Comments | catness: Be Still My Heart!

catness

Be Still My Heart!

Jul 16, 2006 17:00

Originally this was supposed to be a post about bicycling, and getting my ass handed to me in 80 degree weather yesterday morning. However, it rapidly became about something else altogether (and also took me a full day to write ( Read more... )

vehicular cyanide, health, wrenching, pedal bike, control, motorcycle

Comments 8

pir July 17 2006, 00:05:23 UTC

Yay chicken hawk! Now bring it over here :)

stalkercat July 17 2006, 20:35:02 UTC

Not. Fair. :)
Bring her to the track!!! Oh, I'm in love all over again, and all tingly with anticipation...
mizzd xoxo

This sounds like series70 July 17 2006, 01:55:30 UTC

A fine excuse to spend some time outside this week.

broken_gizmo July 17 2006, 23:33:18 UTC

I have nothing useful to add, other than to say that this was a joy to read.

Welcome back, Chicken Hawk!

atillathehung August 15 2006, 05:28:09 UTC

We made a few comments in each other's journal awhile back, but I never realized you were a bicyclist, too!

catness August 15 2006, 10:43:16 UTC

Well, I'm not much of one. I have a very entry level mountain bike that I use mostly on the street, and I've been considering some conversion to the thing for commuting purposes (spare wheels with uh... slicks? is that what they call them for bicycles too? and possible re-gearing, since my RPMs are a bit high for how fast I would like to go on the street, even in top gear). I already swapped the brakes so the right one is the front, like a motorbike. I think I might actually be better served by getting a second bike, though, but as I still consider myself something of a bicycling tourist, that just seems silly. :) I suspect I'll wait and see how much I can actually ride regularly before I commit ( ... )

atillathehung August 15 2006, 14:55:08 UTC

Yes, getting a spare set of wheels with slicks on them would be a really good idea. And to get the gearing you need for road riding, you should pick up a road cogset to install on the second wheelset. That's the least expensive way to go until you decide to really splash into it.

I'll bet since you're used to motorcycles, you'll quickly turn into a really good cyclist. As for swapping the brake levers, I know quite a few motorcyle people who do that! It doesn't make you weird or anything...(that weird, anyway!).

catness August 16 2006, 02:32:23 UTC

There have already been a couple of times on the bicycle where I'd have been turned into a bad smelling paste, if I wasn't already a motorcyclist. Especially on trails, things can get a little gnarly. Definitely have to click your heels three times and believe in physics, a lot. :) Interestingly, I find that city traffic is pretty much exactly the same for me as motorbiking, in terms of situational awareness: high levels of paranoia, defensiveness, and video game playing reflexes. It's totally aggravating, though, trying to get started again without a motor if circumstances cause me to stop. :) St. Inertia, the patron of weed smokers and two ton trucks, she is a bitch.