***It’s the week between Christmas and New Yr’s Day. I’m not formally running a blog and this isn’t a put up. That is simply us hanging round and speaking.***
There’s a “Seinfeld” episode through which Kramer sells his life story to Jay Peterman, however he runs out of anecdotes, and so his tales change into more and more mundane:
As a semi-professional bike blogger I’ve clearly reached the identical pathetic state, as a result of not solely am I additionally itemizing issues in my house by analyzing all my bike holdings, however I’m quoting “Seinfeld” within the course of, which implies that on the literary hierarchy my prose now ranks someplace between “Reddit thread” and “What’s App group chat.” Nevertheless, you’ll notice within the above disclaimer that this isn’t technically a put up, so I gained’t have formally hit all-time low till I resume posting after New Yr’s:
Additionally, as tedious as all this can be for you, it’s extremely useful for me, since that is the primary time I’ve performed a significant stock of all my bikes as a substitute of ratholing them all through my house like an inmate hoarding smokes. And simply yesterday I cleared out a bunch of components and equipment, principally comprised of outdated tires and issues I’ve promised myself I’ll repair however by no means will. This represents progress, and I credit score the previous few days of non-blogging for introducing some much-needed fiber in my backed-up bicycle digestive system.
Anyway, a few of you’ve got talked about different bikes I haven’t addressed. A type of consists of my spouse’s Clem Smith, Jr., which I haven’t talked about as a result of, properly, it’s not mine:
It’s her bike, she loves it, it’s implausible, and it’s not going wherever.
Others of you’ve got talked about the Brompton, proven right here trying like a freshly-smacked canine:
Properly, for the Bromptonauts on the market I’m sorry to report I’m not one in every of you. The Brompton was a revelation when it comes to sheer practicality and I used it fairly a bit. Nevertheless, circumstances modified, and I used to be not utilizing it sufficient to justify holding it, and so awhile again I discovered it a brand new house. This under no circumstances diminishes my respect for Bromptons or the individuals who experience them, even when they do look a little bit bit like circus bears. Additionally, don’t inform Brompton, as a result of they might be disenchanted, and even indignant, although it’s much more doubtless they not bear in mind who I’m.
Additionally not amongst our holdings are these his-and-hers WorkCycles:
Just like the Brompton, each had been marvelously sensible, and each noticed heaps and many use. However as soon as the youngsters had been sufficiently big to experience round on their very own bikes we handed them alongside to individuals with youthful youngsters of their very own. As for driving round in consolation and carrying stuff and taking little household jaunts across the neighborhood or no matter, the Platypus and the Clem now fulfill these duties whist additionally being higher suited to driving longer distances and far simpler to herald and out of the constructing or load onto the automobile for household outings and that kind of factor.
It’s been years since I handed the Surly Huge Dummy alongside although I figured I’d as properly point out it. This bike noticed me by means of my elder son’s earliest years and was my first cargo bike. Sadly the problem of a motorcycle like this in a metropolis is that it’s obtained an uncovered drivetrain so you may’t actually go away it outdoors day in and day trip, nevertheless it’s additionally a long-ass bike and due to this fact troublesome to retailer inside. So the WorkCycles that succeeded it was simpler to reside with in that regard. However if in case you have the room for a longtail like this it’s an awesome bike as a result of it’s not solely extraordinarily helpful but in addition numerous enjoyable to experience. Chatter on the Internets appears to point that Surly are discontinuing the Huge Dummy, which is a disgrace. I assume it’s a casualty of the transfer to e-bikes.
Talking of Surly, somebody talked about my coupled journey bike. I obtained that immediately from Surly once I was touring so much for ebook excursions, however as soon as these wound down I didn’t use it practically as a lot. Additionally, it was a tad small, since that’s the one dimension Surly had left on the time. I final used it as a singlespeed on the Rainey Park Cyclocross race in Queens:
After that I used to be returning a motorcycle case to Paul at Basic Cycle, and quite than despatched it again empty I put the Surly in it. I by no means obtained a thanks notice, which is stunning, as a result of if there’s one factor bike outlets find it irresistible’s extra bike litter.
However whereas I not have the coupled Surly, I do nonetheless have the Ironic Orange Julius Bike–or not less than the body. It has lived many alternative lives, from the commuter you see above, to the singlespeed cyclocross bike you see under:
And that you just want you might unsee:
Now it’s only a body and fork:
Plus a rusty Excalibur of a backside bracket awaiting a courageous knight to extricate it:
Absolutely it’s the ironic tracklocross bike of somebody’s desires.
Additionally diminished to border and fork was my On-One Inbred, although I did not too long ago transfer that alongside to a brand new proprietor:
For years I rode it as a singlespeed, and I in all probability ought to have used that as the premise for a budget 29er singlespeed I discussed yesterday, however on the time I used to be constructing it again up for my elder son and it felt actually bizarre to place him on a motorcycle referred to as “Inbred.”
So there you go, I can do away with issues once I put my thoughts to it.