Month: September 2013

Categories
Brompton-Spotting

In The (best kind of) Pink

Brompton Sleuth Saul spied this Brompton cyclist at the entrance of Schuylkill Banks Park:

Pretty in pink?  Oh, yeah — but look at those pinks!  Personally, I love the way bright, dark pink has become a color of strength, and is no longer strictly the province of vapid princesses. (I’ve seen this shade lately,  more than once, worn by athletic types of the assertively male persuasion, hurrah!)

Forget the princess racket:  How fantastic to be out on a gorgeous hot-pink-and-black Brompton on a beautiful day — and color-coordinated (cyclist and cycle)  in the best sportif style, right down to riding shorts!

Categories
Gear

An Indoor Cycling Solution

Barred from cycling outdoors for six months, I was faced with the problem of what to do about exercising.  A gym is not the answer; I won’t go, and stationary spinning in a room filled with television screens is not my idea of  . . . well, anything good.

What I needed was something small, sturdy, and serious enough to keep my legs from losing every bit of the muscle Basil’s helped to build over the eight months I’ve loved riding him.  This is what I found:  A FitDesk.  I read every review I could, everywhere I could, determined that this baby would work for someone my size, and took the plunge.

The theoretical idea is that you can compute and slip in some physical activity at the same time.  That’s an interesting concept, and it may even work for some people, but it was difficult to see how it would work for me.  However, I was able to imagine using this desk in combination with my tablet to alleviate the boredom of cycling indoors.

The real appeal, though, is the Fit Desk’s small footprint, its portability,  and the positive reviews. (Combined with a certain amount of desperation on this front, of course!)

It has arrived, and we’ll see how it works.  Coming up in a future post:  The assembly process and first use.

Categories
Brompton-Spotting

A Brompton on a Philly Brick Road

While Basil and I are grounded, commenter and fellow cyclist Saul has become an excellent Brompton sleuth — his quick eye spotted this cyclist at Head House Square:

She looks like a serious cyclist, and serious about errands:  I think that’s the voluminous T bag on that beautiful yellow M Brompton.  Love those greens and yellows (including the crates in the background).  (Hi vis — it’s not just for safety any more!)

Photos like these just make me beam, too!

Categories
Bike-Spotting

Wicker Bike Trailer

It’s too bad that this isn’t a better screenshot, but that beautiful little wicker cart is attached to the seat stem of a bicycle. (You can just see the white fender and the red rear reflector on the bike between the pant leg on the adult and the cart.)

The cart has a toy bear in it, but it’s actually for hauling a child (or children) — and, it seems,  a tea party,  in the little suitcase behind the seat. (The lavender-clad child on the left had previously ridden in it, but I couldn’t get a good image of the two together.)

I spied this during my convalescence after the small surgery on my leg, when I was spending many dull hours with my leg immobilized on a bolster.  This shot is from the BBC series Monarch of the Glen, season five, episode six. The series is notable for fantastic views of Scotland’s highlands, and for truly juvenile and inexplicable human romantic interactions.

It’s the scenery that got me.  Also the great bikes used in the village for everyday transportation.

Note:  A month ago, when I published my previous post, I thought I’d be back here at Basil’s blog, posting less frequently, but posting regularly, nonetheless.  Another medical setback interfered with that scheme, but now we think that’s done, and posts should be more regular, even if they won’t occur on a daily basis. Here’s to more blog, less BBC!