Bicycle Maintenance for LadyBikes

I'm doing the Let's Go Ride a Bike Summer Games. My bike, Kate Middleton the Linus Dutchie Duchess, is only 2 months old, but she needs a bath to maintain her fresh looks.

The scene- a beer, a bucket, a bike. 

I scored that hot pink bucket from the garbage. Treasure trash! 


Filthy regions down below-

We got caught in crazy rain Friday night in Brooklyn. 



I used a rag and a gentle brush on her nooks & crannys. 


And afterward there was filthy bath water. I was singing No Doubt's Bath Water. 



I'm a proud Mama. 

I also performed what might be considered a more bike-maintenance-y thing- I raised my seat. All by myself! My knees started aching when I was pedaling - I had a huge biking weekend, and I realized raising the seat might help and worked tremendously! 

Oh, Shoot - I had to buy pink pedals

Last week something a little shocking happened.

My pedal fell apart on busy 6th Avenue on my way home. Parts were lost.

I went to the bicycle shop that I'm totally going steady with- City Bicycles. They had two pink pedal options for me and I went with this jelly-sandal pink. Or Crystal Light Pink Lemonade Pink. They're from the Odyssey.

I absolutely love them. The size is bigger than the ones that came on the bike, they're beautiful, they're pink.

That's a close-up from my inaugural ride of 2 blocks with them from the shop back to work.

I did reach out to Linus since this bike is so new. They got back to me, but not before I went ahead and replaced the pedals. It was too dangerous and uncomfortable riding with just half a pedal.

30 Days of Biking - Day 2

OK- This is about my hair. I rode my bicycle to the salon.
Here is my new hair. I got a partial haircut and partial highlights. I love it!

It's very asymmetric and having crooked hair soothes my Piscean soul.

Got my hair done, then headed to Larry & Jeff's Bicycle Shop. A super special guy named Evan, I think, helped me. I was getting bent out of shape about pedal offerings and he understood my aversion to GRAY PLASTIC and broke out the catalog for me. He ordered me some pretty classic-looking pedals and a silver front basket. I saw someone else with the same bicycle with a certain silver basket and knew I had to get ride of this black one.

Back to my PEDAL DILEMMA - Back in Dec. my pedal fell apart while I was riding home. Larry & Jeff's put some rugged, BMX-looking pedals on and said that's how I needed to be rolling through the winter. Yeah, yeah, now it's spring and I want CUTE! And those BMX'ers are hurting my lady shoes.  Evan was so freaking smart he proposed wrapping an old inner-tube around the pedals so I would stop gashing-up my boots.

I LOVE IT!

It's an intertube wrapped tightly around and secured with electrical tape. YES! I rode home with this. YES! It means I can rock cowgirl boots this week and they will not get scuffed. YES! I'm so happy Evan did this for me.

Evan also told me he spent all of last year hopping freight trains all over the country with his 3 best friends and yes, it was the best time of his life. This came up, because he asked where I was from - Arkansas, and he was like "Oh, I was just there" and I was like "What the heck for?!" And then he explained his adventure.

After the salon and the bike shop I was HUNGRY so I went over to Eli's and got a few things.

Eli's is the Zabar's of the Upper East Side.

I got a coffee. I'm missing Meligrosa so hard right now.


I got to eat my vegetarian-stuffed cabbage rolls out on the terrace it's so nice today. Still a little cool, but things are getting better & bettter. 

Pedals Replaced With Bonnie-Dog's Help

Last night I had a brush with Danger when my pedal broke off between Madison & 3rd Aves.
Sorry for the litter! I didn't realize what was truly happening until the traffic was really flowin'

When I got home, Bonnie dog assessed the damage.


Then today I rode the bus & subway to work because it was snowing.
Biggest flakes I've ever seen! We closed down the office at 2. Yay!


I got home nice and early. I needed to walk Bonnie, so we multi-tasked and she towed the bicycle to Larry & Jeff's. She literally pulls really bad on her leash. This was kind of hilarious and awesome. (I was walking/steering but she really helped pull it!)




I asked if they could "order me some cute pedals" but they didn't seem too much into that idea. I was advised that I need something more grippy or something, and less-cute until after the winter.

When the guy helping me was asking about what kinds of shoes I'm riding in and I proceeded to explain "Boots with mid to high heels" I could see the "OMG" in his eyes.

Bonnie was welcomed inside the shop. She looks handsome in her horse-style coat and gold Martha Stewart for PetSmart leash & collar.


We waited for the new pedals to be put on and I fielded questions about Bonnie's and my history together. I also had them replace the totally missing for weeks screw on my chain guard. Clank, clank, clank!

There isn't a photo of the new pedals yet... but they look like little kid rugged-style pedals. That makes me happy. They're small and fine, but they're groovy enough that I will have to be careful that they don't rip my tights or pantyhose.

If the skies are dry I plan to take a joy-ride down to Chelsea to check a little Rauschenberg Exhibit before it closes.