Late Spring

I love the iced coffee in her basket...

Bright jacket and capris

I've talked about wearing a bright jacket and capris as possible concessions for easy cycling so when I saw this woman I immediately thought "Where's her bike?" Maybe she parked it to go to lunch with her friend, or maybe she's just wearing this ensemble because she finds it cute, even without a bike!

Critical Mass Boston

I went down to see Critical Mass on Friday, though I couldn't ride due to another obligation. It was fun to observe the bike community coalescing. I'd guess there were about 100 riders there. I only heard about one incident, and it seems like the ride was longer than normal. The weather was perfect so a long ride makes sense.

Simple Elegance in black and red

Leather bag and a cruiser

She looked so lovely in an exotic scarf (which hasn't photographed well) and her leather "messenger bag". I caught up with her at the light and she told me that she is borrowing her friend's bike. I hope she still goes out riding her own bike too.



Our Boston commute doesn't look anything like the photos from Europe. Sigh.

Product Review: Nitto Periscopa stem

This is really just an excuse to post another photo of my beloved bike.

The new stem is a Nitto Periscopa from Rivendell. It is intended to "shorten the cockpit" and that it does. I take a larger frame because my legs are long, but then I feel like I'm reaching too much for the handlebars. This stem has completely changed that. As I ride around town I have noticed that I'm finally getting things to exist where I intuitively reach for them. That's proving to be good when attempting to take photos, ride a bike, and stay safe in Boston traffic, all at the same time.

Summertime: patterned skirt and flip flops

Making the turn, in a red dress

Discussing Schwinns

A frequent reader recently pointed me to this discussion of Schwinn Cruisers.

EXCERPT:
(Here is) yet another Ode-to-the-Dutch-Bike. Seems like every one of the bike-fashion / fashion-on-bikes / chic / etc blogs are doing it. OK, Dutch bikes're maybe nice and certainly it's maybe neat to buy something new (here) and trendy. I submit though that old Schwinns are a much better fit for the American commuting and city-bike scene.

1. They're ubiquitous and cheap. Every thrift store in every metro gets maybe 50 of them per year. Here in the Iowa/Illinois Quad Cities' 7 thrift stores they are priced between $5.38 (don't ask me - that 38-cents thing is unique to Goodwill nationwide apparently) and on up to, but never higher than, around $25.
2. With a disassembly, cleanup, lubing, and new rubber/cabling/chain, they'll likely be good for another 28-44 years. Those are the ages of the youngest and the oldest of the twenty-some Schwinns that I refurbed this past year.
3. They are city-riding-comfortable. Fenders, upright handlebars, and really comfy old mattress seats are on every Schwinn I put out, even the ones that originally came set up as roadies. I mostly prefer the 3-spd internal Sturmey Archer hub bikes altho I have put out a few 5-spd derailler bikes, two 10-spds, and converted four 10-spds to different gearing/drive set ups.
4. They can be _very_ chic. Please look at this bike to see some photos and a narrative about one such Schwinn I recently finished.

So anyway, it's my opinion that the ideal bikes for putting Americans back onto bikes for urban riding are here, right under our noses and we're perhaps too snobbish to see them.

I confess that I have long been under the impression that Schwinns aren't worth much (maybe it was the $5.38 pricetag?). I don't want to be snobbish. If possible I'd love to borrow a Schwinn in Boston for a quick joyride. I know that some people adore theirs, and I'd love know know how they ride... Anyone?

I'd be very interested in hearing other people's experiences (good and bad) with their Schwinn, please leave a comment.

Bicycle Date Night Downtown

Heading down Boyleston Street in style.