalked it up to city living) but he was fine. He said "I wasn't paying attention I am so sorry...etc." But jeez imagine if he had done the same right in front of a moving car! You NEED brakes people. It is NOT cool to go without. -- sorry for the rant.

Hardly. If one of your pals (or mine) rides a high wheeler for pleasure, and another had a fetish for unicycles, I still would not be any more impressed with their suitability for commuting in busy Center City Traffic. Choosing a fixed gear, stripped down, no comfort bike for commuting or utility cycling in Center City Philadelphia is not the mark of a great thinker IMO and it is immaterial how much other cycling knowledge is possessed by the fixed gear bike fancier. Any single speed in rideable condition such as a Schwinn, Huffy, Columbia, Sears etc with coaster brakes would be a more useful and safer bike for commuting in flat cities than any esoteric fixed gear custom job, even if not considered worthy by the bicycling intelligentsia.

BTW if I thought it made me more worthy to bask in the glow Sheldon Brown's bicycle collection, I would post a picture of a bicycle that was more practical for commuting in Philadelphia (the subject of this thread):
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/images/superbe54-big.jpeg

Even this bike would have problems due to probable crappy braking when the rims are wet. Otherwise a real winner for practical city cycling.

I wasn't aware that there was one right answer to this question. I had mistakenly thought it was a matter of what a given person enjoys and finds to work for them. I be sure to file this away for future reference, chief.

Whatever.

Personally, I don't get your fetish for trekking bikes, but that's your thing, so cool. Ride on.

-Trevor, who has commuted on hybrids, mountain bikes, road bikes, single speeds, but prefers a fixed gear for speed, responsiveness, and--yes--comfort.