That would be a suitable ending for the strip – a race to the middle of nowhere…
The check points could be the milestones along the way.
If this is the last strip, we are left wondering about the SS back story etc. If we list the items we would like to see wound up/questions answered, maybe Rick will add an occasional strip to keep us happy?
An idea that just struck me was that Rick could start the whole lot up again from the start and throw the odd new one in when/if he gets the inspiration. Maybe at weekends?
In any event, I would like to say how wonderful it has been meeting you all here day by day and getting information and help with my personal demons. Thank you all, Rick and Brian especially, for helping me become a better person and a more rounded individual. Happy New Year
Sad, it’s the last we see of Yehuda Moon.
Nevertheless I wish everybody a Happy New Year – especially to Rick and Brian.
As Tencon said: there are a lot of loose ends in different threads of the story and last week’s strips didn’t really help with those, so maybe Rick will have – despite of his new engagement – time and fun to draw some strips every now and then (not on a regular timetable) to fix those loose ends step by step.
I’ll be glad to support this by reactivating my patronance.
@ Rick: please put aside Vol 1 and Vol 5 for me, I’ll order next year.
And maybe there will be an Vol 6 sometime …
I am remarkably sad at the coming to the end. It seems that 2012 was the ending for many of my electronic friends, from TV shows to comic strips that have kept me company for years.
I’ll miss you guys but I imagine we’ll comment for weeks at this last strip, at least till they stop paying for the website. It’s in the folder I open every day and will be for a time yet.
Happy New Year, everyone!
I’ve been reading from the beginning. Don’t think I’ve missed a single strip. I’ll miss the Kickstand for sure as it’s generally my first stop on the virtual commute. Best to all and happy New Year! Thanks, Rick and Brian for the entertaining strip.
Love the Douglas Adams references guys, thanks for the chuckle. I won’t say bye, because its likely we’ll all be reunited when Rick and Brian send out an e-mail saying he’s back. Or at least I’ll keep believing that- I can’t imagine he went through all that effort transitioning to the new site to not have plans for the future! All the best in the new year, just keep pedaling!
I got here just 3 months ago and I’ve enjoyed the comic and the “lively banter” that you all shared, Happy New Year, hope Rick decides to return to this some day down the road!
Special thanks to Rick and Brian for years of smiles, chuckles and high-class stories, and to all of you who posted and who gave us an insight into the diversity and universality of the cycling experience. A New Year’s Eve toast to absent friends, to friends we have and to the friends like you whom we haven’t met. May tail-winds be your constant companions
Goddess Mother, you guys are acting like the world has come to an end. It has not. This isn’t the first time, nor the second, that this has happened. I have every confidence that Yehuda will be back. There have been several hiatuses before.
And the new year begins – it’s going to rain shortly, so I’m going to try to get out before it starts. It’s been great, folks. Take care and ride safe.
It is 13F and though the roads are relatively clear, we don’t own enough clothing to ride comfortably. I guess I’ll be on the trainer watching Tivo’d races for a while. Happy New Year to all. Keep the shiny side up!
Oh, my. Been away for a while and came on to catch up, and had no idea this was to be the last strip. Feel like I lost an old friend. Strange how you can become attached to imaginary characters, but then I suppose they acquire life in our minds and evolve into friends after a while.
Thanks, Rick and Brian. Hope your new ventures are successful, but hope to see Yehuda, Joe, Thistel, and Fizz back some day.
Thanks for all the strips!
To others… thanks for your comments, insights, remarks, tips, links, etc. …
Ride on, everybody! (literally or figuratively).
Happy new year…
(personally, I’m glad I rounded up the change of 12 into 13 “in style”, by riding my bike – both TO the new year’s eve celebration (some tricky icy parts of the road, but very fine otherwise) and BACK home the next morning. That morning ride was especially beautiful. I hadn’t been drinking (except for a sip of wine for the toast at midnight), so I could not only “ride responsibly”, but first of all enjoy a clear head and the peace of the new year’s first morning in all its glory – riding first through the forests, then across the fields… and then back into the town, through completely deserted streets (met only about 2 people along the whole ride)… finally greeted by church bells ringing long and everywhere.
Like you I started the New Year with a ride.
My wife and I took our Trandem out on it’s first trip along the route it was built for. From home in north Coventry to the train station in the town. About 2.5 miles and 40 minutes. We haven’t ridden together for years and there are some steepish hills along the way. We took a different route home as it goes through the centre of town along what is now VERY cycle-friendly surfaces. The footpath/cycle track used to go under some pedestrian subways with steepish hills in and out of them, very dark and dismal. Now it is all above ground and has pedestrian lights to help at the road crossings. Apart from the steeper climb out of town up the Radford Road, it was not a bad ride altogether. Overall both routes were fairly equal for time.
After She gets to the station, I will be riding home alone. So it is good that I have a NuVinci rear hub and 36/46/56 front chainrings. We can pedal at a reasonable cadence up to 15mph, any faster is tricky on a trike as a pothole would likely throw us off the bike! With a 36t rear sprocket, the lowest gear allows for an easy-going 2mph up the steepest incline so I won’t be stumped when alone.
Traffic? Other vehicles give us a lot of respect on the road and we get some nice comments. (‘Now there’s a sight you don’t see every day’ was heard ) One man even stopped and smiled as we passed instead of opening his car door for us to steer around, I exchanged a nod of recognition.
Maybe 2013 will be the year we get our act together and put some miles in? (Not today though, cyclists ‘bum’ and bad weather stopped us)
Interesting!
Do you have any pictures of your trandem you could post or link to? I’m not aware if you’ve done so before… but however, I just got interested in seeing it.
(I somehow pre-assumed that a tandem trike would likely be a recumbent, but now I realize it is not so…?)
I will try – I don’t know how yet, I believe my wife has a piccy on her blogsite?
Basically, it is a 700c-wheeled, Peugeot, sports-touring Tandem from 1979 that was modified to have two wheels at the front.
After the first pothole under just one of them nearly threw us off, we started wondering if we should have gone for two wheels at the back instead! We got used to it and I learned to steer around potholes etc.
I think I did once post a link to the site? (With my memory I really don’t know…)
I’ve noticed the avatar. Thanks.
I do have an e-mail address, but I don’t feel very enthusiastic about posting it on a public site (there are several good reasons), as I hope you understand.
(The avatar is quite enough for our purpose, I’d say. However, if you wanted to share the picture in yet another way (including other Yehudists who might be interested, not just me), what about that blogsite (of your wife) you’ve mentioned?)
I will talk to her when she comes home.
If you can see the detail – the saddlebags are Carradice and VERY useful!
I still have the 30-year-old saddles on that we fitted when it was new, I am thinking about some Brooks ones though…
There is a 6Volt battery, that should power the front light, which is standing on the frame in front of the pilot’s seat tube. It is an old battery that used to power and electric bike of a pal of mine. When we replaced it, I kept it around for occasional use. I get an hour or more of use from a full charge but it should be a few hours. I must investigate new front lighting.
With the NuVinci twistgrip changer, it was difficult to see how I could use the dropped bars and in 2007, bending that low meant that I stopped breathing which is BAD for health The 700×40 tyres are really smooth to ride on but take ages to inflate with a hand pump. I just bought a CO2 pump for emergency use as I can’t find any way to mount the shop pump!
(There is a project – I must try and work out how I can build a pump which is powered by our pedalling…)
Yeah, I’m looking for a reliable alternative. The fancy, high capacity, things around are good but expensive and need expensive chargers. The gel-type lead-acid are still the best value for money around. As weight is not an issue, I am not a racer type, I think a new replacement will suffice.
As for decent front lighting, I am still researching…
Have you thought about a dynamo hub? You have a unique ride, so I’m not sure it’s possible to rig it up. But I’ll throw this out for your consideration anyway.
I’ve got a SON hub with a Supernova E3 Pro Terraflux (asymmetrical) headlight and 161-T Taillight. I’ve gotten lots of compliments/ comments from motorists and they guys at the gate (military dude) on how bright of a light it is, and how I look like a motorcycle in the dark. From my perspective I can see in the dark as well as, or better than from my wife’s car. I’ve also noticed, and this could just be perception, that a few times cars have waited for me at stop signs in the dark when I’m further back than I would wait personally. It’s a courtesy I attribute to looking larger and faster (on the un-illuminated roads I ride) than I really am on my 500 ton touring bike. I’ve been running this setup for almost three years and I haven’t had to replace any components, and of course, no batteries. The headlight gets to full intensity somewhere around 4 to 5 mph so I would think anyone could light it up. I still keep AAA powered blinkies on the front and rear for when I’m stopped; those last near forever it seems.
It isnt cheap, but I justified it to myself that I don’t have a car, and I need my ride to be reliable night and day for all my random tasks.
Yeah, I love Dynohubs too. Shame they can’t work on the Trandem…
Single sided fixing on the front wheels and a NuVinci rear hub mean no Son dyno for me. Sad
I splashed out on some super bright ‘Pellor’ LED light with 4xCree XML LEDs.
With some fresnel filters to give a flat, wide, beam they are wonderful.
One light alone illuminates the whole 100ft rear garden in full colour with lots of light to the sides too!
The plan is to have one on each side of the front ‘axle’ at wheel-hub level and one on the handlebars.
I will have to see if it will work out?
Just this weekend I have started thinking about getting rid of my car so that the bikes become my main mode of travel. Using the motor-caravan/motor home for any extended travel. With no car in the way, it will be easier to get the Trandem out and work on it etc. also, with my heart problem, I might banned from driving at any time if I get too many shock events, I have unilaterally decided that if I get 3 shocks in a year that I will retire from driving, as a minimum! I cannot drive for six months after any single event anyway…
No big secret here. If you click on any strip, the following strip comes up. The strip you linked to was published Oct 15 2011 when Rick took his first hiatus, just before the Kickstarter project. The next cartoon is the next strip in sequence and was posted 2½ months later on Jan 1 2012, when he resumed the strip.
You could go back to strip #1 (1/22/2008) and by continually clicking on the strip itself go thru an entire slideshow of all the strips in chronological order.
Thanks Baboon, I have been thinking about a similar setup but have the following difficulties:
1. Rear hub is a NuVinci – no dyno there
2. Front hubs are single-sided – trike you see – so no dyno there either.
After reading some of Peter White’s excellent stuff I see that he recommends a similar setup to yours, so good choice there! I will look into it. I can pile a lot of batteries on the central tubes that currently support the current 6V battery so I think I can build a suitable reservoir. Just doing the sums regarding weight etc.
I will be needing 1.5-2 hours, per return trip, of lighting. I will need to measure and test what battery capacity gives me that with some left over. I can recharge during the day so I won’t need a 4-hour capacity… I have 3 little but hyper-bright blinkies for the rear, It will be one at the back and one atop each front wheel, all facing backwards of course! I have a reasonable halogen front light at the moment, time will tell if I need more power.
Around 1970 I used simple U2 powered lamps front and rear and had a car-type fog light up front with a flick switch. It had a simple tungsten 6V bulb but a big reflector. Car that were too proud to drive dipped when approaching a cycle soon dipped when I turned that on though! I rarely needed it, just one strip of steep hill where I reached about 30mph really. Flashing it to inform trucks when they were clear to pull in was it’s main use. I got many pleased responses.
Tencon, as far as I know, Schmidt Maschinenbau, producer of the SON Hub Dynos, offers also a single sided version for three wheelers like Scorpion or Anthrotech. Search for “Nabendynamo” and “SON”
I must have missed the post about the strip ending, and the page everyone keeps pointing to – http://yehudamoon.com/fall-tidings/ – doesn’t exist. Does anyone have any details on why the strip is ending? I’m going to miss it.
It was just a brief comment in the comments section from rick, and the last we’ve heard from him, that he’s quitting as of new year’s day. There’s been no further on it and no more comics. I’d say he’s not interested in having us whine him back into another year like we did last year. He just isn’t getting enough out of this strip to merit the energy investment and he’s being very clear that he doesn’t choose to continue.
Too bad. I won’t be coming here much longer, it’s depressing to remind myself of the dead strip and the conversation is trailing off.
As I recall, Rick said they had a lot of things going on in 2013, and he said something like “no word on when the strips will be coming back.” So it sounded like he may bring the strip back someday, but it could take a long time–maybe not anytime in the coming year.
@Tencon. Go to ebay and search for “CREE XML XM-L T6 LED Bike Bicycle Light HeadLight HeadLamp 1200LM 9W”
and also search for “Wide Angle Lens 4 MagicShine, Gemini, Lupine Bike Light”
These two combined create an excellent light for a very good price. I have one and it is outstanding. I tried posting the links for you a couple of days ago but the comment is still ‘awaiting moderation’.
Thanks for the tip Vexed. I am on the iPad at the moment and the PC is busy so I will probably check those out later or tomorrow.
This is just the sort of information gold that I first came to this strip for. Just as well answered too – Superb
Tencon, be aware if you order the Chinese light it doesn’t come with a UK plug for the two-prong charger. I got round this by using a two-prong to UK three-prong shaver adapter plug.
Thanks Vexed’
I use a number of devices that also have a 2-prong/5-amp plug, eg: my electric shaver, so I am sure that will be no problem. Also, I have been an electrical/electronics service guy most of my 62 years and can change the plug to 13-amp if necessary!
The fresnel wide-angle item is also interesting. Thanks.
The lens I found necessary. The lamp itself comes with a plain lens. Because it is so bright this leads to it blinding oncoming traffic. I found swapping the plain lens for the fresnel give a good wide beam that was easily controllable.
Look on youtube for “Chinese CREE XML T6 bicycle light test”. That’s my light with the new lens. I’ll try to follow this post with a direct link.
Thanks. I have ordered both. I had an email to say the lens is on the way yesterday.
If I can get it all working, I am thinking about fitting 2 lights on the trandem, on top of the front wheels’ fender mounts. The installer used a neat system of thin ss tubing instead of the usual wire so it is more sturdy. It all depends on how heavy the light is…
Right – I have received the http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00AW7UUGU/ref=pe_217191_31005151_3p_dp_1 lights and they are great! When I turned it on it was a bit disappointing as I have an LED torch that is as bright, but when I cycled the modes I saw the LIGHT! The snow helped but I think the car headlights could not have lit up the back garden as well as the lamp did last night and I haven’t charged it yet… That was only ONE of them
I planned to put a pair on the Trandem and one on my Bike but I am thinking that might be overkill for general use. One on the bars for normal riding and for harsh conditions I could switch a pair on that shine from the front wheel common axle bar, or even from on top of the front wheel fender brackets? The latter would ‘steer’ with the front wheels. I will think about it. Thanks for the tip. NB: I know these are different from the one you suggested (Which hasn’t arrived yet) but there are similarities.
Well, it has been a week now, so it looks like this is indeed the last strip. Odd choice to leave up there as a last hurrah. In the past Rick has left poignant images for us to relish when he has gone on vacation or taken a break.
It is also odd that the news tidbit about the end of the strip has been removed. Any casual reader coming along wouldn’t realize the end has come and gone.
I thought Rick would have at least have left a parting comment for us, the paying supporters, after all these years. I guess I’m left a little disappointed.
Don’t be disappointed! I’ve just been swamped after returning from India (where I’ve been since early December). Volume 5 copies arrive Friday and Brian and I will spend the weekend signing and mailing them.
@Herr Karl: Thanks for the 2013-01-01 strip! I loved the tracks in the snow strips when I first saw them. It should be posted on its own page.
The good news is that this strip represents a pause, not an abandonment. The tire tracks end with a single footprint next to it. (Who knew Yehuda was left-footed.) The rider remains astride the two-wheeled steed, perhaps thinking, prepared to continue when the time is right.
Happy New Year to everyone! May you reach your destinations with a smile on your face and without any flats.
@jon4t2 – pedants corner here: regarding the 2013-01-01 strip – Yehuda left-footed? – that turns out not to be the case. When stopping a bicycle, right footed people put the left foot down so that the stronger right foot can be used for the first pedal stroke, thus gaining speed faster and minimising the time spent at lower speed where balancing is more difficult. Well – I do anyway! Ah – the joy of tricycling, when there is no need to put any feet down…
I also note that having stopped, there are no further tracks, but also no Yehuda or bike. Many people find cycling a kind of spiritual experience, so it looks as if, like the Biblical Enoch and Elijah, Yehuda has been translated into heavenly places. Great gain for Yehuda, but great loss for us.
@troiker: Fair point on Yehuda’s footedness. My comment was based on my being right-footed and moving it from pedal to ground while keeping my left foot on the pedal.
As for Yehuda being translated to heavenly places, head back to this strip: and check out the next five strips. You’ll see that a lack of Yehuda or his bicycle on the snow does not mean a lack of Yehuda or his bicycle on Terra Firma.
Replied to this on the 10th, and its(understandably in the circumstances) awaiting moderation – presumable because it includes web links. Here we are without links:
@jon4t2 – Truth to tell, my footedness comment was more in the nature of of a gentle stir – I can appreciate that not everyone will have the same instinctive use of feet when stopping as I do – instincts differ! (Perhaps coontrariwise, when I had a scooter as a child the left foot stayed on the platform while the right one pushed the ground.)
Looking at the strips you mention from 20th Feb 2010 et. seq. the reason why Yehhuda and bike are absent is that the snow tracks show he has moved elsewhere; like the Spartans of old, either carrying his bike or on it. Whereas in the putting left foot down strip he’s just – not there any more….
There was a notice in the news section for the last couple of months, but it is gone now. Rick announced the the comic would end at the end of December.
All of us who ordered the Volume 5 book will receive it and find a cryptic note inside directing us to a ‘by-invitation-only’ site where Rick will continue the strip just for we chosen few.
Apologies for my lack of communication. I’m trying to catch up after being out of town since early December.
All of you who ordered Volume 5: look for your copies to be mailed within the next week or two! Copies arrive Friday and Brian and and I will spend the weekend signing and sketching them.
‘cos you can read them anywhere, anytime, scan pages for interesting news/adverts/articles faster than on a piece of hardware, distribute pages between friends/family so more than one person can read what they want at the same time, without being tied to a desk PC or having to think about charging batteries on a mobile device (laptop/pad/phone) and they don’t cost so much if you lose them – certainly less than the cup of coffee you might spill over your keyboard. Anyone think of anything else?
I’m just glad the choice still exists – I can get a greater breadth of news and comment in greater detail from a decent newspaper in a whole lot less time than I can from the web – wonderful resource that the web has proved to be. Horses for courses.
I guess it is the same as Kindle (et – al) Vs Books . . . While I do read on my iPad and PC yet the whole ‘feel’ of a book has a whole world of connotations that appeal to my (62 year old) mind. It is really hard to put into words as books seem to have a sort of spiritual mystery that has made various tombs valued through the ages, from clay and wax tablets through paper, having words indelibly laid out to peruse has a sort of ‘magic’ that make us humans respect them. Religious words have been valued for millennia, the Bible, Koran, etc, etc, have so taken people to mysterious heights that they have waged wars based on the interpretation of just a view words. As Troiker says above, books are so much more versatile than many other forms of presentation and accessible to any that can read them.
Having said all that, my dyslexia is getting worse with age and both my wife and I have found the joy of sharing a book together in the form of ‘talking books’ I don’t think that Rick’s work would work well in the form of ‘audio description’ like they do for the blind on TV, but who knows? A talented voice actor can bring stuff alive when they describe them just by the way they say them. So maybe? (For example, James Marsters’ reading of the Dresden files is brilliant IMHO! )
Replying to Uncle Baldie with my tongue firmly in my cheek in some parts…
There is a subtle difference between ‘Religion’ and ‘Faith’
A friend of mine once told me that he believes that God ‘Loves the faithful but hates the religious’
I don’t know if I go that far but when I see the hatred and evil produced by the ‘religious’ that have brought about wars, 911-type events and the like, I have some sympathy for the idea.
Some people follow political ideals with a fervour that closely mimics religion – so-called ‘religious fervour’ – and this is the sort of thing that started WWII. Political leaders fomenting hatred with a religious fervour.
However – the faithful of the world seem to be the complete opposite. We had some Muslim neighbours who were the nicest people you could know. Nothing like the misguided souls who use the Koran for evil intents, not like the author intended I am sure! The same goes for followers of many ‘Religions’ over the years. Yet the faithful of almost any FAITH seem very alike and would get on well together if they leave discussions about their various beliefs out of it.
