Because I Must Bike, behold Miss Indigo*:
I've so far ridden her about eight miles, from Gregg's Green Lake Cycle home yesterday and then on my usual route today. To simplify my life, I ordered (an updated version of) the same model in the same size, in the only color that was available at the Seattle Gregg's: indigo. Here's the scoop, from front to back.
Tires: Miss Indigo's are 700cX40 and knobby. FM Bike had 700cX38 Alligator tires, so Miss Indigo feels more like a mountain bike. That may eventually be good for Burning Man and, I have to say it, not skidding in general. The Alligators are good for puncture resistance, though. Bonus: I can still use the three 700c tubes I have.
Fenders: Instead of the all-too-easily removable straightish plastic jobs, I let Gregg's install real commuter fenders on mine. There should be less mud on my clothes, and more fenders on my bike.
Front fork: This bike has a suspension, as did FM Bike.
Grips: They have a flattened trailing edge. That makes them way more comfy. It's funny how big a difference a detail that small can make.
Shifters: Indexed as before, but this time the drive train is 2x9 instead of 3x6. For you non-bike maniacs, 2x9 means there are two chain rings in the front, and nine gears on the "cassette" in the back. I'm mostly OK with this difference because I hardly ever used the largest ring on FM Bike. However, I've noticed that on Miss Indigo, the larger ring with the smallest gears chatters a little, and the smaller ring with the largest gears tends to slip and skip.
Brakes: Disc, as before, but the rear ones seem to be a little... inconsistent? Sometimes they really grab and sometimes they just sort of grab. Maybe it'll shake out. If it doesn't, I'll hit Gregg's in a few days. There's something I learned that I don't recall from when I bought FM Bike: when you take a wheel off a bike with disc brakes, you're supposed to put a shim between the brake pads to keep them from getting stuck together. I took the wheels off FM Bike many times without doing that. Did I get lucky?
U-lock: The same model as before, velcro'd to my frame, where it stays out of the way nicely, at least for now. I used to put it in my handlebar basket. I could have sworn I tried this before and didn't like it. I did not buy another damn cable.
Saddle: Less slippery than FM Bike's, and ventilated. Nun-approved. I may need to raise it again, though.
Basket: I don't have one yet. I'm not crazy about carrying my purse in my Chrome bag; it's not that comfortable. I'm thinking about getting a pannier, if it'll fit on my bike. Or, or, I could get one of those little bitty bags that fit underneath the saddle, but that rubs against my Burneresque compulsion to have stuff ready at hand when I need it. Besides, my light is there already. Speaking of Burning Man, a handlebar basket is actually perfect for that – access to stuff without dismounting – but I would again need a custom-made fitting from![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
gfish to keep it from rotating, and he spent so much time on the previous one that I don't have the heart to ask him again.
I just verified that my hi-viz bike jacket has a rear pocket that I've never used, and that could fit my wallet, phone, and keys. But what would I do during the summer? A quick look at REI tells me that there are little bags for every part of a bike! Top tubes! Handlebars! Oh, rapture! And for serious cargo, there's always my trusty Chrome bag. I must ponder. And measure my wallet.
Oh: I've registered Miss Indigo, serial number and all, with the Bike Index in case she too gets jacked.
So does Miss Indigo fit in my foyer? Not quite, as I feared. She intrudes about three inches into the stairway to the living room & kitchen. But a helpful (and, of course, fit) young lady on the staff at Gregg's schooled me on free-standing vertical bike stands. I may either go that route, if my rear fender doesn't prevent it, or screw a hook into a ceiling stud if I can find one in an acceptable place because I own this house.
*A local teacher of burlesque and excellent commedienne whom I know from my grad school days goes by Indigo Blue. Does she prefix it with Miss? Yes she does, I eventually found out. The choice of name for the bike was not meant to imply any association with her, attractive and super gay though she is.
I've so far ridden her about eight miles, from Gregg's Green Lake Cycle home yesterday and then on my usual route today. To simplify my life, I ordered (an updated version of) the same model in the same size, in the only color that was available at the Seattle Gregg's: indigo. Here's the scoop, from front to back.
Tires: Miss Indigo's are 700cX40 and knobby. FM Bike had 700cX38 Alligator tires, so Miss Indigo feels more like a mountain bike. That may eventually be good for Burning Man and, I have to say it, not skidding in general. The Alligators are good for puncture resistance, though. Bonus: I can still use the three 700c tubes I have.
Fenders: Instead of the all-too-easily removable straightish plastic jobs, I let Gregg's install real commuter fenders on mine. There should be less mud on my clothes, and more fenders on my bike.
Front fork: This bike has a suspension, as did FM Bike.
Grips: They have a flattened trailing edge. That makes them way more comfy. It's funny how big a difference a detail that small can make.
Shifters: Indexed as before, but this time the drive train is 2x9 instead of 3x6. For you non-bike maniacs, 2x9 means there are two chain rings in the front, and nine gears on the "cassette" in the back. I'm mostly OK with this difference because I hardly ever used the largest ring on FM Bike. However, I've noticed that on Miss Indigo, the larger ring with the smallest gears chatters a little, and the smaller ring with the largest gears tends to slip and skip.
Brakes: Disc, as before, but the rear ones seem to be a little... inconsistent? Sometimes they really grab and sometimes they just sort of grab. Maybe it'll shake out. If it doesn't, I'll hit Gregg's in a few days. There's something I learned that I don't recall from when I bought FM Bike: when you take a wheel off a bike with disc brakes, you're supposed to put a shim between the brake pads to keep them from getting stuck together. I took the wheels off FM Bike many times without doing that. Did I get lucky?
U-lock: The same model as before, velcro'd to my frame, where it stays out of the way nicely, at least for now. I used to put it in my handlebar basket. I could have sworn I tried this before and didn't like it. I did not buy another damn cable.
Saddle: Less slippery than FM Bike's, and ventilated. Nun-approved. I may need to raise it again, though.
Basket: I don't have one yet. I'm not crazy about carrying my purse in my Chrome bag; it's not that comfortable. I'm thinking about getting a pannier, if it'll fit on my bike. Or, or, I could get one of those little bitty bags that fit underneath the saddle, but that rubs against my Burneresque compulsion to have stuff ready at hand when I need it. Besides, my light is there already. Speaking of Burning Man, a handlebar basket is actually perfect for that – access to stuff without dismounting – but I would again need a custom-made fitting from
gfish to keep it from rotating, and he spent so much time on the previous one that I don't have the heart to ask him again.I just verified that my hi-viz bike jacket has a rear pocket that I've never used, and that could fit my wallet, phone, and keys. But what would I do during the summer? A quick look at REI tells me that there are little bags for every part of a bike! Top tubes! Handlebars! Oh, rapture! And for serious cargo, there's always my trusty Chrome bag. I must ponder. And measure my wallet.
Oh: I've registered Miss Indigo, serial number and all, with the Bike Index in case she too gets jacked.
So does Miss Indigo fit in my foyer? Not quite, as I feared. She intrudes about three inches into the stairway to the living room & kitchen. But a helpful (and, of course, fit) young lady on the staff at Gregg's schooled me on free-standing vertical bike stands. I may either go that route, if my rear fender doesn't prevent it, or screw a hook into a ceiling stud if I can find one in an acceptable place because I own this house.
*A local teacher of burlesque and excellent commedienne whom I know from my grad school days goes by Indigo Blue. Does she prefix it with Miss? Yes she does, I eventually found out. The choice of name for the bike was not meant to imply any association with her, attractive and super gay though she is.
