Re: [TheThinkTank] bicycle shaped objects
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Hi, All.
I'm sitting here in Toronto awaiting this baby's arrival.
She's now well overdue.
It's bike month here, and we've had the launch of the
Toronto Cyclists Union, some cool fundraisers, several great charity and political rides, and a host of other things. My friend who is visiting me from my other home, Detroit, is in total culture shock.
This is a good thread. Department store bikes do suck, but I
like Noah's post and this one from Chris.
Part of my feeling of mild distain for my fellow cyclists in
Windsor Ontario is about such silliness as riding on the sidewalk and CLEARLY not making ongoing reparis to their bikes, but part of it is also that most people are riding ugly and poor quality department store or hardware store bikes.
Some of the reasons to dislike department store bikes and
their riders are not merely about the functionality of the bikes, about which many true things have already been said, but about their aesthetic qualities, or lack thereof.
They are just ugly and they have no style.
If they have to be dealt with at all, the recommendations
that they be given complete overhauls and cared for as best as possible make sense to me-- better any bike than no bike, and the people who ride them probably end up actually loving them, and who am I to disrespect that?
The ugliness also needs to be addresssed, though. Because
they are cheap and ugly and not worth much, etc., they are actually great for making into art bikes.
Sand and prime and repaint the bikes, spray paint them gold
and cover them in bits of crome from old cars, cover them in broken mirrors, decoupage pictures of naked ladies all over them and seal in the naked goodness with some sort of top coat-- I have seen all these things and many more odd and marvelous things (including a bike completely covered in those little rubber snakes you can get in toy stores) done to department store bikes, and when I looked at THOSE (admittedly still barely functional) cheap-ass rides, I got over my aversion and scorn, and I thought they were cool.
I hope everyone is in a good mood and that the weather is
nice where you are.
Sasha
On Wed, 28 May 2008 14:23:54 -0400 "info@re-cycles.ca" <info@re- cycles.ca> wrote:
Recently I have seen many examples of new department store bikes with cones TOO tight and some with NO grease in the bearings or anywhere else.
Most of the higher end Costco and department store bikes will last
for years but they need to be totally overhauled upon purchase otherwise they will grind/seize themselves to death within a couple of seasons. Kind of puts the low end prices of a good bike shop, that checks, greases and adjusts their bikes before sale, into perspective.
Or volunteer at your local community bike shop for a couple of months, then buy a new high end Costco bike, spend 2 evenings overhauling it yourself and laugh all the way to the bank.
Chris --- reno bikes renobikeproject@gmail.com wrote:
arguably dept. store bikes suck. but just change your thinking a little. they are not a performance machine.
as long as the cones are tight enough, and the wheel straight
enough
to avoid touching pads, then whomever rides it will appreciate it.
its a step up from a bus pass.
and some people ride roadmasters for years. they are around. you
have
seen them.
i just keep them rolling and spend more time with better
equipment.
noah
Chris Wells (Head Mechanic & Email Handler)
re-Cycles Bicycle Co-op 477 Bronson Ave. Ottawa
re-Cycles is open 6pm-10pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays (for volunteering, DIY, bike & parts sales & donation drop off) AND SUNDAYS 3pm-6pm for Volunteering and Donations! :-)
Bike sales and donation drop off also available during Cycle Salvation hours: 9am-5:30pm Tuesday to Friday, and 9am-1pm on Saturday
(IMPORTANT: Please remember that while Cycle Salvation will be using our shop during the day, any public bike repair, whether volunteer or do-it-yourself, is still only during regular re- Cycles hours in the evenings.)
info@re-cycles.ca http://www.re-cycles.ca/ _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank@bikecollectives.org http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- bikecollectives.org
Often times I see third world cultures mimicking our western ways. Not that this has anything to with out discussion but I find it odd, this bike, the Firmstrong Traveler Man.
http://www.firmstrong.com/traveller%20man.htm
Be like Lance???? What gives. Mi familio was on his LDS Mission in San Luis Potosi where he reported seeing many very cheap, said bikes painted to look like their US higher value counterparts. (a huffy painted like a trek racing bike but with cheap parts) This was a long time and certainly gives me some ponder.
