Ride Report - Pocket Rides Watertower Ride

Did a beautiful ride this morning from the Rubel Pocket Rides series. From "Beyond the Minuteman Bikeway, Bedford", no. 10 is "The Watertower Ride", featuring our own water tower here in Arlington Heights. It's listed as a 32-mile ride, but I cut a couple miles off by riding up the bike path to the Bedford end, where the ride officially starts.

On the bit that I cut out, there seems to be lots of twisty-turny-ness that I see little point to. Perhaps its a nice alternative to the bike path, which I guess could grow monotonous for some. The bike path was ideal for me when I set off around 6:30 since it wasn't quite light enough to see my queue sheet!

In any case, the weather was perfect early Autumn weather - leaves just beginning to fall, mid-40s and clear. The route is wonderful because it takes in beautiful countryside and also lots of genuine points of interest, like the Old North Bridge, Concord River (2 crossings), Walden Pond, and the Decordova museum. The other really nice thing about this ride is that it's easy to navigate - not more than 4 or so major turnings if you do it like I did.

A couple comments on the route:

1. When the map indicates turning on "River Street", it's actually "River Road" - when there so many possible permutations of streets, avenues, ways, and paths, it's important to get that right.
   
   
2. Heading into Belmont, there's a steep descent that the route description says is lots of fun, providing that you be prepared to stop at the bottom. In fact, it's quite a treacherous hill, particularly when the sun is coming up and the sun's in your eyes. While nearby Pleasant Street has been completely repaved, this bit hasn't been so lucky, and there are some VERY significant bumps on the way down. I hit a couple of them really hard and only quite managed to keep my hands on the bars because I was gripping them for dear life and not bothering to touch the brake levers. Which is why the sharp right-hand turn came as an unwelcome surprise and nearly sent me into oncoming traffic; there's also the possibility of going over the barrier on the other side if you really go wrong.

On the bright side, that little brush with my own mortality gave me the boost of adrenaline I needed to power back up the hill to the water tower before heading home.

Christiania on Cyclofiend

Cyclofiend is a fun site with pictures of people's bikes. Here's the entry about our Christiania.

http://www.cyclofiend.com/working/2007/wb067-andrewconway0907.html

Hub Stripping

I'm not sure where the name of this blog comes from, but it's a very interesting site nevertheless, all about internally-geared bike hubs. (Which describes the gearing all of my bikes - the Fahrrad Manufaktur, the Thorn Raven, and the Christiania trike). One very interesting recent post is about a new Rohloff hub with greater range, smaller size, and less weight.

http://hubstripping.wordpress.com

Stranded!

It's not as disasterous as all that, I just have a flat and no means to fix it.

I should have seen it coming. I've had a slow leak in front for weeks now, and it's only meant that I need to top up before I head out. Today, though, I thought I felt a little low but I set off regardless since I was running a little late.

But by the time I set off from South Street, it was pretty soft. I considered asking the gang of bike couriers I alway pass by at their financial district hangout if I could borrow a pump, but I didn't think it was a necessity then, and, sure, they're also pretty intimidating. Especially in large numbers, at leisure.

So I kept going. I bottomed out near Kendall Square, and I think I probably got a snake bite puncture, and from there, the end came swiftly.

I resolved to taking it on the Red Line to Alewife, locking up, taking a taxi, and returning with the car. But then Jim called and now the girls are coming to get me and the pizza I've ordered from Emma's' which I've alway wanted to try! I also squeezed in a quick beer at Tommy Doyle's' which certainly helps take some of the disaster out of it all.

Our Christiania trike

Here's our Christiania unladen. See more photos here.

Whenever we venture out in the Christiania trike, we get lots of stares and curious questioners. Here are answers to some of the questions we get most often.

Can I have a closer look?

Sure! Here's a bunch of photos. I'm happy to arrange to meet in Boston with anyone interested.

Did you make it yourself?

I'm afraid not. It was built by hand in Denmark by a small company called Christiania, after the commune settlement in Copenhagen where the company was founded (and based for a long time - but they've now moved, and the settlement is under threat from the government). See the Christiania Bikes website for more information (and some photos of us!) or this page for all the specs.

Is it safe?

I feel very safe riding it, and I have no reservations about riding with my two small daughters. The construction of the trike is very, very solid. The box is thick plywood, and the rest of the bike is steel, with very good quality components throughout. It has a coaster brake on the rear wheel and discs on the front wheels. There's a lap belt for older kids (like my 3 1/2 year old), and a three-point harness for younger kids (like my 14-month old) - these mechanisms probably aren't compliant with US safety standards, but I don't have any problem with them.

How much can you carry?

The other day, I popped into The Bike Stop on the bike path in Arlington and created a bit of sensation - and one one of the staff asked me to take his sister and her friend for a ride. Why not? When they emerged from the shop, it turned out that they were 7 and 9, and a little chubby... but we still had a nice ride and the bike handled perfectly well. The maximum weight recommended by Christiania is 100kg, or about 220lbs. I've carried all sorts of stuff, including children, dogs, groceries, rubbish, and a big portable PA system.

Is it hard to ride?

Not at all - once you get the hang of it. I would recommend some practice before taking on passengers. It can be tricky going round corners at speed, just because you have to lean into the corner to avoid flipping over (I've never flipped, but I've come close!)

What else can you do with a Christiania trike?

They aren't only good for schlepping kids around town, though they are great for that. Since they're all built to the customer's specifications, they can do lots of things, including carrying up to six kids, I think.

In London (and elsewhere), they're used in their purest form as courier and delivery bikes. The big box and 100kg capacity is definitely a couple steps above what your average courier on a fixed-gear bike can do!

This would also be the ideal vehicle (even in Boston with the harsh winters) as an alternative to a car. For journeys of six or seven miles, it's perfectly comfortable with any sort of load; I loved doing all the shopping in London with ours. And aside from the practical appeal, it makes a great statement!

Where can I get one?

If you're in Denmark, you'll have no problem, since you already see them everywhere. We bought ours in London, from the wonderful shop Velorution. They're very helpful, and they have all sorts of Euro utility bikes and elements of bike culture. If you're in the US, you're pretty much out of luck right now. Christiania does not export to the US, so the only way to get one over here is to buy in Europe and bring back as we did.

Having said that, I am considering importing Christiania trikes. If you might be interested in buying one, please post a comment.

MassBike Festival 2007

It was pretty hot. I mean it was sweltering. In the parking lot of Verrill Farm where the festival was, our thermometer read 98 degrees. Pretty hot.

It was the day we'd been looking forward to for a long time - the MassBike 5th Annual Bike Festival. A large menu of organized rides to choose from, barbeque, and "bike expo". Despite the forecast, we stuck to the plan: I would ride out early with the Christiania, and Kim and the girls would meet me there with the car and Kim's bike on top. Then we'd do the 8ish-mile Canoe Ride with a nice paddle down the Concord River in the middle. Then barbeque, see the sights, and home.

Everything went more or less to plan, and everyone had a great time (except for a bit of crankiness on Gem's part on the first leg of the bike ride, which I attribute to the excessive heat). Our ride leader was John Allen, one of my favorite writers of yore from Bicycling Magazine in the 1970s & 80s. There was another very nice guide riding sweep, and two more families - one with a child on a trailer bike, and another family with four kids, three on their own bikes (including a small girl who had just learned to ride!)

The ride out was nice despite Gem's mood, and we arrived at the South Bridge Boat House to hear the supposed managers stomping around, slamming doors, and using the F-word before directing us to leave our bikes here, no there, NO, over here! In the end, we were dealt with by reasonably helpful high-school students, but our brief experience of the older folks would deter me from returning.

The canoeing was very, very nice indeed. Beautiful scenery, the river was nice and quiet, and Gemma in particular liked dangling her hands in the water and helping to paddle. Elsie kept Kim occupied the whole time, though, so it was up to Gem and me to do the paddling. Our guides John and Liz were great throughout.

The ride back was also very pleasant - even more so because the girls were really enjoying themselves by this time. We were the last ones to leave the river due to my slow paddling, but we caught up with most of the peloton on the way back.

