Riding in the hood.

deacon · #31 (**permalink**) 01-27-2008, 07:58 AM

Thanks joe,

I'll pay more attention to what and when it sounds like and feels like today. I'm going to ride it to the mall in a few minutes to do my morning walk. I am going to ride the bike three miles in the cold, so that I can walk three miles indoors. Just seems absolutely wrong to do that but it's an excuse to ride the bike early and see what it does in the cold.

I have also decided to pull the chain guard off the pedal side. I only pedal a few feet so it serves no real purpose. It is just something else to rattle. I also have to get some practice with this new 20" wheel. The bike handles differently for sure. The center of gravity is lower so it seems more stable, but it turns differently for some reason not sure what that is about.

deacon · #32 (**permalink**) 01-27-2008, 01:00 PM

Okay today's stupid is my sign award goes to ME.

The weather here was 40 degrees and sunny so I took off to the mall to walk. When I got there after braving the traffic, I found that I had left my bike lock at home. I walked about a mile then took off before my bike wound being ridden away or in the back of someone's pickup.

I thought about Norman's lights and decided to get a lantern bulb on the way home. I tried an auto parts store then a drug store nobody sells lantern bulbs anymore. One guy told me that nobody replaces them they just buy new ones. I suppose the sporting goods dept of wallymart is my next stop.

So anyway I rode about five miles today the longest I have ridden at one time I think. I had done about the same amount but not in traffic.

Something I noticed though is that the more I ride the better the bike does. Part of that might be I am riding it at higher throttle but not full throttle by any means. Now I have a new concern.

Riding that bike is like siting on top of my washing machine when it is in the spin cycle. Lots of vibrations. I have no idea what that is either. It doesn't seem to make me too crazy so i guess I can live with it. At least the chain didn't fall off. The slack had increased by the time I got home though. Still it was a successful ride. I know now that I could run errands with the bike.

**CRUISER** · #33 (**permalink**) 01-27-2008, 01:31 PM

they do vibrate no way around that deacon. something i have been thinking is check and make sure your sprocket is centered on the wheel. mine wasn't and when i rode it was learching. not alot but enough to be annoying. sure wish it was 40 here i would love to get out and ride

deacon · #34 (**permalink**) 01-27-2008, 02:01 PM

I think it has stopped a lot of the lurch today. Either that or I have learned to ignore it. I carefully measured before I tied it down tight so It should be very close at least close enough to work with. If I keep having trouble I will check it again.

I forgot my thermal vest and it was still a good ride. I think over forty and it is doable comfortably under than I look like the pillsbury doughboy. With the ski mask if I had to have something I could ride the bike a short distance. That was one of my concerns that I would be weathered in but It looks as though that is not really the case.

At some point on most days it gets above thirty two here. I think I could make it to the store or to the mall even if it were thirty two.

**Bikeguy Joe** · #35 (**permalink**) 01-27-2008, 02:23 PM

3/4"-1" at the TIGHTEST POINT.

They shake less with each mile, but not for around 300-500 miles.
Keep going.

They also shake more at certain RPM.

deacon · #36 (**permalink**) 01-27-2008, 02:47 PM

Now that the kind of information we need around here.

Hope all the new guys read this because we are all a little tentative at first. We expect the bike to leave us stranded on every ride. While we are building confidence in the ride, it is nice to have some one pat us on the head and say, "Hey just keep going its all going to be okay."

thanks Joe that's great to know.

deacon · #37 (**permalink**) 01-28-2008, 03:00 PM

I took the bike to the bike store today to show them. The owner and his mechanic helper were impressed with the bike. It was kind of fun.

When I left there, I took on yet another tour of the hood. Getting to some places I had never ridden before as well as the familiar ones. I had yet another man offer to buy the bike. Then he asked if i would build him one. He obviously didn't recognize my lack of skills. Still I think with a little luck and some help from you guys I could build one now without too much trouble. I do have that big black mtn bike frame that I am converting. I could use it I suppose to build a custom bike.

My wife would kill me lol..

deacon · #38 (**permalink**) 01-29-2008, 07:56 AM

I am planning to run at least one errand today on the bike. It's part of my weaning my dependence on the car. I haven't started the car in a week.

One thing I find myself doing that I never do for a car trip. I think about the route. Trying to avoid left turns in traffic. That's new to me. I expect I will be better about it after a while but for now I am super careful to plan ahead

deacon · #39 (**permalink**) 02-01-2008, 03:27 AM

I find myself a few miles north of Atlanta this morning. I am sitting at a strange computer in a motel. I drove in a car (spit) 6 hours yesterday to attend a funeral for my nephew. I didn't touch my bike yesterday and probably won't today. I just realized this is likely the first day I haven't either ridden it or worked on it in some way since the kit arrived at my door.

I miss my house, I miss my bike, I miss my bed.

It's 4am and of course I should be sleeping but here I sit doing nothing worthwhile. I will be leaving in a couple of hours to drive home. I can't wait. Even though it is raining, I can at least take the rubbing compound and a dirty rag to the bike when I get home.

I just proof read the above and it sure sound sad lol. Well sleep well guys I check this place out again tomorrow night from home I hope.

**Ilikeabikea** · #40 (**permalink**) 02-01-2008, 07:34 AM

Deacon, have a safe trip home..................