Car-free since 11/1/2006! - Page 3

02-14-2007, 01:29 PM

Gooserider <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
> "Tom Keats" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
>
> The only hassle thus far has been grocery shopping. Between my messenger bag
> and my panniers I've been able to do it, but it takes a few trips over a
> weekend sometimes. Maybe an Xtracycle? :-)

I'm rather fond of mine. Last Thursday it even got used to haul a
stranded cyclist. I really need to change out the seat though, it's not
really my favorite for rides longer than ten miles. Ryan would approve
of my sparkly purple buttock destroyer, it's a Selle Italia Nitrox, his
favorite.

--
Dane Buson - [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
"It is wonderful to be here in the great state of Chicago..."
-Dan Quayle

02-14-2007, 08:41 PM

In article <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]>,
Dane Buson <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:
> Gooserider <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote:
>> "Tom Keats" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in message
>>
>> The only hassle thus far has been grocery shopping. Between my messenger bag
>> and my panniers I've been able to do it, but it takes a few trips over a
>> weekend sometimes. Maybe an Xtracycle? :-)
>
> I'm rather fond of mine. Last Thursday it even got used to haul a
> stranded cyclist.

That reminds me of my favourite inter-cyclist experience.
I was returning home from New Westminster, passing by
the Patterson SkyTrain station and heading into the
shortcut through Central Park. I heard a ~bang~ behind
me; the sound was familiar enough to be identifiable
as a bike tire blowout from curb-hopping. I stopped in
my tracks, looked back, and sure enough, there was the
despondent, flat-tired victim of his own fate. I doubled
back and offered to help. But he was pretty much
uni-lingually Chinese. Nevertheless we were able to
communicate by gesticulations and body language. I had a
spare tube, and the tools with which to install it. I
showed him that I had all that, and we were off 'n runnin'.

The remarkable thing is how well we were able to communicate
without a common verbal language. And that's what makes it
my favourite inter-cyclist experience. Without a common
language, we set to the task of repairing the flat, in such
a co-operative and efficient manner that a pit-stop crew
would have been impressed.

We didn't exchange our names or anything like that.
We did shake grubbied hands after fixing his flat.
He indicated he wanted to pay me for my trouble but
couldn't, by showing me the emptiness of his wallet.
I smiled and tried to convey to him that it's okay,
and I was glad just to be able to help. He insisted
I at least keep his old, punctured tube.

It's still hanging on the wall here in my basement shop.

It's amazing, how easy it is to converse and connect
with people, without being able to yack in a common
verbal language.

The best part was when I met him again in the park.
He was gleefully riding around the park trails, and
he gave me a cheery ding-ding with his bell, and a
smile and a wave.

I gave him a ding-ding with my bell, and a smile and a
wave back, and then returned to the task of riding home.

Verbal language is overrated.

Connecting with people is good. Maybe that's what
we're here to do -- connect with each other, all
around the world. What a wonderful thought!

Maybe I should get one of those XtraCycle thingies too.
But I'm still working on my cargo trailer.

cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

02-14-2007, 09:22 PM

In article <WKwzh.931039$1T2.94347@pd7urf2no>,
"nash" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:

>> I'm currently in the throes of designing/building a
>> cargo trailer out of the discarded skeletal remnants
>> of a 3-wheeled jogging stroller with 16" pneumatic wheels
>> (finally getting around to it.) I'm considering integrating
>> the hitch with my kickstand -- it's the type that clamps onto
>> both chainstay and seatstay. I've got a coroplast post office
>> sorting bin that'll serve as the cargo box. I'll derive the
>> tow arm from the handle of the stroller.

> Sure beats paying $2-400 for it. They have a few home builts here in
> Surrey. They look pretty much like strollers.

i tried crimping the end of a cut-off section of
stroller handle (to fashion a tow arm,) to lie flush
against the 3rd wheel dropout of the stroller frame.
I then bored a hole in it, and bolted it all together.
But it's all too bendy. Crimping the tubing destroyed
its integrity.

Back to the drawing board.

The trailer-frame and tow-arm will have to
remain formed as the tubing they already are.

At least that gives me parameters within which
to work.

All I've got to do, is to bolt a properly bent
(not crimped) length of tow-arm tubing onto the
trailer frame tubing.

I hope.

If that doesn't work, then I've gotta look for
some other material.

cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

02-15-2007, 03:17 AM

On Wed, 14 Feb 2007 22:22:24 -0800, [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] (Tom Keats)
wrote:

>In article <WKwzh.931039$1T2.94347@pd7urf2no>,
> "nash" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> writes:
>
>>> I'm currently in the throes of designing/building a
>>> cargo trailer out of the discarded skeletal remnants
>>> of a 3-wheeled jogging stroller with 16" pneumatic wheels
>>> (finally getting around to it.) I'm considering integrating
>>> the hitch with my kickstand -- it's the type that clamps onto
>>> both chainstay and seatstay. I've got a coroplast post office
>>> sorting bin that'll serve as the cargo box. I'll derive the
>>> tow arm from the handle of the stroller.
>
>> Sure beats paying $2-400 for it. They have a few home builts here in
>> Surrey. They look pretty much like strollers.
>
>i tried crimping the end of a cut-off section of
>stroller handle (to fashion a tow arm,) to lie flush
>against the 3rd wheel dropout of the stroller frame.
>I then bored a hole in it, and bolted it all together.
>But it's all too bendy. Crimping the tubing destroyed
>its integrity.
>
>Back to the drawing board.
>
>The trailer-frame and tow-arm will have to
>remain formed as the tubing they already are.
>
>At least that gives me parameters within which
>to work.
>
>All I've got to do, is to bolt a properly bent
>(not crimped) length of tow-arm tubing onto the
>trailer frame tubing.
>
>I hope.
>
>If that doesn't work, then I've gotta look for
>some other material.
>
>
>cheers,
> Tom

You might find hardwood dowling that just fits inside the tubing.