BicycleThomas Klausnerhttp://domm.plix.at/bicycle.xml2014-10-07T21:20:18-07:00XML::Atom::SimpleFeedUgly bikehttp://domm.plix.at/bicycle/2014_10_ugly_bike.html2014-10-07T21:20:18-07:00I have just bought the most ugliest bike I've ever owned (and probably ever will own):
It was 40$ at a local Goodwill thrift store, it's 24" so I nearly look like a circus bear riding a small bike <p>I have just bought the most ugliest bike I've ever owned (and probably ever will own):</p>
<p><a href="../bicycle/2014_10_ugly_bike.jpg"><img src="../bicycle/th_2014_10_ugly_bike.jpg" alt="" /></a></p>
<p>It was 40$ at a local Goodwill thrift store, it's 24" so I nearly look like a circus bear riding a small bike (but not as dorky as a lycra-clad person riding a folding bike). The only had another, even worse 24" bike, and I didn't want to spend a lot of time to hunt for a bike I'm only going to use for three weeks. The brakes work, the gearing works, the suspension fork is annoying (which suspension fork are per definition), it's laterally stiff and vertically compliant and takes me from my airbnb home to my incubator office, to Yoga, to the supermarket and to the Caltrain station. A perfect Silicon Valley bike...</p>
<p>24" is the new 29" !</p>Cycling in Londonhttp://domm.plix.at/bicycle/2014_08_cycling_in_london.html2014-08-20T00:00:00+00:00I recently spend two weeks in London, and cycled quite a lot there. And I have to say that I enjoyed it quite a lot, and found London to be a surprisingly bike-friendly city. For a start, nearly all <p>I recently spend <a href="/reisen/2014_london.html">two weeks in London</a>, and cycled quite a lot there. And I have to say that I enjoyed it quite a lot, and found London to be a surprisingly bike-friendly city.</p>
<p>For a start, nearly all of the bike paths are on the street, whereas in Vienna, most of them are on the sidewalk. In London you can just go with the traffic. In Vienna, you have to constantly watch out for pedestrians to walk or stumble onto the bike path, and at the same time check for cars giving you a deadly right-turn-hook.</p>
<p>As the bike paths are "just" a stripe of paint on a street (or even a shared bus lane), they seem to be cheaper to install than in Vienna (where they often install a bike path on a slightly lower level then the sidewalk, which of course is better than drawing lines on the sidewalk). So they seem to have a lot more bike paths in London than in Vienna.</p>
<p>I also found the density of bike rental stations (<a href="http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/barclays-cycle-hire">Boris Bikes</a>) amazing. They where so plenty, and equipped with so many bikes, that we never had a problem giving back the bike after 30 minutes to avoid paying the fee. Of course the downside is that you have to pay to get a bike (£2 per day or £10 per week; the yearly offer is quite cheap, but makes no sense for tourists..).</p>
<p>I also liked the maps located at the bike stations (and at a lot of other places), but it took me a while to figure out that they were not aligned to North, but to your current position. Crazy! But apparently easier to understand for most people. (Similar maps are currently introduced in Vienna, also not pointing to north...)</p>
<p>I was annoyed by the traffic running on the wrong side, so a lot of right-turns (esp. on high-traffic roads) where done using a <a href="http://labikeguide.org/tip/31/">Copenhagen box maneuver</a> (of course executed the other way round, because the stupid left-hand side driving). Not very elegant or fast, but save and sane.</p>
