[newleaf150]

Today I gave baths to a couple of rides: Mrs. Newleaf's statement fat bike and my Montague X folding MTB. Then I added a ding to the latter's paint by leaning it against the bike shed while I managed Mrs. Newleaf's ride. It seemed solid, but the moment I was otherwise occupied, it did the slow motion fall and bash thing.

While test riding this party on wheels recently, I found some mud. Well, more than some. It was awesome but messy. Now I just need some sort of dressing for those monster expanses of sidewall.

If you look closely above the 'N' on the main frame member, the new ding is clearly visible .

I love the flat pedals on this bike, but I think the time has come to swap them for a red set.

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

With all those bike bags, we fully expect to see some bike camping trips from you and Chip very soon.

 

[maelochs]

So, Mrs. Newleaf's ride is a bit ... loud, eh?

That thing is so over-the=-top that it goes beyond "clown's bike" to become sublime, a bike in a class of its own. Riding a bike like that makes a statement so bold it is no longer comical, it is akin to riding a a winged unicorn.

Don't feel bad about the paint --- that can be touched up.

Today was an "I should have been riding" day for me .... I messed up at work and lost the audio for an entire day's interviews. Not saying people are upset, but ....... Dropping my bike would have been an vast improvement. ..... If I never post here again, just picture me riding into the sunset on Mrs. Newleaf's bike ......

 

[newleaf150]

So, Mrs. Newleaf's ride is a bit ... loud, eh?

That thing is so over-the=-top that it goes beyond "clown's bike" to become sublime, a bike in a class of its own. Riding a bike like that makes a statement so bold it is no longer comical, it is akin to riding a a winged unicorn.

Don't feel bad about the paint --- that can be touched up.

Today was an "I should have been riding" day for me .... I messed up at work and lost the audio for an entire day's interviews. Not saying people are upset, but ....... Dropping my bike would have been an vast improvement. ..... If I never post here again, just picture me riding into the sunset on Mrs. Newleaf's bike ......

Not laughing about your work situation in the response above. Dropping the ball is never any fun, but we've all done it. To hopelessly mix the metaphor, I hope the fallout isn't too bad.

As for your description of her bike, I read it to Mrs. Newleaf shortly after I stopped laughing and got a big smile in return. You are totally right 😁. It is a loud and proud kind of ride.

 

[newleaf150]

With all those bike bags, we fully expect to see some bike camping trips from you and Chip very soon.

That is the goal toward which my shuffling baby steps are directed. I very much hope to share the ride with everyone here when I do manage it.

 

[maelochs]

Not suggesting anything ....

 

[newleaf150]

Not suggesting anything .... View attachment 55096

.
Yes, that's perfect....

 

[Dos_Ruedas]

I adjusted both derailleurs to infinite perfection (read: the best I could do).

I’m hoping for a more silent next ride.

 

[i12ride]

So, Mrs. Newleaf's ride is a bit ... loud, eh?

That thing is so over-the=-top that it goes beyond "clown's bike" to become sublime, a bike in a class of its own. Riding a bike like that makes a statement so bold it is no longer comical, it is akin to riding a a winged unicorn.

Don't feel bad about the paint --- that can be touched up.

Today was an "I should have been riding" day for me .... I messed up at work and lost the audio for an entire day's interviews. Not saying people are upset, but ....... Dropping my bike would have been an vast improvement. ..... If I never post here again, just picture me riding into the sunset on Mrs. Newleaf's bike ......

This is a clown bike......

OMG WTF Happened Here?

Been clownin around on this for quite awhile now. 2006 Bianchi Rollo........ $100 score off ebay yrs ago, showed up like this - OEM......

www.twospoke.com

 

[newleaf150]

This is a clown bike......

http://www.twospoke.com/forum/f65/omg-wtf-happened-here-11049/

Missed the link to your cool ss clown bike at first. That thing is awesome. A little scary too, but awesome.

 

[i12ride]

Was looking at dates on posts in that thread and wow, been on here almost 10yrs.........edited thread with pics now back to full size....think they shrunk during the forum software change...........and yeah, wife hates that bike...and clowns. Your wife's ride just looks like super safety here I am colors too me.

 

[maelochs]

How is this not your avatar?

 

[newleaf150]

Today I busted out the tools and gave a well-deserved bath to the recumbent and canine companion Chip's trailer for the same. The bike had a good bit of trail grime and the like, but wasn't too big a deal. Ditto the trailer, save for the wheel. The whole wash job took an hour. Easily better than half that was consumed by that poor wheel. The grime around the hub would come clean with brushing, but it was less a few swipes, more intensive scrubbing, dip and rinse, repeat, etc.