My personal faith has changed over the years and I have gone from being brought up Catholic by my Irish Mother, converting to born-again ‘Baptist’-type Christianity in 1970. Joining an Evangelical church in 1971 and leaving it in 1980. (Moved to Ireland for a year) Joining a ‘Fellowship’ church for a while and now not going to any church on a regular basis but keeping my Christian belief. I no longer follow the Evangelical’s idea of converting everybody to their faith as I no feel that Each person was made with a different personality that necessitates a faith that suits their individual style. One will worship the same one creator as a Christian, another as a Muslim etc. I see nothing wrong with this idea as they have to be true to themselves. What is wrong in my opinion is trying to impose MY ideas as the only ones to be followed by everybody. Burning somebody at a stake for having a different view is as evil as the actions of any other mass-murderer.
Sorry about the rant but having a love of Bicycling means that I can see the wrong-doing of some drivers in much the same light as the actions of Bin Laden, Hitler etc. I SHOULD take time too cool down and show them love instead. Use what time I have left to gently persuade them to drive more lovingly etc, etc
As the Hippy motto used to go – ‘Make Love, not War!’
@Troiker re: Keyboard coffee
I used to repair keyboards for a living and can tell you that is not the killer you may think!
Just unplug right away and wash it under the tap thoroughly. Leave it somewhere warm and dry, balanced on a corner but longwise vertically and the water will drain/dry out leaving a working keyboard in the case of mechanical switches.
For the modern conductive surface/point contact type, you will need to take it apart to dry it out but you could try a spray of WD40? In that case, be careful, some keyboards will dissolve in WD40!
If the Rosetta Stone had been on Kindle then we could have used Google Translate to figure it all out for us. Mind you, with the standards possible with machine translation we might not be that much more enlightened….
Enlightenment cannot be found in books. All they do is help set the mind and will more firmly on the task, but ultimately the discovery comes in the quiet of the mind. Books do not quiet the mind, so the true moment of understanding must come without them, and all words. It is a wordless thing of understanding leaving you speechless. Should you try and share it in book, speech, or conversation, you will grasp in vain at human speech, unable.
I really want one but can’t remember if I have previously ordered one. Don’t be hasty closing shop because I will get vol. 5 soon as I can be sure it isn’t coming in the mail already.
I had a thought that Rick and Brian might like?
If the strips were run again, from the first one, on a sort of permanent loop. With each re-play having the new date as a name, It would create a new stream of comments on fresh space, instead of us using the remains of last year as a meeting place. New visitors would have the daily joy when reading the strips and Rick has the option of contributing a new strip whenever he gets the urge etc. Note, this is not a plea for Rick to do more work, it is just a suggestion of how to keep the strip alive. It would not be the first time a comic strip has been recycled!
There was an iGoogle widget that did this (it’s how I got through the last hiatus). Don’t know if it still exists, and iGoogle is being decommissioned anyway.
If you do the RSS thing for comics, you can use Archive Binge to re-run old strips as fast or slow as you want. This got moved over to comic-rocket last month (www.comic-rocket.com /news/2012/12/03/comic-rocket-takes-over-archive-binge/) but they seem to still have Yehuda, as well as Rosscott’s strip “The System” (minimal bike content, but
I think you guys are missing the point – I am suggesting a re-run as a way of us keeping in touch and having a fresh comment board daily to interact on. Having a strip to set a theme is fine but if you look above you will see a number of us just chatting. I know there are many chat boards out there and don’t aim to replace any of them. This strip is bicycle-themed and the subject of each day’s strip has set us off on many a wonderful chat about the whole range of cycling stuff. If the strip loops, starting each day with an old strip but a new comment board, newcomers can do what we did and join in.
The downside of this however for Rick, is that people will eventually be able to view all the strips without buying the comics. That hasn’t stopped many of us from buying the books anyway of course
With the strip running exactly as before newcomers would have to wait years to read them all or buy the books. I think that on balance, keeping the strip going on a (4-year?) loop will provide a steady income from advertising, maybe.
Just a thought — isn’t an alleycat a sort of race where one needs to find checkpoints and do stuff at them; sort of like what New Belgium Brewing was doing with their Urban Assault Rides? Maybe the mention of an alleycat is a clue; perhaps we are supposed to carefully read any posts from Rick and follow up on them to get to other sites (like Kickstarter) where Rick has hidden links to additional content.
It could work – it could also generate income for Rick & Brian via advertising revenue and mechandise (UK sp.) sales without having to do very much work. Obviously a few new strips to augment/complement/explain/complete story arcs would be welcome – but not essential!
Fascinating blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere?
A theme like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog stand out.
Please let me know where you got your design. Appreciate it
I missed the announcement too. I kept checking this site in the hopes maybe you were on vacation. Then lo and behold, as I scrolled and scrolled through these comments, a sad discovery.
Thank you for the laughter and inspiration, Rick and Brian. I’m sure gonna miss Yehuda, Joe, Thistel, Fizz, Fred, all the Shakers… everyone! Take care and best of luck to you in all your new endeavors.
As the bike community says here in Jacksonville, simply – Ride Bikes!
Agreed w/ Tencon and all your sentiments in your blog post. This strip is going to be missed.
It’s telling how two weeks later, this comment thread is still serving as a de facto forum for fans of the strip… telling of the quality of the strip and the collection of followers it attracted.
How interesting. I still come here now and then, just curious to see if people are still communicating … and here we are! LOL. It’s been sad without my daily Yehuda fix, and I find myself reflecting on the strip and the Kickstand as I make my daily commute to and from work. Every time I have a negative encounter with a motorist, or a positive one with a cyclist, I find myself judging my responses with “what would Yehuda do?”
Just the other day, there was a guy standing beside the trail, looking woebegone, and I stopped to see if he needed help. “Got a flat,” he reported. “It’s okay, my wife’s on the way.”
“No flat kit?”
“Yeah, but the tube ripped at the valve.”
“No problem, I gotta spare tube. Have a pump too.”
He looked dubiously at my 700 X 32s. “I don’t think it’ll fit my road bike; these’re 23s.” He indicated his skinny road tires.
“I have one of those.” I usually carry a spare tube for roadies and one for 26″ mountain bikes too. Never know if someone you’re riding with might come up short. What do they weigh? A few extra ounces. Pay it forward, you know? Small price to pay for good will. I was thinking oif Yehuda’s “bag of holding” as I fished the road tube out of the bottom of my handlebar bag.
“Here ya go; call the wife and tell ‘er you’re good to go. Finish your ride.”
“Cool! Thanks!”
I was thinking, “Don’t thank me, thank Yehuda,” but he probably wouldn’t have understood.
I’m not quite as prepared as you, but I do slow to make sure fellow cyclists have everything they need if they appear stopped due to mechanical issues. My mini-pump goes either Presta or Schrader, so between it, my patch kit, and my multi-tool, I’ve been able to help a few people out.
I always try to help b/c I remember how heartening it was, the first time I had an issue going home on the commute, the way that passing cyclists asked to make sure I had everything I needed. Plus it’s good karma…
Volume 5 just arrived! (along with a bunch of stickers from Cleveland bike shops) Great job Rick & Brian! The extra goodies at the end of the book are a delight.
Happy Birthday! I’m right behind you, clocking over 60 in September. We’re finally out of our adolescence and entering adulthood. Time to start taking life seriously. Nah!!!
Years ago I was in a bookshop and saw a guy I knew looking at a book. (“The Genesis Flood” as it happens.) He explained his dilemma – if he bought it, he would read it and not revise for his exams. On the other hand, he really wanted to read it. I liked the look of the book so I suggested (largely in jest) that he should buy it, immediately lend it to me, and by the time I had finished and returned it his exams would be over. To my amazement he thought this a most excellent idea.
So there you have it – lend it to someone while you do the exams. Does them good, leaves you free to study at a time when distractions should be minimised.
well I read Vol #5 took Nursing 301, 304, and 312 exams …aced. 2 Nursing papers submitted, 32 oz of coffee-drunk, lots of unhealthy food-consumed, 8 hr of lectures and a 4 hrs of lab… in 48 hrs….”sleep makes you weak”
You reminded me of a very similar episode when I was in college in the late ’70s. Three exams and two papers in two days, and I didn’t start preparing for any of it until the day before the first exam. I started on the first paper in the afternoon, finished the rough draft in the evening, had a late-night study session with other guys in the dorm, then spent the rest of the night typing the final draft of the paper (on a portable Smith-Corona electric typewriter!). Finished the next morning just in time to take the first exam and turn in the paper. Studied through lunch, took the second exam, then started the second paper. Finished it that evening, studied for the third exam, spent all night typing the second paper. Took the third exam and turned in the second paper in the morning, went to bed after lunch and slept till lunchtime the next day. Aced all three exams, got an “A” on one paper and a “B” on the other. Ah, the invincibility of youth!
Impressive!
re: ‘late-night study session’ – must have been an actual one, not the usual drink and companions version
I often wish that I had been able to do that. Dyslexia made any study very difficult – I used to fall asleep by the third page
Strangely though, I could read a good sci-fi novel all night without a problem!
@ nfeht – Congratulations! I only achieved Bsc Hons IIIrd class – just above a bare pass.
@Tencon – empathise with finding study difficult but it being easy to read SF all night long. I also did a couple of all night sewing sessions to reproduce the illustration for Ray Bradbury’s “The Golden Apples of the Sun” in appliqué gold and silver leather (from Midland Educational down Corporation Street in B’ham) on the back of a black sheepskin flying jacket. Those were the days….
re :’Midland Educational down Corporation Street in B’ham’ – I think I remember a branch of that chain in Coventry? It is sorely missed. I had ‘plans’ to get all the Meccano sets from 1-10 during my lifetime. Not possible now of course. I have a friend who is ‘into’ Meccano and had collected loads of it. I think it would need a pantechnicon to move his collection! He goes all over to get rare or unusual kits. Some of the display units were constructed from numerous kits and sometimes had custom built, unique, components. My friend often comes to stay with us when travelling to get something that is more local to me than him (The other end of the M14) and tells us some of the stories.
I am not sure if I am imagining your artwork, can you put it as your avatar for a short time so I could see it?
Wonderful Troiker – I love the balance of colours and the overall scaling. You are a great artist to imagine, let alone construct, that image in any medium, but on leather? Tremendous.
Thanks for showing me.
Hi Tencon – I’m pretty rubbish at Facebook too – just added my location, which is Thetford, Norfolk. As you say, many Alan Donnellys – only one with glasses frames of many colours…
Do you have anything to do with ‘Green Ventures Bikes, 39 Brunel Way Thetford’ ?
(Sorry, cheeky I know, but a bit of Google Earth use to get an idea of your area led to a link to their ad etc
Interesting place Thetford – I saw the silos (?) around the trading estate on Telford way and wondered if they were a military installation??? Curiosity
Regret nothing to do with Green Venture Bikes. Telford Way silos won’t be military – don’t think there’s even any nukes down the road at Lakenheath AFB these days. Rumour has it we had some of our own at Barnham.
Thetford is interesting – was once the political and ecclesiastical capital of at least E Anglia, had Britain’s first black mayor, was the birthplace of Thomas Payne, and just outside the town was the airfield where Capt. W E Johns (author of Biggles etc) learned to fly. Plus lots of other stuff including being the home of Burrell steam engines. Regards, Alan
Thanks Troiker.
Without more infoe we can’t pin you down on facebook. With my bad memory I forgot to mention that my wife only sees in monochrome. Has no cones to see colour with! There is a couple of ADs there who sport tinted glasses – will keep looking….
The lenses are clear, the frame is more than one colour. BTW, you are probably aware that if your wife has no colour vision she is exceptionally rare – it’s usually men who have colour vision deficiencies – women hardly ever.
My vol 5 came in the mail yesterday…a Christmas present that was well worth the wait. Getting to read more Yehuda directly from such a nicely constructed book dulls the pain of losing Yehuda online. So I temporarily have my Yehuda Moon fix!
p.s. Love all the little extras in the book, especially the info and pictures about the “real” kickstand!
Here we are at the end of January in Indy and the temps are spring-like. Feels weird to be on a bike and not worrying about snow — though we did have one nicely wintry commute a few days ago that I have immortalized in haiku.
My Snowy Commute on The Monon Trail
Paused, awed, to regard
serene beauty, swirling snow –
slipped, fell on my ass.
I know my first idea was to run the whole lot of strips from the start. I just had a different idea – What if we were to try to inspire Rick and Brian by coming up with serious idea for strips? Both single, stand-alone items and series with threads etc? If we give enough inspiration it might enable Rick to draw more? In any case, I am grateful to have experienced Yehuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery. I have met a great bunch of people on the comment board and the interaction is almost like a mini-FaceBook it seems! My Wife thinks so and is always encouraging me to go on FaceBook. I have looked at it and been mystified by all the boxes etc. As a simple person, it is great to meet at the kickstand and chat with like minds. Thank you all.
An afterthought – should it please Rick, he could always leave this ‘final’ strip up so we always know there is no more (yet?) but change the date and put a blank comment field each day. That way we have a way to meet without having to scroll down through old posts but still have the old comments available to help those who, like me, came for advice and got it. (e.g. my lighting result). Not a complaint I hasten to add! Just a thought
I miss yehuda strips but I get the impression the author is done and wants to move on to new things. I would keep coming back if they re- ran the series from day one. Lynn Johnston is doing that and adds a quick note about the strip’s creation with each post. It’s great.
Yeah, mornings just aren’t the same w/o a daily dose of Yehuda. I can’t blame Rick for bowing out. This had to be a lot of work.
Funny I keep checking back, though. I don’t expect any new strips, but I check on this comment thread still as a de facto forum/support group for Yehuda recovery. Alas…
Had a nice ride to work this morning after a dusting of snow came through earlier. The wind really picked up toward the end throwing 30 mph gusts in my face. 40 mph tailwindish gusts possible for the ride home. Should be fun!
An inch or so of snow on the trail this AM, 18 degrees F, meant for a lovely ride before dawn. I was reminded of Robert Frost — “The woods are lovely, dark, and deep/” as I was rolling along. I really love riding in the pre-dawn gloom with snow making that squeeky sound beneath the tires.
One of my late comments is still “awaiting moderation”.
(probably for including links.. though other came through, so I’m not sure).
Anyway, I guess we just can’t expect this forum to be active forever…
Greetings from Germany…just wanted to say thank you for this wonderful webcomic. Shame you had to give it up, but who knows…maybe we haven´t seen the last of Mr. Moon ? He didn´t seem the type to die that easily….
Anyone in the shop? It’s a nice day here in Indy — high temp supposed to be around 58 F. before the regular February weather gets back to the high 20s, low 30s this week. Day off due to President’s Day (I teach) so I will take advantage and ride my newly built fixed gear for a bit. Love the feel of a fixie, though I mostly ride the town bike or cargo bike around to do errands and such. The fixie is my “sports car” I guess, just ride it for fun and exercise. Happy with it; it came out at 20 lbs., light and quick. Looks good, rides great.
Anyway, cheers. Oh, and I guess … First! LOL. At least for today.
I check infrom time to Time just to look if Yehuda reapears.
Dale, how is it to change from fixie to a bike with freewheel frequently? For me, just a singlespeed must do. Build mine in te early 90th when everybody thoug it would be a strange idea to ride without gears and reversbrake.
Stefan, I don’t have much trouble switching back and forth; my other bikes are either geared or freewheel singlespeed, all with a more upright set-up for commuting or cargo or soggy weather riding, higher handlebars, sprung seat, etc. The fixie has drop bars, more agressive geometry and riding set-up, so I’m just used to another set of reactions altogether when I get on that bike. No muscle memory confusion due to the difference in overall feel between the bikes, I guess.
Haven’t checked on the strip in over a year. Basically since the last stip furlough. Oh well, I see many of the same names from the past few years. Again, this was a great strip and I’ll periodically check the messages for a sign that it will begin again. If not Yehuda, maybe something else. Thanks everybody and go ride.
Well, it’s been about 10 days and I see no one’s been in the shop for a while (though Yehuda is still tweeting from home, which is nice). Lot’s of cobwebs here and just the echo of my own footsteps, but I still hold out hope that someone drops by once in a while to see who’s been here, thus the post.
We’ve had dreadful weather here in Indy — winter mix of snow, sleet, rain, depending on the day — so I’ve been relegated to either the car or the sloppy weather trekking bike this week. But spring is just around the corner (I hope) and the better riding weather should come along with it. Last year I was in long pants and jacket right up to the end of school, but I’m hoping for better this year.
If you still drop around, leave a note in the dust on the counter and let us know what you’re up to in your corner of the world. See you all around.
Just droped in to see if something has happend…
Still very quiet here.
Over here in Hannover, Germany, snow is just gone, on we hope it will not come back till december. My snow bike is still not finished, but in the end I made it with my old 28″ATB and spiked tires over the winter. Commuting 7.5km (whats that in miles? 4.5?) mostly in the forrest was a lot of fun, but now I can also have some warm days.
It si said this was the darkest winter for decades, no sun to see for weeks now.
Stefan, I remember when I lived in Germany (Berlin for a while, then in northern Bavaria in Gersfeld, and later in Bad Nauheim near Geisin) it could be overcast and dark for what seemed like weeks at a time before we’d see the sun. One time in Gersfeld the frost built up so much over a week that it looked as if the trees and grass was snow-covered. Gersfeld was not far from the Kreuzberg monastery where we could ride our mountain bikes on the weekends for some of the monk’s wonderful beer. Good times.
Glad to see someone else is stopping by every now and then in the Kickstand.
It looks like we are the last ones here in the Shop.
It is Time Yehuda comes back.
Over the Weekend the Winter to a Break, we look forward to 15°C today, but it is said it will be cold an rainy again on wednesday. I stay with my spikes, easter is early enough to get rid of them.
Never really lived in another city than Hannover, but as I grow older, I sometimes wish to move south
Move south to southern Germany? Or to warmer climes like Italy or Spain? My wife wants us to move to Florida when we retire in a few years so as to be near her sister’s family, but I still like it here in Indianapolis despite the cold winters. I wouldn’t mind living in Italy though, near Venice where we have relatives. I like that part of Italy and there’s still enough of a change of the seasons to be interesting. Florida has about 4 good months and then it’s hotter than blazes for the rest of the year.
I thought about studded tires here for the winter, but most of my commute is on asphault, and when it snows my cyclocross tires usually do the trick. If there’s ice on the multi-use trail I use to get to work I just ride on the roads, which are usually cleared of ice and snow pretty quickly. Not too many people on the trail once the temperature drops below freezing, maybe 5 or 6 of us through the winter. We all recognize one another and stop to talk occasionally, compare notes on equipment and cold weather clothing. I commute 20-25 miles (around 32-40 kilometers) round trip a day, so the right clothing makes a big difference.
So long as this site stays up I think I’ll keep coming here and posting at least once each week, just to see if anyone’s been around. Write a few lines when you drop by, Stefan, and we’ll compare commuting notes.
Damn. I don’t mean to blather on, but I just wanted to record my morning commute. Three inches of snow, 28 degrees F. Thje snow was real wet and we had a northerly headwind, so my normally 55 minute coomute took an hour and 45 minutes. My butt was KICKED!
@ Dale:
I would prefer a place in an other country, south France for example. I do not like the southern parts of germany so much.
Spikes are usefull for me, because we often have rain or melted snow on cold ground, even asphalt, an because of ecological reasons salt is not so much used here any more. The Roads here have a lot of traffic lights, and the drivers are not always friendly, so even in winter I prefer my way trough the forrest. What is a little shorter too.
On my morning comute I still see a lot of people, but cause I often change route and time, have not made any contact till now. Weather now becomes cold again, and my snow bike is still “under construction”
A few days ago I got realy tempted: A hardly used Anthrotech for 1.500€, with spiked tires it would make the perfect winter bike and would also be usefull for shopping and pulling the trailer.
Stefan,
They hae a trike like the Anthrotech for sale here at one of my local bike shops. Are you looking at the 3 wheeled version or does Anthrotech also make a bicycle as well?
Dale,
they just make 3trikes, very easy to ride. Not the fastes, but enough for comute an shopping (a scorpion trike for example goes al little faster).
Cause many of my way never or seldom got freed from snow, after a few days they geticy ruts, so sometimes the third wheel would give me a better feeling.
Well, Stefan, it begins to look as though you and I are the last 2 visiting the shop.
We have several cyclists here in my part of Indianapolis who ride the 3 wheeled cycles, and 2 who ride velomobiles to work (fully enclosed trikes, very low to the ground) and these are very fast, I guess due to the aerodynamic nature of the full fairings. I think if I ever decided to get a recumbent, the tricycles would be the way to go, and for exactly the reasons you outline above — very stable in wet or snowy conditions, and good for hauling groceries home. They also look very comfortable to ride.
