Back together again

[darkemeralds]

It took me less than an hour to reassemble Clyde today. While I was at it, I cleaned him up a little, then degreased and re-lubed the chain (I now have pink dishwashing gloves on board for this sort of thing--my sister thinks that's lame, but the black-fingernail look is not Cycle Chic!), then rode a few blocks.

A tentative thumbs up: the rear tube seems to be holding.

Now I'm obsessed with making my own panniers. I found an Instructable on the subject (I love Instructables!), and now I'm on eBay bidding on old beat up leather messenger bags that might be converted.

On a completely unrelated note, Ciao Bella's Malted Milk Ball Gelato is worth a trip to the store. It's malted-flavor gelato with chocolate malt balls in it! I'm sort of hooked.

Comments

[kispexi2.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the new rear tube. Especially after the gelato. That stuff sounds wonderful. Like frozen Maltesers.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

God, I hope a pint of gelato doesn't have the power to overcome the laws of physics in tire pressure! I rode around today, did a bunch of errands and stuff, and so far, so good.

[creedcascade.livejournal.com]

Should go with a unicycle...

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

LOL! Yeah, that'll be the day.

[serenity-valley.livejournal.com]

Well (tentative) congratulations that Clyde is functioning once again. How frustrating it must've been!

I LOVE Instructables! Srsly, is there anything you can't find on there? Though I'm curious what led you to find out about making your own panniers. Were you prompted to do so for some reason, or just would rather make them than buy them?

Also, I love Ciao Bella. I haven't had their malted milkball gelato, but I am obsessed with their raspberry sorbet. And the mango sorbet ain't too shabby either.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

I get in these DIY moods from time to time, mostly when I want something very specific that the market won't supply me. In this case, a pannier that's Cycle Chic but not 22 years old.

I'm beginning to realize that most American cycling accessories are created for some kind of competitive, macho cycling as a sport, and must meet standards of use and abuse from Alaska to Hawaii, twelve months out of the year. All I want is stuff that looks pretty and is easily attached and detached: different arrangements for different weather and purposes.

Stay tuned. I'm making a rear-rack basket out of a wicker purse I found yesterday for five bucks at Rerun on 7th and Fremont.

[str8ontilmornin.livejournal.com]

I applaud your re-use! And I'm glad that your tire/tube is holding up. I am surprised at the luck you've had with flats, and hope it ends now.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

So far I'm the high bidder on both of the leather bags I want on eBay. *crosses fingers* eBay makes me nervous!

Yeah, thanks, I hope the tire bad luck is over and done with too. So far so good today.

[roseambr.livejournal.com]

That gelato sounds heavenly! I may need to search that out in my neck of the woods. My neighbor Lisa was telling me about a bike she saw that builds energy as you pedal and saves it up for you to use when you are going up hill and need help. Sort of a self-energizing battery. I love that idea! It might make it possible to bike closer to home! We are going to look next week at Best Buy.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

Oh, that sounds interesting! People are doing amazing things in the world of bicycle technology. You can get a front wheel with a generator hub that powers your front and rear lights--no batteries to replace. I've also heard of a system of public bike rental where you borrow the bike, ride it, put it back into a rack on the street, and the rack extracts that same built up energy and puts it into the city's grid.

I'm thrilled that you're going bike shopping. If you get something that will fit into your SUV, we can do some riding around town together!

[(Anonymous)]

I would love to see the results of this pannier project!

-Dottie