<p>While London is not too hilly, the place we where staying (between Kings Cross and Angel) was located on a small hill, which made riding a single speed bike a bit annoying. But even more annoying was trying to climb some of the steeper ramps on and off the Regents Canal. Which confirmed my suspicion (prejudice) that single speed bikes are nothing I like (even if the bike is very light, which is helpful when you have to carry it up three flights of stairs, which we had to do..)</p>
<p>Speaking of Regents Canal: A very nice route! Not the fastest way to get from A to B, but the nice views make up for that. The only problems are the sometimes ridiculously narrow paths (esp. under bridges) where a wrong move will land you in the canal; and the bloody tourists blocking the way :-)</p>
<p>Locking a bike is easier in Vienna, because most of the time a proper U-Lock is enough. Londoners seem to always carry two locks, to also lock the front wheel and maybe even the seat.</p>
<p>I participated in the monthly Critical Mass, which was nice, even though some of the participants where rather too aggressive for my taste. On the other hand a cab driver actually got out of the car and started to push a cyclist (who was corking) around. I've never seen this aggressive behavior (on both sides) in Vienna.</p>
<p>To sum up: Cycling in London was much nicer than I hoped for!</p>März CMhttp://domm.plix.at/bicycle/2014_03_21_cm.html2014-03-23T20:50:27+02:00Superwetter für meine erste CM dieses Jahr. Auf Sodarad hatte ich keine Lust (bzw auch zu wenig Zeit), statt dessen hab ich mein neues Lomo Fisheye Objektiv auf meine Kamera gesteckt und ein paar ...<p>Superwetter für meine erste <a href="http://www.criticalmass.at/5170">CM</a> dieses Jahr. Auf <a href="/tags/sodarad.html">Sodarad</a> hatte ich keine Lust (bzw auch zu wenig Zeit), statt dessen hab ich mein neues <a href="http://microsites.lomography.com/micro-four-thirds-experimental-lens-kit/">Lomo Fisheye Objektiv</a> auf meine Kamera gesteckt und ein paar Videos gemacht. Zum Schneiden etc hab ich weder Zeit noch Lust, deswegen hier as-is:</p>
<h4>CM fahrt vorbei</h4>
<p><video controls width="100%"><source src="2014_03_21_cm_videos/cm_2014_03_votivkirche_1.mp4" type="video/mp4"/><a href="2014_03_21_cm_videos/cm_2014_03_votivkirche_1.mp4">2014_03_21_cm_videos/cm_2014_03_votivkirche_1.mp4</a></video></p>
<p><video controls width="100%"><source src="2014_03_21_cm_videos/cm_2014_03_votivkirche_2.mp4" type="video/mp4"/><a href="2014_03_21_cm_videos/cm_2014_03_votivkirche_2.mp4">2014_03_21_cm_videos/cm_2014_03_votivkirche_2.mp4</a></video></p>
<h4>CM von hinten nach vorne</h4>
<p><video controls width="100%"><source src="2014_03_21_cm_videos/cm_2014_03_fahren_1.mp4" type="video/mp4"/><a href="2014_03_21_cm_videos/cm_2014_03_fahren_1.mp4">2014_03_21_cm_videos/cm_2014_03_fahren_1.mp4</a></video></p>
<p><video controls width="100%"><source src="2014_03_21_cm_videos/cm_2014_03_fahren_2.mp4" type="video/mp4"/><a href="2014_03_21_cm_videos/cm_2014_03_fahren_2.mp4">2014_03_21_cm_videos/cm_2014_03_fahren_2.mp4</a></video></p>
<p>Falls jemand für irgendwelche Doku-Zwecke die Orginalvideos braucht, einfach melden...</p>
<p>Nächstes Mal sollte es dann wieder das Sodarad geben!</p>August CMhttp://domm.plix.at/bicycle/2013_08_cm.html2013-08-16T20:54:52+02:00Wieder eine nett Critical Mass , wieder mit Sodarad und diesmal auch mit Muffin-Rad und einem ordentlich gedrucktem "s/🚗/🚲/g"-T-Shirt.