Weather here is still cold, but is supposed to warm up considerably before next week. I’d love to be able to ride my fixie to work next week if all the salt is off the trail.
I still follow the Yehuda Moon Twitter account with hopes of seeing the site open back up, but so far no indications it will. I guess one day we’ll log on to see if anyone has been here and the site will be gone. Sad day, that.
Until then, have a good week, Stefan, and keep in touch.
see, alfred has joined us.
These trikes are very comfortable. And, if neccessary you can go as slow as you want without fear to fall. A company, here in hannover, builds the “Milan” a velomobile, which last year set a new world record by going more than 1200km in 24h. They say an everage rider without any sporty backgruong can go around 50km/h. What makes these trikes as fast as it ist allowed for cars in town.
Weather report: 1″ Snow yesterday, but over night, most of it melted, so there are just some patches left. An a little Ice an snowy mud on the bike lanes of course
While riding on an very rough and bumpy bike lane today, I saw workers, marking every little pitch on the road for later patching. And thought: If drivers would ride more SUVs the concil could save a lot of money. Learn from riders: most of them now use MTBs or at least MTB parts on their bikes to withstand the bad bike lanes
Hey, volume 5 arrived last friday!
If this side will really be closed one day, use za (dot) zt (at) gmx.de to keep in touch.
Have a nice week and always a nice travel!
Hi – you guys aren’t the only ones that check up periodically to see what may be happening! Could I sduggest everyone who looks in just puts a “Hi!” in the comments – be interesting to see how many visitors this site still gets.
Happy cycling – may the weather soon become fairer and the wind change to always be at the back…
Wow. Super to see so many still dropping by. Hello to all from Indianapolis, city of eternal winter. Good to see so many Yedhuda fans still dropping by. Like you, I’m surprised more of the “regulars” dropped out of sight so fast. I miss Pops, Yolanda, Tencon, and all the rest. There used to be some spirited discussion of things here with some of the old crowd.
I wish spring would actually get here to Indiana. It snowed again last night and is still snowing just enough to keep the streets wet. I was going to change my avatar to a more springlike photo, but the winter one is more appropriate just now.
Stefan, thanks for the address to keep in touch. I’ll send a note so you have my email address, or just copy dyessak@aol.com from here.
I don’t know if I’m ready for a velomobile, Stefan. Most of them cost around $7000 here (about 5400 euro) and are not fast enough to keep up with traffic on the average street. Maybe in and around town, but not out in the suburban streets where traffic is generally going about 70-75 kph. I see 1 or 2 on the multi-use path when I commute, but not any on the streets or feeder roads. If I lived in a small town where the pace of traffic was a bit slower, a velomobile would be much more cost effective than a second car for around-town shopping and errands — but I usually use one of my bikes on those anyway.
Take care, all. I have some errands to run. Tschuss.
Hi Dale – I haven’t gone away. I just took a short sabbatical myself, missing the strip and you lot.
As for a velomobile – going back a year or so, I had a conversation with ‘Kevin Love’, another regular who was also thinking about a Velo. We came to the conclusion that the ‘Mango’, made by ‘Sinner’ in the Netherlands, was a good choice. A good price for what you get. I even considered taking public transport to Sinner Velomobiles in Groningen after ordering one then riding it home, but decided it was a fantasy after seeing the route with Google Earth…
I was at BikeFest ’96 when I overheard Mr Rasmussen (of Leitra fame) being interviewed by a local newspaper reporter. “Did you ride it all the way here?” he asked, looking impressed. With beautiful lilting Scandinavian accent, Mr Rasmussen very seriously replied: “No, we took the North Sea ferry…..”
eternal winter? same here. Still cold and frquently some snow.
I was offline for a few days. a short holiday in Luxemborg. Nice country and city, but far to many hills for cycling. on the other hand, the cycling infrastructure was far better than in germany.
I can’t say I ever posted in the comments, but I have been around since the start of the strip – missing it a lot! I hope Rick can get some time/money together to continue the strip down the track. If I wasn’t a poor uni student I would happily fund the whole strip!
Thought maybe Rick and company would put out a one time special as an April Fool’s teaser today. Guess it wasn’t to be. Sure do miss Yehuda, Joe and the gang. Hope everybody has a great Spring. :~)
Why don’t you just tell us what you do with your bike?
Weather report: Still cold her, but no snow for almost a week now.
Still thinking about a new bike, but it is hard to decide.
- Seems disk breakes are not the first choise for everday commute.
- Thick tires are good for all these cobblestones here (City administration thinks it is “historic” and looks good) but slow down my ride on even pavement.
- Lightweight, tough Single speed vs. 11 or 14 speed hubgear?
- Steal or aluminium for the frame?
- Chain or belt?
- Shimano or SON hub dynamo? Shimano is cheap, but has cone bearings (what ist the correct englisch/american expresion?). SON is expansive, long lasting and has normal ball bearings.
- 26, 28, 29 inch wheels?
so many decisions to make…
1. Brakes – My hub brakes always work in any weather but are not as powerful as V-brakes etc. Any good caliper brakes work well if you maintain them properly.
2. I agree – I have started using 700×35 which is the fattest that fit in my frame. 700×40 would be even better!
3. Personal choice. long term fixed-gear users look at gear usage with derision but they have developed the legs to deal with most conditions. Otherwise I think that any hub gear setup is great for commuting. If you use deraileur gears, you can ride in a wider range of terrain but you need to clean them often!
4. If you choose belt then you will be limited as to the other choices you make as belts are fitted to small range of bikes only. If you get the Park chain cleaner and use it often, your chain will last a long time.
5. Either dynamo is good. I have just invested in some Pellor LED lights. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pellor-Bicycle-Outdoor-Sports-HeadLamp/dp/B007X8YFYY Using a rechargeable battery pack, they have 4xCree XML-T^ LEDs for 4000 lumens at the highest of three outputs. Brighter than both my car headlights!
6. Wheel size. Personal choice. For short-ish commutes a Brompton folding bike is good and can be put on the Train or a bus if you need to. For a longer ride, larger wheels will be more confortable.29 is a sort recent fad that may stand the test of time. Once again, personal choice. 700c has so many things going for it that you should at least consider it…
Going back to brakes. Discs are very good and stop well but have expensive pads that need to be replaced often if you ride in wet/dusty conditions. They have almost nothing against them and can be very progressive. Once again, a well set up outfit will be much better than a poorly maintained one. For the best commuting advise, you should take a good look at the cyclists of Amsterdam. They have the most envied environment and possibly the most experience for commuting. However, if you live in a hilly environment, The Dutch experience may show weaknesses.
If you have money to spend, I chose to fit a NuVinci gear setup on my Trike-Tandem. With two unfit riders on a 700c-wheeled Trandom, having the ‘perfect’ gear for any situation was important. So I fitted a triple-Chainring (36/36/56t) and got a Shimano HG41 8 AO group (11-34) cassette and chose the best sprocket for the NuVinci to give me the range that best-suited our style. As hitting a pothole will drop that side it throws us around a lot so any speed above 15 mph is academic and climbing hills on my own after dropping my Wife at the station is easier if I can gear down to 2 mph or less without balance problems! You can put any of the Shimano sprockets from a cassette in to change the range of gearing. I have 3 infinite ranges from 1 mph to 20 mph. A fitter, younger rider could fit a smaller sprocket and have a faster range of gearing…
I started reading Yehuda as somebody advised me that I would get good advice here. They were right. I hope I have helped?
All the very best anyway. If you get a new bike, I at least will be glad to hear of your choice.
-Brakes: I am used to very powerfull brakes, and use Magura Rim brakes for years now. If I could find a hydraulic driven hub brake, I would think of it. Disk brakes seem to be more for MTB and sports, but not for everyday commute, as now 3 dealers told me.
- Tires: 700c is very uncommon here, hard to get tires, rims and frames.
- Gears: I will try my old single speed in sommer for my commute. We will see if its setup fits my needs… otherwise it will be, depending on my money, either a 11speed shimano or a Roloff…
- Light: Dynamo is mandatory, battery lights not allowed eccept racing bikes with less than 11kg. But I will give the pellor a closer look as an additional for the parts of my way that leed to a forrest.
- Maintenance: I would like a bike that gives me nothing to do but ride, so deraleur is out of question as V-brakes and so on. My bike dealer just told me that belts do not work really good for longer times, so…
- Dutch: I do not like the dutch bikes so much but I like the dutch experienc that nobody even thinks of using a Helmet, and riding there is save as nowhere else in the world. By the way, eccept one bridge, my hometown is as flat as the neatherlans, so it would fit.
- NuVinci: I am not sure with this one, can’t belive it does not consume a lot of my power to produce the friction required for its function. gave it a short try once, but somehow it does not feel right, can’t say what was wrong, maybee I should give it another try..
Okay – so you have tried the NuVinci?
If it was the old type – they take a while to ‘bed in’ and have some drag until then. Maybe you tried one of those?
I have been using the NuVinci 360 Hub Gear on my Tandem/Trike for a while now and cannot recommend it highly enough.
While derailleur have a wider range possible, my system of using a front derailleur with 3 Chainrings and a wide-range Rear changer locked in one place to control chain tension and position is working well. It took a little time to set up, but is working well now. If your environment is relatively flat, you may not need more than the one range so it can be much simplified with one CR and sprocket. Find out what gears you use most and choose the ones that will give you that range – simple. Once you have experienced the ability to choose the exact gear for your current riding, you will wonder why others use stepped drives!
As for Rohloff – there are issues when changing the ranges in the middle, most users don’t have any problems but the Technician that converted my tandem to a trike has experience of a lot of Rohloff setups and says that the NuVinci in 360 form is a lot better…
Lights: You can fit a small, simple, circuit to enable the Dynamo to charge the battery pack of the Pellor just like I am going to set-up on my Solos! (A simple full wave bridge rectifier, capacitor and voltage controller for a 4.2V DC output instead of 6V AC.) Any competent electronics technician should be able to help. Maplin stores in the UK usually have someone that can talk you through the setup and advise on components.
Been away for a bit, had to go back to New Jersey for some family business and haven’t ridden in about 10 days. Sure feels good to get back on a bike, especially now that we have some actual nice temperatures here in Indy.
Man, it’s great to see all of you guys posting again. For a while I thought it was just Stefan and me.
Stefan, the new bike you are contemplating; is this an additional bike for good weather or a replacement for what you have been using? If it’s a sunny-weather summer commuter, I’d go with the fixed gear or single speed — less maintenance and a simpler set-up. With a set of clip-on fenders it’ll work in the rain as well. But an internally geared rear hub gives you more options beyond your flat commute and, as Tencon points out, is easier to maintain. I’d stay away from belts – chains are proven technology and easy to change.
@ Dale,nice to have yu back in shop.
The bike is meant for summer commuting, but should have light, fenders an a rack. I use to do my shopping right after work, so it needs to carry some stuff sometimes. Fenders because some longer distances of my way to work are just some kind of sand. Makes a lot of dust when its dry, and some mud in the rain. I tried these clip on fenders on my old single speed, but they fail to leave me office ready on wet ground, so i stuck for the fixed ones.
Ah, yes of course, whne it comes to bikes and what should be fixed to, my girfriend normaly calls me Yehuda I love the view of “naked” bikes, but can’t stand riding them without adding the on or other accessory.
@ Tencon: I tried the NuVinci in 2009 or 2008, so, yes it may have improved a lot.
Lights: Good idea to recharge the light by dynamo current. As I got used to rid lights on even in bright daylight, I think modern LED lamps will leave enough current to charge a light booster. In fact, Busch&Müller offers a lamp with build in battery for a few minutes extra light.
Today I was on the “Hannover Messe”, a very huge industrial exhibition. Apart from roboters, machines, some (electric) cars, and a lot of stuff you need in an factory, I also found some bicycles. One was used to explain me why a gates belt drive is not as bad as my dealer says, another one was driven electric, controlled by a smartphone and meant for rent a bike. And them most interesting has had neither chain nor belt or gimbal, just a generator as bottom bracket, a control unit, a battery an an e-drive at the rear wheel. because of to many people around I was not allowed to ride, but I turned the krank by hand and was very impressed of the feeling and the “stiffnes” this drive provides. It just felt like a chain drive.
Second news: I put my old recumbent out of cellar, where it was for more than 1.5 years. Will give it a try for my commute next week. It is an est. 20 years old “Peer Gynt” from Radius. With one small wheel in front of bottom bracket, what makes it hard to use in dense city traffic.
Winter is seems finaly gone, and was replaced by summer. We expect 24°C today here. And everybody is courius about whats up with spring?
Same es last year, it looks like climate change finally strikes…
And the shop is empty?
Keeps bouncing back and forth between winter and spring here in Indy. One day beautiful, the next hail and rain and almost freezing temperatures.Trying to give my bikes a spring cleaning, but no snese in that as long as the weather is iffy.
Stefan, if reference to your next commuting bike, I know what you mean. I only have one “naked” bike and that’s the fixed gear. My single speed is set up as a porteur bike, with all sorts of baskets and racks for weekend shopping. My rainy-day aluminum Trek has a rack and two bags. And my everyday commuter has rack, handlebar bag, and two grocery pannier bags. I sometimes think I should just build a general commuter bike that has all the qualities of the other bikes combined; a lugged steel frame, with three-speed fixed Sturmy-Archer rear hub, chain case, fenders, rear rack with pannier bags, a porteur rack up front, with a front dynamo hub for the lights, and V-brakes. If I used 26 inch rims, I could use narrower mountain bike tires (still fatter than most 700s) that would work on trails and be good for a little off road too. That set-up would sure be a lot cheaper and simpler than having as many bikes as I now maintain — but not hearly as much variety and fun! And I think I just reinvented the Pashley. LOL.
Finally summer here, without a trace of spring. Okay, today it is alittle chilly.
Dale, I try my various bikes for commute, just to help my decision. Today it was my single speed (more than 20 years old an probably the first of this kind. Went well even on more rough ground. My recumbent gave me a lot of fun the last days, but will remain my summer, long distance an fun bike. Nothing for comute, because in our narrow streets with a lot of crossings it lacks oversight.
Al my bikes have fenders and racks, comined with this fast removable Ortlieb paniers. Great even for shopping.
By the way, I will not visit the shop from tuesday a few weeks, sorry. But look forward to see/read you again.
Still no warm weather in Indy – one or two days with temps in the 60s (18 C) then back to freezing or rain. Perfectly spring-like for Indy. LOL. It’d be nice to have a few warm commutes before school ends.
Changed the chains on the two bikes I commuted with this winter. The salt on the pathways really made a mess of them. What a difference in ride now; quiet, smooth, and pleasant with the brand new chains on. It’d be nice to have a fully enclosed chain case on my winter bikes like some of the one’s I’ve seen in Europe.
I usually end up replacing complete brakes or the front or rear derailer at the end of winter commuting, but this year very little snow and slush, so the extent of the refurbishing is chains and brake pads. One year I had to replace it all; brakes, both derailers, cranks and chainrings because they were all so corroded by the salt and moisture. I couldn’t even get the pedals off the cranks they were so corroded, not even with a meter long breaker-bar on the pedal wrench.
Well, I can’t wait for a nice dry, warm day to go ride the fixed gear bike on a nice long route. That will be the first official day of spring for me!
Take care, Stefan. And all the rest of you guys too if you stop by. Ride safe.
Thanks for the comic and all the entertainment it provided. I hope you’ll continue it someday but it’s your choice and I’m glad you made the hundreds of strips you made.
Finally! Spring is here in Indianapolis! Nice to be riding in slightly warmer weather, at least in the afternoon commute. Mornings are still a bit brisk, requiring a jacket, but afternoons are marvelous.
The only problem now is all of the fair weather cyclists — mostly roadies in their multi-hued superhero costumes — coming out of the woodwork. Everyone forgets their trail manners and careens around like they are at the Tour de France, forgetting that a multi-use trail is mostly packed with pedestrians, kids, and slow-poke commuters like me. They act like the bike path is their own private raceway. I wish they’d just stick to the roads if they are going to bike so irresponsibly; just gives the rest of us a bad rep.
But even that can’t dull the fun of finally being able to bike in shorts again. Bliss.
First spring ride on the new fixie, built last december. I’d only ridden it a couple of times in the winter when the weather turned unexpectedly dry, and today is the first longish commute I’ve been able to do with it.
It’s amazing how much a millimeter here a couple more there can make in setting up a bike to ride. Initially I knew the frame was a bit small for me, but didn’t realize how crowded it could feel to ride a smaller frame until this morning. I noticed I kept pushing back on the saddle and felt like my hands weren’t where they should be on the bars. Being in the drops felt awkward and I just couldn’t get comfortable. I stopped twice, once to raise the seat about a half inch and to adjust the bars a bit, and another time to push the seat back on the rails about an inch. Bingo. It felt like a whole new bike, comfortable and quick, a real pleasure to be on. I hated to stop riding it when I got to work. I can’t wait to ride it home this afternoon; it’s supposed to be warm and sunny.
I got thinking about electronic shifters, hydraulic brakes, and all the assorted new techie bike stuff, and wondered what Yehuda’s take on it would be. I imagine it might go down something like this:
Joe: “Sorry I’m late. My bike had a dead battery!”
Yehuda: …
Joe: “Sorry I’m late. My bike had a dead battery!”
Yehuda: Just stares expressionlessly at Joe for a frame … next frame, turns to leave … next frame, comes back, hands him a 12 volt car battery with a fuzzy pink bunny inexpertly duct-taped to the top.
Been riding in rainy weather all week and have fallen in love all over again with my Carridice rain cape. Keeps you dry where it counts and also well-ventilated so you don’t overheat. Yesterday I got caught in a downpour and was riding home at a nice leisurely pace on my befendered commuter, and donned my cape while watching frantic roadies splashing past with a muddy stripe up their back and soaked to the bone. I got home after stopping twice to pick up groceries and wasn’t a bit wet.
Finaly back from Crete, where we hardly had a cloud in the sky. 25° to 30° every day, I could stand to stay there forever. But alos heard it is raining there too Also it was no nice place to ride: Almost no flat road on the whole Island, the drivers are not really used to bikes and the roads are dangerous even for car drivers.
@dale: I never tried a cape, because I heard they give some problems with side wind. What is your experience?
I use a light Gore tex jacket and cheap overpants to keep me dry, but always get a little sweaty.
Re: Capes in Wind. Sidewinds have a small effect but a strong headwind can push you backwards! I have had to take the cape off on occasion just for that to make progress…
I’ve never been to Crete but I would love to see it sometime. One of my English friends goes there frequently and has a lot of good things to say about it. We’re planning a trip to France that’ll involve some biking next summer, 2014, so Crete may have to wait awhile longer.
I use a GoreTex jacket and overpants too in the colder months, but once it turns warm a cape can’t be beat because it ventilates and you don’t get all sweaty. I hear they are very popular in places like England and in Portland, Oregon, where rain is the norm.
I spent yesterday afternoon mounting a set of fenders on my primary commuting bike, so now I have two fendered bikes, one lugged steel and the other aluminum. The aluminum bike is set up like the trekking bikes I’ve seen in Germany and elsewhere. I tend to use it in hilly areas and offroad. The steel bike is more a town bike and commuter. I just wanted to have a bit more variety in my rainy day rides.
Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and warm, so it’s a fixie day! Can’t wait.
Because a few of my daily commute roads are not paved, my shoes and my rain-pants get really dirty. Even with fenders and extensions to both leghts of the fenders. But I think I schould give a cape a try, maby together with rain-pants for mud protection.
The last 3 times I used my single speed for my ride to work. Just one bridge on the way that forces me to push my bike uphill instead of ride. http://maps.google.de/maps?hl=de&ll=52.37759,9.77972&spn=0.000026,0.02223&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=52.377775,9.779893&panoid=Y38ujNBxJ4JnH2JE8HGqtw&cbp=12,34.92,,0,1.3
Does not look so steply from the side, but it si. Even most riders with gearshift prefer to walk.
At the moment I have three bikes for commute, my trekking bike still with spikes tires. (not that I do not trust the weather, but I simply did not have enough time to change. Then there is my single speed and my old peer gynt, not so nice in rain, but good for all longer distances.
Hi all. This is my first comment here – I spent the last months with reading all the comics (and a lot of the comments) from the very first beginning and now discovered that the story has ended … very sorry. Many, many thanks to Rick and Brian.
One more thing: Where is Kevin Love? Still here?
