Steve wrote: Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 07:47:50 -0800 (PST) From: Steve Demchak <rabbickup@yahoo.com> Subject: [CR]NYC Transit Strike KOF Commuters
I'm just curious. What are you folks riding today? Are bosses letting you
bring your bike inside work? Steve, I got a call this morning at 9:30 from a temp agency. Job opportunity, r eception work, one day's worth, at 500 7th Ave. between 37th and 38th, 1 7th floor, at a software firm. I live on Sullivan near W. 3rd, so it's a n easy shot up Sixth Ave. ("Avenue of the Americas") via the bike lane.
I regret (now that you are asking) that my chosen transport today was of
the more prosaic type: I keep a high mileage 1964 Raleigh Sports on the
street for general "city bike" use, keeping the fancier machines safely
indoors, upstairs (I'm in a third floor walk-up apartment).
A female friend of mine got over the 59th Street Bridge (from Long Islan
d City, Queens) this morning on her early / mid '80s Schwinn Varsity (sh
e's the original owner)...reporting that she is "out of shape"--walking
the bike halfway up the bridge. No shame, as it IS a pretty steep and lo
ng approach, and she's been a casual cyclist thus far in life. I think s
he needs a lower low gear, but she has that Positron system with the bot
tom bracket freewheel, so I think she's stuck with the 42 x 28 low gear.
Is that true? Sheldon?
She said it was pretty cold up on the bridge, despite perspiring under l
ayers of clothing.
I'm building up a lower-end Italian bike boom machine for her with bette
r components and lower gearing. At some point I'll ask for help identify
ing the frame, which has "M" "Made in Italy" sticker badging, but the do
wntube logo was removed. If anyone has some affordable TA 5-vis cranks i
n 155mm, 160mm (do not have to be pretty--ex-BMX?), I'd be interested in
purchaisng them and putting them on this bike (she's 5' 2" tall). It is
a step-through design, with stock REG brake cable clips, Balilla CP bra
kes, Simplex Prestige derailleurs (I've already made changes to the latt
er). I've added a later '70s GB stem and a pair of alloy randonneur-bend
bars, an '80s Campagnolo / Mavic 700C / Continental Touring 32mm tyre'd
wheelset that I had around, so it's a "sleeper". I would like her to ha
ve the experience of a "good" bike, but I'm building something that rese
mbles a truck, in a way. It will need racks. Probably needs to be aligne
d, but doesn't seem too bad. We'll do a little at a time.
Great to see more bikes out on the road today. The lady of whom I speak
works at Carnegie Hall--not sure if her employers would have allowed the
bike indoors, but I know she locked it outside.
Tom "needs a permanent job" Ward
in transit-stricken New York City
http://www.thedansettes.com