Public Bikes: Minor Modifications and Experiments

We've been playing a bit more with the Public Bikes J7 because there were a couple of things I wasn't entirely sure I loved on the bike. I had mentioned that I wasn't completely sold on the "use the same handlebar on every bike model" idea, so I decided to experiment with some North Road handlebars to see if it improved the bike.

Nitto North Road handlebars
**Image from RideMonkey

When we first put the handlebars on, I thought it looked much better, but after an initial short ride down the block to test them out, they seemed to make the handling quite squirrely. Not ready to give up on the modified handlebars, I took the bike for a longer ride to see how it did. After noting that they were tipped entirely too high, I opted to tilt them down significantly, which seems to have resolved the handling issue (though I'll have to test this again on a longer ride).

Front view with the North Road bars

Handlebar view from riders position

Side view with new handlebars

To remind myself what the bike looked like with the original handlebars, I had to take another look to see what sort of difference it made. Here is a side view...

and this is the view that the rider would have prior to changing out the handlebars...

From the riders position, it doesn't appear that there is much of a change because the bars bend similarly, however, instead of the riders' hands being out in front they are now more to the side. Whether this will work out in the long run remains to be seen.

The observant viewer may also have noted that we changed out the tires and grips on the J7. While the Kenda tires on the bike were doing fine, I just have a good past with the Delta Cruisers from Schwalbe, so it puts my mind at east not having to worry about flats riding around the city (I suppose I should knock on some wood here). The Kenda's will be used as spare tires in the event of a puncture, or on another bicycle.

Still loving this bike... now if I can just figure out how to keep the springs from squeaking when riding on the Brooks saddle. :o)

Ride to the Auto Parts Store

Things are completely crazy for the next few days while I attempt to get everything done that is coming to completion. At least I'm feeling a bit better about abstraction. Last night, a small group of us decided to go to First Friday in Denver's Arts District to check out the sights and to get a feel for current ideas and art work. While in the car driving, I realized that my passenger side headlight was out, and though I knew I had a bulb at home, there was nothing I could do about it at the time. In addition, my interior light has been out for some time now, and since I spend a great deal of time driving in the dark from campus, we thought it would be a good idea to replace it. Since I was letting paint dry this afternoon, Sam and I decided to ride over to the auto parts store to get the interior bulb that was needed.

Waiting outside for Sam to purchase a bulb

I realize there is a bit of irony in riding our bicycles to an auto parts store, but if you consider that most people who are there are purchasing something for a car that isn't working, or has some kind of broken part, it doesn't seem that off the wall to me to be riding a bicycle to the auto parts store. Of course, there are no bicycle racks, so I amused myself by watching the traffic go by and admiring the bicycles.

Surly and Pashley sittin' in a tree, er, sittin' on cement

I feel as though the Hillborne has taken over as the most ridden bicycle in the house, but I do enjoy the Pashley too. I also realized how heavy it is today while we were riding. Good for building leg muscles, definitely. While waiting for Sam to return, I also noticed that I managed to get two goat heads stuck in the rear tire. Ugh!

Two goat heads (one barely visible lower on the tire)

I am such a magnet for these critters, especially this time of year when all the weeds are dying off and these thorns just end up in the shoulder where we're riding. I pulled them out, so I could test the durability of the Schwalbe Marathon tires.  As I was pulling them out, I looked up at the sky and was in complete awe of the strange cloudiness that had formed around us. It was beautiful and eerie all at once.

Cloudy Autumn skies quickly formed this afternoon

Sam finally managed to make it back outside, despite being told by two different assistant managers that they 'couldn't' ring him up.

Sam has bulbs!

We headed home, shaking our heads but laughing about the ineptitude of some workers. The ride home was pleasant, as we pedaled along, both of still being able to wear shorts during this gorgeous time of year.

Riding home (that nice bruise on the left leg from falling on the Hillborne seems to be healing nicely though)

After arriving home, my tires seemed to be in good shape, but unfortunately, Sam had also picked up a couple of goat heads, and his tires didn't fair so well. As soon as he pulled them out, the air came wooshing out quite audibly. I felt bad, but at the same time am grateful that I can trust the thorn protection of the Marathon tires. I think the extra money is well worth it to have the extra protection. And now, I have exterior and interior lights once again. I am very happy that I'll at least have a way to see my attackers in the late night parking lot now.

