Hi there! I’ve obtained a brand new Exterior column, and it’s about commuting:
Astute readers will be aware that additionally used to commute to my radio present, which implies I didn’t actually take a 14-year hiatus, however contemplate that an vital lesson about by no means trusting the company media.
Talking of commuting, yesterday I, uh, commuted. Although I’ve been driving the Homer, I went with the Eye of the Tiger Bike, only for a bit selection:
Whereas the air was significantly clearer than it had been, there was nearly no bicycle or pedestrian site visitors, and the comparatively few those that had been out had been principally sporting masks:
We’ve turn out to be very well-trained animals, and it’s outstanding how shortly and dutifully we now revert to disaster mode. Please be aware that is not me saying MAN UP AND BREATH THE SMOKE YOU WOOSIES!!! Clearly when the air is as dangerous because it was it makes excellent sense to take affordable precautions, and to remain inside in case you’ve obtained nowhere to be. I simply discover it fascinating that society now has two modes–the in-person mode, and the digital mode–and it’s turning into increasingly regular to easily toggle between them. (Other than individuals who have jobs that contain truly doing stuff, that’s, however I wouldn’t know something about that.) Typically I ponder if we’re turning into too afraid of the world, however I suppose it’s all a part of humanity’s evolution, and the gradual strategy of importing our collective consciousness into the digital realm.
This isn’t to say no person was driving. After all individuals had been, and a few of them even had saddles that seemed like excessive close-ups of flies:
See?
Nonetheless, the West Facet Greenway specifically was very quiet, even later that night:
And I can’t say I minded the elbow room as a result of it may be an actual shitshow:
In the meantime, the smoke had lastly relinquished my view:
All in all, issues had been trying rosy…or no matter these flowers are, I’m not a Flower Fred:
Then this morning, having obtained a brand new pair of brake hoods, I resumed my aborted friction shifter retrofit operation on the Milwaukee. Clearly the very first thing I did was take away the STI levers, paying shut consideration to the situation of the cables, since I’d not too long ago realized that they’re imagined to destroy them:
They had been completely high quality:
The cable looks like takes a reasonably straight path by the lever physique, at the very least for the primary few centimeters, so I’m undecided why the top would come off, as individuals appear to say they do. There was a bend additional up, although general it looks like the cable has to bend loads lower than it does on a downtube shifter:
Perhaps it has to do with what sort of ferrule you utilize, or what sort of housing you utilize, or how you narrow it, since I assume I may see the cable getting worn away the place it enters and leaves the cable as you shift. Or possibly it’s one thing else altogether. However you what? IT’S NOT MY PROBLEM ANYMORE! In truth it by no means was. Not solely have I by no means even had the problem within the first place, however now the Milwaukee is formally outfitted with downtube friction shifters:
I reused the previous soiled bar tape as a result of it got here off in a single piece, plus I figured there was no sense utilizing new bar tape simply in case I didn’t like how issues turned out and I wanted to unwrap the bars once more. Effectively, I doubt that shall be obligatory, as a result of as a lot as I’d been having fun with the built-in shifting, as quickly as I headed out on the reconfigured bike I knew I’d made the appropriate resolution:
How foolish worrying concerning the slight variations between Shimano and Campagnolo cassettes appears whenever you’re utilizing a easy and chic shifter that doesn’t give a shit what’s happening again there. Campy? Shimano? 7, 8, 9, 10? It’ll work completely on all of them, and extra. I did surprise if I’d miss the consolation of the STI levers themselves, what with their fashionable ergonomics and all, however I didn’t as a result of the form and place of the common old school levers felt nice:
Not solely that, however the brakes felt extra highly effective–not that there was something improper with them earlier than, however I nonetheless observed it. This may very well be as a result of I’d modified the cables and housing. Or it may very well be as a result of I feel the STI levers I used to be utilizing have a revised cable pull, however these brakes don’t, and neither do the normal brake levers I’m now utilizing. Or possibly it was simply my creativeness. Anyway, the bike stops actually good is what I’m saying. It additionally rides actually good, and I’d argue it appears at the very least nearly as good as something you’ll discover at a kind of customized bike present circle jerks:
So who knew? All these years my dream street bike was proper there below my ample proboscis. Go determine.
