(no subject)

[camwyn]

Went to work yesterday. Did okay, but kept having 'sneezures'- you know, fits of six or seven sneezes in a row- despite my efforts not to. When one guy suggested I go home early I said I'd stick it out as there was only half an hour left, but when I got up to leave one of the other traders suggested I stay home today and get better, no need to force things. I took his advice when I woke up this morning and still felt itchythroated.

I'm starting to feel better, though, so that's something. I'm curling up with green tea with antioxidants (specifically, vitamin C in the tea itself) and half a quart of wonton soup from last night, when I ordered a meal from Chun Bo's but couldn't get past the scallion pancakes and one bowl of soup. Considering trying to go outside at some point later, as it's quite lovely and a walk might do me good.

Might have to find some mass transit to Cape May this weekend. This is the weekend when I traditionally go whale watching. It's dolphin calving season.

Oh- also I think I have found the bicycle I want. Dynamic Bicycles' Runabout is a chainless model with interior gears, front suspension, good tires, riser handlebars, and a decent warranty. I need to find out about adding panniers/saddlebags and maybe fenders and a light and a mirror before it gets here, since they only sell directly out of their shop in Boston, but no biggie. I've assembled bicycles before. *checks* Well, I can order it with a rear carrier and fenders, so that's a start. I'll find a store to buy the other equipment from. And donate my old mountain bike to Pedals for Progress or something. It's a lovely bike for true, but let's be honest- I don't do offroading, I don't do massive hill climbing, and I don't need the features of the mountain bike. I'd rather have something lighter and more easily used on the city streets.

Anyway. Kettle's whistling. Time for tea, and cleaning off the couch.

Comments

[vivian-shaw.livejournal.com]

Chainless bicycles.

Now I've seen everything. Glad you're feeling a bit better!

[camwyn]

Chainless bicycles are actually over a century old, but when the chain mechanisms were perfected they turned out more efficient and easier to pedal than the drive shaft systems of the day. The tables are starting to turn given the way Shimano's gearing systems work now, though, so the drive shaft system is actually pretty darn efficient by this stage. And way less messy to your ankles.

[jjloa.livejournal.com]

oh indeed! That was a shock. Though I'm now oohing and ahhing over this new discovery. If I had money ... *G*

[camwyn]

*loves loves LOVES her income tax refund from the state of New York*

[paradisacorbasi.livejournal.com]

OMG. Scallion pancakes. *cry*

They don't make those down here.
Nor curry pastries.

*wail*

I really am glad you're feeling better, but oh -- homesickness.

[vivian-shaw.livejournal.com]

Good Lord.

I was never a bicycle person. As soon as I could, I retreated to the safety of a decent steel cage with four, rather than two, wheels. I am nevertheless impressed with the bicyclic technology.

*has offstreet parking and cheap car insurance and is doing a mental happy dance*

[zed42.livejournal.com]

i'm curious as to why you're so gung ho on gettin a chainless bike.... is it just because of the lack of messiness? other reasons?

[jjloa.livejournal.com]

hee. okay. so understand that as that's usually my same reaction.

income tax refunds are a lovely ray of sunshine when they come in :) And it's always a good thing when you can buy a toy with it!

[camwyn]

Less mess, less chance of it getting broken because I'm horrible at shifting properly, less chance of something horrid on the Jersey City streets flying up and damaging the chain, basically.

[camwyn]

*patpats* So sorry, hon. When you get back to New York I shall arrange to get you some proper ones.

[zed42.livejournal.com]

makes sense... i'd just never heard of a shaft-drive bike before.... i knew that bmw made shaft-drive motorbikes, but bicycles?

[camwyn]

Oh, yeah. Rather to my surprise they're quite an old form of bike propulsion, too. Existed back as far as 1898. *points to link further up the comment stream* It's just that when chain mechanisms got perfected, they became more efficient than shaft ones. Now the shafts are catching up.

[mephron]

Massive Party for Indigo in NYC!

[zed42.livejournal.com]

the issue on motorbikes is that shaft drive is significantly heavier than chain drive... i don't expect that to by AS big an issue with a bicycle (you're not going to be spinning that thing at 1000's of rpms) but i'd still expect it to be heavier... but if a few pounds don't scare you, i'd go for it just for the coolness factor :)

[camwyn]

Looks as if the bikes cost about $500 each. S/h from Medway, MA comes to $40. I've done some checking to see if a drive or bus ride up there might not do just as well, just for the fun of it, but I'd rather not fight Mass. traffic. So shipping is probably going to be the big thing.

[camwyn]

Works for me. I haven't had a party in this apartment yet!

[brashley46.livejournal.com]

Speaking as a bicycle geek ... that is seriously cool.

Heck, it's got it all over our trike-converted Genesis Reflection tandem. Only $500.00 US? Aluminum frame? WOW.

I'll have to stick with my Taiwanese Bianchi Boardwalk for the moent. But I'm gonna bookmark that site, oh, yeah.

[metalfatigue]

Here, add this to your Things That Should Be Obvious list:
Do not run red lights on a bicycle, for you are squishy and easily damaged.

[camwyn]

Well, $549 now that I look at it. And there's $40 for shipping and handling, since they're out of Massachusetts and ship Fedex Freight or something like that. On the other hand, since I ordered a commuter bike before the end of Bike to Work Month, they're throwing in the fenders and the rear carrier free. So that balances out the shipping cost.

Between this and Ikea shopping, I'm gonna be getting down and dirty with a screwdriver for a looooong time.

[camwyn]

Ooo. Point.