Bite My Crankset: the thread for bicycle-style conveyances

[donblood]

I just got back from a short ride that turned into a long one - I buzzed into Manhattan for a very specific reason, and then didn't feel like going home yet, so ended up going another ~10 miles out into Queens to the site of the '64 World's Fair.

I did not encounter any roosters this time.  However - as I climbed the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan, a guy on what I thought was a fixed gear passed me.  That's ok - I go my speed and he goes his.  He was looking pretty bike-ratty, what with the u-lock jammed into his belt, hat on sideways, and several inches of boxer short visible.  But then I noticed him coasting, meaning his bike was a single-speed, and so I snickered a little, then snickered a lot when he lost all energy halfway through the climb and I was forced to pass him back.  donblood legs grow strong.

But then we both got passed at high speed by a guy on a BMX with no saddle.  Seriously.  Cycling is humbling.

(thread continued from here)

[jebreject]

I am becoming a fucking master of biking in the pouring fucking rain. Shit.

[milesofsparks]

are there ghost bikes in other cities?  we might lose ours because the sanitation department thinks they're eyesores:

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/06/21/2010-06-21_ghosts_set_to_disappear_city_aims_to_remove_bikedeath_memorials.html

[Greg Nog]

I think that idea got scrapped:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/06/21/2010-06-21_city_nixes_plan_to_remove_ghost_bike_tributes_after_outcry_from_families_of_dead.html

[YojimboMonkey]

Sadly there are ghost bikes all over Chicago.  (not sad about them being eyesores or whatever but sad about the reason they're there)

[morgan]

We've got them in Milwaukee, too, yeah.

[milesofsparks]

I think that idea got scrapped:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/06/21/2010-06-21_city_nixes_plan_to_remove_ghost_bike_tributes_after_outcry_from_families_of_dead.html

that's so weird--that story has the exact same time/date as the other one.

[Greg Nog]

It looks like the second one is about 14 hours later?  Surprisingly quick turnaround on the part of the Department of Sanitation, overall.  I'm looking forward to the collection of abandoned bikes!  There's one in front of my building that's been sitting there since I moved in, taking up valuable parking space locked to a street sign, with flat tires and rust all over for the last seven months.  I kept hoping the owner would fix it up or show some sign of using it once the weather got warm, but no dice.

[milesofsparks]

oh, yes--I misread it.  and yes, I'm totally happy they'll get rid of bike hulks rusting away.  someone should make a giant sculpture out of them.  or an artificial reef!

[milesofsparks]

ergh.  my bike is fucked up and I don't know how to fix it.  the front derailleur  doesn't seem to be working right--the chain is hitting it, the front shifter sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, and the chain mostly doesn't seem to be on the correct sprocket.  is this something I can fix myself, of am I gonna have to haul it in to get fixed?  I wish I knew more about bike fixing.

[YojimboMonkey]

You just bought it right?  Probably just needs some minor adjustments like tightening up cables, etc, which the place you bought it from should do for you free of charge.  Also might need the chain lubed if it's not shifting properly.  Do you have some chain lube you can put on there to see if that helps?

[milesofsparks]

I did lube it, but still no dice.  unfortunately the place I bought it from is across a rather long bridge and through some major traffic, so I'll just have to find a closer place.  it's weird, though--it was totally fine last time I rode it a few days ago, and now it's barely working.

[milesofsparks]

update:  I went to B's Bikes (which I think Greg had recommended at some point?) and the dude was totally sweet, fixed it up in a jiffy, additionally put air in the tires, and only charged $8 instead of the standard $12 derailleur adjustment charge because it was 'so simple.' so I will totally go back there if I need something fixed or need to buy some little bike thing or other.

[The_Tourist]

do they have bike co-ops in ny?

we've got about a handful of them in la.  the original is called the bike kitchen, so the others that sprung up are the bikerowave, bike oven, etc.

basically, you pay a few bucks for "stand time" and they have a collection of used parts and tools, along with volunteers to walk you through any repairs or upgrades you're looking to do.  you get your junk fixed, it's cheap, and you learn how to do it yourself for next time.

