Aug
27
Reviews: SKS fenders and Bontrager tires
August 27, 2008 | 1 Comment
I bought some fancy German fenders - or “mudguards”, as they call them - for my commuter bike during the recent tax-free holiday, and finally got around to installing them last night. Aren’t we led to believe that German engineering is superior? Hence my selection.
Let me assure you, I am not particularly mechanically astute - or really exactly “all thumbs” either - but these fenders were a monster to assemble. On two occasions, I found that the small parts seemed not to be designed to accomplish the actions indicated on the accompanying instructions, so I had to ransack the house for spare bits from other projects. The problem with fenders is that they can rattle unpleasantly when riding if parts are loose; an obvious corollary suggests that the goal should be to have as few parts as possible. Not so for SKS full fenders. After finally getting everything assembled, it occurred to me that (a) I had to do way to many parts substitutions for assembly on a very standard bike and (b) there were way too many parts. So I took the whole thing apart and am going to return it. I am a bit disappointed, as the SKS Raceblade fenders are frikkin’ awesome, install instantly, and don’t rattle.
So I re-installed a Planet Bike fender, which had half as many bits and pieces involved in assembly and are much more intuitive. I did use a front fender for the rear wheel of my bike (the rear one is on another bike), so I don’t get complete coverage - but with only a few screws/nuts involved, it is much more satisfying than using a full fender with too many parts.
I also bought some Bontrager “Race Lite Hard Case” tires for my road bike, since the existing tires were beginning to feel square-edged, they had become so worn. I am not a strong girl; sometimes putting a new tire on can drive me to the edge of tears. These tires were amazingly easy to put on (am I getting stronger?) and they apparently have three different varieties of anti-flat protection. Sounds good to me, since I really don’t like to have to struggle to get a tire bead over the rim out in the field, let alone at home. But my experience with these tires suggests that I won’t have nearly as much difficulty as I have had in the past, should I have the misfortune of flatting.
The verdict: SKS full fenders no (though Raceblade yes), Planet Bike fenders yes, Bontrager tires yes.
And while you’re at Planet Bike, look for the Supercommuter page. I wrote 18 of the 19 rider profiles.
Aug
25
This freaky guy
August 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment
He was a customer at my bike shop. Did he buy anything? I don’t know. I know he was known to be difficult.
Read all about him in this fascinating New York Times article.
Aug
23
Picking a fight
August 23, 2008 | 2 Comments
Picture this: I’m five foot two, and I wear glasses. The “Archie” comics teach that no one should ever hit a girl who wears glasses, let alone a petite one.
I forgot that this is America, and you can’t anyone how to do anything, least of all if it involves their vehicle. The slobbering drunk proceeded to unleash a torrent of insults at me.
I wasn’t impressed with this aggressive dumbass’s attempts to trod me down, so as an inherent provocateur, I encouraged him to keep going with the fuckcockery until he could come up with something really good. He started in with the “bike gang” stuff, and even the “gay” hoopla, and then threatened to hit me. Me, girl in glasses! Well, come on, dude, do it! I’ll gladly see you go to jail.
The final result? Said drunk spit forth another slew of words, his girlfriend seemed to suspect that she might want to drive home rather than him, and I wondered what the fuck I was doing, yet again trying to help right the world. Always a bad idea to get involved.
Oh yes - the license plate is 54S P57, Massachusetts plate.
Aug
18
S-class: I have been negligent
August 18, 2008 | 1 Comment
I love artisanal bicycle caps. They don’t always suit me, but I always give them a try. Imagine my delight when my own hosting site gave birth to an interesting hat-making project in the hands of s-class, who has been making caps and giving them away anonymously around Boston.
Thinking that I would never, ever stumble on one of these hats, I emailed s-class to ask how I could get one without stalking him/her. In response, s-class kindly sent a hat to my place of work, where of course no one knows me as “What I Think” so the package was well pawed-over by the time I got to it - but thankfully no one ran off with the contents! That hat was too small for me; I had intended to send my head measurements to the hatmaker when I received another package at work this Friday! That was perfect timing to cheer me up in advance of the aforementioned misery of no-sales-tax weekend.
The result: the second hat fits very nicely, thanks very much to my unknown benefactor! On Saturday a customer complimented me on my “jockey hat”; I explained that jockeys wear colorful helmets, but that my hat was a cycling cap. One of my co-workers decided the hat’s pattern would make me look particularly stylish while sitting on some Swedish furniture. Too bad I don’t have any.
Thank you, s-class!
Aug
17
No sales-tax weekend
August 17, 2008 | 2 Comments
It nearly killed me.
The shop was flooded with people who wanted to save $15 on a bike. Though I guess the woman who bought the $2399 Colnago (plus the $1600 Ultegra build kit) probably got a little better deal. On the pleasanter side, I did get to help two couples that I know, and I hope I did them justice, but mostly it was just madness.
My head hurts, my stomach hurts, my feet hurt, and I feel kind of bad about myself. I don’t really want to go back to the shop for awhile. Too bad I supposedly have to co-lead a ride from there tomorrow at 7am.
Jolly.
Aug
15
This is Chris Hoy of Great Britain, co-winner of the men’s team sprint. He could lift my car.
Aug
14
The Swiss watchmaker
August 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment
You don’t usually see this kind of celebration in a time trial.
Aug
14
L’Incroyable Hulk?
August 14, 2008 | Leave a Comment
French swimmer Alain Bernard.
Don’t tease him about freedom fries.
Aug
12
Bike vs. car: a really good article
August 12, 2008 | Leave a Comment
For anyone who didn’t see the excellent New York Times article about escalating tempers in the ongoing struggle for turf between cyclists and automobiles, DO read it. It addresses many of the issues about which I have been quietly fuming all summer.
Some interesting words:
“The bottom line, say driving behavior experts, is that the learning curve has just begun… Therefore, the turmoil will abate when enough cyclists are on the road, so that everyone learns to share the space. As in Amsterdam. Or Davis, Calif., where nearly 15 percent of the population cycles daily.”
Oh please, may the day come sooner when cyclists will be just part of normal traffic. For the moment, I continue to be stunned about the loathing drivers have for cyclists - though I really shouldn’t be, considering responses to the Bella English article in The Boston Globe earlier this summer. This week too, like many readers, I followed BikeSnobNYC’s link to a response by Mini drivers to his criticism of their … mininess. Even what I had assumed to be liberal-minded Mini drivers project a vicious glee while discussing ways they and other drivers can endanger the lives of cyclists.
Everyone, let’s take a moment to visit the website of Ross Dillon. He was a 25-year-old cyclist, about to start law school and planning his imminent wedding, who was riding well within a bike lane when he was hit by a driver. Six years later, he can sort of manage to stand up on his own.
Is that really what they want to do to us?
Aug
11
Don’t cry for me
August 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Does anyone remember when Davide Rebellin was so agitated about not being selected for the World Championships one year that he decided to get Argentinian citizenship? He actually raced one year for his secondary nation in that race, causing the Italian selectors to claim that he would never again be picked for any national competition.
And here is he, looking dour on the podium at the Olympic Games, wearing an Italia jersey. representing his primary country. Did everyone forget that bruhaha?
