sherbornpeddler

About Pocky's 9/28/11 bike repair stand post,
Pocky!
Thanks for the photo and BU news. I've not seen anything this fancy. I'd think this would be a great opportunity for bike shops or anyone else to advertise (and help fund the station) much like benches and bus stops. A vending machine for tubes, patch kits and Brooks saddle balm and what else could we want? Thanks again.

sherbornpeddler

Autumn has come up fast and surprised me....again...same as always.
There is adjustment for everyone. Good thinking about safety. The shorter days does take adjustment for bikes and cars. If I can sneak out mid-day, I do like the fall coolness and contrasts. I think the lower sun makes for more contrasting shadows.

bikinggrrrl

Quickie ride through Bedford, Concord, Carlisle yesterday. Love love this weather.

godshammgod

Same.

Quick 20 miler this morning after work. Started off chilly, but quickly warmed up once the sun rose. Arm warmers and leg warmers were plenty.

Pretty much meandered around, searching out new roads. Tomorrow will be a longer jaunt.

cmolway

I could do without the wind though--20mph dead-on headwinds three days in a row are starting to wear me down to the point where I can hear the trainer calling me to the basement.

First sub-40 commute in this morning. I probably over-dressed. Sad to say, but in a couple of months, anything over 35F will be a "warm commute".

If you are around Monday, I am planning on a "bike anchor" ride in your neck of the woods. We can plan on a later "nap time ride" if you'd prefer.

bikinggrrrl

That sounds tempting. It would just be me and the little man, so the pace would be much more ... um ... leisurely than last time. That buggar is getting heavy! I'll PM you Sunday?

jimmuller 

If you folks are willing to do your anchor ride on Sunday morning we might be able to join you for at least part of it. We've been talking about talking the tandem to the BF trail, maybe jump over to Rt 27 on its the quieter parts.

We haven't managed to work up to any great distance yet and haven't had many opportunities. But some company might be inspiring!

Tomorrow (Saturday) we'll be off wearing ourselves out going up Mt Liberty, and on Monday we have a gig and thus can't get out for biking.

cmolway

sounds good. I am happy to go at a leisurely pace.

bikinggrrrl

Aaaahhh, I wish I could but I'm going to run three children up Mount Monadnock on Sunday.

mtalinm

got it back from Dedham Bike yesterday. turns out the manufacturer shipped me the frame with the bearing retainer installed upside down, which not only left the headtube loose but ended up destroying the bearings when I tightened it as they told me to.

I of course complained to the mfg and asked them to do something for me in compensation for the $45 I spent fixing it, not to mention the somewhat treacherous ride during which I discovered the problem and being w/o the bike for a week while it was fixed. they were great - shipped me an extra drive-side crank, which I really needed because I stripped the puller threads on the original one when removing it. have been reluctant to install that crank on my other (blue) Xootr frame lest I'm never able to remove it...

took it out for 20 miles today and it was fantastic. hard to believe how well this folder rides! when the crank arrives next week I'll put the blue frame back together and we'll have a matched set. full specs:



* Xootr Swift frame
* 451 rims with Primo Comet tires (1 1/8 rear, 1 3/8 front)
* Tiagra 9-speed brifters, one of which I replaced via ebay
* Tektro sidepull brakes (v-brakes are standard; you can see plugs hiding the bosses)
* Shimano Capreo hub & cassette for higher gearing on small wheels - 9 (!) tooth cog
* Shimano Hollowtech crankset
* Brooks B17 Imperial saddle - amazingly comfortable even after less than a week of use
* AirZound air horn (hidden behind water bottle)
* water bottle straight from London![/LIST]

jimmuller 

I'll bet you had a great day going up Monadnock!

We did take the tandem out to the Bruce Freeman today. Started from the southern end, rts 27 & 225. Stopped for lunch at Heart Pond on the northbound run, then rode all the way to Chelmesford. Sharon was surprised when we emerged out at the rt110 intersection. Then we turned around and rode back to the car. It was a good day.

At the lunch stop a lady came up and asked if we had a tire pump. It seems the family, mom, dad, and daughter, had forgotten to check their tires before heading out to the rail trail for a ride. Of course, our tandem being a vintage Peugeot, I had equipped it with a vintage Zephal Solibloc (provided by BF member rhm) with a Schrader valve fitting that fit their tires (even though our tires are Presta). Sometimes the stuff that makes you feel the best is when chance offers you the opportunity to help someone else.

