Riding in the hood.

**fairracing31** · #**201** (**permalink**) 05-18-2008, 03:35 PM

Just yesterday some kid's knocked on my door and asked "are you the guy with the cool bike" I said yes and they wanted to check it out. They wanted me to ride it up and down the street so they can see it and smell it (sometimes I use fuel fragrence in the fuel). Unfortunately I have my wheel's off and could not ride it for them.
They still wanted to see it so I took them out back and showed it to them. They looked up and down at it and asked all kind's of ?. Once they noticed the go-karts I have they kinda lost intrest of it though. I have a two-seater kart and wanted to give them a ride but thought better of it; the last thing I need is for them to get hurt and have there parent's sue me.
I really get a kick out of it and glad to see the younger generation have a intrest in MB.

deacon · #**202** (**permalink**) 05-26-2008, 06:22 PM

I rode my bike today. I made two stops. First the autoparts store. Clerk kept me talking about the bike ten minutes....

then lowe's hardware, a stranger in the parking lot found me as I went in the store same thing. Then he asked if I was going to be a while in the store. I said a few minutes He asked where I parked the bike he wanted to check it out..

I sure was glad I had chained it to the buggy rack. Gas goes up a few more times and I might have to get an armed guard.

deacon · #**203** (**permalink**) 06-08-2008, 01:40 PM

I went for a long ride today... I wanted to check if a retailer across town was still stocking refurb weed eaters. I also wanted to take the bike on a longer run. I carefully plotted my course along the residential streets as opposed to the main road out there. That was my first mistake.

I think the road crews are a lot less careful with their patches on the side streets. The ones I hit shook my teeth and more. As i tooled along quietly keeping one eye on the rear view, and one on the side streets for cars running stop signs, I hit a huge crack in the road.

It was so bad that it knocked the little basket right off the handlebars. The basket went forward not beside me. it hit right in front of me. I could imagine me hitting the darn thing and what it would do the the bike and subsequently to me. It was just by the grace of god that I avoided it and kept the bike upright.

Of course the basket came apart and things went everywhere. Since I didn't have anything in it, I didn't even stop. I just kept on going and thanked the good lord that I didn't hit that basket. When I got to the store, I tried to lock my bike only to discover that the lock and the cable were part of the pile of twisted metal on the side of the road. It was nowhere to be found and I looked on my way home.

If you have one of those easy on and off baskets on your bike, make sure they aren't too easy on and off. Wire those lil mothers down.

Chitty · #**204** (**permalink**) 06-08-2008, 02:24 PM

I just picked up a rigid plastic case that mounts onto the back rack. It bolts on, is lockable too.

**fairracing31** · #**205** (**permalink**) 06-08-2008, 03:49 PM

Glad you are okay deacon. I find that some of the side streets can be in worst shape then the main road's, nobody to complain about it I guess. Also, driver's seem to pay less attention. I think they assume less traffic, the less they need to pay attention.
Anyway's, glad you did not take a tumble deacon.

MarkTur · #**206** (**permalink**) 06-08-2008, 03:52 PM

Chitty - show us a pic or link to it...I just bought a rack-bag for the back, but I'm starting to think that the locking case is a better idea.

BTW: Paid $4.38 for Premium today, and gagged as I was watching the dang thing pass $80. You know, there's no new "shortage" of oil...there's really no reason for the price hike...it's all artificially inflated by our good friends overseas that are in bed with our politicians. If only King George and his merry men didn't stand to profit from oil and war...ahhhh, don't get me started...

Chitty · #**207** (**permalink**) 06-08-2008, 08:29 PM

Try this
Canadian Tire

Do a search for bike bags. It is the Raleigh Hardshell carrier.

deacon · #**208** (**permalink**) 06-11-2008, 07:25 PM

Today I rode to home depot to buy some parts for the weed whacker bike project. I was coming home with a 36" piece of very sharp metal on the back. I was having a problem managing it of course since I lost my front basket. I was getting scraped on my angle pretty good.

I look in the mirror an this black car is pacing me. He wont pass though he has had plenty of opportunities to do so. Finally I pulled over because I was going to make a left at the next intersection and would have had to pull in front of him.

As I waited he pulled beside me and asked me to wait a second while he pulled over. As I have often said people stop me to ask about the bike all the time. I wasn't surprised but I was annoyed because I was bleeding into my shoe.

The guy turns out to be the morning news guy from the local tv station. He wanted me to agree to an interview on camera. He took my name and number then promised to call.

I'm hoping he loses it frankly. On the side of the road it seemed like a good idea after thinking it over I really am not sure I want get that kind of publicity since it won't benefit me at all.

Anyway with the price of gas we are getting more and more publicity. I told him I had the bike almost a year before the gas prices jumped so dramatically, but he still wanted to do the interview.

**Bikeguy Joe** · #**209** (**permalink**) 06-11-2008, 08:53 PM

Do the interview deacon.

deacon · #**210** (**permalink**) 06-13-2008, 06:13 PM

Reporter guy hasn't called so I'm not expecting him to. Today I rode to home depot to get a couple of bolts to finish my build. While I was there I picked up a heavy chain and lock for the bike.

You might remember that I lost my cable and padlock when the basket flew off while I hung on to the bike for dear life. (pot hole)

I was telling my wife about the new chain and I realized that I wasted some money and weight on the bike. I bought a pretty substantial chain. A cheap plastic decorator chain with a faux lock would have worked as well. Truth is if they rattle the chain they are gonna take the bike somehow. The cheap plastic chain would have worked just as well as a visual deterrence.

Of course I had to demonstrate the bike for a customer in the parking lot. I swear all the people who ask me I cant believe I haven't seen one around yet. Funny they are all my age as well.