RIP "Cheeky"

So. How did your week start? Good I hope...

Mine started at 6:30 this morning when I had to go wake up the couple 2 doors up the road to tell them that their cat was lying dead outside my house...apparently hit by a car!

Great...

The weekend, however, had been awesome...I surprised Flo! Couple of weeks ago I asked "The Spokesman" (aka Balti) the local bike shop if they could set up a bike for her. Having done a bit of work on my 2, he knew what I had in mind...so he'd added "ape-hanger" type handlebars and all the bells, reflectors, and PINK that a 4.5 year old girl obsessed with princesses could want.

She loves it!



To the extent that she spent Sunday telling everyone we met (or even passed in the street) that she had a new bike...

Nearly there...ing

Odo = 38.6 Miles in 5 days. Longest Trip = 15 Miles. Max Speed in trip = 27.1 mph.

Grazes = 3. Cars annoyed = 40. Annoying cars = 35. MTBs overtaken = 8.

Fear of inbox = 100%.

My New Best Mate & Favourite Enemy

Cycled to work and back today. Mainly because it's Friday and I had this cunning plan to be logged in, ready and working by 7am so I could leave (feasibly) at 3pm...It worked! Mainly because I woke up at 5, sorted myself out, did the uphill and had a quick shower at work...oh, and I turned only the lights for my "pod" on and listened to the overfill beep on the coffee machine until the aircon (hoho!) came on at 7:30.

After a day filled with subduing french panic (i think), trying to figure out where to put the Romanians and some funky XSLT/Queuing tech, meeting some other (unrelated) Romanians and the fantastic Mr Sked offering to post a load of PC parts, I cycled home on a different (and somewhat randomly chosen route). A good route!

Only one significant uphill, which is thankfully shallow (ish) and short. Loads of flat (as flat as it gets in Bristol), and some mental downhills...during the best/steepest of which the recent vague squeaking from the stem manifested itself in a complete 360 of the bars. Very disconcerting suddenly having to brake using the heel of your hand, especially at speed*.

Luckily, there was a Halfords at the bottom of the hill so I picked up some Allen (Hex) Keys and sorted that mother out. Also raised seat 1/2 inch for greater leverage....What did I learn? High single gears == wrenching with the arms!!

Unfortunately while I was cycling in a more sane and relaxed manner round some of the local streets a van came hooning round a corner (blindsided by parked vehicles, mind) and almost took me off (thanks ears! you work great!!) and I smacked my knee right in the "dead spot" as I viciously swung left to avoid him...not being able to use one leg is not good on a bike and thus I slowly dropped onto the pavement. Saving myself (though not my dignity) by stamping out my numb, collapsing, left leg at the last minute and getting rammed in the arse by my seat...

Not so sure about getting clip style pedals/shoes now...

There are no pictures today, I'm too busy swearing at traffic!


* According to CardioTrainer on the G2 my top speed was 42mph. I don't trust it, so lets say it was 35mph at this point....very very steep & just the right kind amount of swoopy! No traffic...I must get one of those computery things....

Obsession...for geeks! [updated]

I has a one.

So. I was on ebay today buying a humane spider catcher for Rosie (7 quid delivered BTW!)...as you do.

"I wonder what fixie's are on here?", I thought to myself. Tappity-tappity-tap....
"£1100 for a bike?....WTF?...wait, what's this?"

Short story short. I've bought another fixie.

I will not turn this one into a retro, child-carrying, basket-adorned, fairground*. It's a bit more "proper", with a rear-brake (and so road-legal) and everything and weighs 1/2 as much as Mrs Apron when fully laden...Here, have a look!


Correct picture now shown...

I shall, however, start using this one (it's already shipped!!) as the "daily" bike and reserve Mrs Apron for Flo...and special occasions.

In other news, I'm working on "Doctor Roboto", my costume for next months microrave. So far it features:

• Voice changer
• Internal ultra-bright white LED lighting
  
• Mirrored eyes

In progress:

• Tube & "Gun" for the Brainwave Transmission Weapon
• Sound responsive laser light show projected upwards!
  
• Rubber surround for neck/shoulders
• External "spotlights"
  

To do:

• Head/chinstrap attachments for security while "dancing"
• Lights, bolts, vents/grills and that....prettying it up.
• Silver fabric neck tube to cover scrawny human neck
  

I seriously hope I can make something that lives up to my expectations...

* Actually, the crazy lights are removable from Mrs Apron, so they might go on from time to time....I have a huge bag of zip-ties I got from somewhere...

"Mrs Apron"

...is the name Flo has decided upon for my bike. In fact, OUR bike! It has a seat for me and one for Flo (which collapses into a handy rear platform) and a saddle and a loud as hell bell...

All bikes need a name, especially one such as this. With a name comes a helm!



I bought her a helm today. A helm is necessary apparently.



Necessary for all things!



But fuck me was it a killer (even keeping to the relative flat) with a basket full of groceries and a backseat full of Flo. That said, when you "get a coast on" it's fucking joyous...it's a perfect bike for me: a pain in ass to get going but when you do, just cruise...and DO NOT STOP*!


*until at destination**
**or large hill***
***large = not horizontal

Fixie

Things I have learnt about riding a fixed-wheel bicycle in Bristol.

• Prepare for pain
• You need to look/plan ahead
  
• Keep pedalling!
• Don't bother with anything more than 1:3 hills....you will die
• Braking is weird. Practice!
• Putting a retro childseat on the back adds a kilo to the bike
• Flo will whoop from the moment you start pedalling
• She also sings me songs while I cycle...
  
• Adding a Flo to the bike makes it even more unwieldy
• Keep pedalling!
• Pace...it's all about pace. Basically, once you start don't stop. Slow down, sure!
• Make absolutely certain no laces, sock, trouser-cuff or other loose items can possibly get caught in the chain...you will die
• If you get a bright orange, chopper-handled fixie with a childseat from the 80s containing a whooping, singing ~4year old....people will point and stare...
  

Tomorrow we are going to attempt a trip to town....

My eyes.....

They burn.....the orangeynessnessss.....but 1st....

Mac Mini running Ubuntu 9.04 + XBMC....fuck you Apple!


Flo's in love with the iPod....fuck you Apple!


Moshi's in love with my bag.....fuck you, Apple....oh, wait....


Orange!

Who said a fixed-wheel bike in a city built on 7 hills is madness...probably me after my 1st proper cycling sesh tomorrow....

Off to Derby for the weekend...peace.