Longer Rides = Pain-Filled Hands

I've now been on a few longer rides on the Hillborne, and I'm still trying to make it my own. Concerns about my wrists have surfaced once again, and I'm wondering if I'll ever be able to do the 40-50 mile rides I long to do, since 10-20 mile rides at this point seem to do me in. While Sam is in Indiana this week, and I have nothing better to do, I have a feeling I'll be testing different ways of riding to see what causes the least amount of strain to my hands.  I specifically worry about my right hand as it's already very weak, and I don't need to add to the issues. As I sit here typing, I'm having pain shoot through the right wrist, and while I can handle minor pain, I don't want to worsen any problems that already exist. I know that everyone says you shouldn't be in pain while riding, and generally speaking, I'm not in pain while I ride, but the after affects aren't always pleasant. I am determined to make this work though, so it's just a matter of some little tweaks, and I think we can make it work.

Sam Hillborne after cream tires and Berthoud fenders
were installed

One of the most exciting updates to the Hillborne is that I got my cream Grand Bois Hetre tires back on the bike. Yay!!! This was a big deal to me. When we discovered that the Honjo hammered fenders weren't going to work with the fat Grand Bois tires, it became apparent that I'd have to give in and put the black Schwalbe's on the bike. It did something aesthetically that did not please me, turning the bike into something (as I called it) too 'boy-like.' While I have no aversion specifically to riding something boyish, I had a picture in my head and it just wasn't becoming that bike. The pretty Grand Bois' now adorn the wheels once more, and these Berthoud fenders took the place of the Honjo's in order to get the tires to fit properly. It's a snug fit, but I think it will work just fine and life on the Hillborne can resume with the prettier look. My new pedals (the ones currently on the bike are from the stock of bike parts sitting in the garage) also arrived today, so I'm looking forward to getting those on and trying them out.

In addition, I need to put the Raleigh Triumph up for sale, as there are just too many bicycles in the house. I may need to sell the Super Course as well, but for now, I'm going to focus on clearing the garage of at least one bicycle. I'm thinking Craigslist is the best option, but I know how that can go as well. Until then, at least two bikes remain part of the decor in the living room. I'm not sure how much that really bothers me though... maybe it could become an entire bicycle theme for the living area?

The Hillborne Ride

This morning was the maiden voyage on the newly built Hillborne, and because I don't enjoy doing things just a little bit, I decided to ride in with Sam this morning to his job, and then come back alone. The round trip is slightly more than 19 miles, and, all things considered, it wasn't too bad. There are, however, a few things that I think need some adjusting:


- I think that the long stem we got to keep the handlebars more upright, is probably too long. While it's nice to be a bit more upright, I find that I'm putting too much pressure on my hands, and I think I need to find the balance between what is too high and having the bars too low.

225mm stem seemed like a good idea in theory, but perhaps isn't in practice?

- The actual handlebars on the bicycle, I believe, are tilted too high. When I try to utilize the lower part of the drop bars, I find myself struggling to find a comfortable place. I think a slight tilt can resolve this issue.

Handlebars, pre-taping, but in the same position.

- The saddle, which is easily adjusted, is likely too low because when I got home from the ride the front of my knees were killing me. Part of me thinks this could be that I'm not used to pedaling with purpose, but, more than likely it's the height of the saddle.

Brooks Flyer S saddle

- I'm not sure how I feel about the fenders. I think in my head I was thinking that this could be a commuter, exerciser, all around bicycle, but I have a feeling that it will more than likely be used as something for exercise purposes, with maybe occasional trips to a location for a purpose, so I'm thinking that they can come off. They created quite a bit of work in the installation process, and I'm not enjoying the noises that they make. Beyond the rubbing noises from the tires (which could likely be addressed and resolved), every time I go over any sort of rock or debris (on the roads around here that equates to approximately every two seconds) it gets caught up and makes horrendous noises. It's kind of distracting, so I'm thinking that perhaps taking them off is the solution.

