Missed connection

[vvill]

riding home without switching gears because she wanted to see what it was like to have one gear...

I've started doing this... I think a SS bike may be next. Just can't stop the covet.

[OneEighth]

Jump in with both feet! Go fixed.

[Terpfan]

Hmmm...now that I'm a Virginian I may have to look into this whole "open carry" thing and see how it affects driver behavior.

You're presuming they're going slow enough to notice you're even carrying.

[vvill]

Jump in with both feet! Go fixed.

I have attempted to at least just pedal constantly while "SSing" but I can't help coasting. I don't understand how you brake suddenly when you need to, or what happens when you hit bumps or curbs, etc. I always coast at least a bit before hopping over say, a bridge joint. Honestly I doubt I have the knees/legs/fitness to ride my commute fixie anyway. Pretending to SS is hard enough.

[eminva]

dcv and I were talking about this on our commute on Wednesday evening. I have an old "beater bike" that I use for trips to the Metro, etc. It has persnickety friction shifting so I treat it as a single speed. I do have some hills between my house and the metro, and they don't seem as bad as I imagine them. One of these days I will have to go all the way to and from work that way (I have ridden it most of the way home before). Maybe it's not so terrible after all?

Fixie is another matter -- I tried the one the teen across the street built, and it was weird. I didn't get out of his driveway.

But all in all, I'm okay with modern technology. ;-)

Liz

[culimerc]

I bought a SS/fixie with a flip-flop hub. I rode SS for a about a month, flipped it over to Fixed and havent flipped it back since.

[OneEighth]

I completely understand the hesitation. And, yes, hopping things is very different when your feet won't stop moving. But, honestly, you'd be amazed at how fast you get used to it. Just don't start with a nasty big gear and don't be in a huge hurry.

We now return you to your original programming:

Many thanks to all the early morning riders who have covered their headlights or turned their helmet mounted lights away. I especially appreciate it because I completely understand the hesitation to lose any light this time of year as the suicidal bunnies have been displaced by suicidal ninja runners---those make for a bigger bump.

[rcannon100]

ME: A giddy idiot, gleefully cycling home on a brisk afternoon, feeling as if the world were a wonder.

YOU: A slender black beauty, with long legs, and big round.... wheels.

Together we joined, as if man and machine, gliding our way home - contemplating Dirty wisdom about knee warmers. You were nimble, gliding head long into a stiff Nor'Easter breeze. I... struggled.... but was sure - one more time - we would make it home together.

But it was not to be. On the last hill... the last stroke of the last hill... you gave out - with a - a disturbing sound - a sound that lingers as a phantom in the night.

I held you. I carried you the final steps home. You had lost all power. You could no longer move. You could no longer turn. You just leaned on me, as we took the last, final steps home - once again.

[dcv]

didn't know where else to post this - this is great, i wish i could be so civilized:

http://www.break.com/index/road-rage...ai=0&zi=0&ds=1

[bobco85]

didn't know where else to post this - this is great, i wish i could be so civilized:

http://www.break.com/index/road-rage...ai=0&zi=0&ds=1

I'd definitely have stronger words in that situation. I'm surprised the cyclist didn't say something like, "You know, you nearly ran into me with your thousand kilogram (we're in Britain, remember) car. Understanding physics, I don't think my 70 kilogram pound self tapping on your car could do any damage compared to what you almost did to me. Also, I have your illegal maneuver on camera, if you'd like the police to do something about it."

I've never tapped a car, and am curious about actually doing so in a given situation. I'll start a separate thread for my inquiry.