Welcome, Wusel. I haven’t seen Kevin in a bit; don’t know if he still monitors the site. Mostly just us last hangers-on who use the site to keep in touch.
Stefan, your bridge looks daunting, especially on a single speed. I have only one such overpass on my commute and it is not nearly so long as yours.
Today is the US’s National Bike to Work Day, and there were a lot of new (or possibly one-time only) commuters on the bike paths and streets. A few generous commercial sponsors and bike clubs had a refreshment station en route at the park and it was nice to stop for coffee and a bagel and share commuter stories and advice on gear with the other cyclists there. I couldn’t help but notice that the majority of commuters here today were roadies with backpacks, with a close second being guys on rando or touring bikes with saddle bags or panniers. Guys like me on a “Yehuda-style” psuedo-Van Sweringen all racked and fendered out, with North Road or other upright bars supporting our “bag of holding” were in the minority it seems. Well, I was a roadie a few years ago, then little by little decided to fit out the bike for a more comfortable commute as opposed to racing or touring, so I can’t say I disapprove. I didn’t wise up until one day on a trip to Italy when I looked around and realized that every cyclist within sight was on a town bike or some other type of traditional commuting bike. The only road bikes I saw around there were, in fact, on the road, not on the streets on the way to work. The Italians, and other Europeans I saw on that trip, seem to understand the divide between their recreational, sport, or fitness riding and their morning commute, unlike us here in America who probably start out as recreational riders and then see the sense in making a commute by bike after a while.
But I guess it takes all types to make a world, and so long as you’re happy in the bike and style of riding you are doing, then more power to you.
Cycling is a microcosm of society – the tension between the freedom to make independent decisions versus the expectations and pressures to conform: eg:
“When I’m watchin’ my T.V. / And that man comes on to tell me / How white my shirts can be / But he can’t be a man ’cause he doesn’t smoke / The same cigarettes as me…” (Jagger/Richards)
I find it interesting to see which cyclists return my acknowledgment of them when I’m on my recumbent trike – and which ones don’t!
Dale’s comment put me in mind of the footbridge I saw when crossing the Pennines at 53 degrees, 37 minutes, 45.52 seconds North and 2 degrees, 1 minute, 36.68 Seconds West. (Try that position looking West in Google Earth streetview!)
Nice to see the shop so crowded now!
For the last few days, I stayed home with influenca and took the tim to read al 5 issues from start to end. It gave me some kind of saddle fever Thank you again Rick and Brian for these great books!
Hope I will be in the ride again on sunday, when we celebrate our “car free sunday” in the city. A big party on closed down roads, where you find al lot of fun. Like test rides on recumbents and bmx, live musik, street acts and so on. Also you find al political partay, willing to speak about traffic, some ecological groups, bike and outdoor shops and a lot of other stuff.
@dale:
we divide bikes in race bikes (like joe’s), mtb and street bikes. For daily commute most people use mountainbikes or trekking biks (last one fitted with fenders, rack, dynamo hub an lights of course). Citybikes are common mostly for women. They often have no top tube, big 26″ tyres, a susspension fork and an coaster break together with one or two v-brakes.
Trekking bikes come with medium 28″ tires and derailleur gear or at least 7 speed hub gear. On hub gears coaster brakes are very common in germany, denmark and netherlands, but nowhere else in europe.
Verylittle people use single speed for commute. Race bikes are for sport and bikes messengers.
An fixies are rare, but well know.
I’d like to get a ‘bent some day, but right now the garage just won’t hold another bike … still, if the price were right, LOL. I do like those Azubs, but they are a bit pricey and difficult to find here in the US.
Whereas the guys I see on commuter bikes and ‘bents generally wave back or nod, the road bike riders here on the Monon Trail in Indy and Carmel on which I commute give me a pain in the butt. Most zoom by at breakneck speeds, heedlessly swerve around pedestrians and slower bicycles without any warning, and generally treat the multi-use trail as if it’s their own private raceway. If I wave when they approach or say good morning as they pass me, 9 times out of 10 I will get no reply. Too busy counting cadence, I assume. If they want to ride like they are in a race, I wish they’d stick to the roadways, or at least show some responsibility on the trail. Their general sense of entitlement and superiority just irks me.
A few days ago I tried an experiment. My fixed gear bike has drop bars and at a glance looks like a road bike until you get close enough to see the rear-facing drop-outs and single cyclocross front brake lever on the bar tops. On my way to work I would give the old roadie flip of the fingers or a nod to the roadies going past. Most would return the wave, or nod back, maybe looking a little surprised if they noticed the brake. Some even smiled, though moist continued on at their furious pace.
For my homeward commute, I loosened the brake and stem and turned the bars upside-down like the “bum bars” you see semi-homeless guys riding, or sometimes folks who have pulled their old dusty 1970-80s road bike out and don’t know enough about bikes to replace the bars and turn them upside-down to get comfortable. Big difference in roadie recognition with this set-up; no nods, no smiles, no waves, just the superior smirk or look of disgust as they went past. Kind of a fun psychological experiment.
People are so darned weird it just makes me laugh.
Wow. I didn’t know the strip was over until tosay. …
I have been traveling in East Africa and Central America; and have had the whole published set with me for entertainment. Yehuda and Thistle keep me inspired.
Well, I guess I wish you all long happy lives.
Maybe Yehuda will show up on xkcd or the FGG sometime. One can hope.
Only encountered one roadie and one MTBer while on the recumbent today – both smiled and waved and passed a few kind words.
BTW, Noel Coward to the contrary, “anyone who says Norfolk is flat doesn’t ride a bike.” However, it certainly has no mountains. But while the gear range of an MTB may be excessive, the Breckland bits of Norfolk are rather sandy off road, so the MTB tyre width is useful.
Doing the time warp as a straight comment…. If I should end up flipped inside out through the 4th dimension, or marooned in a far space-time continuum – then don’t try to follow in case yo
Lets see where this appears
Looks like we have a rain season here. All rivers and lakes are full, and it still rains. Today I saw the first water on a way I use to commute. But luckily, when it comes to environmental catastrophes, this place is totally boring, no harm of a real flood, just maybe some wet feet and the one or other flooded cellar.
By the way, I made it the third time in a row: crossing the former mentioned steeply bridge with my single speed. And I always wonder, why I see so many people on even less steeply bridges who not even try to make it in first gear. Why do they buy a 27 speed bike and ride in just one gear?
It washes dirt away and has many other magical properties but it washes the chain’s lube away from the rubbing parts and if the bike is not used regularly, the link glue up. Even if used, without lube the pressure of use on the rubbing parts of the links will wear them out quickly. If oil is applied after/with WD40 the solvent will de-nature the oil rapidly making it useless…
Clean the chain with paraffin and wash then apply a few drops (1 at each of the ’1/4′ point of the chain) of chain oil. Weldtite is good. With a m/c I used to monthly clean the chain in a hot bath of paraffin and dry it out before soaking in a hot bath of molybdenum disulphide chain oil e.g.: http://www.belray.com/industrial/products/chain-lubricants and let it drip dry/cool over a nail. Overkill for a pedal cycle as the chain has nowhere near as much to deal with!
Spouse & I pretty much circumnavigated Norfolk last week – by recumbent trike and ladies mixte bike – with lightest tent we could get, which was a bit shallow for those of a pensionable age… Happily, no serious rain until we got home.
You don’t need to ride a bike to see that Noel Coward was wrong about Norfolk being “very flat”….. He can’t have visited much of the county.
Somewhat tongue in cheek I will make a comment to that Troiker – Who would deign to acknowledge a recumbent rider?
IMHO the following:
1. Another recumbent rider.
2. A Tandem or trike rider. (Like me)
3. Anybody who WANTS a recumbent or Mango etc…
Usually the unusual recognises the unusual and makes some gesture of ‘Tribe’ membership?
Many car drivers might but don’t know how to without it seeming to be some form of insult (Like a toot of the horn that could be perceived as ‘shout’ of derision or impatience)
I agree. It’s just belonging to a minority. When I’m riding my recumbent and see another recumbent, nearly always we both are smiling, greeting or something similar. When I’m rinding a “normal” bike, I’m not acknowledged by any recumbent rider.
riding my bent, i always great other recumbent drivers and vice versa. But upright? there are so many around here, I would hardly find a second to get both hands at the bar.
Errr – the software seems to not be posting new comments at the end of the forum posts. My post today has gone in just above: “librarymonkey27@gmail.com”
Wonder where this one (a “reply”) will go?
Tencon – using the “Reply” button on your message of May 26 2013 [which actually follows yours of May 27th!] to post this. I just posted a non-reply comment which appears at a distance up the page. (I wrote: Testing…..)
Ah, that worked. Looks like the way to do this chronologically is to just go to the last post and hit reply.
Howdy, all. Good to see a few of you back in the shop. Very heavy rain here in Indy today so I had to take the car in to school to finish out the year. Rode the bikes for the last two weeks in mild weather, very nice change. Now that school is out for the summer I can bike at my own pace and distance mornings and get some work done around the house in the afternoons — or drink wine with my cycling buddy Steve. LOL. Too much of the latter and not enough of the former during the summer months, I fear.
Gotta run, last minute grading to do before I lock the classroom doors.
Great ride this morning on the fixie, a tad cool, but no rain and not much wind. I love riding that bike because it’s so elemental — just frame, seat, a little seat bag with flat fix stuff … that’s it. Weighs 20 pounds as it sits. I probably look like a rhino raping a unicorn when I ride it (I’m not a small guy) but I don’t care; it’s just pure fun to ride that bike.
Posted this last week, but it got stucked somewhere above…:
Looks like we have a rain season here. All rivers and lakes are full, and it still rains. Today I saw the first water on a way I use to commute. But luckily, when it comes to environmental catastrophes, this place is totally boring, no harm of a real flood, just maybe some wet feet and the one or other flooded cellar.
By the way, I made it the third time in a row: crossing the former mentioned steeply bridge with my single speed. And I always wonder, why I see so many people on even less steeply bridges who not even try to make it in first gear. Why do they buy a 27 speed bike and ride in just one gear?
Hi Stefan,
I have seen a lot of bikes come into the charity shop (donations) that were stuck in one gear. Usually any of a range of faults but most adding up to one thing – lack of maintenance!
Coventry Council ran a ‘think bike’ morning one day a few years ago and I was asked to be ‘Dr Bike’ for them. I got a lot interest when I showed the (mainly students’ the cheap and simple way to avoid costly repairs – CLEANING YOUR BIKE’!
I showed how A hose and a small dustpan-brush had been used to wash the dirt off.
I told them how a quick ride for maybe 1/4 mile would get rid of most of the water and a towel could finish the job before starting with the paraffin. An ex-food foil tray of Paraffin in a small washing up bowl can be used with a 1″ paint brush or similar to wash the greasy muck off. After which it is important to lightly lubricate sliding parts (chain etc) and wipe a WD40 soaked rag over any exposed metal that could rust. NOT the chain!
I had to do this 5 minute demo a few times it was so novel and exciting for the students…
The fact that I had a good bike for over 30 years that needed little more than this to keep it working well gave the demo some power!
Hi Tecon,
I must admit, I hardly ever clean one of my bikes. They all serve me for many, often more than 20 years anyway.
I just give them the lubrication an maintenance they need. But, my first rule for not getting a bike stolen is: never clean you bike. Two of my bikes also often get some black color spray, just with the lose dirt beeing removed, to let them look worthless and mousy. On the other hand: frome the roads I use to commute, the bikes sample a lot of earth, dust and other dirt every day, so cleaning would be a every day job.
But, by the way: what is the bit with WD40 and the Chain, I never gave it a thought?
Hi Dale,
sounds nice, but still, I did not try a fixie. I fear I could not control such in our dense traffic.
My single speed on the other hand gives me a lot of fun. Trying my Trekking bike, stil with spiked tires yesterday made me feel like riding in plasticine.
Need to change tires the next days, but lack the time.
My trekking frame does not allow more then 37mm wide tires, otherwise I would like to try Big Apple or an wide Kojak…
It washes dirt away and has many other magical properties but it washes the chain’s lube away from the rubbing parts and if the bike is not used regularly, the link glue up. Even if used, without lube the pressure of use on the rubbing parts of the links will wear them out quickly. If oil is applied after/with WD40 the solvent will de-nature the oil rapidly making it useless…
Clean the chain with paraffin and wash then apply a few drops (1 at each of the ’1/4′ point of the chain) of chain oil. Weldtite is good. With a m/c I used to monthly clean the chain in a hot bath of paraffin and dry it out before soaking in a hot bath of molybdenum disulphide chain oil e.g.: http://www.belray.com/industrial/products/chain-lubricants and let it drip dry/cool over a nail. Overkill for a pedal cycle as the chain has nowhere near as much to deal with!
Humourous memory just arrived – Castrol (I think) used to sell a round tin of this stuff about 6″ dia and 4″ high. With the top off, careful use of a camping stove in the backyard meant I could soak the chain in moly-oil for a few minutes. Failure to diligently watch it and keep strong pliers ready to lift the tin off when ‘cooked’ meant the hot black liquid would catch fire! Annoying to neighbours with washing on the line and me when I had to clean the muck the smoke left off the house windows! Proved how persistent the oil was!
My friend had a Honda 400 that he fitted with a full chaincase. He used to spray moly into the case but never removed the case to clean/wipe off surplus stuff. As a result, when we did some maintenance, the chain was running in a chain-sized tunnel inside the solid block of moly that had formed in the case!
I’m like Stefan in my bike maintenance routine; knock off the big cruddy areas, maybe bucket wash the winter bike in the spring to get off salty road grime, and otherwise just keep the gears, brakes, and drivetrain pristine.
Beautiful weather here in Indy these last few days. Went for a nice long camping trip of 6 days with some friends and had a wonderful time cooking over the campfire and living outdoors in the day and sleeping in the tent at night. Cool enough at night to need the fire to sit around. I missed the bike though. We plan on doing a bike camping trip in October from Cumberland, Mayland, to Ohiopyle State Park, in Pennsylvania, along a bike path that runs parallel to the Youghiogheny River. Thats about 75 miles, about 115 kilometers, over 3 days. That’s not a lot of miles per day, but there are town and sites to visit along the way and things to see and do, so we’re not looking to cove a lot of ground. I’m really looking forward to it.
Well, time to do some work around the house and then take a ride. See ya!
Yesterday was a blck day for cyclist in germany.
A courd decided that a bike rider is to blame if he does not wear a helmet. even if the car driver brought the rider down.
Okay, the car driver, who doored the biker still has to pay 80% but…
I hope this will not decrease the number of cyclist, but I fear it will.
That’s bad news Stefan.
However – in fear of starting a helmet debate/flame, IMHO wearing a helmet is a small price to pay to make sure that the driver gets the blame when it is due, maybe?
Another argument for trying to garner as much evidence as possible. Such as a helmet cam etc…
On that note – Midlands news had an article last night about a motorist who didn’t like a cyclist who used passed him on the LHS in Birmingham, UK, between him and a car reversing into a parking spot. When he was free to proceed, he rushed in front of the cyclist and stopped then tried to ‘door’ him when the cyclist passed! The cyclist had a helmet cam and the footage was shown on the news.
For me, it would be a high price. Another item I have to take care of and finde a place to store wherever I go. And still there is no evidence bike helmets really prevent head injuries. All thats proven is: They sometimes cause broken jaws and neck injuries.
For my way of riding, a helmet, who even slightly reduces my view, and produces some extra wind noise and ads some weight to my head, would make my rides less save.
So: No, as long as nobody proves Bike helmets make cycling more save, a obligatory to wear one would make me change to a car for my daily ways.
Dangit, I missed the alleycat…
That would be a suitable ending for the strip – a race to the middle of nowhere…
The check points could be the milestones along the way.
If this is the last strip, we are left wondering about the SS back story etc. If we list the items we would like to see wound up/questions answered, maybe Rick will add an occasional strip to keep us happy?
An idea that just struck me was that Rick could start the whole lot up again from the start and throw the odd new one in when/if he gets the inspiration. Maybe at weekends?
In any event, I would like to say how wonderful it has been meeting you all here day by day and getting information and help with my personal demons. Thank you all, Rick and Brian especially, for helping me become a better person and a more rounded individual. Happy New Year
This is why I don’t think the strip ends here. This is the start of a whole new arc…
Sad, it’s the last we see of Yehuda Moon.
Nevertheless I wish everybody a Happy New Year – especially to Rick and Brian.
As Tencon said: there are a lot of loose ends in different threads of the story and last week’s strips didn’t really help with those, so maybe Rick will have – despite of his new engagement – time and fun to draw some strips every now and then (not on a regular timetable) to fix those loose ends step by step.
I’ll be glad to support this by reactivating my patronance.
@ Rick: please put aside Vol 1 and Vol 5 for me, I’ll order next year.
And maybe there will be an Vol 6 sometime …
Well said Wolfgang. I agree.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days of auld lang syne?
That song will have a little more meaning to me when I’m singing it later tonight. Smooth roads and a tailwind to you, Rick.
So long and thanks for all the ghoti!
We have all been here before……….
Rick, all the best to you.
I hope to see Yehuda and the gang again.
Have a great one. Ride Safe.
I am remarkably sad at the coming to the end. It seems that 2012 was the ending for many of my electronic friends, from TV shows to comic strips that have kept me company for years.
Thank you for all the good times.
So long and thanks for all the fish.
Geoff
I’ll miss you guys but I imagine we’ll comment for weeks at this last strip, at least till they stop paying for the website. It’s in the folder I open every day and will be for a time yet.
Happy New Year, everyone!
And to you Yolanda. HNY.
May 2013 bring all of you goodly amounts of smiles, riding, health and love, and may the good luck train leave a container car for you.
I’ve been reading from the beginning. Don’t think I’ve missed a single strip. I’ll miss the Kickstand for sure as it’s generally my first stop on the virtual commute. Best to all and happy New Year! Thanks, Rick and Brian for the entertaining strip.
Thanks for an other great year Rick and Brian. I hope we can read more Kickstand adventures in the future. All the best to you for 2013 and beyond!
Love the Douglas Adams references guys, thanks for the chuckle. I won’t say bye, because its likely we’ll all be reunited when Rick and Brian send out an e-mail saying he’s back. Or at least I’ll keep believing that- I can’t imagine he went through all that effort transitioning to the new site to not have plans for the future! All the best in the new year, just keep pedaling!
Happy New Year! R&B have a great time off! Everybody else, I look forward to seeing you on the other side!
Now where did I put that towel? Oh yeah…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ufobike/5758879942/
Like
I got here just 3 months ago and I’ve enjoyed the comic and the “lively banter” that you all shared, Happy New Year, hope Rick decides to return to this some day down the road!
Yehuda could ride a lot more and I hope he will. As I continue to do myself each day… keep rolling, Rick!
Special thanks to Rick and Brian for years of smiles, chuckles and high-class stories, and to all of you who posted and who gave us an insight into the diversity and universality of the cycling experience. A New Year’s Eve toast to absent friends, to friends we have and to the friends like you whom we haven’t met. May tail-winds be your constant companions
Maybe someone can start a page where we can all go to argue about helmets.
Anyway, I’ve really enjoyed the strip. Hope it comes back at some point.
re: ‘go to argue about helmets’ – LIKE!
I hope we’ll see Yehuda and the Gang again. Or better, we’ll run into (in person) Rick and Brian in life.
Many thanks, we’ll miss you. Come back soon.
01:10 here in the Original Coventry, Uk.
Happy New Year everybody.
May you all have sweet rides and may the wind be always at your back.
Happy New Year, and Sad Year for the ending of the comic, hope to see Yehuda and Joe soon, rather than later.
Goddess Mother, you guys are acting like the world has come to an end. It has not. This isn’t the first time, nor the second, that this has happened. I have every confidence that Yehuda will be back. There have been several hiatuses before.
That’s true Zorba.
You can forgive our poetic farewell to 2012 using this event as a theme though, can’t you?
Happy New Year to one and all
Maybe the new strips have stopped, but the folks are still pedalling – on and off the page. So shall we.
And the new year begins – it’s going to rain shortly, so I’m going to try to get out before it starts. It’s been great, folks. Take care and ride safe.
Have a wonderful new year, everyone, and I hope to see you again somehow, someday, somewhere…
It is 13F and though the roads are relatively clear, we don’t own enough clothing to ride comfortably. I guess I’ll be on the trainer watching Tivo’d races for a while. Happy New Year to all. Keep the shiny side up!
I feel like an idiot but I evidently missed Rick’s announcement (whatever it was).
