The New Bike Shoes

First:  A statement on my state of blogging:  I just never feel the same motivations for blogging as I used to. I also feel pretty private lately.
I used to sit at a desk for most of the day at a full-time job, and I think that gave me anxious fuel to write blog posts. Maybe I'll do better. But don't count on it. 

Here's the bike trainer my husband got us. We love it!
It's so nice to ride in your home and watch TV and pull a small table up near you with your phone and a tall glass of water. And the TV remote.

I love all the bike stuff we have going on in our apartment. People coming over to visit think they can spot our apartment from seeing the bikes in the window. It's funny, but my bike runs much quieter than Matt's on the trainer.

Spring is here in Arkansas! So outdoor biking should commence.

I even got clip-in shoes for my bike and started using them. It's a new, powerful world.

I wish I had some better jokes about how expensive these were and how I can't wear them anywhere fancy... With the exception of some of my knee-high boots, I think they are the most expensive shoes I own. They're the kind with clips and you can walk around on the ground like a normal person.

I am still totally in blind trust with my bike salesman from Chainwheel. That's the shop that nobody thought would be the shop for me. I can't believe how in-deep I am with a shop like this, and I can't believe how much crap/gear/stuff you need for road biking. Jumbo handbags and grocery totes aren't a part of this picture.

I think the road bike community and the commuters are two different communities, but I think one can participate in both, and I think doing this is going to give me better perspectives for both. 
Polite biking will carry on, and I will prove that you can do it in spandex. 

I can not get used to the ginormous maxi pads in bike shorts but you need them! They are so disgusting but necessary. Even riding the trainer in my apartment I have to wear them because my road bike's seat is like a woodpecker's beak. 

Party Girls: Ciel Bike Shop Grand Opening Party

New York City is so much fun that even my dog, Bonnie, has had plans the last two Friday nights.
Last week she went across town to a house-party hang-out and this week she was my date to the Ciel Bike Shop grand opening party.

Photos from Bitch Cakes NY

Bitch Cakes/Sheryl was the model on the party flier. That's Sheryl, Amanda, Bonnie and Me.

Ciel Bike Shop is a very sleek and clean bicycle shop on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. They are located on 65th street very close to 1st Ave. I told the owner of the shop and the guys of Biria bicycles that the location of this shop is fantastic since the bicycle lane running up 1st Avenue comes so near this shop. It's also not far from the East Side River Path. The Biria founders were there celebrating their 10 year anniversary of business.


I'm still kinda thinking about that cute yellow Biria. Birdie the Biria would be a great name for such a darling yellow bicycle.

The NYC Bike Share that's coming this summer is going to help people who are interested in biking NYC to realize or rule-out whether it's for them. Many people who find that biking is for them will want to invest in their own bicycles. Ciel has some pretty sexy bicycles in stock. 
This shop is smart to have so many great accessories stocked for those who want their own bikes, but also for those who just want to make their bike share experience more comfortable & customized. (With accessories they can wear or remove from the bike share bikes easily, like sleek helmets, bags, etc.)

Ciel has a great selection of my most-favorite bike helmets: Bern brand. I love a little visor.


They also have a Fyxation accessories wall! The hot pink was stocked. Kudos for that.



1. Bonnie & Friend, 2. ECO White Bike, 3. Sexy B&W Fyxation bike, 4. East Side Collage Bike

There are more photos of the party on the Urban Cyclist Worldwide website.

Nirve Mixte Review Diary

I took the Nirve Wilshire Mixte on probably the biggest single ride we will go on before my review is due to Momentum. I've been doing my daily work commute, which is about 8mi. round-trip.

Today was 29º and very windy and I took it around the big loop in Central Park - about 6miles, plus getting over there and coming back. 


Doing the big loop was a lot more work than I expected on this bike. I'm just not sure about the gears on this bike. I feel like 1 and 2 are really high gears and 3 is quite low.



I don't want to be all, like, "On my single-speed, blah, blah, blah-" So I won't.

I made a video immediately, to collect my thoughts and because I was exhausted for some reason, but there was a lot of wind so watch it if you like, but I'll re-cap below.


Riding this over to Central Park and doing The Big Loop felt like a lot of work.
This bike has 3 gears. 1 and 2 feel higher than I would like, and 3rd gear seems really low.

It is fun to put the bike down in the 3rd gear on flat, straights and get crazy speed.

However, I am not a fan of speed because I envision however fast I'm going correlates to how fast my delicate, precious skin could be skidding on asphalt, so I do prefer to keep it slow.

I have a geometry issue with this bike. I'm going to have to make a diagram to explain it.
I've struggled to get the seat-height right and I need to show you a diagram to justify my conclusion.

I think these fancy tubes are why it handles bumps so gracefully. This also shows you the glittering green paint.


A portrait.


I got a bell added. I feel less-lawless and this is the most polite-sounding bell ever. I need to find out exactly what it is. It's not as blaring as you sometimes need among the noise in the city, but it's a really pleasant sound. If you're shy about being rude ringing your bell, this is your bell.


I put my basil brand wire basket-pannier on the rear rack and secured it with a bungee.


That's it for today. Please let me know if you have any questions because I've never reviewed a bicycle before. My first draft is due in about a week and I should have a few more commuter-rides on it 'til then.

Gosh it's cold

These cold days suuuuck, but what can we do? Layer-up and cover-up.

I've not been wearing scarves much it seems. I just get too darn hot. That little bit of icy air on my neck helps a little when I get the back-sweats.

