Saturday, August 30, 2008

as**ole of the MONTH.

I was biking home from work.
It is Friday night.
I am in the bike lane on Westmount towards University.
We're at a stop light.
I have 2 lights both fore and aft. I have a half-square foot of reflectors. I have lights mounted on my helmet.
Yes I KNOW it is dorky .
I just didn't expect someone to point that out...
I certainly didn't expect him to refer to me as looking like a (swear) then (insult).
He asked if I thought my helmet made me tough.
He was in the car with five people when he said this.

I said it was not my helmet that made me tough, and we could talk about that more if he stepped out of his car.
No takers.
He blustered a bit, as cowards and bullies are prone to do.
Then took off when the light changed.

I got his car license.

BCYW 317. Grey Toyota (?Honda), a very small sedan, grey.

Congratulations, you snot-nosed arrogant undergrad punk.
You just made the bike blog AS**OLE of the month.

It is sad that taking measures to improve my safety cycling at night beyond the minimum the law requires provokes insults.

Friday, August 29, 2008

looking towards winter

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080829.wwinter29/BNStory/National/home

D: the verdict is still out on winter.
I attempted winter cycling last year. It failed for a number or reasons.
1) heavy snowfall
2) bike lanes are not cleared
3) sidewalk clearing by the city was voted down
4) sidewalk clearing by individuals has never been heavily enforced.
(The sole person is in an office. Any reason why traffic enforcement couldn't do this?!?)
5) I got hit by a vehicle. My bike was wrecked. (Rolling stop, no visual check at all.)

This doesn't just hurt cyclists. It hurts bus commuters.
We were standing on rounded slick piles of snow even uptown for days, wading through knee-high piles. The city doesn't clean snow from even the main bus route after heavy snowfall!
Plus once off the bus, folks then use sidewalks.
If sidewalks adjacent to main routes (even main routes - the liquor store and the 7-11 on King/ near Victoria even!) are not clean, then the bus/walk combo ceases to be viable.
When the dust settles, the methodical neglect of all other forms of transportation favours... the car. Surprise.

What do I recommend?
1) call in anyone after 24 hours after heavy snowfall that doesn't clean their sidewalk
2) push the city to clean sidewalks (it amounts to c. 1% more taxes)
3) I'll set up a Hall of Shame each week, for those who leave it that long.

Might I recommend the following bus/bike/sidewalk arrangement?
1) mandate one yard gap b/w road and sidewalk, for snow pileup
2) don't put bike lanes on bus routes if it can be helped
3) don't have on-road parking by bike lanes - that's a great way to get doored.
BTW, I react to on-road parking by occupying an entire lane. Safety.
Given recent court cases, it seems nobody will be charged with anything for dooring a cyclist to death.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/archive/2008/06/27/woman-charged-in-toronto-cyclist-s-death.aspx
D: I stand corrected. A traffic violation for negligence causing death. That's nice.

"Toronto police have charged the 43-year-old woman who opened the door of her car without looking and sent a cyclist tumbling to his death last month.

The charge, requested by cycling activists, is “Open Vehicle Door Improperly,” under the Highway Traffic Act.

The cyclist, 57, was travelling east on Eglinton Avenue West, just west of Avenue Road, when the door to a parked Volvo opened in front of him, Toronto police said. He lost his balance and fell into the path of a cube van."

-----------------------

Cruzbike update:

- the bike store had no idea what a quill to ahead adapter was.

I had to find an online pic and link for them.

- I was wrong about the different threading type being the issue.

- the bike rack/folding baskets are attached. the fat rack tubing didn't fit with the brackets provided

- putting the kit on a teen's 15"ish inch frame makes for a nimble bike, but one unstable at high speed

- the 24" tires also cap speed at 30kph before my pedal cadence 'spins out'.

I either need a SRAM dualdrive /8 cassette or a Schlumph Hyperdrive.

Since the SHD can be used in future projects, I may go with that.

The Cruzbike is providing indispensable experience in steering a (quasi) mid-steer though.

One last thing:

1) invest in all-new brake and gear cabling. The improv use of shorter lengths results in a spongy feel and some gear clatter.

-------------------

Trivial aside: cheap beater bikes (20-30 bux) can be had at locations:

1) Recycle Cycles, through the Work Centre

2) old Ed on William Street in Waterloo. Where Euclid meets. Looks for bike shed in the back, use side door.



Wednesday, August 27, 2008

my cruzbike is done. critical mass rally.



D: many thanks to my bud Mike for helping. OK, for building it with my help, LOL!

A few observations:
1) just buy a local chopper handlebar set. The shipping was 100 bux!!!
2) the instructions were not very detailed at all.
3) a videotape or DVD, or at least a dedicated conversion kit manual would have been welcome.
4) the components all seem good quality
5) you may very well need a different threat type lock in the steering tube.
6) they aren't kidding about alloy components for the front boom - it is massive.

How does it handle?
1) it is total weirdness having the steering tug with each pedal push
2) it is kinda half standard 'bent handling plus half mid-steer... which I've never done.
3) I am glad I used kid 24" tires not 26", for planting my feet on the ground.

But obviously it can handle well. See these Youtube vids:

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=oumIzo9tGPs
D: this shows the tight turning radius possible.

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=RiOVIVIGBVA&feature=related
D: hands free- there is another of a guy starting from a dead stop hands free.
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=P17maWic4tA

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=kBYUAV9QEws
D: a typical first-time rider.