[donblood]

update:  I went to B's Bikes (which I think Greg had recommended at some point?) and the dude was totally sweet, fixed it up in a jiffy, additionally put air in the tires, and only charged $8 instead of the standard $12 derailleur adjustment charge because it was 'so simple.' so I will totally go back there if I need something fixed or need to buy some little bike thing or other.

Glad you got it fixed for cheap!  Did they explain what was wrong?  Most bike mechanics can't help but launch into detailed explanations when someone bothers to ask what they've done...

[milesofsparks]

he was a pretty reticent fellow, but he basically said what I suspected: it was just totally misaligned.  no idea how it happened--last time I rode it a few days ago it seemed fine.  maybe someone busted into it last time I left it locked somewhere?  but then I rode home so...  no idea.  anyway, he fixed that up and also made a few adjustments on the rear derailleur that just made the whole thing run so perfectly and smoothly and silently, possibly better than brand new.  and when he told me the price it was with a question mark, like: "maybe $8?" as if I was going to protest that was a craaaaaazy price to charge.

[DCDave]

Someone stole my front tire this morning.

They moved it a block away and rested it against a tree.

I am assuming it was a mischievous friend.

[Greg Nog]

update:  I went to B's Bikes (which I think Greg had recommended at some point?) and the dude was totally sweet, fixed it up in a jiffy, additionally put air in the tires, and only charged $8 instead of the standard $12 derailleur adjustment charge because it was 'so simple.' so I will totally go back there if I need something fixed or need to buy some little bike thing or other.

Neat!  Yeah, they're the place right around the corner from me.  They've been really nice, the couple of times I've gone there.

[donblood]

he was a pretty reticent fellow, but he basically said what I suspected: it was just totally misaligned.  no idea how it happened--last time I rode it a few days ago it seemed fine.  maybe someone busted into it last time I left it locked somewhere?  but then I rode home so...  no idea. 

Which actually brings to mind some good advice:  lock your bike so the drivetrain side (i.e. chain/derailleurs/etc) is facing away from whatever you're locking to, and same goes for resting your bike against things in your apartment.

[dumbfish]

In the same vein, back in my mtn biking days, we talked about how important it was to crash on the cheap side of the bike.

[milesofsparks]

Tourist, I just found out about a coopy bike thingy from this article:
http://nymag.com/guides/everything/collectivism/67014/

...totally gonna hit it up as soon as it's less than 100 degrees.  maybe on Sunday if I have time.  I am psyched to learn some bike fixing skills, especially since my bike is mildly fucked up again.  how does this keep happening?  I'm starting to wonder if the fenders are causing problems--I may have to ditch them.

[Ah_Pook]

i had to stop riding my bike for a while because i straine dmy back. im sad about this, but hopefully its not for much longer.

[The_Tourist]

Tourist, I just found out about a coopy bike thingy from this article:
http://nymag.com/guides/everything/collectivism/67014/

...totally gonna hit it up as soon as it's less than 100 degrees.  maybe on Sunday if I have time.  I am psyched to learn some bike fixing skills, especially since my bike is mildly fucked up again.  how does this keep happening?  I'm starting to wonder if the fenders are causing problems--I may have to ditch them.

awesome!

(except for the continuing problems. hopefully you get those worked out.)

[jebreject]

Fucking prick in a gigantic pickup truck tried forcing me into a parked car this morning. Like, not just didn't know how to share the road, but was actually trying to fuck with me. He was laughing. I called him a motherfucker and really wanted to throw my u-lock through his window. Then when I was done with work I had a flat tire. I'm going to somehow blame it on that jagoff.

[Ignatius]

Jesus, what a fucking sociopath. I'm glad you're all right, anyway.