There is something wrong with Frenchie

I've been riding my trusty french bike for so long I think I don't notice how quirky it really is.

Shannon thinks it is squirrly. She hasn't used the word squirrely, but the handleing is kinda...*waves arms.*

Tonight I test-rode a Long Haul Trucker.  And it was not squirrely.  When I turned, it turned; when I went straight it went straight.  Which leads me to two conclusions:

1. The Peugeot is sick

2. A LHT is sick (as in cool)

3. The cat has found catnip and is very clingy.

perhaps a new bike is somewhere in the future.  But I have new questions.

I have been using 27in tires and like the larger wheel, maybe, should I try out another bike with 27in tires and see if I like them better than the 26in tires I rode today.  

What about the Pugsley I test rode last year?  I seemed to be pretty gaga for that too.  what the hell, am I just excited to buy something new?

How am I going to come up with the extra thousand dollars.

The difference in size of wheel might be enough so I don't feel like I am buying a modernized replica of what I already have, or like Jim said in the shop: "you could make it [Frenchie] a single speed." tempting.

The trouble with me buying an expensive mountain bike is: I don't mountain bike.  winter commuting by bike might be just as easy with Nokians. (I dunno, but thats what I hear).

1.???

2. Profit!

3. buy bike

the pictures

who puts cotter pins in the seat?  it wobbled every time it was looked at sideways.

Here's a look at the donor

how the hell did I miss the derailleur?

here are what I expected to use from the SBR. We switched the Hurricane over to mustache handlebars, metal pedals, and tension shifters.  

I prefer the subtlety of tension shifters.  The rear derailleur works perfectly and smoothly. Though the front is pissing me off.

Some assembly required

My Mom has had a bike hanging in the garage rafters for years.  

I don't think it has been ridden for as long as she has had it.  At first this sounds like a terrible thing, but upon closer inspection--the bike was in no condition to be ridden.

Immediately apparent problem: no brakes.

I was able to tighten the play out of the rear hub easily, but the brakes are in serious need of attention.

What I had forgotten about was an old Schwinn Hurricane hanging in the back of the garage.  I noticed it when we got her bike down.

It has cantilevered breaks and 26inch tires, just like the road bike with all the troubles.  I don't think my Mom wants to ride a mountain bike, but with a different set of tires and more upright handlebars...

pictures of the project as I get more into it.

Biking across the river

So Monday I had my first flat tire in 7 years.  Thats right the last time I had a flat tire on my bike was during Freshman year.  That time the valve stem popped off.

For a flat this time I was flying down the hill from Minnehaha Park towards Fort Snelling, and underneath Highway 5 there are always small rocks, one of which found my back wheel appealing.

During the 15 minutes it took for me to flip the bike, pull the wheel and patch the hole, like 20 people asked if I had everything I needed.  (I have to say the change to mustache bars from noodle bars is awesome (I don't like aero brakes and the cables made it "impossible" flip the bike without crushing the housing) for changing tires).

Over the weekend we kept a tally of people who said hello to those who didn't on the Great Rivers trail.  12/17.  

Does this mean that people in the evening in Minneapolis are more Minnesota nice than morning people in Mendota?  I think it has more to do with the fact that I wasn't a grinning goon on an old French bike, but a fellow cyclist with the rubber side up.