Visible bike!

[beautifulduckweed]

I got a bicycle. HOLY FUCKING CRAP, as the kids say. It's a sweet little vintage Schwinn girl's cruiser. Bright, bright lemon yellow, and single speed. The biggest pain in the ass part of transporting this bike, but also what makes it look so goddamn sexy? Its massive handlebars. It's the motherfuckin' Texas Longhorn of bicycles, bitches. It is impossible to fit in my car unless I take the handlebar assembly off.

Jeff helped me work on it today--took the wheels off, replaced one of the inner tubes, replaced the chain, etc. It's old and kinda rusty and needlessly difficult in a lot of ways (holy Jebus, getting the wheels off alone is a project and a half), but I only need to get it in decent enough working condition for Burning Man. The more comprehensive overhaul can wait when I get back. These vintage cruisers can sometimes go for over $400 new. Craziness! I want to get mine in mint shape and pimp it out, though I don't know how realistic my ambition is going to be, given my current commitments.

Oh, and I named it Evan, after Evan Dando, because a) he's the singer of The Lemonheads, and b) he's notorious for being crazy and difficult to work with.

Pictures soon.

Tangential and needlessly vague personal life update: It's been an exhausting and crazy weekend, both physically and (a little bit) emotionally. Don't worry, nothing bad is happening to me at the moment--in fact, quite the opposite in many ways--but it distresses me when friends are distressed, and I have some friends who aren't doing so great right now.

Comments

[pristis.livejournal.com]

Bright lemon yellow, neon green, and hot pink are the proper colors for modes of transportation, IMHO. I approve of the handlebars as well. It would be interesting to hear the details of your bicycle-pimping endeavors. What defines a "girl's cruiser", by the way?

I've often thought it might be fun to have a reclining bicycle with a continuously variable transmission, but there's absolutely no practical reason for me to own a bicycle that weird. (Once I get started thinking about such things, I quickly move on to totally infeasible designs... I imagine bicycles with transparent spring-loaded sails, for windy days... or a Cylon Bicycle, with a menacing red moving-dot-thingy on the handlebars... or maybe a bicycle which could store power while being used as an exercise device, and release it when you wanted to go somewhere (would a spring work? compressed air?)...)

[misshepeshu.livejournal.com]

Your comment illustrates all the reasons why I like you, and underscores how much I miss hanging out with you.

A cruiser bicycle is distinct because it tends to have a) bigger ballon-style tires, b) fatter seats and c) arched frames. Girls' models have the sloping cross-bar thingabob like standard girls' bikes. You can see the new Schwinn line here, though I don't see any with my crazy-ass handlebars.

[katealaurel.livejournal.com]

Am I misunderstanding, or are you planning on using a single-speed bicycle to get to and from your house and L&C?

'cause that'd be wacky. In a painful kind of way.

[misshepeshu.livejournal.com]

Oh nononono. Not even remotely. Yikes. I'm using this as a playa bike, and also a short errands bike--e.g., if I need to go to the library or Trader Joe's.

For L&C, I'd need something a lot tougher and a lot easier to work on. And, y'know, gears. I'd also need to find a way to work around the giant hill on Taylor's Ferry road. I'll look for something when I get back.

But seriously, Kate, it's such a fun, sexy bike. You need to come look at it before I leave for Burning Man.

[katealaurel.livejournal.com]

Oh! I didn't think you were that insane, but it seemed worth making sure.. Granted, getting from Trader Joe's back to your house will also involve a hill, but not nearly as excessive a one.

Also: maybe I have a guttermind, but there's something vaguely sketchy in you asking me to "come look at" your "fun, sexy bike".

[misshepeshu.livejournal.com]

Well, since I didn't have any etchings, and you've already petted my pussies, what do I have left but my OMGHOT cruiser bike?

[katealaurel.livejournal.com]

Well, after all-- it's a "cruiser", it's hot, and it sits between your legs...

(I would totally not have said that a year ago.)

[misshepeshu.livejournal.com]

BWAH!

Been spending time with Garth, much?

[katealaurel.livejournal.com]

I can neither confirm nor deny that accusation.

Don't you have some "law school" thing to go to?

[linettasky.livejournal.com]

I'll poke you about this later, but I'm all for the ride-bike-to-Sellwood-take-shuttle version of biking to L&C. Totally avoids the hill, and you can take your bike on the shuttle.

[theotherjay.livejournal.com]

... As long as there's no more than one or two other people who are also taking their bikes on the shuttle. (I would argue that biking to Lewis & Clark from southeast is impossible for all but the most hardcore. The hills surrounding the place are pretty intense. I did know one or two people who did it, but they were kind of crazy.) But you can probably also lock the bike up at New Seasons or something.

Note also that you may have to carry a lot of law books on this commute.

Remember my constant bitching about how there's no good way to get to Lewis & Clark? Well, you're about to be able to judge for yourself...