My own tag earworms me. AND ALL AROUND ME.

[nonethefewer]

Omg bikes.

So, I have a bike.  It's a good bike.  I just don't use it.  Part of this is my lower back already hates me (I get spasms sometimes, where my back is like "I like this position, so I am going to stay put!", while I'm trying to move), and this is that bend over and grip sort of bike (har), so I want to trade it in for something that is both more relaxing and not a recumbant.  Part is also the worry that I'll bike wrong, but that's for another day.  Today, I am conceptually bike-shopping.

Understand that I'm going for what appears to suit my needs, and that I do not speak "bike".  Having disclaimed, I found the Pashley Princess Sovereign bike, the closest to ideal that I can find right now.  The handlebars are higher than the seat, there's a basket and space for stuff on the back, and it is straight-up pretty.  It has a feel that I like, of tra-la biking around town.  That's all I really want.  While I will of course get the various safety things (reflectors, lights all 'round, a booklet on the local rules, &c)... tra-la.  *ching ching*

Bobbin Bicycles - vintage-style bikes: This, also.

Alls I have to do is find a place or person that will trade me my street-bike for a town-bike.  *blink*

And now, the wtfery.

* Office chair bike!

* Bike + lawnmower!

* Bamboo bike!

* Tree eats bike!

* Treadmill bike!

* Everything on this page is awesome.

* In conclusion, be the bike.

Comments

Re: It's not like I sell them or anything...

[palmir.livejournal.com]

Amsterdam has it, as do several of the Townie models and both the ones X linked to. The Lime also uses it, but has no manual shifter. I'm a huge fan of internal gearing systems for people who don't speak bike, or for those who do but don't want to do minor adjustments for themselves (because hub-gear systems don't really need adjustments after they've been set). In the last couple years, a lot of companies have started using them on their bikes, which is nice for the selection.

Re: It's not like I sell them or anything...

[tisiphone.livejournal.com]

I've spent forever trying to find a bike at this point; the Amsterdam was my previous first choice because of the internal gearing (I ride in a skirt a lot of the time, so the less to get stuck in, the better), but I really love the Princess Sovereign's aesthetics.

Hubgear systems

[palmir.livejournal.com]

I just looked into the Princess bikes due to not being familiar with Pashley (umm. At all). Looks well built, though I would personally stay away from things that use the Sturmey-Archer gearing. It just doesn't work as smoothly as Shimano's does. The skirtguard on the Sovereign and the Amsterdams would also help with the skirt issue; fabric flapping into the rear wheel is a bigger issue than going into the chain, even if you're wearing ankle-length skirts.