Thread for lusting after expensive items we can't afford.

[alex]

i have trouble with bike seats too, pollo, so i feel your pain, but i've had seats over the years that were better than most.

ones that were as soft as Davy's drum throne, though? Because my impression has always been that the soft ones are actually the ones that are least comfortable if you sit on them for more than five minutes at a time.

All of which reminds me that I'm really lusting after a bicycle. Specifically, after this one (for the very mundane reason that it's the one I picked up on a whim when I went to order one the other week) -

(that's a Trek t80 - actually mine will be the mid-step model, though (again, for the very mundane reason that the guy at the bicycle shop automatically assumed so because I'm a lady and I didn't protest because I didn't really care one way or the other, though it might actually take some getting used to as my last couple of bicycles have all been the "guys" variety))

But that's somewhat off-topic, considering that, if everything works out according to plan, it is not an "item I can't afford" but an "item my university pays for me". I just wish they'd speed up a little in paying it for me, y'know?

[elpollodiablo]

Wow! Your uni is gonna pay for your bike?

[ellaguru]

(that's a Trek t80 - actually mine will be the mid-step model, though (again, for the very mundane reason that the guy at the bicycle shop automatically assumed so because I'm a lady and I didn't protest because I didn't really care one way or the other, though it might actually take some getting used to as my last couple of bicycles have all been the "guys" variety))

A friend of mine lusts after a girl's bike, but has decided that her current bike has to get stolen first, so that she can justify the purchase. So she's been lusting after girls' bikes for a couple years now.

[alex]

Yeah! It is rather awesome. Part of a university-wide plan to motivate employees to come to work by bicycle due to a shortage of parking spaces (I do waive my right to a parking space for the next couple of years in the process, but I live too close to my workplace to qualify for a parking space in the first place, not to mention that I have no driving licence).

I mean, technically, they pay 340 Euro and I pay the rest (100-something Euro, plus insurance) myself, but I get to pay that off in vacation hours counted against my gross salary, so I will get the bicycle without any monetary payments. Well, hopefully, anyway, because I applied for it a bit late so it is still possible (though not likely, I think/hope) that my application will be turned down.

[Doctor Bob]

Are we drooling over bikes again?

Because if so, I want one of these- it's a c.1900 Laclede Bourd Track Racer:



It's only £1500(stg).

Or anything made by Mike at ANT.  (He even has a modern version of the bike pictured above- check out the frame on the Major Taylor.)

One other thing, on the subject of ladies and bikes: http://copenhagengirlsonbikes.blogspot.com/

Seeing as you asked, Yes, I had to look at that site today for work purposes.  I generally like my job, but some days I think it was sent from heaven.  A bit like the cycling ladies of Copenhagen.

[davy]

It doesn't look as sumptuous as davy's throne, though

it could never be.

actually, the cushion itself is pretty firm. the comfort level has more to do with the sculpting. same is true with most upper-tier bike saddles.

which, come to think of it, is another odd term in this context.

[Andrew_TSKS]

i have trouble with bike seats too, pollo, so i feel your pain, but i've had seats over the years that were better than most.

ones that were as soft as Davy's drum throne, though? Because my impression has always been that the soft ones are actually the ones that are least comfortable if you sit on them for more than five minutes at a time.

no, for me, the counter-intuitive accepted wisdom has always been less true than the intuitive yet assumed to be false assumption that softer equals better. my current seat is a piece of hard plastic. i can barely ride my bike at all. the one i had before this one was padded pretty extensively, and it was great.

[SPACERACE]

ANT makes beautiful bikes and bike-like things. if you want something crazy custom, he's the best.

andrew, you don't have a very broad frame of reference. hard plastic sucks, and relative to that some giant padded shit is just wonderful, but if you ride more than 5 miles more than once every few weeks, your back is going to give out sooner than later. the best seats never look comfortable, and really never are if you're getting onto a bike for the first time in a bit, but they'll stop hurting after 3 days, and you'll have freedom of motion, and if you take the 20 seconds to fit your bike properly and don't be a lazy idiot like most folks you're be comfortable doing quite a bit on your bike day in and out.

[DCDave]

I just bid on a couple of Shepherd Fairey Obama posters.

[SPACERACE]

HACK

[elpollodiablo]

*prepares for reese's vitriolic reaction*

They do look pretty cool though


*hahaha, that's an xpost right there

[DCDave]

Lost both the bids already.

[coldforge]

On the davy tip, here is the incredibly expensive item that I can't afford, but bought anyway. Jesus.  That's a heady thought.

[coldforge]

FUCKING LOOK AT IT

[elpollodiablo]

HOLY FUCK

PEDALS

[coldforge]

to say the least, dear friend.

[elpollodiablo]

You should put a crescent moon & star on one and a picture of Kim Jong Il on the other

[SPACERACE]

damn son, going the whole 9

[davy]

motherfuck, coldforge.

there is a substantial ($$) difference between buying the nicest throne on the market and buying the nicest double-bass pedal on the market.

[SPACERACE]

coldforge, how good of a drummer are you

[coldforge]

a fucking awesome a+ drummer.

[coldforge]

why?

[SPACERACE]

because you'd better be.

[Thermofusion]

He's saying you don't DESERVE those double kicks.  SNAP.

[SPACERACE]

well i don't think i've ever seen you mention drums before in any sense