Then we queued up for our Redbones Barbeque, which was identical to the spread they laid on during Bike Week this year: beef, pork, and mushroom sandwiches with cole slaw. We sat on the grass under one of the tents and had a fine time eating with our fingers.

We left before the Pie Race, though I have vowed to compete in it with both girls next year, when they're both at their pie-eating peak. We did have a chance to ravage the few vendor tents that were set up, including lots of free Glaceau water, Snapple samples, and nutrition bars from a maker I can't remember.

My ride home through Concord, Waltham, and Belmont was significantly tougher than the ride out, probably because I'd already humped 20 miles on the Christiania and paddled up and down the Concord River single-handedly... and it was still in the high 90s. It was a genuine struggle on some of the hills, especially on Trapelo Road. By the time I returned home, the girls were all sitting out front waiting to greet me, and I felt more exhausted than I did after my 110-miler just a few weeks back.

All in all, it was a really nice day... but it could have been better. The rides were great, it was very well organized, the food was very good, but it just didn't have an air of "festival" about it. There are so many local bike makers and shops, why didn't any of them turn up to show off their wares? Did I imagine the publicity about kids decorating bikes? There were certainly enough kids there, which was wonderful - just nothing much for them to do. I can't help wanting to compare this to the big bike culture gatherings in the UK - like York for one, and also the Regents Park bike fairs that are so much fun and a real draw.

I don't mean to be too critical of the event by any means, but I do think it could be so much more. If Kim and I can manage it, I really hope we can get involved next year to help make it happen.

My commute

I vary my routes to work, but here's the most direct route (pretty much, anyway, still avoiding some ugly bits!) - as I recorded it for the Boston bike mapping project.


View Larger Map

New Boston Bike Mapping Project

An encouraging program is underway in Boston to map new bike routes.

I've requested a mapping kit from nicole.freedman.bra@cityofboston.gov (which I will use to mark good routes on paper), but the more interesting program is online using Google Maps.

City of Boston: Hub On Wheels

Instructions for Tracing Routes

It should just take you a minute or two to map your routes. You have my word. Please note, if you rode twice in a day (for example morning commute to work; afternoon commute home) please map each leg as a separate ride.

1. Go to: http://maps.google.com/

2. Click Sign in located in the upper right corner

3. Login with the following information

* Username: bikeboston
* Password: bikesurvey

If you are already signed in with a personal gmail account, please logout and re-sign in using the above information.

4. Click the My Maps tab located under "Google".

5. Click the Create New Map button located under the My Maps tab.

6. An input box will appear.

* In the Title box, please write your full name, date of ride, and start time of the first one-way leg of your ride.

* Example: John Doe, 8/14, 5:45 AM.

* In the Description box, please write a current email address and the purpose of the ride, i.e. commute to job, errands, social, fun/exercise, work (messenger, courier)

* Example: johndoe@AOL.com ,commute to work.

7. You are now ready to trace your route.

* To Zoom in, click "+"
* To Start, single click the in the upper left corner of the map. Single click on the map location corresponding to your ride origin.
* To Change directions, single click along the intersections.
* To Finish double click on the map location corresponding to destination.
* To Edit after saving, hover the "hand" symbol over the route. When the route appears click and click once where you want to make edits.

8. After double clicking, an input box will appear. Please enter the reason you chose this route (i.e. most direct, most scenic, fewest cars, safest.) and/or anything else you want to share with us.

9. Click the Save button.

10. If you rode twice in the day, please go to #5 above and repeat to trace the second or return ride.

New mixte!

Discovered this lovely Peugeot mixte for just down the road in Cambridge... I emailed the Craigslist seller a while ago and just heard from him today. Seems he was travelling and only turned up today with a queue of people wanting to see the bike. Remarkably, he was on his way to Arlington today, so we met behind Panero's and did the deal! It's ready to ride, though I would like to swap out the seat and wheels, and add a rack - all from other bikes I've scavenged!

On top of Mount Wachusett

On top of Mount Wachusett
Originally uploaded by ahconway

The day after, I feel remarkably fresh! Not getting on a bike today, but probably will bike to work tomorrow.

All in all, the ride was a really positive experience. I do wish there had been a greater range of abilities represented - it was a bit demoralizing being on the bottom end of the speed scale. My average speed overall was 12.9 mph, but for long stints, I was spinning along comfortably at 16-17 mph. My high speed was 41.

Thorny got lots of attention - lots of people thought it was a fixed gear - but very few people had heard of the hub. Towards the end, a couple people named it "coolest bike of the day!" It was certainly among the most unique - I'd say that over 80% of the bikes there high-end Trek, Cannondale, and Specialized. Snooze! If you're going to spend $3k, aren't there more interesting ways to do it? I saw probably 3 other bikes with mudguards, one other kickstand, and two other 26-inchers.

I certainly appreciated my gearing. I had just the right low end to make it up the steep ones comfortably.

I do find it odd in retrospect that I really didn't pal up with any riding buddies. Most people were either too fast or too slow for me, and there were virtually no people on their own like me. I would certainly have regular riding buddies if I had a more regular weekend riding schedule and could belong to a club, but I'm not too bothered. The last 28 miles or so were a bit rough, though, riding completely on my own, just trying to beat the rain with not another soul (on bike or not) in sight.

I definitely hope/expect to do at least another century this year, and I may even do this one again next summer! Now that I know what to expect, that will certainly make it easier.

Done!

Actually, I pulled in to the finish exactly 9 hours and 55 minutes after I started - in the middle of a heavy thunderstorm! There were still some cars in the lot, but not many. I made it!

80 miles, sore

But ok. It's my back & hands. Managing ok. Store at this stop, will get something cold! Lots of talk of thunder storms and anti-inflamatories.

60 miles - lunch stop

Bananas all gone. Glad I brought my own food! Feeling pretty good still, thoug not really looking forward to last 40.

At the summit!

I'm here! Tired and just halfway mileage. Deep hope relatively speakin, though. Gorgeous day, nice breeze now but pretty go in spots.

On the way up...

At the base station on the mountain. Just finished initial climb, more to come.

Feel pretty good, might throw up later.

40m * mountain in sight

Oh boy

One third done

At the 34 mile stop. Water & snacks. Real good so far. Somke nice folks, some snobby. Feeling good!

Crowds building at the start

I got to the start point just before 7, so registration was no problem. Of course, this gives me over an hour to get completely intimidated by all the hardcore racer-types! Probably 200 bikes here so far, none with my wheel size, most weighing half what Thorny weighs.

Must remember my big Audax lesson: go at your own pace!

Climb to the Clouds

Today's the day! It's the Charles River Wheelmen's Climb to the Clouds, starting (and finishiing) in Concord and taking in lots of big hills including Mount Wachuset. (See http://www.crw.org/CTTC/climb2clouds.htm )

I haven't been training much specifically for this ride, but I am hoping that my usual commute, plus my hill climbs back up to our house will serve me well.

The bike is all set - map holder, 3 bottle cages, seat pack - and I've got a bag full of provisions. One unknown: will it rain? Another variable: Can I do it? Gemma assures me, "You can do it, Daddy!" so I'll just have to remember that one.

Okay, time to load up the car! If I have the wherewithall, I'll post some updates from my phone later.

Ci vediamo all'arrivo!

Independence Day 2007 Bike Parade

Independence Day 2007 Bike Parade
Originally uploaded by ahconway

Here we are bedecked in our stars & stripes finery on the 4th. Click through for bigger image on Flickr!

Day Tripper Dispatches links to Velo Fellow

Charlotte Pierce, publisher of the "Compleat Day Tripper" (which has provided us with innumerable days out and other valuable local guidance) linked to my post about our ride to Lexington. See: Day Tripper Dispatches: Bike 'N Play

Globe Rage

After returning from our beautiful ride to Lexington, I read the front page story of Sunday Globe, "Rage on the Bikeway", a pointless article discussing some some of the troubles that come with the popularity of the bike path.

Here's an email I sent off to the Arlington list about it (lots of similar posts have since appeared on the list):

I certainly experienced my moment of Globe rage after seeing thispiece, and it was all the more irksome because I saw it just as my family returned from the most lovely ride along the path to Lexington and back.