Can someone point to the relevant strip/day it was made.
Never mind!
Must’ve missed the announcement. Thanks Rick for all the great comics. Will miss it.
Great gratitude for all the strips -
‘Bye -
For now?
Oh, my. Been away for a while and came on to catch up, and had no idea this was to be the last strip. Feel like I lost an old friend. Strange how you can become attached to imaginary characters, but then I suppose they acquire life in our minds and evolve into friends after a while.
Thanks, Rick and Brian. Hope your new ventures are successful, but hope to see Yehuda, Joe, Thistel, and Fizz back some day.
Ciao, all; been nice meeting you.
@Dale – Like
Thanks for all the strips!
To others… thanks for your comments, insights, remarks, tips, links, etc. …
Ride on, everybody! (literally or figuratively).
Happy new year…
(personally, I’m glad I rounded up the change of 12 into 13 “in style”, by riding my bike – both TO the new year’s eve celebration (some tricky icy parts of the road, but very fine otherwise) and BACK home the next morning. That morning ride was especially beautiful. I hadn’t been drinking (except for a sip of wine for the toast at midnight), so I could not only “ride responsibly”, but first of all enjoy a clear head and the peace of the new year’s first morning in all its glory – riding first through the forests, then across the fields… and then back into the town, through completely deserted streets (met only about 2 people along the whole ride)… finally greeted by church bells ringing long and everywhere.
@Birch Creek – Like
Like you I started the New Year with a ride.
) One man even stopped and smiled as we passed instead of opening his car door for us to steer around, I exchanged a nod of recognition.
My wife and I took our Trandem out on it’s first trip along the route it was built for. From home in north Coventry to the train station in the town. About 2.5 miles and 40 minutes. We haven’t ridden together for years and there are some steepish hills along the way. We took a different route home as it goes through the centre of town along what is now VERY cycle-friendly surfaces. The footpath/cycle track used to go under some pedestrian subways with steepish hills in and out of them, very dark and dismal. Now it is all above ground and has pedestrian lights to help at the road crossings. Apart from the steeper climb out of town up the Radford Road, it was not a bad ride altogether. Overall both routes were fairly equal for time.
After She gets to the station, I will be riding home alone. So it is good that I have a NuVinci rear hub and 36/46/56 front chainrings. We can pedal at a reasonable cadence up to 15mph, any faster is tricky on a trike as a pothole would likely throw us off the bike! With a 36t rear sprocket, the lowest gear allows for an easy-going 2mph up the steepest incline so I won’t be stumped when alone.
Traffic? Other vehicles give us a lot of respect on the road and we get some nice comments. (‘Now there’s a sight you don’t see every day’ was heard
Maybe 2013 will be the year we get our act together and put some miles in? (Not today though, cyclists ‘bum’ and bad weather stopped us)
Note – not MY bum!
Interesting!
Do you have any pictures of your trandem you could post or link to? I’m not aware if you’ve done so before… but however, I just got interested in seeing it.
(I somehow pre-assumed that a tandem trike would likely be a recumbent, but now I realize it is not so…?)
I will try – I don’t know how yet, I believe my wife has a piccy on her blogsite?
Basically, it is a 700c-wheeled, Peugeot, sports-touring Tandem from 1979 that was modified to have two wheels at the front.
After the first pothole under just one of them nearly threw us off, we started wondering if we should have gone for two wheels at the back instead! We got used to it and I learned to steer around potholes etc.
I think I did once post a link to the site? (With my memory I really don’t know…)
For now – I changed my Avatar
Okay, I have a jpg now, I am asked if you have an email address I can send it too?
Send it TO!
I’ve noticed the avatar.
Thanks.
I do have an e-mail address, but I don’t feel very enthusiastic about posting it on a public site (there are several good reasons), as I hope you understand.
(The avatar is quite enough for our purpose, I’d say. However, if you wanted to share the picture in yet another way (including other Yehudists who might be interested, not just me), what about that blogsite (of your wife) you’ve mentioned?)
I will talk to her when she comes home.
The 700×40 tyres are really smooth to ride on but take ages to inflate with a hand pump. I just bought a CO2 pump for emergency use as I can’t find any way to mount the shop pump!
If you can see the detail – the saddlebags are Carradice and VERY useful!
I still have the 30-year-old saddles on that we fitted when it was new, I am thinking about some Brooks ones though…
There is a 6Volt battery, that should power the front light, which is standing on the frame in front of the pilot’s seat tube. It is an old battery that used to power and electric bike of a pal of mine. When we replaced it, I kept it around for occasional use. I get an hour or more of use from a full charge but it should be a few hours. I must investigate new front lighting.
With the NuVinci twistgrip changer, it was difficult to see how I could use the dropped bars and in 2007, bending that low meant that I stopped breathing which is BAD for health
(There is a project – I must try and work out how I can build a pump which is powered by our pedalling…)
If the battery is a few years old, then the capacity is going down before it fails.
Yeah, I’m looking for a reliable alternative. The fancy, high capacity, things around are good but expensive and need expensive chargers. The gel-type lead-acid are still the best value for money around. As weight is not an issue, I am not a racer type, I think a new replacement will suffice.
As for decent front lighting, I am still researching…
Have you thought about a dynamo hub? You have a unique ride, so I’m not sure it’s possible to rig it up. But I’ll throw this out for your consideration anyway.
I’ve got a SON hub with a Supernova E3 Pro Terraflux (asymmetrical) headlight and 161-T Taillight. I’ve gotten lots of compliments/ comments from motorists and they guys at the gate (military dude) on how bright of a light it is, and how I look like a motorcycle in the dark. From my perspective I can see in the dark as well as, or better than from my wife’s car. I’ve also noticed, and this could just be perception, that a few times cars have waited for me at stop signs in the dark when I’m further back than I would wait personally. It’s a courtesy I attribute to looking larger and faster (on the un-illuminated roads I ride) than I really am on my 500 ton touring bike. I’ve been running this setup for almost three years and I haven’t had to replace any components, and of course, no batteries. The headlight gets to full intensity somewhere around 4 to 5 mph so I would think anyone could light it up. I still keep AAA powered blinkies on the front and rear for when I’m stopped; those last near forever it seems.
It isnt cheap, but I justified it to myself that I don’t have a car, and I need my ride to be reliable night and day for all my random tasks.
Yeah, I love Dynohubs too. Shame they can’t work on the Trandem…
Single sided fixing on the front wheels and a NuVinci rear hub mean no Son dyno for me. Sad
I splashed out on some super bright ‘Pellor’ LED light with 4xCree XML LEDs.
With some fresnel filters to give a flat, wide, beam they are wonderful.
One light alone illuminates the whole 100ft rear garden in full colour with lots of light to the sides too!
The plan is to have one on each side of the front ‘axle’ at wheel-hub level and one on the handlebars.
I will have to see if it will work out?
Just this weekend I have started thinking about getting rid of my car so that the bikes become my main mode of travel. Using the motor-caravan/motor home for any extended travel. With no car in the way, it will be easier to get the Trandem out and work on it etc. also, with my heart problem, I might banned from driving at any time if I get too many shock events, I have unilaterally decided that if I get 3 shocks in a year that I will retire from driving, as a minimum! I cannot drive for six months after any single event anyway…
So I clicked “Random Comic” and got this one:
http://yehudamoon.com/20111005/
Seem sort of appropriate …
OK. That’s spooky. See the comic in my previous post. Click on the comic and watch what happens!
No big secret here. If you click on any strip, the following strip comes up. The strip you linked to was published Oct 15 2011 when Rick took his first hiatus, just before the Kickstarter project. The next cartoon is the next strip in sequence and was posted 2½ months later on Jan 1 2012, when he resumed the strip.
You could go back to strip #1 (1/22/2008) and by continually clicking on the strip itself go thru an entire slideshow of all the strips in chronological order.
Thanks Baboon, I have been thinking about a similar setup but have the following difficulties:
I will look into it. I can pile a lot of batteries on the central tubes that currently support the current 6V battery so I think I can build a suitable reservoir. Just doing the sums regarding weight etc.
1. Rear hub is a NuVinci – no dyno there
2. Front hubs are single-sided – trike you see – so no dyno there either.
After reading some of Peter White’s excellent stuff I see that he recommends a similar setup to yours, so good choice there!
I will be needing 1.5-2 hours, per return trip, of lighting. I will need to measure and test what battery capacity gives me that with some left over. I can recharge during the day so I won’t need a 4-hour capacity… I have 3 little but hyper-bright blinkies for the rear, It will be one at the back and one atop each front wheel, all facing backwards of course! I have a reasonable halogen front light at the moment, time will tell if I need more power.
Around 1970 I used simple U2 powered lamps front and rear and had a car-type fog light up front with a flick switch. It had a simple tungsten 6V bulb but a big reflector. Car that were too proud to drive dipped when approaching a cycle soon dipped when I turned that on though! I rarely needed it, just one strip of steep hill where I reached about 30mph really. Flashing it to inform trucks when they were clear to pull in was it’s main use.
I got many pleased responses.
Tencon, as far as I know, Schmidt Maschinenbau, producer of the SON Hub Dynos, offers also a single sided version for three wheelers like Scorpion or Anthrotech. Search for “Nabendynamo” and “SON”
Thanks for that Stefan – I will look into them….
I must have missed the post about the strip ending, and the page everyone keeps pointing to – http://yehudamoon.com/fall-tidings/ – doesn’t exist. Does anyone have any details on why the strip is ending? I’m going to miss it.
It was just a brief comment in the comments section from rick, and the last we’ve heard from him, that he’s quitting as of new year’s day. There’s been no further on it and no more comics. I’d say he’s not interested in having us whine him back into another year like we did last year. He just isn’t getting enough out of this strip to merit the energy investment and he’s being very clear that he doesn’t choose to continue.
Too bad. I won’t be coming here much longer, it’s depressing to remind myself of the dead strip and the conversation is trailing off.
As I recall, Rick said they had a lot of things going on in 2013, and he said something like “no word on when the strips will be coming back.” So it sounded like he may bring the strip back someday, but it could take a long time–maybe not anytime in the coming year.
Also, Rick said they would be on a 1 month vacation and back in Mid January.
@Tencon. Go to ebay and search for “CREE XML XM-L T6 LED Bike Bicycle Light HeadLight HeadLamp 1200LM 9W”
and also search for “Wide Angle Lens 4 MagicShine, Gemini, Lupine Bike Light”
These two combined create an excellent light for a very good price. I have one and it is outstanding. I tried posting the links for you a couple of days ago but the comment is still ‘awaiting moderation’.
Thanks for the tip Vexed. I am on the iPad at the moment and the PC is busy so I will probably check those out later or tomorrow.
This is just the sort of information gold that I first came to this strip for. Just as well answered too – Superb
Tencon, be aware if you order the Chinese light it doesn’t come with a UK plug for the two-prong charger. I got round this by using a two-prong to UK three-prong shaver adapter plug.
Thanks Vexed’
I use a number of devices that also have a 2-prong/5-amp plug, eg: my electric shaver, so I am sure that will be no problem. Also, I have been an electrical/electronics service guy most of my 62 years and can change the plug to 13-amp if necessary!
The fresnel wide-angle item is also interesting. Thanks.
The lens I found necessary. The lamp itself comes with a plain lens. Because it is so bright this leads to it blinding oncoming traffic. I found swapping the plain lens for the fresnel give a good wide beam that was easily controllable.
Look on youtube for “Chinese CREE XML T6 bicycle light test”. That’s my light with the new lens. I’ll try to follow this post with a direct link.
Here’s the direct link to the light video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSvRJ2HwONU
Thanks. I have ordered both. I had an email to say the lens is on the way yesterday.
If I can get it all working, I am thinking about fitting 2 lights on the trandem, on top of the front wheels’ fender mounts. The installer used a neat system of thin ss tubing instead of the usual wire so it is more sturdy. It all depends on how heavy the light is…
At that price two is easily do-able! Good luck with them.
Right – I have received the http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00AW7UUGU/ref=pe_217191_31005151_3p_dp_1 lights and they are great! When I turned it on it was a bit disappointing as I have an LED torch that is as bright, but when I cycled the modes I saw the LIGHT! The snow helped but I think the car headlights could not have lit up the back garden as well as the lamp did last night and I haven’t charged it yet… That was only ONE of them
I planned to put a pair on the Trandem and one on my Bike but I am thinking that might be overkill for general use. One on the bars for normal riding and for harsh conditions I could switch a pair on that shine from the front wheel common axle bar, or even from on top of the front wheel fender brackets? The latter would ‘steer’ with the front wheels. I will think about it. Thanks for the tip. NB: I know these are different from the one you suggested (Which hasn’t arrived yet) but there are similarities.
Well, it has been a week now, so it looks like this is indeed the last strip. Odd choice to leave up there as a last hurrah. In the past Rick has left poignant images for us to relish when he has gone on vacation or taken a break.
It is also odd that the news tidbit about the end of the strip has been removed. Any casual reader coming along wouldn’t realize the end has come and gone.
I thought Rick would have at least have left a parting comment for us, the paying supporters, after all these years. I guess I’m left a little disappointed.
Adiós, my friends,
Steve
Don’t be disappointed! I’ve just been swamped after returning from India (where I’ve been since early December). Volume 5 copies arrive Friday and Brian and I will spend the weekend signing and mailing them.
More news to come -
Thanks, and welcome back. I’m looking forward to my copy of Vol 5!
Good to see you back Rick Happy New Year…
Huh, it ended ? I just re-discovered Yehuda after thinking this ended last year. BTW, what’s up with Idle Crossing ?
http://yehudamoon.com/comics/2013-01-01.gif
just saying. wonder why this strip never got online.
Its very minimalist.
Thanks for that Karl – In the past that has meant that Rick is simply taking a rest from the slog against inclement conditions. IMHO. I think. I hope.
@Herr Karl: Thanks for the 2013-01-01 strip! I loved the tracks in the snow strips when I first saw them. It should be posted on its own page.
The good news is that this strip represents a pause, not an abandonment. The tire tracks end with a single footprint next to it. (Who knew Yehuda was left-footed.) The rider remains astride the two-wheeled steed, perhaps thinking, prepared to continue when the time is right.
Happy New Year to everyone! May you reach your destinations with a smile on your face and without any flats.
@jon4t2 – pedants corner here: regarding the 2013-01-01 strip – Yehuda left-footed? – that turns out not to be the case. When stopping a bicycle, right footed people put the left foot down so that the stronger right foot can be used for the first pedal stroke, thus gaining speed faster and minimising the time spent at lower speed where balancing is more difficult. Well – I do anyway! Ah – the joy of tricycling, when there is no need to put any feet down…
I also note that having stopped, there are no further tracks, but also no Yehuda or bike. Many people find cycling a kind of spiritual experience, so it looks as if, like the Biblical Enoch and Elijah, Yehuda has been translated into heavenly places. Great gain for Yehuda, but great loss for us.
@troiker: Fair point on Yehuda’s footedness. My comment was based on my being right-footed and moving it from pedal to ground while keeping my left foot on the pedal.
As for Yehuda being translated to heavenly places, head back to this strip: and check out the next five strips. You’ll see that a lack of Yehuda or his bicycle on the snow does not mean a lack of Yehuda or his bicycle on Terra Firma.
Dang! This link: http://yehudamoon.com/20100220/ didn’t show up in my last post.
Replied to this on the 10th, and its(understandably in the circumstances) awaiting moderation – presumable because it includes web links. Here we are without links:
@jon4t2 – Truth to tell, my footedness comment was more in the nature of of a gentle stir – I can appreciate that not everyone will have the same instinctive use of feet when stopping as I do – instincts differ! (Perhaps coontrariwise, when I had a scooter as a child the left foot stayed on the platform while the right one pushed the ground.)
Looking at the strips you mention from 20th Feb 2010 et. seq. the reason why Yehhuda and bike are absent is that the snow tracks show he has moved elsewhere; like the Spartans of old, either carrying his bike or on it. Whereas in the putting left foot down strip he’s just – not there any more….
- Sorry for the posting delay!
Is there a post about the ending? Can’t find it.
There was a notice in the news section for the last couple of months, but it is gone now. Rick announced the the comic would end at the end of December.
All of us who ordered the Volume 5 book will receive it and find a cryptic note inside directing us to a ‘by-invitation-only’ site where Rick will continue the strip just for we chosen few.
Hey, I can dream, can’t I?
Apologies for my lack of communication. I’m trying to catch up after being out of town since early December.
All of you who ordered Volume 5: look for your copies to be mailed within the next week or two! Copies arrive Friday and Brian and and I will spend the weekend signing and sketching them.
More new shortly -
I’m envious of your India trip – I’d love to go there someday. I’d sure come home with tons of jewelry and Sari fabric!
The strip ended?
Excellent, what a website it is! This web site presents helpful facts to us, keep
it up.
Well said
Why users still use to read news papers when in this technological globe all is existing on
web?
‘cos you can read them anywhere, anytime, scan pages for interesting news/adverts/articles faster than on a piece of hardware, distribute pages between friends/family so more than one person can read what they want at the same time, without being tied to a desk PC or having to think about charging batteries on a mobile device (laptop/pad/phone) and they don’t cost so much if you lose them – certainly less than the cup of coffee you might spill over your keyboard. Anyone think of anything else?
I’m just glad the choice still exists – I can get a greater breadth of news and comment in greater detail from a decent newspaper in a whole lot less time than I can from the web – wonderful resource that the web has proved to be. Horses for courses.
I guess it is the same as Kindle (et – al) Vs Books . . . While I do read on my iPad and PC yet the whole ‘feel’ of a book has a whole world of connotations that appeal to my (62 year old) mind. It is really hard to put into words as books seem to have a sort of spiritual mystery that has made various tombs valued through the ages, from clay and wax tablets through paper, having words indelibly laid out to peruse has a sort of ‘magic’ that make us humans respect them. Religious words have been valued for millennia, the Bible, Koran, etc, etc, have so taken people to mysterious heights that they have waged wars based on the interpretation of just a view words. As Troiker says above, books are so much more versatile than many other forms of presentation and accessible to any that can read them.
Having said all that, my dyslexia is getting worse with age and both my wife and I have found the joy of sharing a book together in the form of ‘talking books’ I don’t think that Rick’s work would work well in the form of ‘audio description’ like they do for the blind on TV, but who knows? A talented voice actor can bring stuff alive when they describe them just by the way they say them. So maybe? (For example, James Marsters’ reading of the Dresden files is brilliant IMHO! )
Yes, those 2 BOOKs have caused more human suffering than anything else in history.
Not following the teachings contained in the first of those books is the cause of ALL human suffering throughout history.
Well said, Widsmith…
It is not religion at fault, it is human nature committing atrocities and using religion as an excuse for their activities.
Sorry, that should read Widsith…..oops.
Replying to Uncle Baldie with my tongue firmly in my cheek in some parts…
There is a subtle difference between ‘Religion’ and ‘Faith’
A friend of mine once told me that he believes that God ‘Loves the faithful but hates the religious’
I don’t know if I go that far but when I see the hatred and evil produced by the ‘religious’ that have brought about wars, 911-type events and the like, I have some sympathy for the idea.
Some people follow political ideals with a fervour that closely mimics religion – so-called ‘religious fervour’ – and this is the sort of thing that started WWII. Political leaders fomenting hatred with a religious fervour.
However – the faithful of the world seem to be the complete opposite. We had some Muslim neighbours who were the nicest people you could know. Nothing like the misguided souls who use the Koran for evil intents, not like the author intended I am sure! The same goes for followers of many ‘Religions’ over the years. Yet the faithful of almost any FAITH seem very alike and would get on well together if they leave discussions about their various beliefs out of it.
My personal faith has changed over the years and I have gone from being brought up Catholic by my Irish Mother, converting to born-again ‘Baptist’-type Christianity in 1970. Joining an Evangelical church in 1971 and leaving it in 1980. (Moved to Ireland for a year) Joining a ‘Fellowship’ church for a while and now not going to any church on a regular basis but keeping my Christian belief. I no longer follow the Evangelical’s idea of converting everybody to their faith as I no feel that Each person was made with a different personality that necessitates a faith that suits their individual style. One will worship the same one creator as a Christian, another as a Muslim etc. I see nothing wrong with this idea as they have to be true to themselves. What is wrong in my opinion is trying to impose MY ideas as the only ones to be followed by everybody. Burning somebody at a stake for having a different view is as evil as the actions of any other mass-murderer.