On 5/28/08, dragonfly@mac.hush.com dragonfly@mac.hush.com wrote:
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Hi, All.
I'm sitting here in Toronto awaiting this baby's arrival.She's now well overdue.
It's bike month here, and we've had the launch of theToronto Cyclists Union, some cool fundraisers, several great charity and political rides, and a host of other things. My friend who is visiting me from my other home, Detroit, is in total culture shock.
This is a good thread. Department store bikes do suck, but Ilike Noah's post and this one from Chris.
Part of my feeling of mild distain for my fellow cyclists inWindsor Ontario is about such silliness as riding on the sidewalk and CLEARLY not making ongoing reparis to their bikes, but part of it is also that most people are riding ugly and poor quality department store or hardware store bikes.
Some of the reasons to dislike department store bikes andtheir riders are not merely about the functionality of the bikes, about which many true things have already been said, but about their aesthetic qualities, or lack thereof.
They are just ugly and they have no style. If they have to be dealt with at all, the recommendationsthat they be given complete overhauls and cared for as best as possible make sense to me-- better any bike than no bike, and the people who ride them probably end up actually loving them, and who am I to disrespect that?
The ugliness also needs to be addresssed, though. Becausethey are cheap and ugly and not worth much, etc., they are actually great for making into art bikes.
Sand and prime and repaint the bikes, spray paint them goldand cover them in bits of crome from old cars, cover them in broken mirrors, decoupage pictures of naked ladies all over them and seal in the naked goodness with some sort of top coat-- I have seen all these things and many more odd and marvelous things (including a bike completely covered in those little rubber snakes you can get in toy stores) done to department store bikes, and when I looked at THOSE (admittedly still barely functional) cheap-ass rides, I got over my aversion and scorn, and I thought they were cool.
I hope everyone is in a good mood and that the weather isnice where you are.
SashaOn Wed, 28 May 2008 14:23:54 -0400 "info@re-cycles.ca" <info@re- cycles.ca> wrote:
Recently I have seen many examples of new department store bikes with cones TOO tight and some with NO grease in the bearings or anywhere else.
Most of the higher end Costco and department store bikes will last
for years but they need to be totally overhauled upon purchase otherwise they will grind/seize themselves to death within a couple of seasons. Kind of puts the low end prices of a good bike shop, that checks, greases and adjusts their bikes before sale, into perspective.
Or volunteer at your local community bike shop for a couple of months, then buy a new high end Costco bike, spend 2 evenings overhauling it yourself and laugh all the way to the bank.
Chris --- reno bikes renobikeproject@gmail.com wrote:
arguably dept. store bikes suck. but just change your thinking a little. they are not a performance machine.
as long as the cones are tight enough, and the wheel straight
enough
to avoid touching pads, then whomever rides it will appreciate it.
its a step up from a bus pass.
and some people ride roadmasters for years. they are around. you
have
seen them.
i just keep them rolling and spend more time with better
equipment.
noah
Chris Wells (Head Mechanic & Email Handler)
re-Cycles Bicycle Co-op 477 Bronson Ave. Ottawa
re-Cycles is open 6pm-10pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays (for volunteering, DIY, bike & parts sales & donation drop off) AND SUNDAYS 3pm-6pm for Volunteering and Donations! :-)
Bike sales and donation drop off also available during Cycle Salvation hours: 9am-5:30pm Tuesday to Friday, and 9am-1pm on Saturday
(IMPORTANT: Please remember that while Cycle Salvation will be using our shop during the day, any public bike repair, whether volunteer or do-it-yourself, is still only during regular re- Cycles hours in the evenings.)
info@re-cycles.ca http://www.re-cycles.ca/ _______________________________________________ Thethinktank mailing list Thethinktank@bikecollectives.org http://lists.bikecollectives.org/listinfo.cgi/thethinktank- bikecollectives.org
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On Wed, May 28, 2008 at 2:54 PM, dragonfly@mac.hush.com wrote:
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their aesthetic qualities, or lack thereof.
They are just ugly and they have no style.
Just say no to fashion!
participants (3)
-
allego Concordia -
dragonfly＠mac.hush.com -
Michael Wolfe