Sure, I've seen the odd spill here and there, and not all of the path's users are as good-natured as you would like. But Geez! Exactly what was the point of this article supposed to be? The path was a major reason that my family moved to Arlington, and I've yet to experience anything to make value it any less.

If the implicit logic of the piece is to be followed, we should probably close the path due to excessive popularity. But if we follow common sense, shouldn't we use this as a cue to develop more facilities that keep people fit, reduce traffic and CO2 emmissions, and contribute to our local economy?

Minuteman milestones

Minuteman bike path with girls
Originally uploaded by ahconway

Big milestone yesterday! We did our first big bike ride with the whole family.

We loaded up a bag of provisions and set off for Lexington - with the girls in the Christiania and Kim on her Fahrrad. It was a lovely ride from Park Ave up to Lexingon center. Beautiful weather, if a little chilly, but that that actually cut down on the crowds a bit.

The girls both had a great time; Gem was in charge of the cheese bunnies and doled them out to Elsie when prompted by a finger in the ear.

As usual, we had lots of nice comments from various other path users, including a guy on a recumbent who said "Nice vehicle!" - typical for a recumbent, he was surely using "vehicle" as shorthand for "human powered vehicle" or HPV.

Our destination was the big playground near Lexington High School. Everything was brand new, including a great rock climb that Gem really loved. Seemed we weren't alone with this plan - there were lots of bikey families there as well. We even met a couple who were interested in the Christiania with kids of similar ages, and it turns out they live not too far from us in Arlington!

It was getting late by the time we left, so we got some snacks at a little fair in Lexington and went straight home instead of getting lunch out. Good thing we did, too, because Elsie fell asleep on the chug back up Park Ave, and we put her right to bed when we got home.

Another milestone: Kim cruised all the way up Park like a pro!

You win some, you lose some

I left home for work at 5:30 this morning. It's trash day in Arlington, so I was naturally scanning the heaps of rubbish on the curb as I sped down Gray, when I spied two dusty old bikes standing gingerly among the trash and recycling just a couple blocks from the intersection with my street.

Closer inspection revealed one to be an early 1970s Phillips racer and the other was a late 70s ladies' Schwinn Suburban. Both were in great shape, with no rust or blemishes on the frames, but a heaping helping of dust and cobwebs all over.

I was late-ish for work, and still needed to shower and dress on arrival. So what to do? I grabbed the Phillips and hoofed it up the hill with it in one hand and Thorny in the other (which, in full commuting mode weighs about 40 lbs), then left it next to the house. I rode back down, but really didn't have time to do anything about the Schwinn.

So I sped off to Boston and emailed Kim to see if she'd collect it for me. All I really cared about, though, was saving it from the landfill. If someone else got it and would make use of it, fine - I've got enough "project" bikes festering away. But by the time she got there around 9, it was gone... but so was all the rubbish.

I'd like to think that someone saved it before the compactor came, but I don't think that happened. It was really, truly upsetting to think about that beautiful old upright ladies 10-speed getting thrown into the back of a garbage truck with the rest of the trash.

In retrospect, I could have moved the bike away from the trash, or even put it back into the driveway of the house, but it didn't occur to me. At least I saved the Phillips.

Ride to Great Brook Farm

Old North Bridge
Originally uploaded by ahconway

I was out of house at 5:30 on Sunday morning and on the Minute Map trail a few minutes after that. My goal was to do a 27-mile ride from the Pocket Rides kit that starts at the Bedford end (Ride 8 from "Beyond the Minuteman Bikeway). The sun was out but it was still a little chilly, so the ride out to Bedford was perfect, and not a soul to be seen.

The directions on the map card were largely clear and accurate, and I had no trouble at all getting on at the starting point. The ride took me up through Bedford, Concord, Carlisle, and Chelmsford, taking in Great Brook State Farm Park on the top end. Well-paved, rural roads, with lots of farms and horses - gorgeous!

Many of the turns weren't signposted, though, so I did have a bit of trouble here and there - but I always found my way back on to the route, either through trial & error, or using Google Maps on my phone. I was glad to have brought all the provisions I needed, since there were few shops along the way - and none open at such an early hour on a Sunday.

On the way back, the route passes through Minute Man Historical Park in Concord, and I stopped at the Old North Bridge (where the American Revolution started) for a snack.

I try to vary my routes, but this one is definitely a keeper.

UPDATE: Took the family up to the park for a nice 1-mile hike in the woods on Saturday - beautiful! Very easy to get to by car (except for the delay caused by the annual parade in Carlisle center). We chose a combination of 2 paths, providing some nice open fields as well as some more challenging rocky foresty bits.

An important lesson about locking

I've reluctantly started locking up outside the office on South Street, instead of over on Summer Street. Should be okay with my 3fer lock combo (U-lock to attach to parking meter, heavy cable around meter, front wheel and downtube, and flexi cable through seat and back wheel). But the whole affair is so cumbersome that I figured I'd leave it locked to the meter overnight.

What I didn't anticipate was the popularity of small dogs with the residents of this neighborhood, and the popularity of parking meters with the dogs. So today I'm actually hoping for a bit of rain to rinse my locks off before I try to find somewhere else to stash them.

You bedda watch weah YAH goin!

That's no surprise! This was big in the news yesterday after a new report was released. My latest encounter with Boston's Rudest was just yesterday.

After crossing into Boston over the Longfellow Bridge, I was cut off by a glass installer's truck. I came alongside and in a shocking display of bravado shouted "Are you trying to kill me? You better watch where you're going, buddy!" Did that come out of me?

He immediately fired back "F--- You! You bedda watch weah YAH goin!" Touche, I guess.

I vowed to be calmer about these things in the future.

Pancake breakfast at Broadway Bicycle School

Pancake breakfast at Broadway Bicycle School
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

There were supposed to be a total of three cyclists' breakfasts on my way to work today. First Alewife, where I planned to be at 7:00... but nothing. I looked around a bit, I couldn't find anything at all.

Next stop was Broadway Bicycle, where I was among the first arrivals for the 7:30 Pancake Breakfast. They were a little late getting going, but we had a nice social time chatting at the table over coffee. Turns out another chap won a complete fixed gear bike at the Redbones thing last night!

Real nice time.

It's Bike Week in Boston!

Last night, we Gemma loaded into the Christiania and headed to the big Redbones BBQ kickoff party in Davis Square. On the way, we met Lauren and her famiglia, and we rode down together along the bike path. How nice to have a virtually uninterrupted traffic-free route to the party!

The Bike Festival (as Gem called it) was fun, and the Christiania got lots of attention. For $15, we got a Redbones BBQ sandwich, a drink, and some condiments. Plus a lottery ticket. We had fun looking at the exotic utility bikes (like ones by ANT, and all manner of cool fixies. We also had fun petting a very small dog that came on the back of a nice lady's recumbent. There was also a big brass and percussion band which made up for its lack of musicality with volume and enthusiasm.

We left at around 6:45 as Gem started to wane, and gave Lauren our raffle ticket just in case.

And this morning, I had an email from her telling me that I won a fixed gear wheel from Paramount Bicycle in Somerville! Very exciting! I picked it up from the Ciclismo Classico office this afternoon and emailed the shop to find out what it would take to completely convert my $40 Schwinn World. Hooray! Another project!

Motobecane models

Since I embarked on the this project to restore an old mixte for Kim, bikes have been coming out of the woodwork. I've now got an old Schwinn (great for parts, particularly the center-pull Wienmann brakes), and a rather rusty old Motobecane. May come across another today. The one I have already seems to be a mid-1970s standard model; no quick release wheels, and steel rims with "go-slower" holes in the sides of the rims. The highlight seems to be the Motobecane-branded crankset and various other small parts. Seems to ride okay, though!

My research seems to indicate that a Grand Touring or Grand Jubilee would fit the bill precisely, as long as it's not too scratched or rusty. From what I've seen, it seems that old European bikes hold their finish less ably than certain Japanese ones - many of the Fujis and Nishikis I've come across are flawless.