Sorry about the rant but having a love of Bicycling means that I can see the wrong-doing of some drivers in much the same light as the actions of Bin Laden, Hitler etc. I SHOULD take time too cool down and show them love instead. Use what time I have left to gently persuade them to drive more lovingly etc, etc
As the Hippy motto used to go – ‘Make Love, not War!’
62 years old is cool. (I have 6 more months of it, then 63 !)
Like.
@Troiker re: Keyboard coffee
I used to repair keyboards for a living and can tell you that is not the killer you may think!
Just unplug right away and wash it under the tap thoroughly. Leave it somewhere warm and dry, balanced on a corner but longwise vertically and the water will drain/dry out leaving a working keyboard in the case of mechanical switches.
For the modern conductive surface/point contact type, you will need to take it apart to dry it out but you could try a spray of WD40? In that case, be careful, some keyboards will dissolve in WD40!
What if the Rosetta Stone had been on a Kindle….
If the Rosetta Stone had been on Kindle then we could have used Google Translate to figure it all out for us. Mind you, with the standards possible with machine translation we might not be that much more enlightened….
I Like that one Troiker
Enlightenment cannot be found in books. All they do is help set the mind and will more firmly on the task, but ultimately the discovery comes in the quiet of the mind. Books do not quiet the mind, so the true moment of understanding must come without them, and all words. It is a wordless thing of understanding leaving you speechless. Should you try and share it in book, speech, or conversation, you will grasp in vain at human speech, unable.
@yolanda I like these thoughts and I would like to pass them on. Can I quote you as the source or were you quoting a source?
@Yolanda Like
Rick, is it too late to order a copy of Volume 5? With all the end-of-year and holiday stuff, I just never got around to ordering one.
I’ve been wondering the same thing, for the same reason.
No! In fact we JUST received the copies from the printer this afternoon:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/yehudamoon/kickstand-comics-volume-5/posts/384536
Order here: http://yehudamoon.com/shop/
I really want one but can’t remember if I have previously ordered one. Don’t be hasty closing shop because I will get vol. 5 soon as I can be sure it isn’t coming in the mail already.
I just got the email announcement; I’m looking forward to getting my copy.
http://www.roadswerenotbuiltforcars.com/motorists-front-of-judea-what-have-the-cyclists-ever-done-for-us/
Fascinating and wonderful!
Like
And true, too!
I had a thought that Rick and Brian might like?
If the strips were run again, from the first one, on a sort of permanent loop. With each re-play having the new date as a name, It would create a new stream of comments on fresh space, instead of us using the remains of last year as a meeting place. New visitors would have the daily joy when reading the strips and Rick has the option of contributing a new strip whenever he gets the urge etc. Note, this is not a plea for Rick to do more work, it is just a suggestion of how to keep the strip alive. It would not be the first time a comic strip has been recycled!
There was an iGoogle widget that did this (it’s how I got through the last hiatus). Don’t know if it still exists, and iGoogle is being decommissioned anyway.
If you do the RSS thing for comics, you can use Archive Binge to re-run old strips as fast or slow as you want. This got moved over to comic-rocket last month (www.comic-rocket.com /news/2012/12/03/comic-rocket-takes-over-archive-binge/) but they seem to still have Yehuda, as well as Rosscott’s strip “The System” (minimal bike content, but
I think you guys are missing the point – I am suggesting a re-run as a way of us keeping in touch and having a fresh comment board daily to interact on. Having a strip to set a theme is fine but if you look above you will see a number of us just chatting. I know there are many chat boards out there and don’t aim to replace any of them. This strip is bicycle-themed and the subject of each day’s strip has set us off on many a wonderful chat about the whole range of cycling stuff. If the strip loops, starting each day with an old strip but a new comment board, newcomers can do what we did and join in.
The downside of this however for Rick, is that people will eventually be able to view all the strips without buying the comics. That hasn’t stopped many of us from buying the books anyway of course
With the strip running exactly as before newcomers would have to wait years to read them all or buy the books. I think that on balance, keeping the strip going on a (4-year?) loop will provide a steady income from advertising, maybe.
Just a thought — isn’t an alleycat a sort of race where one needs to find checkpoints and do stuff at them; sort of like what New Belgium Brewing was doing with their Urban Assault Rides? Maybe the mention of an alleycat is a clue; perhaps we are supposed to carefully read any posts from Rick and follow up on them to get to other sites (like Kickstarter) where Rick has hidden links to additional content.
I like Tencon’s suggestion: go all the way back to 2008, re-cycle a ‘new’ strip every day.
It could work – it could also generate income for Rick & Brian via advertising revenue and mechandise (UK sp.) sales without having to do very much work. Obviously a few new strips to augment/complement/explain/complete story arcs would be welcome – but not essential!
@Troiker – Like
Fascinating blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere?
A theme like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog stand out.
Please let me know where you got your design. Appreciate it
Die, evil spammer. may all your gains be wiped out by returns and demands for refunds.
Like.
Ketone? Drink some finger nail polish remover!!!
I missed the announcement too. I kept checking this site in the hopes maybe you were on vacation. Then lo and behold, as I scrolled and scrolled through these comments, a sad discovery.
Thank you for the laughter and inspiration, Rick and Brian. I’m sure gonna miss Yehuda, Joe, Thistel, Fizz, Fred, all the Shakers… everyone! Take care and best of luck to you in all your new endeavors.
As the bike community says here in Jacksonville, simply – Ride Bikes!
The Jacksonville Bicycle Coalition wishes you well. I wrote a little post in our blog in reflection of the inspiration you provided for us. Thank you. http://jaxbikecoalition.org/2013/01/16/saying-goodbye-to-what-felt-like-old-friends/
That’s a great link – Like!
Agreed w/ Tencon and all your sentiments in your blog post. This strip is going to be missed.
It’s telling how two weeks later, this comment thread is still serving as a de facto forum for fans of the strip… telling of the quality of the strip and the collection of followers it attracted.
@BP: Like
How interesting. I still come here now and then, just curious to see if people are still communicating … and here we are! LOL. It’s been sad without my daily Yehuda fix, and I find myself reflecting on the strip and the Kickstand as I make my daily commute to and from work. Every time I have a negative encounter with a motorist, or a positive one with a cyclist, I find myself judging my responses with “what would Yehuda do?”
Just the other day, there was a guy standing beside the trail, looking woebegone, and I stopped to see if he needed help. “Got a flat,” he reported. “It’s okay, my wife’s on the way.”
“No flat kit?”
“Yeah, but the tube ripped at the valve.”
“No problem, I gotta spare tube. Have a pump too.”
He looked dubiously at my 700 X 32s. “I don’t think it’ll fit my road bike; these’re 23s.” He indicated his skinny road tires.
“I have one of those.” I usually carry a spare tube for roadies and one for 26″ mountain bikes too. Never know if someone you’re riding with might come up short. What do they weigh? A few extra ounces. Pay it forward, you know? Small price to pay for good will. I was thinking oif Yehuda’s “bag of holding” as I fished the road tube out of the bottom of my handlebar bag.
“Here ya go; call the wife and tell ‘er you’re good to go. Finish your ride.”
“Cool! Thanks!”
I was thinking, “Don’t thank me, thank Yehuda,” but he probably wouldn’t have understood.
Enjoy the ride, folks. Keep in touch.
I’m not quite as prepared as you, but I do slow to make sure fellow cyclists have everything they need if they appear stopped due to mechanical issues. My mini-pump goes either Presta or Schrader, so between it, my patch kit, and my multi-tool, I’ve been able to help a few people out.
I always try to help b/c I remember how heartening it was, the first time I had an issue going home on the commute, the way that passing cyclists asked to make sure I had everything I needed. Plus it’s good karma…
Great tips for the rest of us…
Like
Kudos, Dale. Like!
Volume 5 just arrived! (along with a bunch of stickers from Cleveland bike shops) Great job Rick & Brian! The extra goodies at the end of the book are a delight.
Happy Trails!
Mine arrived yesterday, too, Jon. It is nice to get some exposure for our shops and the Great Lakes Courier.
Volume 5 was in the mail yesterday with lots of unexpected bonus swag, thanks.
Had the odometer click over to the big 60 today. :-O
Happy Birthday! I’m right behind you, clocking over 60 in September. We’re finally out of our adolescence and entering adulthood. Time to start taking life seriously. Nah!!!
Two Likes
vol. #5. …… now how am I supposed to study for exams
Years ago I was in a bookshop and saw a guy I knew looking at a book. (“The Genesis Flood” as it happens.) He explained his dilemma – if he bought it, he would read it and not revise for his exams. On the other hand, he really wanted to read it. I liked the look of the book so I suggested (largely in jest) that he should buy it, immediately lend it to me, and by the time I had finished and returned it his exams would be over. To my amazement he thought this a most excellent idea.
So there you have it – lend it to someone while you do the exams. Does them good, leaves you free to study at a time when distractions should be minimised.
You could lend it to me…..
well I read Vol #5 took Nursing 301, 304, and 312 exams …aced. 2 Nursing papers submitted, 32 oz of coffee-drunk, lots of unhealthy food-consumed, 8 hr of lectures and a 4 hrs of lab… in 48 hrs….”sleep makes you weak”
You reminded me of a very similar episode when I was in college in the late ’70s. Three exams and two papers in two days, and I didn’t start preparing for any of it until the day before the first exam. I started on the first paper in the afternoon, finished the rough draft in the evening, had a late-night study session with other guys in the dorm, then spent the rest of the night typing the final draft of the paper (on a portable Smith-Corona electric typewriter!). Finished the next morning just in time to take the first exam and turn in the paper. Studied through lunch, took the second exam, then started the second paper. Finished it that evening, studied for the third exam, spent all night typing the second paper. Took the third exam and turned in the second paper in the morning, went to bed after lunch and slept till lunchtime the next day. Aced all three exams, got an “A” on one paper and a “B” on the other. Ah, the invincibility of youth!
Impressive!
re: ‘late-night study session’ – must have been an actual one, not the usual drink and companions version
I often wish that I had been able to do that. Dyslexia made any study very difficult – I used to fall asleep by the third page
Strangely though, I could read a good sci-fi novel all night without a problem!
@ nfeht – Congratulations! I only achieved Bsc Hons IIIrd class – just above a bare pass.
@Tencon – empathise with finding study difficult but it being easy to read SF all night long. I also did a couple of all night sewing sessions to reproduce the illustration for Ray Bradbury’s “The Golden Apples of the Sun” in appliqué gold and silver leather (from Midland Educational down Corporation Street in B’ham) on the back of a black sheepskin flying jacket. Those were the days….
re :’Midland Educational down Corporation Street in B’ham’ – I think I remember a branch of that chain in Coventry? It is sorely missed. I had ‘plans’ to get all the Meccano sets from 1-10 during my lifetime. Not possible now of course. I have a friend who is ‘into’ Meccano and had collected loads of it. I think it would need a pantechnicon to move his collection! He goes all over to get rare or unusual kits. Some of the display units were constructed from numerous kits and sometimes had custom built, unique, components. My friend often comes to stay with us when travelling to get something that is more local to me than him (The other end of the M14) and tells us some of the stories.
I am not sure if I am imagining your artwork, can you put it as your avatar for a short time so I could see it?
Wonderful Troiker – I love the balance of colours and the overall scaling. You are a great artist to imagine, let alone construct, that image in any medium, but on leather? Tremendous.
Thanks for showing me.
@ Tencon – I’ve posted a photo on my facebook page – I’m the Alan Donnelly with the multicoloured glasses.
Thanks Troiker. I can’t use facebook (to stupid) so I will just go and ask my wife to help.
Hi, we’ve found lots of Alan Donnellys, can you tell us your location please?
Hi Tencon – I’m pretty rubbish at Facebook too – just added my location, which is Thetford, Norfolk. As you say, many Alan Donnellys – only one with glasses frames of many colours…
My Wife is looking for you…
Do you have anything to do with ‘Green Ventures Bikes, 39 Brunel Way Thetford’ ?
(Sorry, cheeky I know, but a bit of Google Earth use to get an idea of your area led to a link to their ad etc
Interesting place Thetford – I saw the silos (?) around the trading estate on Telford way and wondered if they were a military installation??? Curiosity
Regret nothing to do with Green Venture Bikes. Telford Way silos won’t be military – don’t think there’s even any nukes down the road at Lakenheath AFB these days. Rumour has it we had some of our own at Barnham.
Thetford is interesting – was once the political and ecclesiastical capital of at least E Anglia, had Britain’s first black mayor, was the birthplace of Thomas Payne, and just outside the town was the airfield where Capt. W E Johns (author of Biggles etc) learned to fly. Plus lots of other stuff including being the home of Burrell steam engines. Regards, Alan
These silos are a fuel depot.
http://wikimapia.org/24315511/Thetford-Petroleum-Storage-Depot-PSD
Thanks Troiker.
Without more infoe we can’t pin you down on facebook. With my bad memory I forgot to mention that my wife only sees in monochrome. Has no cones to see colour with! There is a couple of ADs there who sport tinted glasses – will keep looking….
The lenses are clear, the frame is more than one colour. BTW, you are probably aware that if your wife has no colour vision she is exceptionally rare – it’s usually men who have colour vision deficiencies – women hardly ever.
Tencon, if you search on Facebook for Alan Donnelly Aston then he is the only one that will come up in the serach results.
Read The Genesis Flood, shortly after it came out while in High School. Very good book.
Must buy volumes 1-5….
My vol 5 came in the mail yesterday…a Christmas present that was well worth the wait. Getting to read more Yehuda directly from such a nicely constructed book dulls the pain of losing Yehuda online. So I temporarily have my Yehuda Moon fix!
p.s. Love all the little extras in the book, especially the info and pictures about the “real” kickstand!
Just got volume 5–wasn’t expecting the extra comics and photographs in the last few pages. That makes a very nice bonus!
My Volume 5 is in!!!
Here we are at the end of January in Indy and the temps are spring-like. Feels weird to be on a bike and not worrying about snow — though we did have one nicely wintry commute a few days ago that I have immortalized in haiku.
My Snowy Commute on The Monon Trail
Paused, awed, to regard
serene beauty, swirling snow –
slipped, fell on my ass.
I know my first idea was to run the whole lot of strips from the start. I just had a different idea – What if we were to try to inspire Rick and Brian by coming up with serious idea for strips? Both single, stand-alone items and series with threads etc? If we give enough inspiration it might enable Rick to draw more? In any case, I am grateful to have experienced Yehuda Moon and the Kickstand Cyclery. I have met a great bunch of people on the comment board and the interaction is almost like a mini-FaceBook it seems! My Wife thinks so and is always encouraging me to go on FaceBook. I have looked at it and been mystified by all the boxes etc. As a simple person, it is great to meet at the kickstand and chat with like minds. Thank you all.
An afterthought – should it please Rick, he could always leave this ‘final’ strip up so we always know there is no more (yet?) but change the date and put a blank comment field each day. That way we have a way to meet without having to scroll down through old posts but still have the old comments available to help those who, like me, came for advice and got it. (e.g. my lighting result). Not a complaint I hasten to add! Just a thought
I miss yehuda strips but I get the impression the author is done and wants to move on to new things. I would keep coming back if they re- ran the series from day one. Lynn Johnston is doing that and adds a quick note about the strip’s creation with each post. It’s great.
@Yolanda – Like
I sure miss this… Hope everybody is doing well…
And BlindPilot, what are Niners? I’ve got 29′rs on my current bike, 27′s on my old bikes…
In case you’re not being facetious, and for the benefit of our non-American friends, I was referring to the San Francisco 49ers and the Super Bowl.
I realize now that the term “Niners” could have other connotations in a cycling context I hadn’t fully taken into account when I typed those words.
Thanks CF – No, I was NOT being facetious. As an Englishman, I am almost completly unaware of USA football nomenclature.
I miss you guys! And Yehuda, too.
Yeah, mornings just aren’t the same w/o a daily dose of Yehuda. I can’t blame Rick for bowing out. This had to be a lot of work.
Funny I keep checking back, though. I don’t expect any new strips, but I check on this comment thread still as a de facto forum/support group for Yehuda recovery. Alas…
Had a nice ride to work this morning after a dusting of snow came through earlier. The wind really picked up toward the end throwing 30 mph gusts in my face. 40 mph tailwindish gusts possible for the ride home. Should be fun!
Happy weekend everyone. Go Niners!
no helmet! omg
)
http://www.exocomics.com/244
The roads were delightfully traffic-free on the way to evening services tonight, and not too bad on the way home, too.
An inch or so of snow on the trail this AM, 18 degrees F, meant for a lovely ride before dawn. I was reminded of Robert Frost — “The woods are lovely, dark, and deep/” as I was rolling along. I really love riding in the pre-dawn gloom with snow making that squeeky sound beneath the tires.
Football v Cycling
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u202/librarymonkey27/misc%2023/biketesting_zps3edd7e81.png
Anybody home?
One of my late comments is still “awaiting moderation”.
(probably for including links.. though other came through, so I’m not sure).
Anyway, I guess we just can’t expect this forum to be active forever…
I drop in every day or two, just to see if anything is happening…
but it went quiet here, more and more, sad…
Greetings from Germany…just wanted to say thank you for this wonderful webcomic. Shame you had to give it up, but who knows…maybe we haven´t seen the last of Mr. Moon ? He didn´t seem the type to die that easily….
Anyone in the shop? It’s a nice day here in Indy — high temp supposed to be around 58 F. before the regular February weather gets back to the high 20s, low 30s this week. Day off due to President’s Day (I teach) so I will take advantage and ride my newly built fixed gear for a bit. Love the feel of a fixie, though I mostly ride the town bike or cargo bike around to do errands and such. The fixie is my “sports car” I guess, just ride it for fun and exercise. Happy with it; it came out at 20 lbs., light and quick. Looks good, rides great.
Anyway, cheers. Oh, and I guess … First! LOL. At least for today.
I check infrom time to Time just to look if Yehuda reapears.
Dale, how is it to change from fixie to a bike with freewheel frequently? For me, just a singlespeed must do. Build mine in te early 90th when everybody thoug it would be a strange idea to ride without gears and reversbrake.
Stefan, I don’t have much trouble switching back and forth; my other bikes are either geared or freewheel singlespeed, all with a more upright set-up for commuting or cargo or soggy weather riding, higher handlebars, sprung seat, etc. The fixie has drop bars, more agressive geometry and riding set-up, so I’m just used to another set of reactions altogether when I get on that bike. No muscle memory confusion due to the difference in overall feel between the bikes, I guess.
Haven’t checked on the strip in over a year. Basically since the last stip furlough. Oh well, I see many of the same names from the past few years. Again, this was a great strip and I’ll periodically check the messages for a sign that it will begin again. If not Yehuda, maybe something else. Thanks everybody and go ride.
First! Ha!
Well, it’s been about 10 days and I see no one’s been in the shop for a while (though Yehuda is still tweeting from home, which is nice). Lot’s of cobwebs here and just the echo of my own footsteps, but I still hold out hope that someone drops by once in a while to see who’s been here, thus the post.
We’ve had dreadful weather here in Indy — winter mix of snow, sleet, rain, depending on the day — so I’ve been relegated to either the car or the sloppy weather trekking bike this week. But spring is just around the corner (I hope) and the better riding weather should come along with it. Last year I was in long pants and jacket right up to the end of school, but I’m hoping for better this year.
If you still drop around, leave a note in the dust on the counter and let us know what you’re up to in your corner of the world. See you all around.
Just droped in to see if something has happend…
Still very quiet here.
Over here in Hannover, Germany, snow is just gone, on we hope it will not come back till december. My snow bike is still not finished, but in the end I made it with my old 28″ATB and spiked tires over the winter. Commuting 7.5km (whats that in miles? 4.5?) mostly in the forrest was a lot of fun, but now I can also have some warm days.
It si said this was the darkest winter for decades, no sun to see for weeks now.
Stefan, I remember when I lived in Germany (Berlin for a while, then in northern Bavaria in Gersfeld, and later in Bad Nauheim near Geisin) it could be overcast and dark for what seemed like weeks at a time before we’d see the sun. One time in Gersfeld the frost built up so much over a week that it looked as if the trees and grass was snow-covered. Gersfeld was not far from the Kreuzberg monastery where we could ride our mountain bikes on the weekends for some of the monk’s wonderful beer. Good times.
Glad to see someone else is stopping by every now and then in the Kickstand.
Oops, that’s Geisen.
It looks like we are the last ones here in the Shop.
It is Time Yehuda comes back.
Over the Weekend the Winter to a Break, we look forward to 15°C today, but it is said it will be cold an rainy again on wednesday. I stay with my spikes, easter is early enough to get rid of them.
