So N and I went grocery shopping today. I hate going (anytime) especially on the weekend, because the freaks come out. Even if they don't, it is just damned crowded. Today there were three people (that I noticed) wearing their sunglasses in the store- and no, these were not the prescription kind. I mention this because it bugged me.
And right away (Right Away) we can barely maneuver the cart it's so packed. And all the yahoos leave their carts in the aisles, etc. So we're almost done, and this cart is blocking a major corner in the coffee/bread interchange. There are 3 other people at a dead stop, rolling their eyes at one another and waiting impatiently. I walk up and I move it, muttering curses, and one of the sunglass wearers (an older woman who's maybe wearing hers to cover her latest round of plastic surgery judging from her bloated, misshapen lips) snatches it, saying "That's mine! Sorry." Then she moves one aisle down the artery and leaves it, blocking that intersection...
But I spent much of the afternoon changing the set up of L's Crosscheck. She's been riding her townie exclusively because it's so much more comfortable. This played a part in her crash (32 stitches! 5 in the muscle belly and 2 inside her lip!) at Arroyo Seco. The tires were just so skinny. To get her rolling again in offroad style, I swapped in the WTB MutanoRaptor 700/44s. Complimented by the swap of picture from Rivendell Bicycle Works
Nitto Albatross Bars (which had been on my Long Haul Trucker, and came complete with sweet shellacked cork grips with nifty reflector plugs, super good-feeling Paul's canti levers, and utterly hoardable & impossible to break Oooold skewel Shimano Unishift shifters {with the clamshell aluminum body! allowing cable routing from either direction...} hmmm, that setup may get swapped out again...) and a longer stem in place of the Moustache bars for a more upright position. Also, one of these. And while I was at it, 
the Tektro CR720 cantilevers. They have a real nice action, and are super reasonably priced. 
And finally the Brooks B18 I have been hoarding.I had been holding this stuff back, waiting to place it triumphantly on my Big Dummy. Honestly though, L deserves it more than I...It's going to be such a useful and kickass camping bike! Now her bike is so shiny and transformed, it whispers to me. It's a good thing for L that it isn't my size.
and speaking of stylish ladies' bikes not in my size but I wish they were...
8 comments:
Hmmm....I've been trying to finish St___'s rb-2 road to triple tourer/town bike for a while..all that's left is the bar/stem.
I tried the jitensha flat bar (http://www.jitensha.com/eng/flatbar05.html) but not enough sweep or rise, which sucks, because they are might pretty. As a side note, if you are in Berkeley Jintensha is worth a stop..amazing place, though I couldn't afford the polished forged stem with the integrated bell.
Now I'm thinking about either the Soma Sparrow (flipped to take advantage of the rise) or the albatross. The albatross is a little wider (54 or 56 vs 52cm) and has more rise but I'm wondering has too much sweep. I'm running rapidfire shifters on her bike and I dont know how that would work, ergonomically, with some much sweep.
Any thoughts (on which bars to use, I'm sure you have thoughts on a variety of issues).
LJ
Well, I haven't seen the Soma bars in person, but they appear to have a lack of room. You might not be able to run shifters/brakes with normal grips. You are able to do so with the Albatross. For equal or less money, you could got to Joselyn's (the finest shop around) and order the Nitto North Road Bar, which is (almost?) the same. The grip position on these bars is real nice- not for technical riding, as your hands'll fly off- for getting around 80% of terrain.
I like the Jitensha bar, too. The added rise and reach of the Albatross/North Road just makes them that much more comfortable for the ladies, given that thang that they're sittin on. The ergonomics of shifting will not be the issue, imo.
Being independently wealthy (retired that is), I didn't ride my bike to work today. But I did slip on my sunglasses and make an incognito run to the grocery store on the Heron to pick up staples.
The first iteration of my wife's mixte had the Jitensha flat bars. They didn't work out too well because it has a SA twist grip shifter and there wasn't really enough flat.
The finally version has Albatross bars cut down a tad to fit her size and then rebored to accept the bar end brake levers. A hard way to get there.
Long range I think the flat bar will go on the Heron, and maybe a chain guard or chaincase.
Thanks for all the input (and the subliminal shop message).... I'll be getting a pair of north roads/albatross to finish off the project.
G- Incognito is the best way to go anywhere. Although, if we lived in the same place, I'm sure you'd be recognito every place due to your mmmmsingularly styled bicycle(s). Pictures of said mixte around?
Yes, I love the chainguards/cases.
LJ- Gunnar is crazy. Don't listen to his subtle and insidious hints regarding the perverse reverse levers. If you are going to the Bay Area and bikes are in the cards, count me in...
speaking of trips to the Bay...does anyone from down here go to the DFL CX races. I'd like to go, but driving solo is stupid $$$ and car emissions wise.
LJ- no one from the peninsula (that I know of), but several folks from Santa Cruz do. Those sound like fun, though I haven't gone.
The handlebars! The saddle! I'm terribly jealous.
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