What will I uncover today?

Boston ICA & bike parking

Boston ICA & bike parking
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

After a meeting at the Seaport the other day, I decided to stop by the new ICA for a bit of lunch. The building was gorgeous as I expected, but lunch was rubbish.

Equally disappointing was the bike parking - completely inadequate and a long walk from the entrance. And while the building itself looks nice from this angle (or from the sea), if approaching from the Seaport or from the Channel, it appears to be surrounded by a solid parking lot bounded by a low chain link fence.

Incredible.

Elsie's first ride on the Bobike Mini

Elsie's first ride on the Bobike Mini
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

Had a nice after-work bike ride yesterday with the whole family, and Elsie's first time in Gem's old front-mounted Bobike seat. She seemed to have a really nice time, talking and smiling the whole way. We also didn't have any trouble finding a relatively flat network of roads in the neighborhood for a leisurely half-hour ride.

First big ride of the year!

First big ride of the year!
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

Today was the first really REALLY good biking day of the year. For the occasion, I fitted our new(ish) Bobike Maxi seat to the back of my Fahrrad T100. I'd taken the fittings off my Raven weeks ago, but putting them on the Fahrrad was pretty easy. It actually works much better on this bike for some reason... there's less clearance between the cargo rack and the seat, but there's also really no way for Gem to get her foot near the spinning wheel. That was one concern on the other bike, probably owing to the 26-inch wheels.

So we rode down to the bike path and went nearly all the way to Bedford before turning around and heading back. We had a nice picnic lunch in Lexington Center; we got a PB&J and a roast beef sandwich, and Gem ended up eating all the roast beef. We also got a couple home-baked cookies from Girl Scouts at Lexington Depot.

I couldn't have asked for a nicer day or a nicer outing (only having the rest of my girls along would have made it better). I was also really pleased with the new bike seat! Gem found it to be very comfortable, she kept her feet in the footrests, and she seemed to have plenty of space back there. The only trouble is that it leaves little room for cargo, so I may look into front low-riders, but a good bar bag is probably going to be the way to go.

I'll write more about the Maxi after we've ridden with it for a while.

Broadway bicycle school

Broadway bicycle school
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

Took both of the Fahrrads in to the Broadway Bicycle School in Cambridge today. The shop had been recommended to me by my friend Kathleen, who bought a refurbed 1950s Raleigh there.

It's a coop, and everyone there is exceedingly friendly and helpful. On a less busy day, I can go in there and pay a couple bucks for coaching on doing my own repairs! Very handy. Probably the least condescending bike shop I've experienced.

So they do an estimate while you're there, so you know the score before you leave the bike - also very helpful.

It's more of a workshop than a shop, with only a small selection of bikes and bits (though they do have some interesting urban bikes from the likes of ANT, Redline, and Kogswell!). But most interesting is that they're one of a handful of Boston shops that seek out older uprights and refurb them. I spoke to the nice woman I was dealing with about this, and she acknowledged the Boston Bike trend that I'm so fascinated with. (Also reflected in my growing batch of photos on Flickr!)

It'll take them until April 11th to do the work, but that's okay. They're also willing to have a look over the Christiania, but that will require some advance planning since they can't get it down the stairs, and it takes up lots of floor space.

Fritos for lunch

Fritos for lunch
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

With the girls away, I spent most of the day out on a lovely ride today. Instead of making my own way, I followed a 40-mile route from the Pocket Rides ride pack "Beyond the Minuteman Bikeway - Arlington".

The ride took me out through Belmont, Lincoln, Lexington, and neighboring areas. It wasn't quite as countrified as I usually like, but most of the streets were lightly trafficked and pleasant. Lots of big houses, old and new.

I got pretty hungry after 30 miles... I'd been looking for a snack spot for ages, but there was nothing! I suppose I could have ventured off the path if I'd gotten desperate. But in the end, I took a little detour in Lincoln to the wonderful Decordova Sculpture Park, where I got a nice tuna wrap at the cafe and ate outside amongst the art works. Also had some good Fritos, pictured above.

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A couple other notables about today's ride. It was my first ride in my new Rapha knickers, which performed admirably! I've wanted some for ages, and they're actually cheaper here than in London, where they're made. That's rip-off Britain for you, I suppose. In any case, I was looking for a new pair of 3/4-length bib tights and these were about the same price, so I got em! Real nice, real comfortable, and not Lycra-loutish at all.

Also, I replaced my brake pads & shoes this morning, which is probably my most ambitious DIY repair yet. It took some doing, but they new pads are definitely a big improvement.

Gorgeous ride to Concord

After weeks of icy and sub-zero weather, today, Sunday, is approaching 50f and nice and sunny. And a perfect day for a ride! I packed up my little repair kit, bundled up as if the temperature could drop 30 degrees before lunch, and set off for Concord.

I know I've ridden up that way before; it's not too far from my first job after college near Hanscom Field, and it was also a good riding destination when I used to live here before moving to London. (I keep wondering where I might find a particular house called "Put Down Roots", which I remember from those days.)

I stuck to Route 2A pretty much the whole time, which took me through Lexington and into Minuteman Historical Park (site of the start of the Revolution) just after crossing 95. The ride from then on was beautiful, with lots of historical sites, perfectly preserved Colonial houses, and leafless trees, fields, and farms on both sides of the road. There's also a 5-mile unpaved bike path through the park that we can do once the weather improves.

I continued into the center of Concord and picked up a bagel with peanut butter to fortify me for the ride home.

The day and the route were also perfectly suited to my bike, with its bullet-proof wheels, grippy fat tires, and mudguards; I don't know how many riders I passed with skinny wheels and muddy stripes up their backs!

I look forward to doing this ride and variations lots more.

First Visit to Harris Cyclery

Stopped by Harris Cyclery yesterday. That's the West Newton shop
where guru Sheldon Brown is based. I went specifically to get a
Rohloff oil change kit, and there was no problem there. I also picked
up a nice Rivendell cycling cap.

The visit was a little anticlimactic, I suppose, kind of like my
visit to St John Street Cycles. But SJS is really not set up for walk-
in business, and Harris is a genuine independent neighborhood bike
shop. The real thrill at Harris was seeing all the Rivendells up
close, all built up and ready to go. There were lots of Atlantis
frames and a few built up, plus a couple Bleriots, a Saluki, and
others. All were built with drop bars, not Rivendell-preferred
uprights, but they were gorgeous and fascinating to see anyway.

I had a bit of Rohloff banter with Harris Junior, who said they sell
lots of the after-market hubs, and that they run around $1400!
Remarkable. There was also one of the first generation Raven frames
there, painted in a god-awful blend of lime greens and yellows, with
lots of Celtic stripes. SJS sold it to Harris probably five years
ago, and it's been on the rack ever since. Harris told me that
they're going to build it up as a Rohloff demo bike, which make sense.

I didn't get a chance to meet Sheldon this time, but I'd like to save
that for another visit when all the girls aren't sitting in the car -
and when I've got one of my bikes with me.

Letter to the editor of Adventure Cyclist magazine

I'd like to begin by saying how much I enjoy Adventure Cyclist magazine; the features are always interesting and well-written. It's particularly good to features by venerable cycling writers like John Schubert, who I always enjoyed reading during another bike magazine's hay day in the 1970s and early 80s.

I do believe, however, that Mr. Schubert may have missed a category of touring bike in his otherwise excellent article "What Kind of Bike Should You Buy?" in the February 2007 issue.

While there are situations that call for a fully-loaded mountain bike on tour, it seems to me that a serious off-road long-distance cycle tourist would be best suited with an "expedition bike". With a steel frame, 26-inch wheels, wide rims, and either dropped handlebars or straights, these bikes are designed for navigating rough terrain and carrying heavy loads with aplomb - there's really no need to use a mountain bike that's been expressly designed for another purpose. The expedition bike makers with which I'm familiar are all English: Thorn (a large selection from St. John Street Cycles; Roberts (the Rough Stuff); and Orbit (the Expedition).