Never really lived in another city than Hannover, but as I grow older, I sometimes wish to move south
Move south to southern Germany? Or to warmer climes like Italy or Spain? My wife wants us to move to Florida when we retire in a few years so as to be near her sister’s family, but I still like it here in Indianapolis despite the cold winters. I wouldn’t mind living in Italy though, near Venice where we have relatives. I like that part of Italy and there’s still enough of a change of the seasons to be interesting. Florida has about 4 good months and then it’s hotter than blazes for the rest of the year.
I thought about studded tires here for the winter, but most of my commute is on asphault, and when it snows my cyclocross tires usually do the trick. If there’s ice on the multi-use trail I use to get to work I just ride on the roads, which are usually cleared of ice and snow pretty quickly. Not too many people on the trail once the temperature drops below freezing, maybe 5 or 6 of us through the winter. We all recognize one another and stop to talk occasionally, compare notes on equipment and cold weather clothing. I commute 20-25 miles (around 32-40 kilometers) round trip a day, so the right clothing makes a big difference.
So long as this site stays up I think I’ll keep coming here and posting at least once each week, just to see if anyone’s been around. Write a few lines when you drop by, Stefan, and we’ll compare commuting notes.
Damn. I don’t mean to blather on, but I just wanted to record my morning commute. Three inches of snow, 28 degrees F. Thje snow was real wet and we had a northerly headwind, so my normally 55 minute coomute took an hour and 45 minutes. My butt was KICKED!
Still, it was better than being in a car.
@ Dale:
I would prefer a place in an other country, south France for example. I do not like the southern parts of germany so much.
Spikes are usefull for me, because we often have rain or melted snow on cold ground, even asphalt, an because of ecological reasons salt is not so much used here any more. The Roads here have a lot of traffic lights, and the drivers are not always friendly, so even in winter I prefer my way trough the forrest. What is a little shorter too.
On my morning comute I still see a lot of people, but cause I often change route and time, have not made any contact till now. Weather now becomes cold again, and my snow bike is still “under construction”
A few days ago I got realy tempted: A hardly used Anthrotech for 1.500€, with spiked tires it would make the perfect winter bike and would also be usefull for shopping and pulling the trailer.
Stefan,
They hae a trike like the Anthrotech for sale here at one of my local bike shops. Are you looking at the 3 wheeled version or does Anthrotech also make a bicycle as well?
Dale,
they just make 3trikes, very easy to ride. Not the fastes, but enough for comute an shopping (a scorpion trike for example goes al little faster).
Cause many of my way never or seldom got freed from snow, after a few days they geticy ruts, so sometimes the third wheel would give me a better feeling.
Well, Stefan, it begins to look as though you and I are the last 2 visiting the shop.
We have several cyclists here in my part of Indianapolis who ride the 3 wheeled cycles, and 2 who ride velomobiles to work (fully enclosed trikes, very low to the ground) and these are very fast, I guess due to the aerodynamic nature of the full fairings. I think if I ever decided to get a recumbent, the tricycles would be the way to go, and for exactly the reasons you outline above — very stable in wet or snowy conditions, and good for hauling groceries home. They also look very comfortable to ride.
Weather here is still cold, but is supposed to warm up considerably before next week. I’d love to be able to ride my fixie to work next week if all the salt is off the trail.
I still follow the Yehuda Moon Twitter account with hopes of seeing the site open back up, but so far no indications it will. I guess one day we’ll log on to see if anyone has been here and the site will be gone. Sad day, that.
Until then, have a good week, Stefan, and keep in touch.
i still visit too.
it’s like an online ghost bike….
see, alfred has joined us.
These trikes are very comfortable. And, if neccessary you can go as slow as you want without fear to fall. A company, here in hannover, builds the “Milan” a velomobile, which last year set a new world record by going more than 1200km in 24h. They say an everage rider without any sporty backgruong can go around 50km/h. What makes these trikes as fast as it ist allowed for cars in town.
Weather report: 1″ Snow yesterday, but over night, most of it melted, so there are just some patches left. An a little Ice an snowy mud on the bike lanes of course
While riding on an very rough and bumpy bike lane today, I saw workers, marking every little pitch on the road for later patching. And thought: If drivers would ride more SUVs the concil could save a lot of money. Learn from riders: most of them now use MTBs or at least MTB parts on their bikes to withstand the bad bike lanes
Hey, volume 5 arrived last friday!
If this side will really be closed one day, use za (dot) zt (at) gmx.de to keep in touch.
Have a nice week and always a nice travel!
Hi – you guys aren’t the only ones that check up periodically to see what may be happening! Could I sduggest everyone who looks in just puts a “Hi!” in the comments – be interesting to see how many visitors this site still gets.
Happy cycling – may the weather soon become fairer and the wind change to always be at the back…
Hi
I still drop by every week to see if something has happened. Yehuda will always have a place on my bookmark bar.
Hi Rick how is going?
Just keeping lights on for rest of the us, I notice “regulars” stop visiting…..
Thought I would check in today also
I use to take a look daily, could not wait till yehuda starts again.
Wow. Super to see so many still dropping by. Hello to all from Indianapolis, city of eternal winter. Good to see so many Yedhuda fans still dropping by. Like you, I’m surprised more of the “regulars” dropped out of sight so fast. I miss Pops, Yolanda, Tencon, and all the rest. There used to be some spirited discussion of things here with some of the old crowd.
I wish spring would actually get here to Indiana. It snowed again last night and is still snowing just enough to keep the streets wet. I was going to change my avatar to a more springlike photo, but the winter one is more appropriate just now.
Stefan, thanks for the address to keep in touch. I’ll send a note so you have my email address, or just copy dyessak@aol.com from here.
I don’t know if I’m ready for a velomobile, Stefan. Most of them cost around $7000 here (about 5400 euro) and are not fast enough to keep up with traffic on the average street. Maybe in and around town, but not out in the suburban streets where traffic is generally going about 70-75 kph. I see 1 or 2 on the multi-use path when I commute, but not any on the streets or feeder roads. If I lived in a small town where the pace of traffic was a bit slower, a velomobile would be much more cost effective than a second car for around-town shopping and errands — but I usually use one of my bikes on those anyway.
Take care, all. I have some errands to run. Tschuss.
Hi Dale – I haven’t gone away. I just took a short sabbatical myself, missing the strip and you lot.
As for a velomobile – going back a year or so, I had a conversation with ‘Kevin Love’, another regular who was also thinking about a Velo. We came to the conclusion that the ‘Mango’, made by ‘Sinner’ in the Netherlands, was a good choice. A good price for what you get. I even considered taking public transport to Sinner Velomobiles in Groningen after ordering one then riding it home, but decided it was a fantasy after seeing the route with Google Earth…
North sea got in the way, huh?
I was at BikeFest ’96 when I overheard Mr Rasmussen (of Leitra fame) being interviewed by a local newspaper reporter. “Did you ride it all the way here?” he asked, looking impressed. With beautiful lilting Scandinavian accent, Mr Rasmussen very seriously replied: “No, we took the North Sea ferry…..”
eternal winter? same here. Still cold and frquently some snow.
I was offline for a few days. a short holiday in Luxemborg. Nice country and city, but far to many hills for cycling. on the other hand, the cycling infrastructure was far better than in germany.
I just saw this on Facebook. Immediately thought of Yehuda. Maybe he can get royalty payments to fund the strip
http://www.redeyechicago.com/news/local/redeye-bikespike-theft-device-20130328,0,4289834.story
Yeah – the theft device is a copy of what Thistle developed!
I can’t say I ever posted in the comments, but I have been around since the start of the strip – missing it a lot! I hope Rick can get some time/money together to continue the strip down the track. If I wasn’t a poor uni student I would happily fund the whole strip!
Thought maybe Rick and company would put out a one time special as an April Fool’s teaser today. Guess it wasn’t to be. Sure do miss Yehuda, Joe and the gang. Hope everybody has a great Spring. :~)
I still stop in from time to time too, but just haven’t had anything to say lately. Still like to see who else is here, though.
Why don’t you just tell us what you do with your bike?
Weather report: Still cold her, but no snow for almost a week now.
Still thinking about a new bike, but it is hard to decide.
- Seems disk breakes are not the first choise for everday commute.
- Thick tires are good for all these cobblestones here (City administration thinks it is “historic” and looks good) but slow down my ride on even pavement.
- Lightweight, tough Single speed vs. 11 or 14 speed hubgear?
- Steal or aluminium for the frame?
- Chain or belt?
- Shimano or SON hub dynamo? Shimano is cheap, but has cone bearings (what ist the correct englisch/american expresion?). SON is expansive, long lasting and has normal ball bearings.
- 26, 28, 29 inch wheels?
so many decisions to make…
1. Brakes – My hub brakes always work in any weather but are not as powerful as V-brakes etc. Any good caliper brakes work well if you maintain them properly.
2. I agree – I have started using 700×35 which is the fattest that fit in my frame. 700×40 would be even better!
3. Personal choice. long term fixed-gear users look at gear usage with derision but they have developed the legs to deal with most conditions. Otherwise I think that any hub gear setup is great for commuting. If you use deraileur gears, you can ride in a wider range of terrain but you need to clean them often!
4. If you choose belt then you will be limited as to the other choices you make as belts are fitted to small range of bikes only. If you get the Park chain cleaner and use it often, your chain will last a long time.
5. Either dynamo is good. I have just invested in some Pellor LED lights. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pellor-Bicycle-Outdoor-Sports-HeadLamp/dp/B007X8YFYY Using a rechargeable battery pack, they have 4xCree XML-T^ LEDs for 4000 lumens at the highest of three outputs. Brighter than both my car headlights!
6. Wheel size. Personal choice. For short-ish commutes a Brompton folding bike is good and can be put on the Train or a bus if you need to. For a longer ride, larger wheels will be more confortable.29 is a sort recent fad that may stand the test of time. Once again, personal choice. 700c has so many things going for it that you should at least consider it…
Going back to brakes. Discs are very good and stop well but have expensive pads that need to be replaced often if you ride in wet/dusty conditions. They have almost nothing against them and can be very progressive. Once again, a well set up outfit will be much better than a poorly maintained one. For the best commuting advise, you should take a good look at the cyclists of Amsterdam. They have the most envied environment and possibly the most experience for commuting. However, if you live in a hilly environment, The Dutch experience may show weaknesses.
If you have money to spend, I chose to fit a NuVinci gear setup on my Trike-Tandem. With two unfit riders on a 700c-wheeled Trandom, having the ‘perfect’ gear for any situation was important. So I fitted a triple-Chainring (36/36/56t) and got a Shimano HG41 8 AO group (11-34) cassette and chose the best sprocket for the NuVinci to give me the range that best-suited our style. As hitting a pothole will drop that side it throws us around a lot so any speed above 15 mph is academic and climbing hills on my own after dropping my Wife at the station is easier if I can gear down to 2 mph or less without balance problems! You can put any of the Shimano sprockets from a cassette in to change the range of gearing. I have 3 infinite ranges from 1 mph to 20 mph. A fitter, younger rider could fit a smaller sprocket and have a faster range of gearing…
I started reading Yehuda as somebody advised me that I would get good advice here. They were right. I hope I have helped?
All the very best anyway. If you get a new bike, I at least will be glad to hear of your choice.
-Brakes: I am used to very powerfull brakes, and use Magura Rim brakes for years now. If I could find a hydraulic driven hub brake, I would think of it. Disk brakes seem to be more for MTB and sports, but not for everyday commute, as now 3 dealers told me.
By the way, eccept one bridge, my hometown is as flat as the neatherlans, so it would fit.
- Tires: 700c is very uncommon here, hard to get tires, rims and frames.
- Gears: I will try my old single speed in sommer for my commute. We will see if its setup fits my needs… otherwise it will be, depending on my money, either a 11speed shimano or a Roloff…
- Light: Dynamo is mandatory, battery lights not allowed eccept racing bikes with less than 11kg. But I will give the pellor a closer look as an additional for the parts of my way that leed to a forrest.
- Maintenance: I would like a bike that gives me nothing to do but ride, so deraleur is out of question as V-brakes and so on. My bike dealer just told me that belts do not work really good for longer times, so…
- Dutch: I do not like the dutch bikes so much but I like the dutch experienc that nobody even thinks of using a Helmet, and riding there is save as nowhere else in the world.
- NuVinci: I am not sure with this one, can’t belive it does not consume a lot of my power to produce the friction required for its function. gave it a short try once, but somehow it does not feel right, can’t say what was wrong, maybee I should give it another try..
Okay – so you have tried the NuVinci?
If it was the old type – they take a while to ‘bed in’ and have some drag until then. Maybe you tried one of those?
I have been using the NuVinci 360 Hub Gear on my Tandem/Trike for a while now and cannot recommend it highly enough.
While derailleur have a wider range possible, my system of using a front derailleur with 3 Chainrings and a wide-range Rear changer locked in one place to control chain tension and position is working well. It took a little time to set up, but is working well now. If your environment is relatively flat, you may not need more than the one range so it can be much simplified with one CR and sprocket. Find out what gears you use most and choose the ones that will give you that range – simple. Once you have experienced the ability to choose the exact gear for your current riding, you will wonder why others use stepped drives!
As for Rohloff – there are issues when changing the ranges in the middle, most users don’t have any problems but the Technician that converted my tandem to a trike has experience of a lot of Rohloff setups and says that the NuVinci in 360 form is a lot better…
Lights: You can fit a small, simple, circuit to enable the Dynamo to charge the battery pack of the Pellor just like I am going to set-up on my Solos! (A simple full wave bridge rectifier, capacitor and voltage controller for a 4.2V DC output instead of 6V AC.) Any competent electronics technician should be able to help. Maplin stores in the UK usually have someone that can talk you through the setup and advise on components.
Been away for a bit, had to go back to New Jersey for some family business and haven’t ridden in about 10 days. Sure feels good to get back on a bike, especially now that we have some actual nice temperatures here in Indy.
Man, it’s great to see all of you guys posting again. For a while I thought it was just Stefan and me.
Stefan, the new bike you are contemplating; is this an additional bike for good weather or a replacement for what you have been using? If it’s a sunny-weather summer commuter, I’d go with the fixed gear or single speed — less maintenance and a simpler set-up. With a set of clip-on fenders it’ll work in the rain as well. But an internally geared rear hub gives you more options beyond your flat commute and, as Tencon points out, is easier to maintain. I’d stay away from belts – chains are proven technology and easy to change.
Good to see you guys back in the shop.
Ciao.
@ Dale,nice to have yu back in shop.
I love the view of “naked” bikes, but can’t stand riding them without adding the on or other accessory.
The bike is meant for summer commuting, but should have light, fenders an a rack. I use to do my shopping right after work, so it needs to carry some stuff sometimes. Fenders because some longer distances of my way to work are just some kind of sand. Makes a lot of dust when its dry, and some mud in the rain. I tried these clip on fenders on my old single speed, but they fail to leave me office ready on wet ground, so i stuck for the fixed ones.
Ah, yes of course, whne it comes to bikes and what should be fixed to, my girfriend normaly calls me Yehuda
@ Tencon: I tried the NuVinci in 2009 or 2008, so, yes it may have improved a lot.
Lights: Good idea to recharge the light by dynamo current. As I got used to rid lights on even in bright daylight, I think modern LED lamps will leave enough current to charge a light booster. In fact, Busch&Müller offers a lamp with build in battery for a few minutes extra light.
Today I was on the “Hannover Messe”, a very huge industrial exhibition. Apart from roboters, machines, some (electric) cars, and a lot of stuff you need in an factory, I also found some bicycles. One was used to explain me why a gates belt drive is not as bad as my dealer says, another one was driven electric, controlled by a smartphone and meant for rent a bike. And them most interesting has had neither chain nor belt or gimbal, just a generator as bottom bracket, a control unit, a battery an an e-drive at the rear wheel. because of to many people around I was not allowed to ride, but I turned the krank by hand and was very impressed of the feeling and the “stiffnes” this drive provides. It just felt like a chain drive.
Second news: I put my old recumbent out of cellar, where it was for more than 1.5 years. Will give it a try for my commute next week. It is an est. 20 years old “Peer Gynt” from Radius. With one small wheel in front of bottom bracket, what makes it hard to use in dense city traffic.
Winter is seems finaly gone, and was replaced by summer. We expect 24°C today here. And everybody is courius about whats up with spring?
Same es last year, it looks like climate change finally strikes…
And the shop is empty?
Keeps bouncing back and forth between winter and spring here in Indy. One day beautiful, the next hail and rain and almost freezing temperatures.Trying to give my bikes a spring cleaning, but no snese in that as long as the weather is iffy.
Stefan, if reference to your next commuting bike, I know what you mean. I only have one “naked” bike and that’s the fixed gear. My single speed is set up as a porteur bike, with all sorts of baskets and racks for weekend shopping. My rainy-day aluminum Trek has a rack and two bags. And my everyday commuter has rack, handlebar bag, and two grocery pannier bags. I sometimes think I should just build a general commuter bike that has all the qualities of the other bikes combined; a lugged steel frame, with three-speed fixed Sturmy-Archer rear hub, chain case, fenders, rear rack with pannier bags, a porteur rack up front, with a front dynamo hub for the lights, and V-brakes. If I used 26 inch rims, I could use narrower mountain bike tires (still fatter than most 700s) that would work on trails and be good for a little off road too. That set-up would sure be a lot cheaper and simpler than having as many bikes as I now maintain — but not hearly as much variety and fun! And I think I just reinvented the Pashley. LOL.
Finally summer here, without a trace of spring. Okay, today it is alittle chilly.
Dale, I try my various bikes for commute, just to help my decision. Today it was my single speed (more than 20 years old an probably the first of this kind. Went well even on more rough ground. My recumbent gave me a lot of fun the last days, but will remain my summer, long distance an fun bike. Nothing for comute, because in our narrow streets with a lot of crossings it lacks oversight.
Al my bikes have fenders and racks, comined with this fast removable Ortlieb paniers. Great even for shopping.
By the way, I will not visit the shop from tuesday a few weeks, sorry. But look forward to see/read you again.
Still no warm weather in Indy – one or two days with temps in the 60s (18 C) then back to freezing or rain. Perfectly spring-like for Indy. LOL. It’d be nice to have a few warm commutes before school ends.
Changed the chains on the two bikes I commuted with this winter. The salt on the pathways really made a mess of them. What a difference in ride now; quiet, smooth, and pleasant with the brand new chains on. It’d be nice to have a fully enclosed chain case on my winter bikes like some of the one’s I’ve seen in Europe.
I usually end up replacing complete brakes or the front or rear derailer at the end of winter commuting, but this year very little snow and slush, so the extent of the refurbishing is chains and brake pads. One year I had to replace it all; brakes, both derailers, cranks and chainrings because they were all so corroded by the salt and moisture. I couldn’t even get the pedals off the cranks they were so corroded, not even with a meter long breaker-bar on the pedal wrench.
Well, I can’t wait for a nice dry, warm day to go ride the fixed gear bike on a nice long route. That will be the first official day of spring for me!
Take care, Stefan. And all the rest of you guys too if you stop by. Ride safe.
Thanks for the comic and all the entertainment it provided. I hope you’ll continue it someday but it’s your choice and I’m glad you made the hundreds of strips you made.
Finally! Spring is here in Indianapolis! Nice to be riding in slightly warmer weather, at least in the afternoon commute. Mornings are still a bit brisk, requiring a jacket, but afternoons are marvelous.
The only problem now is all of the fair weather cyclists — mostly roadies in their multi-hued superhero costumes — coming out of the woodwork. Everyone forgets their trail manners and careens around like they are at the Tour de France, forgetting that a multi-use trail is mostly packed with pedestrians, kids, and slow-poke commuters like me. They act like the bike path is their own private raceway. I wish they’d just stick to the roads if they are going to bike so irresponsibly; just gives the rest of us a bad rep.
But even that can’t dull the fun of finally being able to bike in shorts again. Bliss.
First spring ride on the new fixie, built last december. I’d only ridden it a couple of times in the winter when the weather turned unexpectedly dry, and today is the first longish commute I’ve been able to do with it.
It’s amazing how much a millimeter here a couple more there can make in setting up a bike to ride. Initially I knew the frame was a bit small for me, but didn’t realize how crowded it could feel to ride a smaller frame until this morning. I noticed I kept pushing back on the saddle and felt like my hands weren’t where they should be on the bars. Being in the drops felt awkward and I just couldn’t get comfortable. I stopped twice, once to raise the seat about a half inch and to adjust the bars a bit, and another time to push the seat back on the rails about an inch. Bingo. It felt like a whole new bike, comfortable and quick, a real pleasure to be on. I hated to stop riding it when I got to work. I can’t wait to ride it home this afternoon; it’s supposed to be warm and sunny.
