[bicycling] feels so good
Dec. 4th, 2017 06:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hermionesviolinBack on Sep 14 the free bike clinic at work had told me that my gear chain was way stretched out (like you usually get it replaced at 0.5 and mine was at 1.0, something like that).
I basically never bring my bike for full on tune-ups, though, because I don't wanna not have it. (I literally think the last time I did was 4 years ago when I had an accident and was literally injured so I couldn't ride.)
The Thursday that Ari came in for #nerdvacation #AARSBL17 (Nov 16) I knew I should drop my bike off for a tune-up on my way home because I was gonna be T-commuting with Ari to the conference for the next few days -- but it had been rainy and unenjoyable weather for biking in recent days and riding that day was so enjoyable that I wasn't willing to give up even the brief ride from the bike shop to my house.
Ironically, I'd taken the bus a few days prior 'cause it was too cold (my brakes literally freeze up #stepthroughframeproblems) and had chatted with Alison H, who said that by the time winter comes she is so ready to be done biking because it's stressful. Which I am sympathetic to (and I think she does more owning-your-lane etc. than I do), but I have genuinely gotten used to biking my commute route such that it doesn't stress me out that much* and I value so highly the convenience of not being dependent on infrequent busses to get home if I go to anything after work.
* Years ago, when I was first bike commuting, I asked some frequent bicyclists at Coffee Hour how to bike on Mass Ave. without feeling like I was gonna die -- 'cause I figured these regular spikes of anxiety couldn't be good for my long-term health -- and Tara's husband David's suggestion was basically just that you get jaded/used to it, which she protested was unhelpful, and I did appreciate other people's suggestions (take side roads, etc.) but it is also true that the reason I'm relatively chill about biking on Mass Ave. now is that I've gotten used to it.
Last Monday, Nov 27, on my way to work the gear chain popped off for no apparent reason, which I took as my sign that I should take it in. Wheelworks opens at 10am, so I brought it in after work that day -- and it was totally empty except for some staffers who've known me forever \o/ (Unlike the last time I was there.)
They said they could have it for me the next evening, and in fact it was done at like 11am the next day. (And it was well below freezing that morning, so I couldn't have biked to work anyway, so that worked up serendipitously well.)
Everything feels a little tighter now (and it has black pedals now! how will Cate recognize my bike? the last time I got the pedals replaced, they only had red ones in stock, which had the unintentional result of making my bike really easy to spot) so some biking feels more difficult, but it also feels smoother and less like it's going to fall apart :)
While I was there last Monday night, Alexi was saying I could probably get another season out of this bike (in my head I thought, "So I'll keep this bike for at least another 2 years," because I always go longer than recommended before actually bringing it in) and we talked a little about what I would get as a replacement. I said I still wanted a step-through frame but had learned that I would probably prefer a lighter frame. Alexi said they don't make my exact model any more and I probably wouldn't be able to get one that's lighter and also has the rider sitting so entirely upright but said it's actually easier on your back if you're curled over a little (like how slouching engages your back muscles less than standing up straight), which I'm not entirely sold on, but I don't have to make a decision immediately.
I basically never bring my bike for full on tune-ups, though, because I don't wanna not have it. (I literally think the last time I did was 4 years ago when I had an accident and was literally injured so I couldn't ride.)
The Thursday that Ari came in for #nerdvacation #AARSBL17 (Nov 16) I knew I should drop my bike off for a tune-up on my way home because I was gonna be T-commuting with Ari to the conference for the next few days -- but it had been rainy and unenjoyable weather for biking in recent days and riding that day was so enjoyable that I wasn't willing to give up even the brief ride from the bike shop to my house.
Ironically, I'd taken the bus a few days prior 'cause it was too cold (my brakes literally freeze up #stepthroughframeproblems) and had chatted with Alison H, who said that by the time winter comes she is so ready to be done biking because it's stressful. Which I am sympathetic to (and I think she does more owning-your-lane etc. than I do), but I have genuinely gotten used to biking my commute route such that it doesn't stress me out that much* and I value so highly the convenience of not being dependent on infrequent busses to get home if I go to anything after work.
* Years ago, when I was first bike commuting, I asked some frequent bicyclists at Coffee Hour how to bike on Mass Ave. without feeling like I was gonna die -- 'cause I figured these regular spikes of anxiety couldn't be good for my long-term health -- and Tara's husband David's suggestion was basically just that you get jaded/used to it, which she protested was unhelpful, and I did appreciate other people's suggestions (take side roads, etc.) but it is also true that the reason I'm relatively chill about biking on Mass Ave. now is that I've gotten used to it.
Last Monday, Nov 27, on my way to work the gear chain popped off for no apparent reason, which I took as my sign that I should take it in. Wheelworks opens at 10am, so I brought it in after work that day -- and it was totally empty except for some staffers who've known me forever \o/ (Unlike the last time I was there.)
They said they could have it for me the next evening, and in fact it was done at like 11am the next day. (And it was well below freezing that morning, so I couldn't have biked to work anyway, so that worked up serendipitously well.)
Everything feels a little tighter now (and it has black pedals now! how will Cate recognize my bike? the last time I got the pedals replaced, they only had red ones in stock, which had the unintentional result of making my bike really easy to spot) so some biking feels more difficult, but it also feels smoother and less like it's going to fall apart :)
While I was there last Monday night, Alexi was saying I could probably get another season out of this bike (in my head I thought, "So I'll keep this bike for at least another 2 years," because I always go longer than recommended before actually bringing it in) and we talked a little about what I would get as a replacement. I said I still wanted a step-through frame but had learned that I would probably prefer a lighter frame. Alexi said they don't make my exact model any more and I probably wouldn't be able to get one that's lighter and also has the rider sitting so entirely upright but said it's actually easier on your back if you're curled over a little (like how slouching engages your back muscles less than standing up straight), which I'm not entirely sold on, but I don't have to make a decision immediately.