i was having a conversation with a friend in chicago today about the bike popl leauge he was active in til his baby came along. he was talking about getting abck into it and the kind of bike he wants to build he called a "dodger" short cranks and really small chainrings in the front and back. i remembered i have a set of MONTY trials cranks kicking around that would be great fun for this. 158mm and you screw a cog on rather then mount a chainring. i guess the idea would be to find a 12 and 22 tooth cog and test out how much manuverablity and control you would gain having an almost 2:1 ratio of gearing. it would resemble an artisitc bike set up almost.

anyone play polo here regularly that wants to test these puppys out?

i'm not entirely satisfied with 4 bikes; i'm thinking about getting an old crappy most-of-a-bike i have in storage with some wheels i found awhile ago and the various parts that are kicking around the house to make a winter beater... finally get some studded tires... for the ice race, and those few extra crusty days. well, maybe i'll get brad to build it. you don't mind, right dear? ;)

I have more personal bikes than that but some of them are not ridden by me or are really old. I have to pare down the Vintage and Collector's items and focus on a realistic and practical stable. One street fixed, 1 track, 1 full sus mountain, the Island cruiser, and soon to be built fixed winter beater and rigid geared/s.s. 29er. That gives me 6 and I don't even have a road bike. I don't think it is ridiculous now but I have somewhere to keep them. May have to give up the drum-set in the house to make room. Crap.

Just had an interesting conversation with a well informed member of the Toronto Police Force. </sarcasm>

As I watched the white Cadillac Escalade pull a u-turn in rush hour traffic across Gerrard only to pull into the bike lane and park beside the officer, I asked him, "isn't that illegal?" His response, "Special Event". When I asked if there were any signs indicating to drivers that we would have to shoot out in front of them he said no. Then I asked if he thought that was safe. His response, "there's a bike lane on the other side". I said that's against traffic and therefore illegal and that it disturbed me that he of all people didn't know that. I told him about all the fatalities and he shrugged. I said, "oh, so only serve and protect those in vehicles" and he replied with, "think what you want".

Very mature. I've been in contact with both 51 Divisions Community Relations officer and my city councillor. It's on!

Oh and Constable 9165 can eat my colon.

Sounds like the good Dr. has one of the cities finest on the hook.

Does that make him Dr. Hook? </cheese> ;)

I've attempted a very rough, very brief PSA based on my short commute run tonight:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnaywdLknh0

and am attempting to re-kindle my blog - not that we need another blog about anything, but...

http://virtualinfinity.blogspot.com/

Should be easy enough to get myself into most of the common traffic situations for more footage/options, but I feel it needs a voice-over and some of that drawing-on-the-screen action that they do in sports replays.. Only that's a bit beyond my l33t video skillz. Thoughts/flames/comments?

Lolers. Some guy had a stalled car on Yonge st. and he was leaning against the rear of the car, facing towards oncoming traffic. 3 lane road mind you.

What a not safe thing to do. I said, dude not safe standing there but he didn't listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P6HlOp09Ns

Is there anyway, you can stabilize the camera? Canon binoculars have this image stabilization thing built in which is pretty rad.I've seen people with bike mounts for cameras althought that might not be any better.

I wish!

Perfect! That's great dude. Totally illustrates the point.

I walked to Cavern Cycles today and discovered they were closed at 4pm. Door sign said hours are 'til 6, so I figured there was some sort of event going on, perhaps? I wish there had been something on the door to explain, like there was at the Cycle Shoppe, which was also closed. Serves me right for not calling ahead.

Urbane didn't have the MKS GR-9 platforms I'm looking for -- a mechanic there said they sell out faster every time they get stock. I called or visited about a dozen shops in T.O. looking for them with no luck, so I went ahead and ordered them on eBay from Japan. They'll arrive after my bike, so I'll probably just pick up the straps and toe clips at Urbane and throw them on cheapo pedals until my GR-9s arrive.

I forgot about all Keith’s bikes! Five is not too bad i have four & ride three of them regularly, it helps that the C/L here has next to no bikes listed.

Yeah, I've got a bunch of bikes too.. Mountain bike, road bike, fixie commuter, and bmx. And then I have another fixie and a cross bike in the midst of being built/shipped/etc. I've been meaning to clean up the bmx and sell it for years now, but I never get around to it. One of this year's Winter projects perhaps. Depending on how I like the cross bike, I may sell the road bike in the Spring too. Around 5 bikes seems ideal to me! :)

i was actually in urbane today looking for mks sylvan track pedals and couldnt seem to find them either....anyone know a spot that might have them? i really dont wanna buy them online with shipping and customs and all that.

1) Sounds tasty

2) I can't believe that scenario! I hope that officer gets what is coming to him. Maybe he'll be demoted to bike duty! :D After witnessing first hand how cyclists are treated in Europe, I am genuinely embarrassed about how it goes down here.

3) I haven't seen you since I've been back dude! This must be rectified. :beer:

+1.. it's been too long! :)

My apologies. I need to tear the hours sign down as firstly I am on fall hours now and secondly even those will be sporadic during the close-down.

Have you guys tride curbside?

P.S If you guys stop by urbane again, say hi to me in the back :)

Hmm... If I'm not mistaken, when I was in yesterday they had the Sylvan Track pedals, just not the GR-9s. Did you look in the back room in the display case? I think I saw them in the case to the VERRRY far left. You might want to call and ask before you head back out there, though.

Cavernmech: You guys are going to the provincials this weekend, right? Are you heading up on Saturday? I was thinking about coming out for Saturday and/or Sunday, but now I have nasty bursitis in my elbow so I'm not sure anymore. They're doing a cross clinic at Hardwood on Saturday that myself and Mike were hoping to do.

shamil: 23-OCT-07 LITTLE BROTHER MOD CLUB 19+ $24.50

2) I actually have very little hope of THAT officer getting in trouble. My strategy is more to get an official response from the police I can take to my councillor. Then I will harrass my councillor and then I was thinking it might be nice to show up with a massive group on bikes to city hall and ber VERY present at some meetings. I don't have any experience with city councils in particular so if anyone has some advice I'm all ears.

3) Absotutely! Work has been completely restarted lately so I've been a friend slacker fo reals. We should all get together for some beers this week. Whaddya say? Locale suggestion?

Hey!...I like beer. Can I play too?

I think toronto fixed may have to rep that show...

Are we talking about the kind of little brother that rats you out/says "I know you are but what am I?" incessantly/attempts to fart in your face etc.? :D

This idea has a high level of utility. My brain isn't awake yet as per suggestions though...

I'm sure if I've ever mentioned this... but I like cake.