The trailer is a BOB Yak I found some years back in an odd little junk shop. I kept it for several years without using it before breaking it out, replacing the missing parts, and modifying it for Chip's use after his primary trailer went down for repairs. At no point in that process did I tackle the gunky rear wheel hub. Based on its tow yoke, the trailer is an early version, likely from the late 90's. I bought it in maybe 2014. No telling how long that gunk had been building up. Maybe since manufacture. Happily gone now. Pics to come.

 

[newleaf150]

As promised, a couple of pics of the 'bent's post-wash glory.

Nice how a fresh wash highlights every scratch, thin pain spot, and so on. It still looks better than it did all gunked up. I should not have let that go on as long as I did.

 

[maelochs]

Almost makes me want to try a recumbent.

 

[newleaf150]

Almost makes me want to try a recumbent.

If you've never tried a 'bent, I recommend them highly. I'm not about to give up my diamond frame rides, but rolling 'bent is just wonderful. Like riding around in an easy chair.

 

[newleaf150]

Not today, but I recently changed Camelbaks, which entailed removing the old one's contents and playing Gear Tetris (TM) to get it all into the new bag. No sense in undertaking such a task without a camera in hand. For any who may be interested, here is what rides around in my Camelbak:

Starting on the top left, we have a rain jacket, LifeStraw water filter, pepper spray, helmet light cable, and spare water dish for canine companion Chip. Then a first aid kit, snake bite kit, power bank, and albuterol inhaler, a relic of my bout with long Covid. After that there's a backup tire pump, a pair of cyalume (glow) sticks, and my emergency fire making kit consisting of a match-filled emergency whistle and a couple of cheater fire starters. Next to that is my utility knife, which includes a flint stick capable of standing in for the matches. In theory, at least.

Moving on, there's my 2nd emergency tube (the first rides in my undersaddle bag; see discussion on the previous page of this thread), then a pair of emergency rain ponchos, travel toilet paper, an old school glue patch kit, a tube of pelletized paper towels, and a different kind of the same product below that. Next we have a lensatic compass, another glueless patch kit, actual tire boots, two more glueless patch kits, yet more tire levers, and a couple of Clif bars. Not pictured but also included is an honest to goodness shiny silver emergency blanket. Finally and also not pictured, my helmet light's battery rides in my Camelbak.

I think the patch kits in particular must have multiplied in the darkness. I actually ended up leaving a couple of them out of the new pack. I imagine it goes without saying that while I ride with this gear any time I roll my touring bike, I do not expect to need much if any of it for wandering my local area. Certainly not the fire making tools, 😃. This setup is intended for long distance cycle touring somewhere in the back of beyond. Despite the fact that I've yet to put together more than day, and some hub and spoke tours, I like to ride as though I'm doing the long distance thing any time I roll on my touring bike.

It is also possible, if only just, that the old saw about packing one's fears is true .

 

[maelochs]

No spare tire and only two tubes? Only two emergency ponchos? (Actually i get that because usually they rip putting them on ... ) Interesting collection and definitely something most new tourers should consider. I might repost the post in a Facebook Beginning Tourers group of which I am a member. (Bicycle Touring for Beginners | Facebook)

 

[newleaf150]

No spare tire and only two tubes? Only two emergency ponchos? (Actually i get that because usually they rip putting them on ... ) Interesting collection and definitely something most new tourers should consider. I might repost the post in a Facebook Beginning Tourers group of which I am a member. (Bicycle Touring for Beginners | Facebook)

Why, thank you!

 

[newleaf150]

Today I played with the new trailer. Dropped the seat back/divider and played with deflated inflatable craft. In short, the inflatable kayak appears to have been made for this trailer: it flops right in and rides beautifully, with just about perfect weight distribution.

On the paddle board front, the news is less happy but only temporarily: the boards fit without issue, but proper weight distribution is proving harder to achieve than I expected. I'd hoped the packs would fit in back to back, but there's not enough room. I can stand them up against one another, but that puts far too much weight on the back of the trailer. It's okay, though. I will figure this out. The easy way is to pull the boards from the backpacks, load the packs, and pile the boards in on top. I'm certain that would work, but still hope to figure a way which doesn't require breaking the packs' contents.

Note the absence of tie downs. I experimented with those this afternoon but gave it up pending resolution of the weight distribution thing. Effort ongoing.