I ride a Thorn Raven Adventure Tour, which is equally well-suited to road and unpaved surfaces (I especially appreciate it in the winter months as road conditions deteriorate). This is one of Thorn's many models designed around a Rohloff hub, another wonderful product that you might consider mentioning in future buying guides. They're growing in popularity, thanks in large part to Thorn's efforts, but mainly because more and more people are falling in love with their versatility, simplicity, ease of use, and low maintenance.

I believe that your readers would find some mention of the expedition bike category of interest, and I also think they could benefit from coverage of the Rohloff phenomenon.

Who needs cleats?

As I've been riding around so bundled up, I've also stopped worrying about my cleats, and have just worn my Gore Tex hiking boots with heavy socks instead. Not bad! For urban riding I've had no problems at all with regular shoes. Makes me glad I got the double-sided pedals!

A hardcore cycle commuter!

I've ridden in to the office in the Financial District several times. It can be a very nice ride from Arlington, taking in the Minuteman path to Davis Square, then to Inman Square, Kendall Square, and to Boston via the Longfellow Bridge, then on to the South Station area.

It somehow seems a more serious affair when braving sub-zero windchill temperatures, and taking a shower on arrival. That's something I've never really done because neither the facilities nor the need have existed for me before. But let's face it: I am in no kind of shape to see clients after a 12-mile ride, drenched in my own sweat under layers of fleece and Gore Tex.

So I worked on Sunday last weekend and tested out the facilities. The building is a new build out, and there is thankfully a little shower room on the second floor. For what it is, it's really quite nice: two showers and 12 or so lockers, with keys available from Security downstairs for the day.

I anticipate it'll mostly be lunchtime joggers who use it, though. The company does little to promote cycling. The bike rack accommodates maybe 16 bikes in a pinch, and it's located in an alley behind the building, adjacent to the smoking area and shuttle bus stop. Doesn't leave much question about how the company regards cyclists, does it?

But as far as I'm concerned, it suits me well. The ride is very pleasant, and just the right length to get a nice little workout. One of these days, I'll put my campaigning hat back on and see about getting these guys to encourage more cycling.

Minuteman Bike Path ride on Christiania

With Gem's cousin visiting, we had a lovely ride from Arlington Heights along the bike path to the playground at Spy Pond.

Ladies' town bikes

I had an email from someone recently who saw my thing about the Bobike seat, asking what kind of bike Kim rides. It's a VSF Fahrrad Manufaktur, and it's a perfect bike for riding around town. Step-through frame, basket, lights, mudguards, very strong and robust (only it is a bit heavy). We'd heartily recommend it to anyone - the only trouble is, they're only available in Germany (where they're made) andn in London through Bikefix.

A couple years ago, crapola Bicycling Magazine declared a revolution in the making, in the form of Joe Breeze's Breezer town bikes. They thought it was revolutionary to offer a comfortable, upright bike with a step-through frame, basket, lights, mudguards... when, of course they've been riding these sorts of things in Europe for years.

In any case it's nice to see that other US manufacturers are finally catching on. Here are a handful of bikes that seem to be made from a similar mold - from Breezer Bikes, Raleigh USA, Trek, and VSF.

Woods valves?

I was about to put some air in the tires of my Christiania today, and when I unscrewed the little cover on the valve, I wasn't quite sure what I was looking at. The valve looked like a larger Presta valve, only without the little screw stalk in the middle. A quick Google search revealed that it's a "Woods" or "Dunlop" valve. Very strange indeed. According to Sheldon Brown, they're "very rarely seen in the U.S." He also says that they my Presta pump ought to do the trick on them, which is good news!

Here's a photo from Sheldon's site.

NYC pedicab

NYC pedicab
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

We spotted lots of these around Midtown, though not many with passengers. Got into an interesting debate with the family about whether it's safe to use these things... Amy said she'd never let her kids in one, and Kim and I both said "why not?" The real question, I guess, is whether NYC drivers are any more mindful of pedicabs than they are of regular cyclists.

First Boston outing on Thorny

Today, New Year's Eve, I took my Thorn Raven out on its first ride in Boston. I've already done some riding since the move in Vermont, but this is the first real chance I've had to hit the streets here. The original plan was to ride the whole of the Minute Man trail, but yesterday's snow has left many treacherous icy spots that are best avoided - especially while I have my Hi Road tires on.

The weather today was nice - sunny and mid-40s. On the way, I went to Quad Cycles in Arlington Heights, which I'd never been tremendously impressed with previously. But this time, the chappie who helped me was very friendly and, well, helpful! He even remarked at my Brooks saddle and pointed out my Speedhub to a colleague. He also asked about my Tubus rack and the mountain hardware for Gem's seat. Best of all, he adjusted my headset and filled the tires at no cost! This bepierced part-timer has almost completely redeemed the shop for me!

The ride was also very nice. I rode up Mass Ave and puttered around Lexington, Bedford, to Hanscom AFB before heading home. It would have been miserable on most other days, but, being a holiday and a Sunday, there was no traffic to speak of. I thought I'd recognize my old routes out, but no luck. I did buy a nice map from Quad, though, which should help with future rides.

Jingle Ride

Setting off!
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

It's been far too long since I've posted, I know... I haven't stopped riding, of course, but I just haven't had the time for much of anything with the move, new job, etc.

One recent bikey high-point was a wonderful holiday ride with Lauren and her cohorts from Ciclismo Classico. I've been wanting to see her, Mauro, and the family since we moved, and this was the first opportunity. Lauren publicized the ride on the Arlington Parents list and that's where we first spotted it.

So the Saturday before, we went up to Mahoney's and bought a nice wreath, a bow, and some evergreen cuttings and I went to town decorating the Christiania! For her part, Kim baked up a giant batch of cranberry muffins, which we doled out to our fellow riders.

It was a chilly but perfect day for a ride. We met in Arlington Center outside Starbucks. Kim and Elsie came down to say hello and see us off. The Christiania generated some buzz, but there were several couples dressed in complete costume on $5000 tandems, so our novelty appeal was somewhat limited (especially in light of the pair of grinches with full makeup!). There was also a nice fellow on a Quickbeam with a Shimano hub (same as on my trike).

The ride was very nice... we headed down the Minuteman Bike Path to Alewife, which was nothing new for us. But I didn't know that it continues all the way to Davis Square! That was a big revelation and a delightful ride that I've done several times since.

We eventually ended up in Harvard Square, where we stopped to do some singing before riding across the Charles and joining the bike path on the Boston side. That part of the ride wasn't as nice; while you do get the scenery of the river on one side, proximity to Storrow Drive really detracts. At one point, the path was so narrow, I wasn't sure I was going to fit! Fortunately, though, I arrived at that bit just after the oncoming handcycle had come and gone. Tree roots under the surface also bumpied it up quite a bit, and we even lost the wreath at one point (but we salvaged it, and it's on the front door now!)

We collected ourselves again at the Hatch Shell for a few photos before riding on to Downtown Crossing and Quincy Market for lunch.

Gemma fell asleep just after the photo stop and continued to sleep all the way through lunch (Kim and Elsie met us there), and back over the Longfellow Bridge! She woke up at Kendall Square, and we had a fine ride back home via Davis Square and the path once again.

We came back on our own, leaving the rest of the group (30+ people) to dine in leisure. When we were slogging up Park Ave in the home stretch, someone I'd spoken to on the ride pulled up along side (driving, bike on roof) to say hi.

Who knows - with Christmas approaching, this could be the last big ride for us this year, and even if so, it was certainly a fitting end to the season.

Gemma sleeps through the carolling
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

Back in the saddle!

Our container arrived last Friday as expected, and after they broke the seal, the first thing off was the Christiania. Other bikes followed.

I went on a little trip to the bagel place with Gem the next day, and it sure was nice to be out on the road, all car-free for a change. On the way home, we tackled our big hill, and I made sure Gem was all ready to give me encouragement as we neared home.

"You can do it, Daddy!" very helpful - I almost abandoned at a few spots but didn't want to disappoint. I've been out with her a few times since, and now she knows the routine for powering me up those hills. She has also somehow remembered what I said on our way out that first time, so whenever we start downhill she says "I don't know how we'll make it up this one again!"