I got a more season-appropriate carabiner to keep my keys clipped to my basket.
When they're not clipped to my basket- the carabiner holds my lights and keys together for quick and easy access. 

I got this at a hole in the wall key-cutting spot. 

Lazy or Brave?

Was I lazy or brave when I rode the bike in the rain today in December?


- Was I too lazy to go get a Metro Card and ride the bus and absolutely be late for work?
- Or am I just tough and brave? And it's not really cold yet.

Either way- I was well-prepared with my clear sunglasses, helmet with visor and proper raincoat.
My thighs/knees were kind-of wet but not a misery. Things would have been more pleasant had I a handkerchief for hand-drying but I was in good spirits all day so I think I fared well. 

This was definitely a brave choice:


On my way home it was dark- as always and I did a little stop & shop. I chose not to use Central Park to get home. Instead I used Madison Ave. where there was serious grid-lock and traffic clusterfuck. That was excellent for me and my bike shimmy through with ease.

I felt safer because even though the street was jam-packed with cars... Those cars couldn't move for the most part. Or they could only move slowly.

Not that I don't feel safe in the park- I just did an errand and was happy to spice up my commute. 

Bike Style Tips for Cooler Temps

Just in case you didn't know me last winter - We are going to ride this bitch all 12 months.
We may not ride when the snow is falling, but we will ride when the temps get crazy low.

Last winter I could not believe myself when I discovered my threshold for cold. I basically don't have one. I have faux furs, scarves, gloves, clear glasses, etc.
I do draw the line for cold + wind or cold + condensation falling.

But as long as it's DRY I can ride because I'm prepared.

Let me give details because my winter bike accessories are pretty affordable.
Clear glasses from Vans and many others from Claire's Boutique. -Yes, the Claire's for 12 year old girls. And me.
My driving gloves are also from Claire's.

Friday we stayed out late

I saw this Friday morning. American Apparel corduroy shorts are good for pre-fall bike riding.
But I was hot in this outfit at work - maybe it's not cool enough for such boots yet.

I installed my Grande Ding Dong bell Friday morning and had a lot of fun embarrassing Matt by ringing it all the way home around 1am.

It's really fun, huge and loud and cheap! So I recommend it. 

A Sentimental Saturday

The hottest NYC Saturday- July 24th, I threw on a sack-dress and went to check out the Museum of Art & Design. I had no idea the afternoon would turn out like it did. 

They had a really fantastic sweater on display. It has all of Amy Winehouse's tattoos stitched on in the anatomically correct locations. I had no idea that as soon as I left this museum, I would find out she had passed away. I had helped her a few times when I worked at Patricia Field. I spoke to her on the phone and helped her make choices and sent her a few packages of merchandise. Cute employees made notes and took photos of themselves to send to her. 

So that was really eery and sad. 

I really enjoyed the Museum of Art and Design and was a little let-down that there was no bicycle rack. Not one at all on the tiny block where the museum resides. There are also no racks at the very fancy Time Warner Center. I had to park Kate Middleton in a dangerous location. 

So as a part of Let's Go Ride a Bike summer games, I wrote a letter to MAD, because I'm so smitten with them as a museum, and I'm taking Matt there soon. I told them I loved them but I hope a fierce bicycle rack design and installation is in their future. I didn't want to just use the NYC.gov Bike Rack request form. But I have done the request form recently for: The 92nd Street Y, East Harlem Shopping Center, and Time Warner Center.

Back to how I mourned the loss of Amy Jade Mermaid- I went to a back yard BBQ (a lovely little Upper West Side courtyard) with good friends who were also very sad. We listened to her music, shook our heads and drank the pain away. 

And I carried a watermelon in my saddle bags to take to the cookout. -Or Kate Middleton carried a watermelon in her saddle bags-

I balanced the weight with my kebabs and bottles of beer on the opposite side. I rode about 15 blocks - carefully. 

It's So Saturday

Good Morning Kate Middleton the bicycle on the LES - Lower East Side.


I was up super early for a volunteer shift.

I'm drying last night's wet bandana on my basket. See clothespins. So useful!

I'm beginning to realize that I'm in a deep love with my basil saddle bags.  They are helping me out so much! I really count on them and I am totally in love/committed to them. If they get stolen, I will shed a tear and re-purchase them immediately. I cannot go on without them at this point. It's like having a car trunk. You can just throw crap in there! 

My shoes match them! This was my Friday work outfit. 

Here are some awesome things making this Saturday in NYC be off.the.chain:

Time's Up Moonlight Ride Saturday night at 10pm Every last Saturday of the month.
Don't know if I'll make it tonight, but I can't wait. 

Double Dutch Divas at Lincoln Out of Doors Saturday Afternoon.

Pop-Up Chapel All Day Saturday OMG so cute! I'm so happy for all the newlyweds! 

Rear Rack and Basil Rosa Double Bag

My rear rack finally arrived so I got to finally attach my Basil Rosa Bags and take care of some business. 


I put them/it on and ran some errands. I installed them too close to the front of the rear rack and my flip-flops hit them with each pedal. MISERY. I pulled-over and adjusted them.


I got a few Costco items on one side (and a variety of other things on the other side.) Major cargo capabilities.


I love the drawstring- Not sure if I'll ever use the zipper pockets.


I don't love that they're kind-of permanent. They have so many little buckles they are staying on for a while. I'm really lucky my bike doesn't have to park outside where they would totally get stolen or peed on by some rando-dog. I need to see how other people lock these on. Can you lock them on? In a cute way?

That makes me glad they were free.

But they are cute and look great with my pink tires.

-And getting along with my pink tires is what's important, so I guess they can stay.