I bike-commute whenever possible, from the VA suburbs to downtown DC. Probably 2500-3000 commuting mi. last year and the year before.
I lock up my (on topic) commuting bike on a busy downtown corner, across K Street from Farragut Park, a major hang-out spot for bike couriers. I had a LED reflector taillight stolen once, but and a wheel or two damaged by trucks trying to parallel park, but pretty good results for a decade. The bike is an early 1970s Raleigh Competition (from Ken Sanford), black, dirty, and with pretty subtle gold graphics. All 531 DB. It has been set up as fixed-gear, with a Stronglight crankset and a non-descript rear hub. And a pannier carrier, which has strong negative suave factor... What do I think I do right?
1) Good U-lock, locks frame and front wheel to stout post. FWIW, the lock stays with the post 24x7; I don't carry it home. 2) Bike that isn't at all eye-catching. An accumulation of dirt from the mile of hardpack towpath I ride many days helps. So do the funky Stronglight 93 cranks with the chainring mounted on the inner position - to match the ugly rear hub's chainline, which was designed for a 110 mm OLN. Ah! Never commute with matching wheels.
Between them, I think these two steps say, "It would be better/more profitable/whatever to steal the next bike instead of this one."
When I feel the need for gears (the area is rather hilly; with one "cliff" I can't do on the fixee), I ride a nearly-on-topic bike that has wonderfully beat-up paint, and duct tape that replaces one of the top-tube cable guides. Again, nicely functional parts, but not ones that are widely coveted.
When I get to it, I'll set up the old Claud Butler that Billy Rounds sold me with a Sturmey, and see how that does in the same service.
harvey sachs
mcLean va
>> Is the bike stand located next to the area where the town cops park and h
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ave
>> their coffee & donuts? If not, I would not get too stylish.
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A good answer, unfortunately. This is a proposed use where one should probably start with a nondescript, if on-topic, bike and then add style in a very personal fashion. Nice parts equals theft, so style must come via frameset, I believe. If the frameset stands out, but in a way that makes it a hard resale, it may still make you smile when you see it *and* be there for you to see it at the end of the day.
>> In fact if the bike was halfway decent, I would wrap the frame in black t
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ape.
Which doesn't mean you can't make that tape application darned artsy! Invest your own time to add style -- there's a concept.
>> How about a nice vintage Raleigh 3 speed with 650A tires.
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Ah, Raleigh. Always a good "not so nice, uncommon but not so uncommon" answ er.
Dan (yeah, I got Raleighs) Kehew
Davis (yeah, we got Raleighs) CA