No pictures?
First thing you need to do is build a ramp and drain the pool. All else follows ;)
It's got a basket, a bell that rings and
Things to make it look good.
I'd give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it.
Just don’t ride it like John Kerry
One thing to consider is a protective liner between tube and tire. A simple thistle spur can puncture a tire and cause a slow leak.
I did this seven years ago on my otherwise cheap Schwinn and the tires still hold air for months. Otherwise it would be hours.
I started riding after a 46 year hiatus a few years ago. I’m in my late 60’s and doing 100-125 miles each week. Go for it.
Get a basket, so you have an easy place to put the 12-pack on your way back from the store.
Yes, prudence should prevail about the helmet especially while you're gaining back your sea legs...or bike balance. If you get to riding a lot you also might want to move up to a Trek or Specialized brand. Some bike shops have good used ones refurbished in the $350 range. ..and may the wind be at your back when the road tilts up.
Good on ya!
I ride a fair amount, too. In fact, I just rode the entire Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes a few weeks ago with my son.
Get a good helmet, and get some gloves, too. If you take a spill, your hands will bear the brunt of the fall, so it’s a good idea to protect them.
Thornproofing your tires is a must. I’ve been running tires with built-in protection, and they have been great - the Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour tires. Not cheap, but very, very good. I live and ride in a semi-rural area, and the trip up north was definitely rural, so good tires are good insurance.
Get a good saddle, too. Don’t overlook the leather saddles. They can be expensive, but once broken in, they’re quite nice. I found some less expensive alternatives to a Brooks here: http://crowcycleco.com/bicycle-components/saddles-seats/?SID=2a6f5ee1e3cecdb70c2d3a661453410c
Have fun out there, and stay safe.
any thoughts?
You need beer!
Yes! Whenever bicycles are broken, or menaced by International Communism, Bicycle Repair Man is ready!
I recently came to the conclusion that the best sustainable SHTF vehicle would be a mountain bike with a small trailer.
Thanks for your small contribution to the proletarization and Communization of America.
“BTW, it’s very rural where I live, so I am not one of the jerks you see biking all the time...”
I’d suggest some sort of rear view mirror.
I live in a rural area too. Saturday evening I’m driving the 30 mile trip back home from town. It’s a route that gets a fair share of bicyclists because we’re on the ‘cycling map’ due to the annual Tour de Gila. Anyway, I’m about halfway home and I see a cyclist a ways up the road. It’s a 60mph speed limit along this highway. There is nothing around, just me coming up on the cyclist, and he’s heading the same direction as I am. For some reason, maybe he just decided he’d gone far enough, he decides to do a U-turn right in front of me. I had to slam on the brakes and swerve onto the shoulder to avoid splattering him. Perhaps he was suicidal or something because he couldn’t have done a better job at trying to get run over. Maybe he didn’t have any sort of rear view mirror. Thus my suggestion.
As another poster mentioned, a pair of gloves is a must! I’ve still got a good sized bandage on the palm of my right hand from braking my fall in a decent wipe out almost two weeks ago now. However, my bike has a motor.
I'd like to find a cheap used one of these somewhere:
 See video clip - "Solar Powered Quadricycle!" |
Spalding bikes used to be sold by Sears. I had one in the early 90s that actually wasn’t a bad bike, but it wasn’t top of the line. I rode it all over Norman, Oklahoma, though, put hundreds of miles on it.