Fenders, after removing Grand Bois tires and putting Schwalbe's on instead.

While I very much wanted to keep the Grand Bois tires on the bike, I came to realize that it wasn't practical to keep them and the fenders. Even though there should've been plenty of clearance, the two weren't cooperating. Instead, the Schwalbe Marathon tires were mounted. They seem to ride nice enough, but I think it makes the bike look more "boyish" and I'm missing the look of the lighter colored tires.


- The palms of my hands are killing me. It's not the muscle, but rather the skin. I wore gloves (which I normally don't) and I thought that would be enough, but they aren't doing well. I suspect that this has something to do with some of the above mentioned handlebar issues, but time will tell.


The ride this morning made me realize that I need to do more cycling to keep myself used to all of this. If one goes too long, it seems to take its toll. I'm looking forward to seeing how this all goes, and resolving the seemingly minor issues. Overall, I like the bicycle and remain hopeful that it's going to be THE bike.

To Restore, or Not to Restore... THAT is the Question

So, the lovely Raleigh/Triumph three speed bicycle currently sits in the garage after our fun camping trip this summer. While it was nice to have a bicycle to ride on vacation, I feel as though there are improvements that could be made to this bike. After Sam took the time to clean the bicycle, we discovered that the hub is actually in pretty good shape (as in almost new, despite the fact that it's a 34 year old bike), and overall it's in decent shape, but I was thinking that it would be nice to make it a bit easier to peddle with a larger cog on the back, getting a nicer saddle (the Brooks has now spoiled me that's on the Pashley) and perhaps grips, and I'm thinking about changing the wheels, simply because I hate trying to find 27 inch tires. They do exist, but the ones that I want don't seem to be readily available. Then I think that it is a back up bicycle, so perhaps it isn't that big of a deal. I'd also like to repaint the bike and find some new decals and a head badge to complete the look. I suppose the question is, do I really want to spend the time/money as an investment in this bicycle when it runs perfectly well now?

I can't help but think how pretty she'd look though if she had some restoration done. I think the biggest thing is that I'd want it to be a different color, but the classic colors would be the black or the darker green color, much like the Pashley. I thought about a red, but my word, I've had so many issues with red bicycles, that I feel it would be a jinx on her. I also thought about a brown or possibly cream color. I guess I feel as though it's a commitment though once I start the project. It obviously wouldn't all have to be done at once, but if I started it, I would want to finish the job.

On the side of not wanting to put in the work is of course the costs involved, the fact that the bicycle is a bit cramped for my preferences, despite the reality that the frame size is actually larger than the experts say I should be riding, and it was supposed to be the bicycle I could actually just kind of throw around and not worry about. If I do put the work in, I won't want it to be mistreated (not that I would really mistreat her anyway, but I just don't have the paranoia I would have).

The debate rages on, and in the mean time, I keep my eyes open

for any deals that might sway

me into working on the project, like a Brooks B66s/B67s saddle for one quarter the regular price, as an example, or finding 27" Schwalbe Delta's in a nice cream color. A girl can dream, right?

WTF Am I Doing?

Today I had my annual eye exam at the world's greatest eye doctor. God, I really love Dr. Wolford. She is so awesome! I decided to go ahead and ride to the appointment because I haven't rode for several days and I had the time, so why not. Since both Stuart and Phoebe are gone, that left D.D. to be ridden to the appointment with her newly mounted cream Schwalbe's. I thought I needed to test out how they rode and to have a decent and current ride to feel out the beautiful girl. I have discovered a few things.
1) The tires really didn't make a huge difference in the ride (at least from what I recall of the ride). While they are beautiful, and certainly of better quality than the original tires on the Ticino, I'm not certain that it changed the ride quality for the better. Nor is the ride worse either, but I suppose I was curious to see if some of the jostling would be kept to a minimum with more solid and thicker tires.
2) My hands and rear are still not loving the ride. It's not a horrible ride, but I felt shaken up when I got back from the 15 miles. When I returned, I shut my eyes for 15 minutes on the couch and awoke to completely numb hands - and they were just laying across my body. My rear I can deal with because I think it's just typical for riding a bicycle and I don't have the spine pain I was having when I rode Phoebe. Not sure what to do about the hands though. It's not unbearable, but at the same time, I don't want to be in any pain or discomfort. I know, I'm probably being completely unreasonable.
3) This item is a bit of a strange one, but the Ticino is a mixte frame, and I find I am having issues because my legs are so large. I find my inner leg/knee fat rubbing up against the frame with each pedal and then I'm trying to compensate by putting my feet farther out on the pedals, but then my feet go numb. I can't be the only person who's experienced this (or maybe I am), but I can't find any real information on a way to pedal to avoid this friction. I suppose most would say, "Just don't ride a mixte frame." Ugh.
4) I realized that I am not entirely sure that I know what I'm doing with a bicycle. I know that I certainly don't need three different bicycles for the same basic kind of riding, but I don't know what I need. I don't want my hands to be in pain or going numb, but I can't deal with being unable to walk because of lower back issues either. I just want to be able to go into town, which is a bit of a ride in itself, and to the grocery store and wherever without too many issues.

