[Klug-general] bikes Technical Meeting Saturday 30th January

[james morris]

On 29/1/2010, "J D Freeman" <klug at quixotic.org.uk> wrote:

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>On Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 02:53:47PM +0000, George Prowse wrote:
>> Why on earth didn't you buy a proper bike? I almost pmp when i saw it, lol
>
>Because a "proper bike" can't be taken as carry-on on a eurostar and
>seeing as i use the eurostar almost monthly, it is invaluable.
>
>Also in the netherlands you aren't allowed to take a "proper bike" on the
>trains, but you are allowed to take folding bikes on if they are folded, I
>paid for the cost of the brompton in the first year by not having to take
>the bus at my destination train station.
>
>It is also worth noting that the brompton is not my only bike, but purely
>part of my tool box depending on the ride I am doing. I also have my main
>touring bike:
>
>http://quixotic.eu/misc/BikePic01.jpg
>
>Which is a MTB frame with 700x23 wheels, and triathlon handbars.
>
>I also have a pair of vintage british bikes, including a fixed wheel bike:
>
>http://quixotic.eu/Projects/Bikes
>
>So shush with your snobbery on bikes, the brompton is a delightful peice
>of engineering, a joy to ride and serves a purpose very very well.
>
>J

Yeah, bikes are cool, even if they fold. I gave my old mountain bike to
my dad when I bought a replacement a few years back. I swapped the
suspension forks because I'd upgraded them and they were better than
the new. I had to buy a cheap shimano mega 9 dérailleur for it because I
repeatedly broke them riding through the woods on trails that
evaporated. because i bought the cheapest i could find, the gear shift
lever operated in reverse. Then as my dad would not be going off road,
got him some 1.25" x 26" roadie tyres. He put mud guards on it, an
armchair for a saddle, plus a rusty old bell. It's one of a kind now,
really.

I really should put the crank and peddles back on mine to get rid of
these sparrow legs I've recently developed through long periods of
sitting at the pc.