Part of the problem

We are now a car family. It's been necessary for the past few weeks as we get settled in and get our house sorted out. But still.

We've become all too familiar with the 8-mile stretch of Mass Ave between the South End and Arlington. Where to stay left, where peds are likelilt to jump out, we know all the ins and outs.

We also know that because the route goes right past the Berklee School of Music, MIT, and Harvard, there's a good chance of running across reckless student bike riders. And, being in my unfortunate driverly state of mind,  I was apt to get really annoyed by any irresponsible behavior coming my way.

So there we were, just across after the Comm Ave intersection, heading towards the South End, when a biker darted out across traffic in front of us. And then another and another. By the time I really started to grumble, it occurred to me that it was the last Friday of the month: Critical Mass Boston.

While not the spectacular happening it is in London, it certainly got its punt across to me, stopped in traffic, watching all these free-wheeling bikers glide past. I offered encouragement to a handful before closing the window to sulk and vow to myself to stay on the right side of things.

What's become of Andrew?

We've moved. Or, to be more accurate, we're still in the process of moving. Not that we haven't accomplished a lot, of course: packed everything up, carted family to Boston, bought house, sold flat, started new job, went over to the computing dark side... All in the past month or so.

Hard to believe. Haven't actually moved into the new place yet, but it shouldn't be long now.

Which is all just an extended explanation as to why nothing new has appeared on the old blog for a while. I'm very VERY much looking forward to resuming my life in the saddle once the bikes have arrived. There is still velo-notable stuff to note, though, and I'll get h that sooner or later.

New childseat & kickstand for Thorny!

Thorn Raven Adventure Tour
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

With our move to Boston now imminent, we've started doing all those things and buying all those bits that we will want in the US but that aren't available there.

One of those things is a Bobike Maxi bike seat for Gemma. She's now too big for the front-mounted Mini, but it's worked so well that we've decided to try the rear-mounted version. There's a lot more choice in rear-mounted seats, but this one seems well-made, comfortable, and relatively unobtrusive. It can also be switched from one bike to the other reasonably easily.

It also appears that I should be able to attach panniers to the rear rack with the seat on, which will be really good for longer journeys.

This will allow me to zap out for a fast ride up the bike path or into town with Gemma much quicker than on the Christiania. We'll also be able to take both girls out in the Spring, when Elsa is old enough for the Mini on Kim's bike.

I also took this opportunity to have a kickstand fitted by my friends at Velorution. Again, this one is relatively low-profile, and I already love being able to leave the bike standing on its own without looking for a suitable leaning place!

As ever, Andrea at Velorution was very helpful with these two purchases; I can only hope that I'll be able to find as friendly and interesting a shop where we're moving.

Family bike ride to Kensington Gardens

Family bike ride to Kensington Gardens
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

Last Sunday, we did a lovely ride from Regents Park to the playground in Kensington Gardens for a picnic. I put up flyers at the nursery and had three takers, but one had to duck out at the last minute. But the ones who turned up made up for it in enthusiasm! Kim & Elsa met us there with Lebanese delights, and another mom turned up too.

It was a beautiful, perfect day for a bike ride. We met at the Inner Circle in Regents Park, and rode down Marylebone High Street, then across Oxford Street and through Grosvenor Square. We followed the London Cycle Network to the Mall, then up Constitution Hill, which are both traffic-free on Sundays. We used the cycle (and horse!) crossing at Hyde Park Corner, then through the park to the Broad Walk in Kensington Gardens and up to the playground on the north side.

All the kids were perfect angels on the ride, and they all also enjoyed the playground and picnic.

Not too long after leaving the park after our picnic, Gem started to doze, and then she went right to sleep in the Christiania and slept all the way home!

The ultimate test

Gemma sleeping in Christiania
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

The ultimate test of the Christiania: Gemma fell asleep as we approached Oxford Street on our way home from the Bikefest yesterday! She more or less dozed off sitting up with Baby in one hand and her cheese sandwich in the other, and I just pulled over and eased her down onto the bench.

Then I managed to keep it slow and virtually bump-free all the way to Regents Park, where she woke up for some reason but remained content to lounge in there for quite a while.

Tour of Britain & Bikefest

Gem is a T-mobile supporter
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

We all went to the Bikefest on the Mall Sunday, preceding the final stage of this year's Tour of Britain. What fun! Gem and I rode in the Christiania and Kim & Elsa met us there.

There was lots of varied cycling excitement going on, plus good kids' stuff too. Gem did some crafts and got a glittery rainbow painted on her face. And we all enjoyed nabbing free goodies from Transport for London and others, and being plied by the propaganda for the London start of the Tour de France next year (could we possibly return for it???)

We also watched a bunch of the amateur racing, which we also all enjoyed. The most serious of the lot turned out to be a bit of a disappointment for Gemma, though. It was sponsored by Bob Chicken's company, one of the UK's leading distributors of racing kit... so Kim was referring to it as the Chicken Race... and Gem couldn't understand where all the chickens were.

We had a very nice picnic lunch from Inn the Park (hate the name, love the pork belly sandwiches!), then headed back up to Regents Park to see the pros come through. We stationed ourselves where Avenue Road enters the park, figuring that the sharp turn into the outer circle would provide some excitement.

In the end, though, the most exciting bit was the flotilla of 30+ police on motorbikes that came screaming through before the peloton. The racers were good too, as was the convoy of support cars, but it all went by in a flash. We dashed home later to see the BBC coverage but were disappointed to find that it skipped all the London riding and went right to the circuits around the Mall! Okay, it turned out that the only real competition during the road race was for the sprints and hills, but it was still fun to see.

Critical Mass Ride

Critical Mass - Waterloo Bridge
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

Years ago before Gemma was born, Kim and I came upon a Critical Mass ride in the West End and joined it for a bit. Great fun: hundreds of cyclists riding happily through the centre of town escorted by dozens of Met Police on bikes - not to mention cyclists and bikes of every description.

So this was my last chance to do the ride again since they go on the last Friday of each month and we'll be in our new house in Boston for the September ride.

I loaded Gem into the Christiania with a brimming snack bag and various other provisions and set off for Waterloo, where the ride was to start. This was kind of a big deal since it was our longest ride on the new bike ever. But the weather was nice, and Gem had just had a long nap.

We used the Kim's and my tried-and-tested route: Regents Park to Hampstead Road, then down Gower Street to Covent Garden and across the bridge. No problems at all on the ride there - we both enjoyed it tremendously. One valuable lesson about the trike, though. I wanted to bring the covers (top & sides) in case of rain or cold, but I didn't want to start with them. So we set off with just the aluminium frames in place.... and when the road got bumpy, they sprung out and started swinging out to the sides! I managed to secure them and eventually put the side covers on, which solved that problem.

We got to the South Bank nice and early, which meant that we could see some of the wackier bikes being prepared, and there was live music as well. There was interest in the Christiania from various folks, and we had a nice time chatting about it.

The ride itself was super-fun. After a LOUD rendition of Queen's Bicycle Race from one of the boom-box-bikes, we all headed off around the roundabout at Waterloo, then back over the bridge. We certainly succeeded in taking over the streets - southbound traffic over the bridge was entirely stopped, as was the traffic approaching the roundabout.

Then we went up the Kingsway to Holborn, then west along New Oxford Street to Oxford Circus, and south to Trafalgar Square. It went a little slowly because we all had to stop at various times. This gave us opportunities to chat with other riders; lots of people were curious about the trike: "Isn't it heavy?" "How much did it cost?" "Can you put other stuff besides children in there?"

By the time we got to Trafalgar Square it was starting to get dark and Gem was getting tired, so we peeled off and went up the Mall and home through Mayfair.

It was getting coldish by the time we reached Marylebone, so we put the cover on, and Gemma was quite content for the rest of the ride.

I reckon we did about 12 miles or so on the ride - it's great that we were all up to it: my legs, Gemma's attention span, and the Christiania too! Certainly makes me optimistic for long rides in the spring, once we've settled in to our new house (and the snow has melted...)

