Riding in the hood.

deacon · #1 (**permalink**) 01-19-2008, 11:39 AM

Now I know the ultimate is to take the cross country trip on a motored bike, One that you build yourself but the truth is I like to ride any chance I get. At the moment it is dead of winter. Even with global warming it cuts the ride times down pretty low. Then to I am still breaking in the bike, and don't have full confidence in it yet.

So it's ride around the neighborhood so that I can push it home or pedal it back if I have to. I'm sure you all can relate. Today it is supposed to snow but it hit my minimum temperature level before the snow began so off I went.

I probably rode five miles or less but in a new area. One I hadn't even driven a car into. I found out a few things. One there are still loose dogs in this city (not a good thing). And there are a lot of kids on real bikes who stare wide eyed and open mouthed at the sissy schwinn. It is small enough that they can probably see themselves on it.

Cars are interesting. They either don't see me or disregard me as a pedal biker who will stop for them, no matter who has the right of way. They are right, I will stop for anyone in a car. It just isn't as easy as they seem to think. I once rode motorcycles as well. That was in my misspent youth by the way. And yes cars did exactly the same things to me then.

When I started to ride powered bikes, it was electric. I bought a pair of knit gloves so that I could feel the control switch. I don't need that much feel now and they let the cold air stream in. I am going to have to get a canvas or leather outer shell for my hands. I had to come home because my thumbs began to ache from he cold.

Still I went out, rode the bike, and got home without being killed. I would call that a successful ride. Oh yeah and I don't have to fix anything on the bike either.

**Bikeguy Joe** · #2 (**permalink**) 01-19-2008, 06:06 PM

Nice.

Try some handball gloves with a pair of those blue/purple nitrile gloves inside....toasty!

deacon · #3 (**permalink**) 01-19-2008, 06:11 PM

I'll see what I can find thanks for the tip. Funny I don't get cold too many places riding just my fingers at the moment. I have been wearing a knit watch cap under my helmet and that works pretty well.

Of course my nose runs constantly... isn't that an attractive visual

deacon · #4 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 09:17 AM

The weather isn't going to cooperate for a real ride today, but I finally have the throttle installed correctly. God I am such an idiot. I think I will test ride (one block with a hill) regardless. I'm going to try to wait until at least the temp is 35 degrees. Less than my required 40 but should be doable for a short test ride.

Oh I found the replacement e clip for the carb needle at automotive fasteners. They specialize in bolts and such. Guy went right to it. It is smaller than the original so I had to make an alum washer to put under the steel washer that holds the needle in place. The clip is large enough not to slide through the hole in the throttle cylinder just small enough to slip through the retainer clip I also had to make. I am going to have one cobbled throttle system but it should work just fine.

I really wish I could do a real five or ten mile ride today but it will have to wait a few more days.

Pablo · #5 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 02:50 PM

Kids watching are the best....mouth open, jaw on the ground! My 9 y.o. daughter was helping me yesterday and she was real proud of her dad and his bike....when I got it running!

deacon · #6 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 02:57 PM

My 13 year old grand daughter wants to ride it lol have to make sure she isnt around when i go out again.

**CRUISER** · #7 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 03:03 PM

i always have the neighborhood kids wanting to ride mine. the older ones i would let drive the electric one but the gas one no way. to fast and someone could easily get badly hurt or killed on it. what i always find funny is adults make coments about helmit however with kids it is the right thing to do

deacon · #8 (**permalink**) 01-21-2008, 03:50 PM

To be honest on the electric i found the helmet a pain. On the gas when it was running like crap, i didn't change my mind. today when I saw what it would do with less than full throttle on the flats, I decided, "Yeah helmet."

At that moment I only had on my knit watch cap cause it looked so cool lol.

deacon · #9 (**permalink**) 01-22-2008, 09:17 AM

Two months ago on a Sunday morning I was going to ride my ebike down the bike path. I put it on the back of my car headed off for the park where the bike path begins. There were police cars at every intersection. They all let me pass so I pretty much ignored them. When I got to the entrance of the park there was yet another car.

I asked what happened and was told that someone had been robbed and they were looking for the robber. I asked if it was okay to ride, and was assured that it was fine.

I read about the incident in the paper a few days later. A hicker on THAT same path had been robbed at knife point. There was a tussle because he didn't want to give up his money. The thief got away. I thought to myself on reading that. why did the cop tell me it was safe to ride that bike trail when the guy was still around. When that passed I began to wonder how often crimes like that happen on the bike/ walking trail.

That night I began to think seriously that I am no longer in shape to duke it out with some kid over a few bucks. It still goes against my grain to meekly give up money to a thug. What I did was to salt my wallet and take all the good stuff out.

I left a twenty dollar bill in it, then took out my driver's license, credit card, ATM card, and social security card. I made a smaller case from some leather I had around and then stuffed it in my change pocket along with my real money. So now when I go out just to ride, I leave that card case with the cash home and carry the wallet with minimum ID and just a little bit of cash.

Heck I look like a derelict anyway no one would bother to rob me but if they did they get nothing of importance. Of course they will know who my plumber is since his business card is there.

**CRUISER** · #10 (**permalink**) 01-22-2008, 09:21 AM

i keep that mace stuff for crazy dogs with me. a spray of that in thier eyes will drop them to their knees fast