Yeah, it was a good day.

godshammgod

Wonderful 19.5 mile ride with my girlfriend today, setting out from Bedford through Carlisle and Concord.

She's new to riding again, and had been using a gifted mountain bike from my Aunt (department store brand, huge tires, heavy weight). Today, I discovered the brakes were totally shot. So, we headed to the Bikeway Shop in Bedford and rented a nice Giant hybrid instead. I think she noticed quite a difference. We ended up riding to Fern's, then looping back down Strawberry Hill.

Perfect route for a novice rider. Low traffic, a few hills for variety. Great day on the bike.

rholland1951

I've been traveling in California for the last week, some tempting cycling locales but not the right social setting for it. Closest I got to a ride was this picture seen in a Nevada City coffee house.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1054377...12799296409314

Got home last night, and did manage to get a short (10 mile) ride in at sunset today, during the second half of the Pats game. Great weather, lots of folks out on the Minuteman. When night fell, really noticed the ones without lights (walkers, riders, skaters). In particular, noticed the difference just a little bit of reflective material makes. Lots of Invisible Pedestrians on the loose, although a couple may have been emulating Johnny Space Commander... Didn't bounce off any.

rod

rholland1951

Nice build. Glad it came back in time for this stretch of good weather.

rod

mtalinm

nice marathon (26.2) on the MInuteman trail with an old friend. the friend was old and slow, but sometimes it's worth it for a nice time.

and then I discovered the shifter I bought on ebay is broken. arrrgh.

himespau 

anybody else to the rides from Pocket Rides (little laminated cards with cues and a rudimentary map)? I've got a set, and have enjoyed some of them. Most are in the 10-20 mile range. Did the 14 mile Lars Anderson Loop yesterday that I quite enjoyed. Didn't have time for more and a couple of the hills on the route did me pretty in as I haven't been riding much lately.

cmolway

30 mile "bike anchor" tour of Carlisle and surrounding towns with bikingrrrl and the little ones. Gorgeous day for riding!

The 3yo's near constant singing was punctuated by the 3.5yo's constant "are we there yet?". I was surprised that he lasted as long as he did.

jimmuller 

Bummer. I've had mixed results from eBay, running maybe 50% parts that actually work, 25% that are broken but can be fixed, 25% that are simply DOA and not recoverable. But then, that's what I have to deal with for riding C&V bikes.

Awesome. Cmolway, you need something to slow you down anyway!

We played Applecrest Farm this afternoon. No riding. But a few interesting-looking bikes showed up. I didn't get a chance to speak to any of the riders though.

rholland1951

Pleasant commute today. Went in at noon, after a morning logged in. Columbus Day brought out lots of families with children on the Minuteman. Some of the kids could hold a line, some not so much. This pattern continued this evening, only on unlit bikes. One kamikazee tot veered towards me, honking a squeaky little horn like a demon. Some fun.

rod

bikinggrrrl

Oh I slowed him down tremendously. Good sport, that Cmolway.

cmolway

To be fair, you and your husband put a hurting on me with the tandem the last time we rode together. The near constant "are we there yet" in my ear also didn't help keep my foot off the gas at the end of the ride.

jimmuller 

I didn't ride today. Bunch of reasons. But I did ride yesterday and never got the chance to report in.

Just another day in the mile mines. Cool, quite pleasant. I actually started the morning commute with closed, full-fingered gloves and a fleece jacket under my bike jersey. The fleece came off about halfway through the ride though. Autumn is definitely here.

cmolway

first car commute in to work in two months--felt awkward. I normally wouldn't have been worried with a bit of rain but the sidewall on the rear tire of my "rain bike" let go and I didn't feel like busting out the "shiny bike" for this morning's commuting duties.

mtalinm

I know that feeling. will have to drive tomorrow for reasons not related to rain.

my folding bike was in the shop, so I didn't get to take it to ST. Louis this week. real bummer because their downtown park is enormous, and the checked bike would've been free on southwest...

rholland1951

Been in the same boat (er, car) most of the week. Saturday (and better weather) is coming.

rod