So, now what? Do I sell the Ticino too? I don't think it would be wise for me to have a heavy bicycle as my only bike, but at the same time, I don't know what to do about all of these issues. I like that I'm able to go a little bit faster on the Ticino, and I do like the bicycle, but I'm just not sure what I should be doing. Perhaps riding just isn't for me? Maybe I have to many body issues (physical, not mental) to deal with and it's just not the thing for me? I'm getting a little upset about it. I thought it was all set with the upright riding of the Amsterdam, but goodness knows I have enough lower back issues without adding to it by riding this one. I'm sure for most people it's just fine, but I have so many back and hand issues, I'm wondering if I just need to give up. I know mountain bicycles don't work, and a road bike DEFINITELY won't work because of wrist and hand issues. I think now I'm afraid to even try anything for fear that it will just create some new kind of issue. I swear though, if I ever were to find something that worked, I would never give it up.

Overall, a frustrating thing to figure out, particularly as I don't have endless money to spend on bicycles to "try" them to figure out what does work for me. I still like the Pashley I test rode, but now I'm questioning that too because I wonder, as stated above, if I even know what will work. For now, I remain a one questionable bicycle girl.

Time for an Update?

I have not updated for a few weeks, it seems. Not really sure why, but I suppose I should have something to say after the passage of several days, right?

School update: We're almost a third of the way through the semester, so as one can see, I am definitely doing the countdown. It's not that I'm not enjoying some of it, but I think I'm just on a mission to be done with this. In the back of my head I still have the idea that grad school may be a possibility, but I'm not sure I can deal with it. One interesting note is that painting is a lot more enjoyable than last semester, and I am quite thankful to have an instructor who actually wants us to do our own work and do our best. A welcomed change, certainly.

I'm not loving ceramics. It's not that I don't enjoy playing the clay, but I'm not loving the actual instruction going on. I would welcome a change there, or even dropping the class, except that I can't afford to be down yet another course, so I remain. Trudging through it all.

Life update: Not much to share here. Everything seems to just be moving along without too much trouble. The dogs are well, and enjoying their park visits. Sam is doing well - a job would be nice, but it will come in time. Patience is a virtue, right? And, I just saw a commercial for "Essure," this permanent birth control that isn't surgery and has no hormones... hmm... interesting. A little scary sounding with sticking something in the fallopian tube that is going to cause skin to "block" any sperm, but you know, it's interesting nonetheless.

Bicycle update: I miss riding because it's snowing, but I suppose it will melt quickly and life will resume. To get me by, I find myself perusing websites with super expensive bicycles that I will never, ever be able to actually have. Some pictures of my bicycle(s) will perhaps help?

Bicycles are so pretty and so fun to ride. It makes me miss California and being able to be outside year round with very little "down time" for snow.

I'm also thinking about getting some new Schwalbe's for both Phoebe and the Ticino. I also think the Ticino needs a name... what, I have no idea, but if I'm going to name my bicycles, it seems wrong not to name the Ticino. Something sophisticated, I suppose? Not sure.

For now, life moves forward, whether I'm ready or not. Hopefully, I can get everything done before Monday because it seems as though everything happens all at once.