A week's worth of groceries

A week's worth of groceries
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

Hooray! The Christiania has arrived! More detail soon, but it's just as sweet as I'd expected, and the nice black alloy wheels were a great surprise. Here's Gem with a week's shopping.

Arlington, here we come!

Hasn't it been forever since my last post? (I wonder if anyone noticed...)

Things at home and work got pretty busy, then we were off on the long US trip that is finally nearing an end. After a week and a half in Florida, we came to Boston to visit family and look at houses to move into when we arrive at the end of September. Could we actually buy a house in a week or less? Yes!

It's remarkable, but we seem to have done just that. It's the perfect house for us in every way - except that it happens to be on top of a 3000-ft hill. We settled on Arlington after looking at a bunch of places in Providence and Newton. The Arlington neighbourhoods seem wonderful - alive with activity, with lots of parks and trees and children - and it's also overflowing with cyclists!

This is due in part to the fantastic Minuteman Bikeway, a traffic-free path that goes from Alewife Station in Cambridge all the way past Lexington. It seems to attract all sorts of bikers - lycra louts, families, everyone. This was one of the big selling points for the area driven home by my old friend Lauren of Ciclismo Classico, who has lived there for years. There are also lots of bikers in the streets around there - many of them probably heading out of town towards Concord, where I remember there being great riding 16 years ago.

During this whole process, I've had a lot of help from complete strangers on the Charles River Wheelmen email group. I've sent questions about where to live, cycling to school, good local bike shops, and coping with giant hills, and I've always had many long, considered replies.

The only real downside of the new house is its altitude. The most direct route up from Mass Ave is also the most daunting, with several short, sharp climbs of what I suspect is at least a 10% grade. There are other routes up as well, but since the house is on top of the hill, there's really no avoiding a climb. This may do my quads some good, but it may curtail some of the spontaneous family trips for a bottle of milk and that sort of thing.

Apparently (according to one of my CRW correspondents), Sheldon Brown says that "bicyclists shouldn't live at the tops of hills" - but there's not much we can do about that now, and we'll just have to adapt. The Christiania will be the most daunting conveyance to pedal up, but Andrea assures me that the gearing should be low enough (I compared the climb to Highgate West Hill for him).

So apart from this little wrinkle, we couldn't be more excited. I'm really looking forward to my first New England jaunt for over 16 years!

Nifty 2-kid setup

Saw a clever setup just now. Elsa & I are waiting for music class to end, and a dad came tooling up the Finchley Road on an electric-assist PowaBike with a kid on the front and one on the back. The seat in front was a Centric Safe Haven, but I didn't catch what the back one was.

Everybody concerned seemed comfortable and safe. Okay, it's not for us, but it's good to see that they've come up with a unique solution that works for them. I wonder if Mum rides it too?

Christiania Trike Ordered!

Gemma (and I) loved the Christiania so much that I've gone ahead and ordered one! We're very excited.

The model I've specified will be very similar to the one we borrowed. Here are the details:

• It's a "Model light" with the box with sloping sides and a shiny red finish


• We got the bugatti hood, just like our loaner (we considered getting a straight box with two facing seats, but that would have precluded the use of this top, which we really liked


• We got the same bench seat with single seat belt as on the loaner, but we also ordered the three-point harness for Elsa next Spring


• And instead of the knee-wrenching three-speed hub, we got a deluxe Shimano 8-speed model with a coaster break that's meant to be much more powerful than the one on their 3- or 7-speed models


• Finally, we also got the clever Axa frame-fit lock, which stays on the trike all the time and simply immobilizes the rear wheel. Probably not ideal for a bike that could easily be picked up and carried away, but that's really not the case with this one!

As usual Andrea at Velorution has been a delight to deal with... now if only they can get Annie and Lars to build the thing before all of Denmark goes on holiday!

Bye bye Christiania!

Gem in her coach on a rainy day
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

Here's the girl, happy as could be in her coach. Next stop Daisies, then back to Velorution.

It's been a wonderful few days with the trike, and I think it's put us in a good position to order one! More about that soon.

Christiania loves the rain!

It was perfect weather for our last ride withe the trike today - steady rain!

I put on my waterproofs and got Gem psyched for a ride in the rain. When we came down, I had prepared the trike with the top cover and one side on. I started talking about riding in her special coach, and she went right in with happy squeals.

I showed her that she could see out both sides, the front and me throu the back, and we were ready to go.

The trike handled great in the rain - no diffs anywhere. Gem really enjoyed the ride, too, singing to herself and enjoying her raisins all the way.

Bike Week architecture tour

Roger Madelin at new St Pancras Station
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

This year, London's Bike Week and Architecture Week coincided, and there was a great series of architecture bike tours around London. I did the one last Thursday called "The changing face of London: Urban Change and Regeneration". I'd covered most of the area before (around Kings Cross, and all over the new bits of Southwark near the Thames) already, but the weather was gorgeous and it's always nice to go for a group ride.

Christiania Photos

Two passengers
Originally uploaded by ahconway.

Still having a great time with the Christiania! The nursery run went great on Thursday. Today, we rode up to music class, then we gave some rides to a couple of Gem's friends from class. Everybody had a great time! It was interesting to see how she reacted to biking about not buckled or helmeted - she actually picked up the helmet and put it on, and held on very responsibly in the box.

When we got home, once again, she didn't want to come out.

I was amazed to find that there were really no good, close-up photos of Christiania trikes on Flickr or elsewhere before I hired this one. So I've put together a little gallery about this rental one; of course, if we buy our own, I'll do many more.

Christiania Saddle Height

I had a big revelation this morning. One of the niggling concerns I'd had about the Christiania involved my left knee, which has given me various troubles since the mid-90s. My knee hurt quite a bit going up stairs last night, and it was almost certainly because of my use of the trike. Since I would start from a standstill by pushing on my left pedal, there was a lot of pressure, and that didn't do me any good.

But it also seemed that the saddle was a bit low, so last night I raised it by four inches or so.

And today it was a whole new story! It seems to pedal easier, and I'm much more comfortable all round. No more knee pain on the bike, and much less off.

Result! Though I guess one could argue that I should have known to do this before leaving the shop with it...

In any case, I took Gem to nursery in it this morning and it was a great ride. We both really enjoyed it. I took a roundabout route home and tested it on some minor hills, and no problems at all!

Christiania Trike Trial

Now that Gem is starting to show signs of outgrowing the Bobike Mini (which will relegate her to the back on a Copilot or Bobike Maxi) and our return to the US is approaching, I've finally started to think seriously in investing in a Christiania trike. Our test ride a few weekends back and my conversation with the one of the founders (not to mention ongoing discussions with Andrea at Velorution) have also been pushing me in this direction. It was finally a new colleague of Andrea's at the Marylebone summer fair who gave me the idea to hire one out and see how we like it. Which is what we've done!

I picked up a reasonably basic trike this afternoon at Velorution and rode it home. Today is Wednesday, and I'm planning on keeping it until Monday. That will give me lots of chances for runs to Waitrose with or without Gem, plus one and a half school runs (since I'l return it after drop-off Monday). The weather looks like it will cooperate as well, with no rain and temperatures in the high sixties predicted.

The Trike

This is a pretty basic model, but it does have some good features & more deluxe bits. On the more basic side, it has a three-speed Shimano hub gear with coaster brake - fine, but really only for very flat terrain. The seat is also a bit basic, a padded, springy affair. The nylon bench seat for little passengers seems to work well enough, and there's nice (but unsecured) space underneath for stowing this and that. The safety belt is a single belt, which is okay for a child Gem's age, but not much younger. I'd go with a three-point harness on mine. The other obvious upgrade is the bright red colour, which I think Gem likes very much indeed!

The Ride

This takes a bit of getting used to. When I had my first try-out, Andrea warned me to lean into turns to avoid flipping over, which turned out to be good advice! I've managed to avoid any incidents on the road as well.

At almost a metre across, it's a bit of a wide load, but that isn't really noticeable since the load is out front. As much as I've ridden with my trailer (about the same width), I still have close calls every once in a while - no such problems here.