D: I am surprised by the lack of an under-seat-steering option.
After all, if it can be steered without hands, why not?

I am leery about going to the CRITICAL MASS rally.
I was thinking of it as a bike ride with fellow cyclists.
I took a peek at their Facebook group, and they all seem to have many *unrelated* ideological axes to grind.
"bringing attention to issues of facilities and safety, enjoying car-free social time on city streets, confronting police, motorists and other symbols of the status quo, and a variety of other purposes, many unstated."
D: WTF?
Other purposes? Confronting police? They actually said that?
OK I cannot go on it.
They're extremists.
"

A Forensic Analysis of September 11, 2001: Questioning the Official Story

1 post by 1 person Created on Feb 26, 2008 at 7:17 PM.
Latest post by Adam Parrott
Posted on Feb 26, 2008 at 7:17 PM.

Veterans Association Joins Anti-War rally, AW@L agrees to move location

1 post by 1 person Created on Oct 26, 2007 at 12:01 AM.
Latest post by Alex Hundert
Posted on Oct 26, 2007 at 12:01 AM.
Latest post by Alex Hundert
Posted on Oct 24, 2007 at 2:33 PM.

CM Waterloo: Watch this 2 min. youtube vid w/ details of EXXON/ESSO funding GW denial

1 post by 1 person Created on Oct 20, 2007 at 11:14 AM.
Latest post by John Dingell
Posted on Oct 20, 2007 at 11:14 AM.

WLU Cord Article: Critical mass bike ride in KW

1 post by 1 person Created on Oct 6, 2007 at 4:53 PM.
Latest post by Victoria Bick
Posted on Oct 6, 2007 at 4:53 PM.

Critical Mass, Critical Mess: A Blog Entry/Discussion

9 posts by 7 people Created on Sep 26, 2007 at 3:10 PM.
Latest post by Neman Syed
Posted on Oct 4, 2007 at 5:23 PM.

ANTI WAR ACTION & RALLY THIS FRIDAY, Oct 5

1 post by 1 person Created on Oct 3, 2007 at 9:09 PM.
Latest post by Alex Hundert
Posted on Oct 3, 2007 at 9:09 PM.

That Guy"


D: and bicycle laws and planning have WHAT to do with (insert any kneejerk leftwing reactionary stance here)???

*&(*(&*((*(_%^*&))(...

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

under seat steering 'bent bike for kid safety

D: I was reading ScienceDaily and Eurekalert yesterday for bicycle articles.
This came up:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071016131422.htm
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/09/020913065232.htm
participants were riding at low speed when something occurred to make them lose control of their bicycle and fall. The front wheel rotated into a plane perpendicular to the child's body. The child landed on the end of the handlebar, resulting in serious abdominal or pelvic organ injuries. Common injuries in the Pediatrics study were splenic, kidney, liver and pancreatic lacerations and contusions.

D: So we have 2 types of injuries:
1) fall far enough to bash head
2) fall and impaled on handlebars.
You know, a recumbent bicycle with under-seat-steering addresses BOTH issues.

A normal cyclist on an upright hits their head at 15kph on the ground.
On a 'bent bike, yer head is moving slower.
Personally, I have some problems with over-seat-steering on a 'bent anyway.
I have problems with something blocking my line of site.
Plus tall cyclists tend to clip their knees.

Sadly, USS (under) steering was not an option on the Cruzbike I'm building.

Monday, August 18, 2008

bike security

http://gizmodo.com/5038103/older-asus-eee-pc-batteries-are-incompatible-with-900a

D: Funny quote!
"All bicycles weigh fifty pounds. A thirty-pound bicycle needs a twenty-pound lock. A forty-pound bicycle needs a ten-pound lock. A fifty-pound bicycle doesn't need a lock at all."

D: I hear in Holland, some internal steering locking mechanism is used.
Sure, you can steal the bike.
You just cannot TURN it.

I removed the quick-release from my cruddy old bike.
It makes it too easy to steal. Even a junky seat got stolen.

D: issue with my Zounds air horn... I think it requires a third obscure type of nozzle.
I cannot seem to use the local garage to refill the air.
Hmm.

Monday, August 11, 2008

honour the stop bike program


http://honorthestop.org/

D: interesting idea.
I am not planning to make it.
1) I can sit in a bike lane and some traffic lights will NEVER change.
2) when I am tooling around 11AM at 15kph, my seconds of reaction time is huge
3) I imagine every time I lock my bike to a non-bike-stand (cuz there aren't any/or they're full), I'm breaking SOME law.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

great reelight bike light has waterloo supplier!



D: I stopped in at Waterloo Cycles, uptown Waterloo.
I was looking for a non Y-frame mountain bike that might handle my Cruzbike recumbent kit.
I picked up a nifty broad spring-equipped 'granny seat' for my newer bike for 20 bux in the bargain bin.
Anyway, it turns out they have the terrific Reelight for c. $80.
Sadly, their website is but a thin veneer, or else my online research would have found that.
They REALLY need to get with the times.

Anyway, the Reelight bolts onto the tire's axle. Magnets are attached to spokes. It is like those lil' dynamo kits but without contact. That means no friction losses and no slipping in the rain!
If you have the cash, I'd highly recommend these.
If not, check out the freelight from UK instead.
http://www.freelights.co.uk/