Ciao, all.
I got thinking about electronic shifters, hydraulic brakes, and all the assorted new techie bike stuff, and wondered what Yehuda’s take on it would be. I imagine it might go down something like this:
Joe: “Sorry I’m late. My bike had a dead battery!”
Yehuda: …
Joe: “Sorry I’m late. My bike had a dead battery!”
Yehuda: [...hands Joe a shovel...]
Joe: “Sorry I’m late. My bike had a dead battery!”
Yehuda: Just stares expressionlessly at Joe for a frame … next frame, turns to leave … next frame, comes back, hands him a 12 volt car battery with a fuzzy pink bunny inexpertly duct-taped to the top.
Like!!!
Been riding in rainy weather all week and have fallen in love all over again with my Carridice rain cape. Keeps you dry where it counts and also well-ventilated so you don’t overheat. Yesterday I got caught in a downpour and was riding home at a nice leisurely pace on my befendered commuter, and donned my cape while watching frantic roadies splashing past with a muddy stripe up their back and soaked to the bone. I got home after stopping twice to pick up groceries and wasn’t a bit wet.
Life is good when you’re dry.
Finaly back from Crete, where we hardly had a cloud in the sky. 25° to 30° every day, I could stand to stay there forever. But alos heard it is raining there too
Also it was no nice place to ride: Almost no flat road on the whole Island, the drivers are not really used to bikes and the roads are dangerous even for car drivers.
@dale: I never tried a cape, because I heard they give some problems with side wind. What is your experience?
I use a light Gore tex jacket and cheap overpants to keep me dry, but always get a little sweaty.
Re: Capes in Wind. Sidewinds have a small effect but a strong headwind can push you backwards! I have had to take the cape off on occasion just for that to make progress…
Welcome back, Stefan.
I’ve never been to Crete but I would love to see it sometime. One of my English friends goes there frequently and has a lot of good things to say about it. We’re planning a trip to France that’ll involve some biking next summer, 2014, so Crete may have to wait awhile longer.
I use a GoreTex jacket and overpants too in the colder months, but once it turns warm a cape can’t be beat because it ventilates and you don’t get all sweaty. I hear they are very popular in places like England and in Portland, Oregon, where rain is the norm.
I spent yesterday afternoon mounting a set of fenders on my primary commuting bike, so now I have two fendered bikes, one lugged steel and the other aluminum. The aluminum bike is set up like the trekking bikes I’ve seen in Germany and elsewhere. I tend to use it in hilly areas and offroad. The steel bike is more a town bike and commuter. I just wanted to have a bit more variety in my rainy day rides.
Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and warm, so it’s a fixie day! Can’t wait.
Because a few of my daily commute roads are not paved, my shoes and my rain-pants get really dirty. Even with fenders and extensions to both leghts of the fenders. But I think I schould give a cape a try, maby together with rain-pants for mud protection.
The last 3 times I used my single speed for my ride to work. Just one bridge on the way that forces me to push my bike uphill instead of ride.
http://maps.google.de/maps?hl=de&ll=52.37759,9.77972&spn=0.000026,0.02223&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=52.377775,9.779893&panoid=Y38ujNBxJ4JnH2JE8HGqtw&cbp=12,34.92,,0,1.3
Does not look so steply from the side, but it si. Even most riders with gearshift prefer to walk.
At the moment I have three bikes for commute, my trekking bike still with spikes tires. (not that I do not trust the weather, but I simply did not have enough time to change. Then there is my single speed and my old peer gynt, not so nice in rain, but good for all longer distances.
Hi all. This is my first comment here – I spent the last months with reading all the comics (and a lot of the comments) from the very first beginning and now discovered that the story has ended … very sorry. Many, many thanks to Rick and Brian.
One more thing: Where is Kevin Love? Still here?
Welcome, Wusel. I haven’t seen Kevin in a bit; don’t know if he still monitors the site. Mostly just us last hangers-on who use the site to keep in touch.
Stefan, your bridge looks daunting, especially on a single speed. I have only one such overpass on my commute and it is not nearly so long as yours.
Today is the US’s National Bike to Work Day, and there were a lot of new (or possibly one-time only) commuters on the bike paths and streets. A few generous commercial sponsors and bike clubs had a refreshment station en route at the park and it was nice to stop for coffee and a bagel and share commuter stories and advice on gear with the other cyclists there. I couldn’t help but notice that the majority of commuters here today were roadies with backpacks, with a close second being guys on rando or touring bikes with saddle bags or panniers. Guys like me on a “Yehuda-style” psuedo-Van Sweringen all racked and fendered out, with North Road or other upright bars supporting our “bag of holding” were in the minority it seems. Well, I was a roadie a few years ago, then little by little decided to fit out the bike for a more comfortable commute as opposed to racing or touring, so I can’t say I disapprove. I didn’t wise up until one day on a trip to Italy when I looked around and realized that every cyclist within sight was on a town bike or some other type of traditional commuting bike. The only road bikes I saw around there were, in fact, on the road, not on the streets on the way to work. The Italians, and other Europeans I saw on that trip, seem to understand the divide between their recreational, sport, or fitness riding and their morning commute, unlike us here in America who probably start out as recreational riders and then see the sense in making a commute by bike after a while.
But I guess it takes all types to make a world, and so long as you’re happy in the bike and style of riding you are doing, then more power to you.
Cycling is a microcosm of society – the tension between the freedom to make independent decisions versus the expectations and pressures to conform: eg:
“When I’m watchin’ my T.V. / And that man comes on to tell me / How white my shirts can be / But he can’t be a man ’cause he doesn’t smoke / The same cigarettes as me…” (Jagger/Richards)
I find it interesting to see which cyclists return my acknowledgment of them when I’m on my recumbent trike – and which ones don’t!
Dale’s comment put me in mind of the footbridge I saw when crossing the Pennines at 53 degrees, 37 minutes, 45.52 seconds North and 2 degrees, 1 minute, 36.68 Seconds West. (Try that position looking West in Google Earth streetview!)
Nice to see the shop so crowded now!
Thank you again Rick and Brian for these great books!
For the last few days, I stayed home with influenca and took the tim to read al 5 issues from start to end. It gave me some kind of saddle fever
Hope I will be in the ride again on sunday, when we celebrate our “car free sunday” in the city. A big party on closed down roads, where you find al lot of fun. Like test rides on recumbents and bmx, live musik, street acts and so on. Also you find al political partay, willing to speak about traffic, some ecological groups, bike and outdoor shops and a lot of other stuff.
@dale:
we divide bikes in race bikes (like joe’s), mtb and street bikes. For daily commute most people use mountainbikes or trekking biks (last one fitted with fenders, rack, dynamo hub an lights of course). Citybikes are common mostly for women. They often have no top tube, big 26″ tyres, a susspension fork and an coaster break together with one or two v-brakes.
Trekking bikes come with medium 28″ tires and derailleur gear or at least 7 speed hub gear. On hub gears coaster brakes are very common in germany, denmark and netherlands, but nowhere else in europe.
Verylittle people use single speed for commute. Race bikes are for sport and bikes messengers.
An fixies are rare, but well know.
I’d like to get a ‘bent some day, but right now the garage just won’t hold another bike … still, if the price were right, LOL. I do like those Azubs, but they are a bit pricey and difficult to find here in the US.
Whereas the guys I see on commuter bikes and ‘bents generally wave back or nod, the road bike riders here on the Monon Trail in Indy and Carmel on which I commute give me a pain in the butt. Most zoom by at breakneck speeds, heedlessly swerve around pedestrians and slower bicycles without any warning, and generally treat the multi-use trail as if it’s their own private raceway. If I wave when they approach or say good morning as they pass me, 9 times out of 10 I will get no reply. Too busy counting cadence, I assume. If they want to ride like they are in a race, I wish they’d stick to the roadways, or at least show some responsibility on the trail. Their general sense of entitlement and superiority just irks me.
A few days ago I tried an experiment. My fixed gear bike has drop bars and at a glance looks like a road bike until you get close enough to see the rear-facing drop-outs and single cyclocross front brake lever on the bar tops. On my way to work I would give the old roadie flip of the fingers or a nod to the roadies going past. Most would return the wave, or nod back, maybe looking a little surprised if they noticed the brake. Some even smiled, though moist continued on at their furious pace.
For my homeward commute, I loosened the brake and stem and turned the bars upside-down like the “bum bars” you see semi-homeless guys riding, or sometimes folks who have pulled their old dusty 1970-80s road bike out and don’t know enough about bikes to replace the bars and turn them upside-down to get comfortable. Big difference in roadie recognition with this set-up; no nods, no smiles, no waves, just the superior smirk or look of disgust as they went past. Kind of a fun psychological experiment.
People are so darned weird it just makes me laugh.
Wow. I didn’t know the strip was over until tosay. …
I have been traveling in East Africa and Central America; and have had the whole published set with me for entertainment. Yehuda and Thistle keep me inspired.
Well, I guess I wish you all long happy lives.
Maybe Yehuda will show up on xkcd or the FGG sometime. One can hope.
Only encountered one roadie and one MTBer while on the recumbent today – both smiled and waved and passed a few kind words.
BTW, Noel Coward to the contrary, “anyone who says Norfolk is flat doesn’t ride a bike.” However, it certainly has no mountains. But while the gear range of an MTB may be excessive, the Breckland bits of Norfolk are rather sandy off road, so the MTB tyre width is useful.
Test for position.
@troiker – Your May25 post went right after Stefan for me…
Testing…..
Doing the time warp as a straight comment…. If I should end up flipped inside out through the 4th dimension, or marooned in a far space-time continuum – then don’t try to follow in case yo
!deneppah drawotnu esle gnihton tsael ta tub – niaga ecalp gnorW
Lets see where this appears
Looks like we have a rain season here. All rivers and lakes are full, and it still rains. Today I saw the first water on a way I use to commute. But luckily, when it comes to environmental catastrophes, this place is totally boring, no harm of a real flood, just maybe some wet feet and the one or other flooded cellar.
By the way, I made it the third time in a row: crossing the former mentioned steeply bridge with my single speed. And I always wonder, why I see so many people on even less steeply bridges who not even try to make it in first gear. Why do they buy a 27 speed bike and ride in just one gear?
Hi Stefan,
WD40 is a solvent – NOT an oil…
It washes dirt away and has many other magical properties but it washes the chain’s lube away from the rubbing parts and if the bike is not used regularly, the link glue up. Even if used, without lube the pressure of use on the rubbing parts of the links will wear them out quickly. If oil is applied after/with WD40 the solvent will de-nature the oil rapidly making it useless…
Clean the chain with paraffin and wash then apply a few drops (1 at each of the ’1/4′ point of the chain) of chain oil. Weldtite is good. With a m/c I used to monthly clean the chain in a hot bath of paraffin and dry it out before soaking in a hot bath of molybdenum disulphide chain oil e.g.: http://www.belray.com/industrial/products/chain-lubricants and let it drip dry/cool over a nail. Overkill for a pedal cycle as the chain has nowhere near as much to deal with!
Spouse & I pretty much circumnavigated Norfolk last week – by recumbent trike and ladies mixte bike – with lightest tent we could get, which was a bit shallow for those of a pensionable age… Happily, no serious rain until we got home.
You don’t need to ride a bike to see that Noel Coward was wrong about Norfolk being “very flat”….. He can’t have visited much of the county.
comic two
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u202/librarymonkey27/misc%2023/bikejoke2cursehuffy_zps5b7fe6a0.png
Somewhat tongue in cheek I will make a comment to that Troiker – Who would deign to acknowledge a recumbent rider?
IMHO the following:
1. Another recumbent rider.
2. A Tandem or trike rider. (Like me)
3. Anybody who WANTS a recumbent or Mango etc…
Usually the unusual recognises the unusual and makes some gesture of ‘Tribe’ membership?
Many car drivers might but don’t know how to without it seeming to be some form of insult (Like a toot of the horn that could be perceived as ‘shout’ of derision or impatience)
Position test.
I agree. It’s just belonging to a minority. When I’m riding my recumbent and see another recumbent, nearly always we both are smiling, greeting or something similar. When I’m rinding a “normal” bike, I’m not acknowledged by any recumbent rider.
@ Tencon – you missed out people who had to give up driving cars because they have an inferior visual field deficiency….. :b
riding my bent, i always great other recumbent drivers and vice versa. But upright? there are so many around here, I would hardly find a second to get both hands at the bar.
Errr – the software seems to not be posting new comments at the end of the forum posts. My post today has gone in just above: “librarymonkey27@gmail.com”
Wonder where this one (a “reply”) will go?
My test seems to have followed yours, so the Software’s ‘end to follow’ seems to be there now….
Tencon – using the “Reply” button on your message of May 26 2013 [which actually follows yours of May 27th!] to post this. I just posted a non-reply comment which appears at a distance up the page. (I wrote: Testing…..)
This is seriously weird – reminds me of the classic short SF story “A Subway Named Moebius” – readable here:
http://westongeometry.pbworks.com/w/file/fetch/61244911/SubwayNamedMobius.pdf.
Hmmm – let’s do the time warp again….
Position test 2.
Ah, that worked. Looks like the way to do this chronologically is to just go to the last post and hit reply.
Howdy, all. Good to see a few of you back in the shop. Very heavy rain here in Indy today so I had to take the car in to school to finish out the year. Rode the bikes for the last two weeks in mild weather, very nice change. Now that school is out for the summer I can bike at my own pace and distance mornings and get some work done around the house in the afternoons — or drink wine with my cycling buddy Steve. LOL. Too much of the latter and not enough of the former during the summer months, I fear.
Gotta run, last minute grading to do before I lock the classroom doors.
Ciao. See you all soon.
Hoooah! School’s over!
Great ride this morning on the fixie, a tad cool, but no rain and not much wind. I love riding that bike because it’s so elemental — just frame, seat, a little seat bag with flat fix stuff … that’s it. Weighs 20 pounds as it sits. I probably look like a rhino raping a unicorn when I ride it (I’m not a small guy) but I don’t care; it’s just pure fun to ride that bike.
Posted this last week, but it got stucked somewhere above…:
Looks like we have a rain season here. All rivers and lakes are full, and it still rains. Today I saw the first water on a way I use to commute. But luckily, when it comes to environmental catastrophes, this place is totally boring, no harm of a real flood, just maybe some wet feet and the one or other flooded cellar.
By the way, I made it the third time in a row: crossing the former mentioned steeply bridge with my single speed. And I always wonder, why I see so many people on even less steeply bridges who not even try to make it in first gear. Why do they buy a 27 speed bike and ride in just one gear?
Hi Stefan,
I have seen a lot of bikes come into the charity shop (donations) that were stuck in one gear. Usually any of a range of faults but most adding up to one thing – lack of maintenance!
Coventry Council ran a ‘think bike’ morning one day a few years ago and I was asked to be ‘Dr Bike’ for them. I got a lot interest when I showed the (mainly students’ the cheap and simple way to avoid costly repairs – CLEANING YOUR BIKE’!
I showed how A hose and a small dustpan-brush had been used to wash the dirt off.
I told them how a quick ride for maybe 1/4 mile would get rid of most of the water and a towel could finish the job before starting with the paraffin. An ex-food foil tray of Paraffin in a small washing up bowl can be used with a 1″ paint brush or similar to wash the greasy muck off. After which it is important to lightly lubricate sliding parts (chain etc) and wipe a WD40 soaked rag over any exposed metal that could rust. NOT the chain!
I had to do this 5 minute demo a few times it was so novel and exciting for the students…
The fact that I had a good bike for over 30 years that needed little more than this to keep it working well gave the demo some power!
Sorry should read: ” lot of interest when I showed the (mainly students) “
Hi Tecon,
I must admit, I hardly ever clean one of my bikes. They all serve me for many, often more than 20 years anyway.
I just give them the lubrication an maintenance they need. But, my first rule for not getting a bike stolen is: never clean you bike. Two of my bikes also often get some black color spray, just with the lose dirt beeing removed, to let them look worthless and mousy. On the other hand: frome the roads I use to commute, the bikes sample a lot of earth, dust and other dirt every day, so cleaning would be a every day job.
But, by the way: what is the bit with WD40 and the Chain, I never gave it a thought?
Hi Dale,
sounds nice, but still, I did not try a fixie. I fear I could not control such in our dense traffic.
My single speed on the other hand gives me a lot of fun. Trying my Trekking bike, stil with spiked tires yesterday made me feel like riding in plasticine.
Need to change tires the next days, but lack the time.
My trekking frame does not allow more then 37mm wide tires, otherwise I would like to try Big Apple or an wide Kojak…
Hi Stefan,
WD40 is a solvent – NOT an oil…
It washes dirt away and has many other magical properties but it washes the chain’s lube away from the rubbing parts and if the bike is not used regularly, the link glue up. Even if used, without lube the pressure of use on the rubbing parts of the links will wear them out quickly. If oil is applied after/with WD40 the solvent will de-nature the oil rapidly making it useless…
Clean the chain with paraffin and wash then apply a few drops (1 at each of the ’1/4′ point of the chain) of chain oil. Weldtite is good. With a m/c I used to monthly clean the chain in a hot bath of paraffin and dry it out before soaking in a hot bath of molybdenum disulphide chain oil e.g.: http://www.belray.com/industrial/products/chain-lubricants and let it drip dry/cool over a nail. Overkill for a pedal cycle as the chain has nowhere near as much to deal with!
Humourous memory just arrived – Castrol (I think) used to sell a round tin of this stuff about 6″ dia and 4″ high. With the top off, careful use of a camping stove in the backyard meant I could soak the chain in moly-oil for a few minutes. Failure to diligently watch it and keep strong pliers ready to lift the tin off when ‘cooked’ meant the hot black liquid would catch fire! Annoying to neighbours with washing on the line and me when I had to clean the muck the smoke left off the house windows! Proved how persistent the oil was!
My friend had a Honda 400 that he fitted with a full chaincase. He used to spray moly into the case but never removed the case to clean/wipe off surplus stuff. As a result, when we did some maintenance, the chain was running in a chain-sized tunnel inside the solid block of moly that had formed in the case!
I’m like Stefan in my bike maintenance routine; knock off the big cruddy areas, maybe bucket wash the winter bike in the spring to get off salty road grime, and otherwise just keep the gears, brakes, and drivetrain pristine.
Beautiful weather here in Indy these last few days. Went for a nice long camping trip of 6 days with some friends and had a wonderful time cooking over the campfire and living outdoors in the day and sleeping in the tent at night. Cool enough at night to need the fire to sit around. I missed the bike though. We plan on doing a bike camping trip in October from Cumberland, Mayland, to Ohiopyle State Park, in Pennsylvania, along a bike path that runs parallel to the Youghiogheny River. Thats about 75 miles, about 115 kilometers, over 3 days. That’s not a lot of miles per day, but there are town and sites to visit along the way and things to see and do, so we’re not looking to cove a lot of ground. I’m really looking forward to it.
Well, time to do some work around the house and then take a ride. See ya!
Yesterday was a blck day for cyclist in germany.
A courd decided that a bike rider is to blame if he does not wear a helmet. even if the car driver brought the rider down.
Okay, the car driver, who doored the biker still has to pay 80% but…
I hope this will not decrease the number of cyclist, but I fear it will.
That’s bad news Stefan.
However – in fear of starting a helmet debate/flame, IMHO wearing a helmet is a small price to pay to make sure that the driver gets the blame when it is due, maybe?
Another argument for trying to garner as much evidence as possible. Such as a helmet cam etc…
On that note – Midlands news had an article last night about a motorist who didn’t like a cyclist who used passed him on the LHS in Birmingham, UK, between him and a car reversing into a parking spot. When he was free to proceed, he rushed in front of the cyclist and stopped then tried to ‘door’ him when the cyclist passed! The cyclist had a helmet cam and the footage was shown on the news.
For me, it would be a high price. Another item I have to take care of and finde a place to store wherever I go. And still there is no evidence bike helmets really prevent head injuries. All thats proven is: They sometimes cause broken jaws and neck injuries.
For my way of riding, a helmet, who even slightly reduces my view, and produces some extra wind noise and ads some weight to my head, would make my rides less save.
So: No, as long as nobody proves Bike helmets make cycling more save, a obligatory to wear one would make me change to a car for my daily ways.