Perhaps the biggest difference from a normal bike is that it's articulated in the middle. The handlebar is a continuous length across the back of the box, and steering moves the entire front end. This means that it's veryresponsive and easy to turn in a tight circle, but this can be disconcerting at first. I expected going round corners to be different, but what I didn't expect was the subltle back-and-forth movement as I pedal. And still, not a big deal, it's just a bit disconcerting at first. It all feels quite stable most of the time, but going over bumps at speed can be a hair-raising experience that I've now learned to avoid.

Another interesting foible has to do with the upright stance of the trike. Sitting on three wheels, it's always dead upright. So leaning round corners means that you lean, the bike does not. And when on a road that slopes off towards the curb, the bike rides at an angle. This is one of those things you never think about while riding on two wheels - you just stay upright even if the road is banked a bit.

I don't mean to be too negative here - it really is a nice bike to ride; it feels very solid and well-made. It's clear that a lot of thought has gone into refining the design. It does take more work than riding a normal bike, but I stopped thinking about that once I decided not to try to keep up a normal pace.

The Christiania in Use

As I've said, it just takes some getting used to. One person who didn't need any time at all to become comfortable with the Christiania is Gemma. She had a great time during our brief try-out in Regents Park, and she was as excited as could be when she saw that I'd brought this one home. (Think squeals and arms flailing.)

We had a brief foray to the playground yesterday - Kim walked and we biked a longer route. I removed the "bugatti" soft top to give her a good view all around, and back up at me. This is one of the nicest things about it. I've always thought it was wonderful that she had such a good view from the Bobike Mini and dreaded relegating her to the back of the bike. Her position on the bench of the trike gives her a great view, and she's still close enough that we can hear one another talk.

Apart from the novelty of it ("I'm riding a funny bike!"), she also really loves the space and the freedom. It wasn't long yesterday before she discovered her bag of food under the seat... She set it out on the seat beside her, unzipped the top, and went rifling through. Sure, I wouldn't want that to happen every time, but just having it there I think made her feel as though the space was her own. As much as we both love the Bobike Mini, after not too long she could become restless: "I'm stuck!" Giving her room to move and stuff to hold is a definite plus. Also, the strap seatbelt gives her some freedom of lateral movement as well. (Though I had a real tough time getting the seatbelt to stay tense; it was something going on with the buckle. I ended up tying a knot in the belt to solve the problem.)

Another thing I noticed straight away was that, instead of feeling like I'm being edged off the road constantly, on the Christiania it seems that drivers give me much more space. I think the road presence of the thing makes me more confident about taking my lane, and it also makes drivers keep their distance.

More posts to come...

Taste of London

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Originally uploaded by ahconway.

Went to the Taste of London thing in Regents Park today with Kim and the girls (!). Gorgeous day. Gem really enjoyed the music and ice cream, and we tried lots of good food. Lotsa freebies too, though not enough to justify the £30 each we spent to get in! Firefly drinks had a nice kiosk with friendly folk - and coolers on Carry Freedom trailers. (Bikes too, though they were rubbish.)

Christiania founders @ Velorution

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Originally uploaded by ahconway.

I went along to a very nice event organised by Andrea at Velorution Monday, where the couple who founded and now run Christiania spoke. The Camden school travel plan guy and a couple London-based trike owners spoke too.

A very nice event, and I'm now all the more enthusiastic about getting a Christiania trike!

Green Fair Bikefest 2006

What fun! A gorgeous day, too. Nana, Papa, Kim, Gemma, and I walked down around noon had had a lovely day. The weather was perfect and sunny, and the park was packed. Not too packed, though.

We started by visiting the bikey bit, which consisted of a Camden Cycling Campaign stand (my first time in four years not working!), a cycle training thing, and a try-out area with recumbents and folders from Bikefix and a Christiania from Velorution.

Gem and I had great fun riding around on the Christiania, and Andrea kindly adjusted his son's Like-a-Bike for Gem to ride (she's so keen now!). Papa also tried out a nice folder and had a good time at that. There was a gigantic turnout for Doctor Bike, with a long queue.

We had nice sausages for lunch, then spent the rest of the day walking around and listening to music. Gem loves the blues, and the harmonica especially!

Gem and I also met Jan and her lovely Harry Hall racer, lovingly assembled by her cycle-mad dad in Manchester. While I would like to have seen some swept-back handlebars and a nice Brooks saddle on it, the five-speed Campagnolo Record drivetrain and touring pedals were gorgeous and fit with the lugged Harry Hall frame perfectly! All in all, a beautiful package. I told Jan and her companion Darren that I'd post a picture of it, so maybe I'll have an email from one of them?


Lots more photos on flickr!

London-Windsor ride

For what may be my last long ride for a while (baby due any day now!), I yesterday I rode national route no 4 from Richmond to Windsor & Eaton.

And remarkably, it was one of my best days of riding, ever! The weather was perfect, clear, and warm. I set off at first light around 4:30am and rode through Hyde Park to Richmond, where I picked up the marked route. Of course, not a soul in sight anywhere. The road through Hyde Park by the Serpantine wsa closed at that time, so I eeked in a pedestrian gate and made my way to the cycle path, taking some lovely photos along the way. (See flickr for lots of pictures from the ride.

No problem getting into Richmond Park, thankfully, and I did my usual route across, seeing lots of nice deer in the morning mist.

Then on to the Thames towpath, which took me pretty much the rest of the way. The surface was variable but nice and dry, and never mucky (one nice side-effect of the current drought!). I stopped for a ham sandwich at Hampton Court at 06:30 and continued along past Weybridge and Chobham, finally coming away from the Thames at Runnymeade.

Runnymede is a large swathe of National Trust property with nice forest walks and tons of memorials, ruins, and old houses. Most notable for me was the only significant climb of the day, on the worst surface I encountered all day. Probably 10-12 percent. Not so bad, though, since I'd been riding along on towpaths for most of the day!

Not too long after, I entered Windsor Great Park and spent the next 45 mins or so riding leisurely around the most beautifully-maintained roads I've seen. It's all royal, of course, so it's no surprise that it's kept up so well. It's essentially a huge and varied park, and the public has use of much of it. I was there around 8:30 or so, and the only people I saw were Crown Estate workers and the odd jogger here and there. I got some water and used the loo at the one little shop in the one little village, which was as cute as could be.

Windsor Great Park must be one of the best places for family cycling in the South East. I hope to be able to come back with Gem in the trailer or child seat and spend the day. The only slight downside is that the way markers for the national cycle routes aren't marked inside the park.

After that, there's another nice parkland ride towards Windsor, but after that the markers become really poor. I got really turned around and ended up following an A road into the centre, but that's not a major issue. After only a short break, I walked over a bridge and rode through Eton, where I found my only Sustrans waymarker of the day.

I probably should have gotten on the train there and connected through Slough, but instead I decided to ride to Slough... which only served to confirm for me that Slough deserves its reputation as one of Britain's worst towns. I've said enough about that. But that wasn't enough to sully day for me!

Important note about route 4 The most recent Sustrans map shows a long route that continues along the Thames after Weybridge that was not approved at the time the map was made. It is now approved, and signs on the street reflect that route, not the one on the map.

New video: The school run

Hooray! Nana Dawn has arrived in anticipation of the new baby. And she's brought goodies! Among them, a nice, new Canon digital camera. It's much more portable than our SLR, and it also does video. Which I tested out this morning on the school run.

I have a little vise mount that I attached to my handlebars and set it going as we left home. The mount isn't very good quality, so I had to adjust it a bit as we went along. But the camera is brilliant, and the giant display on the back fascinated Gem and made her feel like a right little Stephen Spielberg.

The camera shoots very high quality video, so we filled up a 1gb card in less than ten minutes! Next time I'll try shooting at a lower res. In the meantime, I've picked out three nice clips:

• Leaving home, across roundabout to South Hampstead station
  
• Crossing the Finchley Road on Boundary Road, Gem identifying the white bike on the street, and an irresponsible cyclist at the crossing
  
• Cycling down Woznarow Road in St John's Wood, singing ba ba black sheep
  

As I get better with the camera and all that, I'll be doing more video!