Ein bissl anstrengend war das Fahren Richtung Westen, direkt in <p>Wieder eine nett <a href="http://www.criticalmass.at/4977">Critical Mass</a> , wieder mit <a href="/tags/sodarad.html">Sodarad</a> und diesmal auch mit <a href="http://wochentags.plix.at/feiertags/limetten_muffins_fuer_cm.html">Muffin-Rad</a> und einem ordentlich <a href="http://common-shirts.org/">gedrucktem</a> "s/🚗/🚲/g"-T-Shirt.</p>
<p>Ein bissl anstrengend war das Fahren Richtung Westen, direkt in die Abendsonne (zum Glück hatte ich Sonnenbrille und Helm mit Schirm dabei). Am Endpunkt (MQ) haben wir dann noch mit einem Typen geplaudert, dessen Rad noch voller Radtourgepäck war, weil er gerade aus Belgrad angekommen war (das ist mal eine ordentliche Anreise..)</p>
<p>Freu mich schon auf September!</p>Book Review: "World Naked Bike Ride"http://domm.plix.at/bicycle/2013_06_world_naked_bike_ride_review.html2013-06-20T12:54:52+02:00I got this book at YAPC::Europe 2012 as a present from it's author, Richard Foley, after he learned that we cycled to Frankfurt. I've known Richard for several years from various Perl conferences and <p>I got <a href="http://www.naktiv.net/books/wnbr/index.html">this book</a> at <a href="http://act.yapc.eu/ye2012/"><span class="caps">YAPC</span>::Europe 2012</a> as a present from it's author, <a href="http://www.rfi.net">Richard Foley</a>, after he learned that <a href="/reisen/2012_rad_frankfurt_yapc.html">we cycled to Frankfurt</a>. I've known Richard for several years from various Perl conferences and consider him a friend. (End of "Freunderlwirtschaft" Disclaimer :-)</p>
<p>So, the book is about the <a href="http://www.worldnakedbikeride.org">World Naked Bike Ride</a>, an event where cyclists cycle naked or "as bare as they dare" (or as bare as allowed by local laws) to "raise awareness of the urgent need to reduce oil dependency and traffic pollution in our cities"<sup class="footnote"><a href="#fn0">0</a></sup> and to have lots of fun<sup class="footnote"><a href="#fn1">1</a></sup>.</p>
<p>The book contains 250+ photos of cyclists in various degrees of nakedness and body paint. While it might sound a bit creepy<sup class="footnote"><a href="#fn2">2</a></sup> that somebody collects that many (or even more) pictures of naked people, it is, in this case, not: Richard is a nudist himself, and you can find several pictures of him in the book (naked, of course..). </p>
<p>But you can and should also <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/IReadItForTheArticles">read it for the articles</a>!</p>
<p>Richard tells the history of the Word Naked Bike Ride, which has "started as a grassroots environmental protest movement which has gone globally viral"<sup class="footnote"><a href="#fn3">3</a></sup>; explains why bicycling is a good (the best?) way to reduce oil dependency and pollution; legal problems (or the lack thereof..) encountered by naked cyclists around the world; how to handle the media, and why it is attracted to events like <span class="caps">WNBR</span>; and more..</p>
<p>While the book could use a bit more editing<sup class="footnote"><a href="#fn4">4</a></sup> it is an interesting read and has lots of insightful photos<sup class="footnote"><a href="#fn5">5</a></sup>. I never really thought of <span class="caps">WNBR </span>/ Critical Mass as a protest against oil dependency, but of course it is. One thing I found missing was a comparison to other naked protests (PETA, Femen), which tend to only feature supermodel-like naked (mostly) women, whereas <span class="caps">WNBR </span>consists of regular naked people (with wrinkles, fat & hair<sup class="footnote"><a href="#fn6">6</a></sup>).</p>
<p>The book is a bit pricey at €25, but I assume that's the price you have to pay for 250 color pictures of naked cyclists!</p>
<p><span class="caps">BTW</span>: Tomorrow we have the yearly <a href="http://www.criticalmass.at/4896">Naked Bike Ride</a> in Vienna!</p>
<p class="footnotes">Footnotes:</p>
<p class="footnote" id="fn0"><sup>0</sup> page 9.</p>
<p class="footnote" id="fn1"><sup>1</sup> /me says so</p>
<p class="footnote" id="fn2"><sup>2</sup> <span class="caps">WNBR </span>always attracts some semi-creepy bystanders who apparently have never heard of this thing called the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-TA57L0kuc">internet</a>)</p>
<p class="footnote" id="fn3"><sup>3</sup> Conrad Schmidt, "founder" of <span class="caps">WNBR, </span>in the introduction. page 5</p>
<p class="footnote" id="fn4"><sup>4</sup> Some arguments are repeated, and sometimes the writing is a bit .. bumpy. But as this book is self-published on a very low budget, those weaknesses can be ignored.</p>
<p class="footnote" id="fn5"><sup>5</sup> For example, there is a picture showing (in the background) some naked riders riding cheerfully along a street. In the forground there is family who turns their back on them, looking into the hedge next to the street, while the kids even have to shield their eyes with their hands to make very sure they not see any nude parts (or bicyclists?).</p>
<p class="footnote" id="fn6"><sup>6</sup> two of those three features apply to me :-)</p>