A Bicycle Made For Two

Another thing on The Bucket List (I will have to formalize this list some day) is to ride a tandem. Not because I aspire to owning one but simply because I wonder what it would be like. I'm actually following contributing to a thread on CycleChat at the moment about the attraction of riding a tandem. So, when I saw one the other day locked up in the middle of York I just had to stop and take a closer look. 

Central York

This one is a real quality bit of kit - a Thorn tandem with Rohloff hub and hub lighting no less. And pulling a kiddie trailer as well! Very impressed I was but time (and the OH) would only let me hang about for a couple of minutes so these are the best pics I could get. 

I may actually realise my ambition quite soon as I do have tentative plans for a day out on two hired tandems. However, this is very much in the planning stages at the moment, subject to the agreement of my brother in law and will of course be weather dependant. Wish me luck.

Lurking About

Not cycling related but certainly blog related and something I feel needs to be said for all my fellow bloggers' out there.

Lurkers. Love 'em or hate 'em they are a fact of life, the naval fluff of the net - generally harmless* but serving no discernible purpose. We know you are there. We check our viewing stats and recognise the same IP addresses showing up again and again. Occasionally, you will meet a lurker in the flesh. The crossover from cyberspace to realspace can be a traumatic experience. They will make some comment that gives it away or someone else will tell you they read your blog. Some will be strange, some sad and lonely, some downright creepy but a fair few will just be nice, regular people. I met one of mine today. Luckily she falls very much into the latter category and it wasn't traumatic at all.

 

Lurkers are variously defined but essentially in the context of t'internet they read things on blogs/forums but never actually contribute anything. I actually like this slightly wider definition best:

A person who is just "there." Nobody really knows why, other than they show up and don't say a word. Possible reasons for this could be:
-They don't know what to say
-They are pretending to have friends
-They are trying to scare you
-They are there just to be seen with you, as if they have some kind of relationship with you.

Urban Dictionary: Lurker

Now, I've nothing personal against lurkers and this particular one is very nice. I know she isn't hanging around my blog pretending to be in some kind of relationship with me or kidding herself that we're best buddies and I'm quite sure she's not trying to scare me so it must be she doesn't know what to say. It's just when you take time to share your thoughts, experiences, feelings and adventures with people on a blog it's nice to get a little feedback every now and then. Not all the time but just on occasion. Consider it a bit like tipping the waiter for a free meal you've just been given!

And if this post doesn't get a reply or two I don't know what will!

*Clinical Review: Umbilical Lint ("BellyButton Fluff")

Travels With A Daughter

This week I have been cycling with my daughter. We went on a return trip from Salford to Radcliffe along part of cycle route 6, through Prestwich Forest Park - an 'Urban Woodland' redeveloped industrial area now with lots of mountain bike trails - before crossing the M60 Motorway onto an old rail line called the Outwood Trail.

I know she has a great time on her tagalong but I don't get to see her face much while we are chatting on the go. I thought I'd use my bullet cam to catch some of her expressions. I liked them so much I made a little film. This shows an (edited) outward section from Prestwich to Radcliffe.

Boat Stowaways

What is the point of having a folding bike or two you can easily reduce in size to store if you are just going to leave them outside in a hostile environment to get dirty and rusty? 

Poor mistreated things. Still, at least they are not Brommies'. That would be sacrilegious!

River Ouse, York

It's A Power Thing

I like all kind of bikes. I have three bicyles and will be getting a fourth towards the year end (hopefully). I use them all for different reasons. I even have a full motorbike licence (but don't use it for reasons of marital harmony).

My main bike is a Santos Travelmaster used for commuting and touring - very practical and sturdy. Last year I picked up a secondhand Marin Rocky Ridge which I use to tear around local trails and for towing the Golden Child on her tagalong - great off road fun. I also have an old Marin Bear Valley which was the bike that got me back into cycling in 2008 (it had sat in a garage for many years gathering dust). It's old but capable. I use it as a hack bike and for this very reason I will be distressing the frame a little bit more and fitting an old crappy saddle on it soon - great for leaving around town town for a few hours when I don't want to risk anything that looks remotely valuable. I will be getting a carbon fibre road bike which will be my bike equivalent of a middle age crisis sports car. It will only come out when the weather is nice and I want to cover some great road miles with no luggage - fun but totally impractical. I even aspire to owning a Brompton, not because I have any need of one at all but simply because I believe they are elegant and iconic bits of kit. I would also not turn my nose up at a Bullitt cargo-bike.

So, you see, I don't think I have become a tribal cyclist. I like to see people cycling on what ever takes thier fancy. I therefore have absolutely nothing at all against e-bikes. When I'm old and grey and petrol is £10.00 per litre I might even get one for myself...that should be in two or three years then! I just wonder though - when does a bicycle actually become a moped?