Alternative Transportation

[chad]

much as I lub me motorcycle, I agree - the bycicle may have been the greatest (slo evolution actually) invention ever. The horse
dissapeared more due to manure problems in cities than the refinment of dynosuar petrol & ICE. But the bike spurned the ice/horseless carriage evolution and supported many countries in their move from 3rd world up to 2nd & several to 1st world.
Ive gained weight since ending middle age so created walking programs. I think I’d get more w/a bike (show up more often). A bike is great.

I’m surprised U can fit street/commuting tires/rims on the bike. W/7 speed rear is there another mechanism on there for more speeds? From the mods (immediate too) it sounds you’ve been riding a good while. I did commercial biking in Boston year round 54 yr ago and lill since. I try to get to the local rail trail, soon to be 30 mi long w/designs for acc the whole state (a woping 250 mi in this state) buta foot/bike/etc trail that long is kouwell! @ 3rd richest I guess only RI is smaller? Well there’s HI...

 

[63 Sprint]

much as I lub me motorcycle, I agree - the bycicle may have been the greatest (slo evolution actually) invention ever. The horse
dissapeared more due to manure problems in cities than the refinment of dynosuar petrol & ICE. But the bike spurned the ice/horseless carriage evolution and supported many countries in their move from 3rd world up to 2nd & several to 1st world.

At one time, I think the bicycle was the #1 form of transportation in the world.

Ive gained weight since ending middle age so created walking programs. I think I’d get more w/a bike (show up more often). A bike is great.

My main source of exercise is walking, unfortunately, I reached a point that I need some other form of exercise.

I’m surprised U can fit street/commuting tires/rims on the bike. W/7 speed rear is there another mechanism on there for more speeds?

This bike was made by Gary Fisher bike company. It came set up with the 7 speed internal sub. I researched the bike model and as far as I can tell, it was only made for one year (1997) with the 7 speed internal hub. I can’t find any other years with the same setup.

From the mods (immediate too) it sounds you’ve been riding a good while.

Got into riding heavily in the 1970’s. Rode pretty consistently until 7 years ago. Never competed. I just enjoyed getting out by myself or with others. Never had a true mountain bike. I felt they were not designed for commuting or touring. Never been in suspension. But I’m considering a seat post shock.

I did commercial biking in Boston year round 54 yr ago and lill since. I try to get to the local rail trail, soon to be 30 mi long w/designs for acc the whole state (a woping 250 mi in this state) buta foot/bike/etc trail that long is kouwell! @ 3rd richest I guess only RI is smaller? Well there’s HI...

Road to many places in western Mass and Vermont.

At that time I had a Crescent 10 speed road bike. It was very well made. Gave it to my younger brother. It’s hanging in our brothers garage. I mentioned to him that he should get the thing going. It definitely is not a commuter or touring bike. Geared to high for him. Components are mostly Campy. They were temperamental to keep adjusted. At the time it was a great bike. They are worth a good amount of money if they at in mint condition. Unfortunately, that bike has thousands of miles. Rims been replaced numerous times. New England pot holes. Last I looked at it about @ year and a half ago. It needs a new rear cluster set. The front sprockets were replaced once and they looked ok.

 

[chad]

Got into riding heavily in the 1970’s. Rode pretty consistently until 7 years ago. Never competed. I just enjoyed getting out by myself or with others. Never had a true mountain bike. I felt they were not designed for commuting or touring. Never been in suspension. But I’m considering a seat post shock...
Rims been replaced numerous times. New England pot holes. Last I looked at it about @ year and a half ago. It needs a new rear cluster set. The front sprockets were replaced once and they looked ok....

this one had solid tire, carried 2, 3 hundred lbs (no, not the trash/recycle bike’n trailer). This was a 3 wheeler. Hadda big bx between the frnt 2 wheels. I sold the (Philly-style) big soft pretzel fall/winter, removed bx’n set on insulated ice-cream chest for froze Danny-On-A-Stick. Buff from ski patrol/racing, lacrosse & hockey I pumped that bike all over (esp when cops chased me~

 

[Bronctopia]

The horse
dissapeared more due to manure problems in cities than the refinment of dynosuar petrol & IC

The horse did not just disappear in cities.
Farms everywhere dropped it and the mules when semi-reliable ICE tractors appeared.
Ditto logging.
I think they would have been kept around as backup much longer but for that basal metabolism problem of having no OFF switch.
Imagine a tractor you had to leave high-idleing ALL winter long. Haul fuel to it every cold morning and even shovel and cart out smelly soot by the bushel from the garage floor!

 

[PSIG]

I often regret letting my bikes go, then I think about cell phones and the other day . . Driving a 2-lane, a car stopped up ahead with turn signal to make a left and was waiting for oncoming traffic. OK.

The traffic passed, and she was still sitting there, on her phone. A truck politely tapped his horn, and she looked in her rear-view . . . and held her index finger up like "wait a minute". LOL! A dozen cars just laid on their horns, and she finally moved, all flustered, and mouthing something that we can imagine. While that was funny as hell, it reminded me of my close-calls and why I just couldn't enjoy the bikes as much any more. Oh, well. I had some great times, and new but different adventures ahead, with more calculated and less random risks.

