Yah an adjustment would be best, 'specially before you really start to drive on it.
Wow. That is the uncanny valley of bicycles. I mean it looks like a normal bike but the pedals are too small and the frame seems to pushed in. There's just something... unsettling about the proportions.
I don't know if it'd be better with a human on it or not.
I'm with MSgtB: it MIGHT be possible to persuade me to try it, but only after I donned a helmet, gloves, long pants, leather jacket, football pads, Kevlar vest, snake gaiters, and life preserver.
Jeepers. It has its risks but pity's sake, it's a bicycle.
That said, I spent some time last night practicing emergency dismounts. It's like the man teaching the motorcycle class said, "You wouldn't be riding if you weren't willing to accept some risk -- you won't keep riding unless you learn how to manage risk."
Many, many years ago I rode one at Henry Fords Museum, on a day when they had a handful of "Replica" bikes and were offering rides.
I got about a hundred feet before falling, and I fell in grass, and I was most pleased to have not harmed the bike at all. I'm pretty sure it was a 48" bike, but don't quote me.
It wasn't until I got up on it that realized that it is, in effect, an only slightly more stable unicycle.
I met a lady at this years IMTS who let me drive her Coker 36" bike around in a circle a couple times. It is a very cool bike. Apparently Coker started making them to show off it's custom made tires.
Improvised from a "Larry Light" like this, which is screamin' bright, more than adequate for riding. (At $10 and about the size of a dry-erase marker, it is worth having one of these handy -- Amazon sells them, please get there via Tam's link.)
I have a LED Lenser headlamp that is even better -- but it's not a good fit on my helmet.
Og: some notes: it's much harder to ride these bikes in grass than on pavement. The big old ones have nearly zero rake, which makes them much trickier to ride and balance -- and the very narrow, hard tires don't improve matters.
I expect you're right. I was riding on hard packed tarmacadam, which was no treat either- I just AIMED for the grass, hoping it would be softer.
It was still hard when I hit it. I remember laying on the ground staring at the tag on the front of the bike, it said "M-Z engineering" It was a modern bike, or relatively modern.
Thankfully, by this time in my life, I was already well used to looking and feeling like a dumbass, so the only thing injured was my pelvis and forehead and shoulder and I think I had some bruises on my ribcage. The Oglet came along some time after that so I must not have injured anything important.
Tankfully, if I'm going to do something stupid and possibly dangerous these days I try to limit it to killing things that can kill me back, or working on electrical devices with morons. I'm sure you have experienced the latter. Things which involve coordinated motor skills are probably better left behind me.
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Tall bike is tall!
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I didn't quite grok how big a 36" wheel was.
How was the ride tonight?
Fun! But I really, really need to adjust the brake, seat and handlebars.
ReplyDeleteP.S. If one 36" wheel is fun, what about two of them? Coker, here in the U.S., makes the largest cruiser bikes in the world.
ReplyDeleteYah an adjustment would be best, 'specially before you really start to drive on it.
ReplyDeleteWow. That is the uncanny valley of bicycles. I mean it looks like a normal bike but the pedals are too small and the frame seems to pushed in. There's just something... unsettling about the proportions.
I don't know if it'd be better with a human on it or not.
Ms. Bobbie, halloween is over. Quit trying to scare me. Give that thing to someones relative for Christmas. It was not made for adults.
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to ride at night, where are the neon orange socks?
ReplyDeleteJerry: Yes, it was.
ReplyDeleteHoly smokes!
ReplyDeleteSkydiving just moved down a notch on the "Things I will probably never try" list.
My hat is off to you. I would want a whole crew of paramedics standing by before I tried to ride that thing.
I'm with MSgtB: it MIGHT be possible to persuade me to try it, but only after I donned a helmet, gloves, long pants, leather jacket, football pads, Kevlar vest, snake gaiters, and life preserver.
ReplyDeleteJeepers. It has its risks but pity's sake, it's a bicycle.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I spent some time last night practicing emergency dismounts. It's like the man teaching the motorcycle class said, "You wouldn't be riding if you weren't willing to accept some risk -- you won't keep riding unless you learn how to manage risk."
I like your outfit.
ReplyDeleteThose hipsters and their fixies...
ReplyDeleteYou really need a top hat and gigantic mustache for this.
ReplyDeleteUmmm, no. I need "Rationals," in tweed, and a picture hat.
ReplyDelete"Top hat and moustache," indeed. Philistine!
Many, many years ago I rode one at Henry Fords Museum, on a day when they had a handful of "Replica" bikes and were offering rides.
ReplyDeleteI got about a hundred feet before falling, and I fell in grass, and I was most pleased to have not harmed the bike at all. I'm pretty sure it was a 48" bike, but don't quote me.
It wasn't until I got up on it that realized that it is, in effect, an only slightly more stable unicycle.
I met a lady at this years IMTS who let me drive her Coker 36" bike around in a circle a couple times. It is a very cool bike. Apparently Coker started making them to show off it's custom made tires.
You are too kewl and remarkable for anything to be unflattering, Roberta!
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of headlamp? Does it give you enough light for riding?
ReplyDeleteImprovised from a "Larry Light" like this, which is screamin' bright, more than adequate for riding. (At $10 and about the size of a dry-erase marker, it is worth having one of these handy -- Amazon sells them, please get there via Tam's link.)
ReplyDeleteI have a LED Lenser headlamp that is even better -- but it's not a good fit on my helmet.
Og: some notes: it's much harder to ride these bikes in grass than on pavement. The big old ones have nearly zero rake, which makes them much trickier to ride and balance -- and the very narrow, hard tires don't improve matters.
ReplyDeleteI expect you're right. I was riding on hard packed tarmacadam, which was no treat either- I just AIMED for the grass, hoping it would be softer.
ReplyDeleteIt was still hard when I hit it. I remember laying on the ground staring at the tag on the front of the bike, it said "M-Z engineering" It was a modern bike, or relatively modern.
Thankfully, by this time in my life, I was already well used to looking and feeling like a dumbass, so the only thing injured was my pelvis and forehead and shoulder and I think I had some bruises on my ribcage. The Oglet came along some time after that so I must not have injured anything important.
Tankfully, if I'm going to do something stupid and possibly dangerous these days I try to limit it to killing things that can kill me back, or working on electrical devices with morons. I'm sure you have experienced the latter. Things which involve coordinated motor skills are probably better left behind me.
So far, it's been mostly like...riding a bike. It feels a lot more normal than it looks.
ReplyDelete