Hi everyone - been reading here a while, just started to post recently. I didn't learn to ride a bike until I was 20 -- but then I never wanted to get off! I used to bike commute in Providence and Oakland, and between a coupla little towns NW of Paris. Since '94 I've been living in bigger cities (Bangkok, NYC) where I thought cycling would be too much of a hassle. But in the past year, and more consistently in the last six months, I've been riding again, and I love it. My main commute is about 12 miles round-trip, and occasionally I ride between 20-30 miles in a day (which is nada to a lot of you, I know!). I'm going to do 35 this weekend in a short-course of the NYC Century Ride. Hopefully by next year's ride I'll be able to go much farther.

I'm especially interested in the commuter forums but also hope to learn more about maintenance (I have one book and can just do basic cleaning/lubing/patching, etc. but want to do more).

In my non-bike life I have always worked for non-profits (community organizing, human rights, women's issues, social service, arts-in-education) and on my own time I write. As my title perhaps cryptically notes, I was born and raised in Ohio and am fourth-generation Japanese American. And as I suppose it doesn't note, I'm female and 34. That's it for my demographics, since I don't feel like getting into politics or religion on this board. I look forward to continuing to be part of the community here, even though I'll probably read more than I'll post.

Welcome to the forums! I think you will find this to be a good group. good to see you are commuting some too. A good way to get a nice ride in during the day. Congrats on the short Century.

'bent Brian