what was that? is that all there is? who is this? this is it.

This 105 7-speed indexed downtube shifter is speaking parsimoniously to a 105 derailleur that’s 30 years younger. The derailleur speaks no languages, but understands them all, perfectly, painting pretty parallelogram parameters per her limit screws.

Add cable tension to taste. 

 

index — friction — 220 — 221 — whatever it takes. Do you speak the lingo? Give me your tired, your poor, your seemingly incompatible bike parts. But don't give me any di2 horseshit. 

 

Shifting is overrated. 11-22-33 gears too many. Superfluous redundancy and oh so touchy touchy. 1 x 7 is more than enough to roll along the continuum uphill both ways. When I was your age, a cup of coffee was 50 cents…  

Please take a moment to locate the red 44T chainring nearest you. Keep in mind it could be behind you, with the Recycled Cycles price scrawled in sharpie. Those are old LX 175mm cranks formerly a biopace triple. The stock cranks were 170mm and they never felt quite right. Or I didn’t ride them long enough to get over it, to get used to it, to forget about it.  86% of my bikes now spin 175mm circles and sometimes squares. 

Ask me about conspicuity and dork factors. I actually installed some reflectors, which as you know, is not what Travis Keene would do (NWTKWD)

Even distracted half-ass drivers subconsciously recognize the concept of “bicycle on roadway” when their eyes feed their brains the image of spinning white wheel reflectors and or oscillating orange pedal reflectors. In my neighborhood distracted half-ass drivers rule the road. Especially when it’s dark at 6am and 6pm too. Bike lanes mean nothing. Spinning reflectors beat the shit out of any blinky light combo you could come up with, or the stripes on your swishy rain pants or that hi-vis helmet cover your aunt gifted you. Most bike shops have bins of reflectors that they’re literally giving away.

I don't drive a car very often, but whenever I do I'm reminded of how invisible cyclists really are. Day or night. Here or there.  

 

 

 

Those full fenders are not on yet but now there’s nothing in the way except the weather forecast.  

 

Is it raining? 

 

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1 Comment

bike donation said...

it seemed like a good idea at the time just before the acid kicked in, you remember looking around the house for another pair of scissors. then three days later you’re in the parking lot at Speed-E-Mart with a tall can on the curb next to your bike, except you’re not sure it is your bike because every inch of the frame and fork is now covered with red & white reflective tape barber-pole striped with blue fake fur strips beading up with rain and road grime

Posted September 22, 2022 05:53 AM | Reply to this comment

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