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The problem is that my phone makes it hard to do LJ (I can't write very quickly, and it's awkward; I'm gonna try the app at least), and my lappy is officially so slow (and so many of the keys don't work well--or at all) that it's frustrating there, too
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The Bike I Ride Most Days: is the Novara Randonnee, which is the only diamond frame of the bunch and probably weighs the least.
The Other Bikes: the 1961 Lady's Raleigh Sports, which weighs a shit-ton, and which I ride the least, and the New-ish Linus Mixte, which weighs about as much as the Novara. Both are step-through frames. Which means those racks won't work. (I own a fake top-tube somewhere, but what a pain in the ass to use all the time.) And logically I'd want to put the Raleigh on top, since I ride it the least; but I am physically incapable of getting it into a repair stand, much less a wall rack.
The company that owns our building prides itself on being bike-friendly (like, all the buildings have bicycles in the damn logo) but of course we picked the building that didn't have actual bike parking in the building. (Other buildings have hang-up racks on each floor.) They will put hooks in the wall (and a plate so the rear wheel doesn't damage anything) if we ask, but....we have so little wall space already, and all FOUR bicycles have wide-swept handlebars (the Novara has drop bars...but they're Salsa Woodchippers!), so they could easily take up a whole damn wall. I think we're better off just wheeling them in and, like, leaning them on bookshelves or something.
In theory I should get rid of a bike--who the hell needs two three-speed upright bicycles?! But...the Raleigh is my first love (seriously, I need a tattoo of that heron chainring), and I love riding her on parade-y rides, and then again, the Linus is far more practical--a rear rack! Dynamo lighting! And I only ride the Novara to work because I'm riding so damn far (and about to ride longer--my commute, when I move, goes from 8.2 miles to 9.6, each way!), in the next year or so I should make the "career" position at work and then I'll be at a different station and it's unlikely to be way the fuck out in Oak Grove and I'll be happy to ride the Linus if it's not so damn far.
On the other other hand, I'm hoping to get a custom touring bike in the next year or two, and yeah I'll chuck the Novara but then I'll still have three bikes and I'll prolly want to ride the custom one a bunch.....
FUCK
(I've always been N+1 in terms of "how many bikes do I need" but with Seamus I might end up being S-1! Well, he's not S, unless you mean "significant other" instead of "spouse.")
(For the non-cyclists: There's an old joke about how many bikes a person should have. N+1 is where N is the number of bikes you currently own. S-1 is where S is the number of bikes that causes your spouse to leave you. Yes, many of us have multiple bicycles. I have three.)
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And, somewhere in your post, there's words that look like "I should get rid of a bike," but I know that I must be misreading that, because one never gets rid of a bike. ;)
I got around the whole s-1 problem by replacing "wife" with "bike racing roommate." ;) Actually that fixed a lot of problems...we have one whole corner of the apartment for bike stuff, bikes along the walls, and a corner for all the tools and parts. I have two of the freestanding stands that are designed for two bikes, but I put four on each. I understand how that wouldn't work for you though with your bikes.
One thing I am trying to work on is a way to deal with wet bikes in the winter. I don't want to ruin the carpet. I am thinking of getting a 4'x8' sheet of plywood, stapling a blue tarp to it, and leaving it on the floor near the door, so when I get in from a wet ride, I just leave the wet bike and wet clothes on that so it doesn't soak the carpet. (Then I run naked to my room! Woooooo!)
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I have no idea how to get a bike on a hook with the rear wheel up. The way I get bikes up on hooks is to swing the bike so the front wheel is up, and then put my knee under the saddle to help me lift the damn thing. I physically cannot get any of my bikes on a hook in any other way, and I'm much stronger than I used to be! (Cool story, bro: I learned that trick from a roadie who saw me on the MAX with my Raleigh, in, like, 2006. "Not to be a stereotypical dude, but,...do you need help with that?" "I just can't figure out how to do it!" "Here, try it like this." <3 to that random dude in spandex and clompy shoes.)
And, somewhere in your post, there's words that look like "I should get rid of a bike," but I know that I must be misreading that, because one never gets rid of a bike. ;)
Since I became obsessed with bikes, I have gotten rid of two: my super-heavy mid-70's mixte with gorgeous lugs and stupidly high gearing, which was turned into the bottom half of a tall bike; and my 1985 Miyata, which was sold to someone who had "several" Rivendells and at least one other Miyata. Both times I almost cried!
One thing I am trying to work on is a way to deal with wet bikes in the winter. I don't want to ruin the carpet. I am thinking of getting a 4'x8' sheet of plywood, stapling a blue tarp to it, and leaving it on the floor near the door, so when I get in from a wet ride, I just leave the wet bike and wet clothes on that so it doesn't soak the carpet. (Then I run naked to my room! Woooooo!)
Take apart some old boxes and lay them on the carpet, maybe on top of the tarp. When the cardboard gets gross, toss it and put down new cardboard. I did that in a carpeted place!
Our new places has floors of recycled vinyl made to look like hardwood, which is awesome. I might put down cardboard or something to deal with how dirty the drips are gonna be, but everything can just be mopped! Yesssss. It was a vote in this place's favor, not gonna lie.
But....how to lube the chain?! I normally do that outside in case of drips/splashes and 'cause it's stinky. Gonna have to put down shop towels or something?!
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