Today was the first ‘true’ test-ride for Meg, to work and back (19.5 mi round-trip). I’m feeling pretty comfortable about this being the bike that I ride most of the time for the next 5+ years, but I’m positive now that I need to change the handlebars and I think I may need to change […]
Category Archives: Cycling
The positive side
I’ve written a lot of posts, over time, about the most negative parts of cycling — altercations with motorists and poor design or condition of road facilities. But thankfully there are mornings like the one last week when I got off the train in Sunnyvale, walked my bike off the main part of the platform, […]
Test ride: sequential comparison
Today I decided that I wanted to ride Meg (the Terry Madeleine) and Maia (my LeMond Alpe d’Huez) right in sequence to do a closer comparison, because after a few more (utilitarian) rides on Meg, I wondered if maybe I was too stretched out actually. The utilitarian rides were interesting because they were rides I […]
Glorious bike day
Today is a glorious bike day for two reasons. One, it’s the first time I’ve been on a bike in a week and a half, due to my flu. I’m still coughing, but I’m feeling pretty decent otherwise, so I decided that I was ready. I managed to ride two miles at a decent clip […]
Mark your calendars – short sleeves!
Today was the first day of short-sleeve morning cycling this year. What a lovely day. And fewer people than usual tried to do stupid things on the road, as well. I’m guessing I’ll need my jacket on the way home, because the sun will be going down. But by next week, with the early DST […]
Cycletopia
I’ve been paying some attention to the news coverage of the Tour of California prologue that I volunteered for on Sunday, and I’ve wound up pretty disappointed. If the Merc is going to put Ann Killion in the main section, then they should ask her to give a wider coverage of the event and not […]
Lance Armstrong brings attention to all kinds of cycling
I’ve been known to complain about the lack of bike advocacy and neglect of bike commuting by racers, particularly Lance Armstrong, since he’s got such a high profile. But Armstrong is stepping up, opening a bike shop that’ll sell a lot of different kinds of bikes and equipment as well as serve as a bikestation. […]
Obstacle course
This morning’s trip down Evelyn was an obstacle course for some reason. An Aramark truck, a guy backing out who couldn’t see because of the Aramark truck, a person coming out forward who was just being careless, a guy walking his bike right into the lane as I was coming (even though there is no […]
Transportation perspectives
I recently got the opportunity to borrow a car again. The last time I had a car for a while, I had borrowed my dad’s, and had the adventures of 101/92/280 to San Francisco on a Tuesday night and parallel parking. My adventures this time were quieter. The lowlight (or highlight) was a drive home […]
Prudence and public input
I’m loving the Dear Prudence column in Slate, which I discovered by accident. She’s got at least as much sense as Sars and a good dose of snark too, but with a bit more “Miss Manners” style and a touch of the “old-fashioned politeness” Ann Landers/Dear Abby tone. I find it funny and realistic that […]