The Frame
After looking around online and talking to some people at Trek (midtown) and Sarah from Greenstreet, Sarah agreed to let me come look at a old Trek frame that she had sitting in her garage. When I finally met up with her I saw that the frame was an old Trek 970, lugged steel, and black (with bright pink accents - woohoo!). It was in pretty good shape, a few rust spots, but it seemed like it fit my winter commuter criteria pretty well, and I really liked the lugs on it, so I agreed to buy it from her along with the fork and bottom bracket for a cool $100.
Now, how to get it home?
In being carless the last few weeks, I have realized that, ironically, I need a car to be able to move bikes or parts of bikes around. For example, When I got hit a few weeks ago (I'll put the story up some other time, I promise) and needed a new front fork and wheel, I had to strap them onto my back and ride to the Trek store by my place to get the parts that I needed. Similarly, I now needed a way to transport a bike frame (and fork).
Sarah suggested that I could strap it to a big framed backpack, and since I had a 70L (large) backpacking backpack sitting around, I figured that I could give it a try. It would be better than carrying the bike the mile or so home at least.
As it turns out, this is a very good way to transport a frame. Put the sleeping bag straps around the fork, the compression straps around the top tube, the lid of the pack around the bottom tube, and wrapped a towel around the back bracket to keep it from hitting my head, it traveled home with me like a charm.
Granted, it looked completely ridiculous, but I really didn't care too much about that. I'll post some pics of it and the experience tomorrow.
Last winter I wanted a snow shovel to scoop the sidewalks and dig out my truck after the blizzards. I biked to a hardware store north of downtown and bought one.
ReplyDeleteI put the handle of the shovel inside the flap straps of my Chrome bag, with the head of the shovel right behind my head.
I can tell you that I got some funny looks biking home in the snow carrying a shovel on my back, ninja style.
I expect you to work up to a cargo bike soon, Ben. If so, then maybe you can give me a ride to work.
Keep posting your progress. I'm curious to see how it all works out.
I've got my own winter build going on here, by the way.