 

[63 Sprint]

If there is a crisis in this country, and fuel is very limited or none available people would have to walk or find a different form of transportation.

I have a truck the is now getting decent mileage. A motorcycle that gets about 80 mpg. And now the bike.

The bike is helping me get back in shape. I do not ride on the roads. We have plenty of paved trails. My daughter is the one that got me started once again. I already feel the strength in my legs increasing. So far it’s all positive. No saddle soreness. The Brooks B17 seat was broken in years ago.

 

[63 Sprint]

Here is the bike with a rear rack and bag installed. This pretty much completes the upgrades.

The bag has a special mount that slides into a rail that’s built on the rack and locks in place.

 

[chad]

“...We have plenty of paved trails..."
where’s this?

 

[63 Sprint]

The Piedmont region in North Carolina.

 

[chad]

so has guvment or tax payer support (some say”tricity" or Raleigh-Durham? something like this or golden triangle, um, er, ...) to pave ol RR rights of way for bikes’n joggers? https://www.masscentralrailtrail.org/

 

[63 Sprint]

A good amount of communities and lakes have trails done by the developers. The counties invest in river trail projects. Most city parks have trails. Lots more trails coming. Most trails are paved so seniors are able to get around.

The big push here is to have 15 minute cities and communities. The goal is making everything within 15 minutes walking distance.

 

[chad]

Thanks.
“piedmont” is really large. Where are the '15 minute communities’?

 

[63 Sprint]

The Triangle area, (RTP) Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill. Raleigh and Durham are moving forward.

Towns such as Cary, Apex, are also moving forward.

 

[63 Sprint]

What’s happening here is the area is working on reducing the amount of traffic. The area is working on bike lanes (some with barriers). Many people will be able to get around easier and safer with a bike than before.

Mopeds motorcycles and electric scooters are also becoming more common.

 

[Johnsonfon]

Any Kawasaki Mule owners here? I've started preparing for the season a bit, ordered some kawasaki mule accessories and installed a gun rack.
But after riding a couple of times after the winter, I started to notice that the rear suspension is acting up, it looks like the shock absorber needs to be replaced. Where to start?

 

[DON]

If shock is bad , usually from leaking fluid out and makes a mess. Then the shock acts more like a pogo stick- no dampening. The other thing that goes is bushings or maybe mounts get busted. I don’t know if mule shocks can be rebuilt or not. I am just starting to help my son rebuild the rear shock on his fabed crf 250 with a cr500 engine. Rebuild kit is pretty cheap and not complicated. I just have to take it to a dealer when done to get the gas recharged.
Google it

 

[philford]

lots of electric bikes and scooters here, you have to watch out because they can get mid way through a crosswalk a lot faster than a pedestrian used to. Some of the kids really rip on those one wheeled things which are actually not legal on the road. lots of these things you can take on public transport, busses etc , thats making them a lot more practical.

 

[chad]

“... Kawasaki Mule..."
“Not I.” it sounds like what the guys
here call a SideB’Side (4 wheel). Mine
is 2W, a 1978 2cly 750 (called “KZ”).

I agree w/the above. I use uTube anytime a
Porsche, audi, beemer, etc comes in for sompin
I cant figure out / havent seen B4. I think it wuz
an audy w/thermostad replace that I hada tear
apart the frnt of the engine’n insert a huge plastic
gizmo that hada thermostat burred down in the
middle of it somewhere (5, 6 hoses’ junction, etc.
No VW, that’s right (was it a jetta GLI?). Took a
careful search as some hada reverse model, only 3
hoses comin in, etc, etc. I think it might not even hada
same model, may B only passats & tirguans? or sompin?
been a few mo ago~

 

[philford]

If shock is bad , usually from leaking fluid out and makes a mess. Then the shock acts more like a pogo stick- no dampening. The other thing that goes is bushings or maybe mounts get busted. I don’t know if mule shocks can be rebuilt or not. I am just starting to help my son rebuild the rear shock on his fabed crf 250 with a cr500 engine. Rebuild kit is pretty cheap and not complicated. I just have to take it to a dealer when done to get the gas recharged.
Google it

 

[philford]

i was wondering about gas struts like of the type to hold your hood up. they leak and are filled with nitrogen, but the pressure is pretty high, lke 400 PSI or so.


I went to thinking can I recharge them? put in a tire valve? I figured if you conect two together you can push on one and the air pressure to equate to it will be proportional to the pressure. so I figured if I coupled two together one could act as the pump.. some have gome and soldeed in a tire valve but I think its a bit dangerous. The problem is sealing them up, they can explode, the end came off one with someone I know when she was driving and it really scared her. 400 PSI letting go all at once would make quite a sound.

I did find videos where they recharge that type , without taking them apart, they have a jig that clamps on and then the pressure is put in basically forced past the seals. Its generally cheaper to just replace the gas lift cylinders.. you can specify the pressure, within limits.

my porsch 944 and others like it have a problem , because the struts that hold the hatch open continuously apply pressure.. The constant pressure can separate the big glass fish bowl back window from it's frame. I considered 12 Volt linear actuators, they would be slick. no pressure applied when its closed and they could be electrcally actuated. I have a design in my head for a much more simple over center lock device.