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Paris by Bike
 

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PLee
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 3712
Location: Brooklyn, NY

1/8/21 5:59 PM

Paris by Bike

We've been in Paris a few times over the last few years and have seen increasing amounts of road works going on. Turns out they were all future bike lanes. All over the place.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/06/opinion/paris-bike.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

Can't wait to go back and give it a spin.

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Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

1/9/21 7:19 AM

I actually found riding in Paris rather harrowing, but not for the reasons one might expect (traffic, pedestrians, etc.). Rather, the issue was the rental bike I had. After decades of riding in a bent-forward position, I felt incredibly unstable sitting bolt upright, with no weight on my hands, on a classic 3-speed commuter bike. It was almost like learning to ride all over again!

That said, I highly recommend seeing Paris by bike, as it's much more intimate than being in a vehicle and you can view more in a limited amount of time than by walking, even riding at a leisurely tourist's pace.

Bon voyage!

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

1/9/21 10:02 AM

Infrastructure and wobbling

Great to see that development. Maine just developed a pretty far reaching climate action plan and the Bicycle Coalition worked hard to get recommendations for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure included, but did not succeed. There is a good amount of support for it though.

And I laughed, maybe inappropriately, at the description of poorly designed bike lanes as “corridors of death.” I’ve had the same thought, though less eloquently.

As to instability in an upright position, I had a similar experience to Brian a few months ago when I took a demo ride on an e-bike with an upright position - at first I was wobbling all over the place!


Last edited by dan emery on 1/10/21 11:39 AM; edited 1 time in total

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PLee
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 3712
Location: Brooklyn, NY

1/10/21 11:14 AM

Upright Bikes

That was my experience with the bikeshare bikes in New York - high bottom brackets and upright posture made for a very different riding experience. It took a little while to get used to it. But once I did, I noticed that I really saw more of my surroundings going slow and upright.

I'm definitely looking forward to taking a ride around Paris. We've been introduced by a local friend to delightful sights and neighborhoods that are off of the usual tourist beaten paths. It's gotten a lot more tourist friendly over the last few decades, too.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

1/10/21 11:54 AM

We rented Trek hybrid [alloy 7.2?] when we went to the Tour Of CA in 2019. Better than nothing, nearly. ;)

The most brain dead feeling geometry I've ridden in recent memory. Combination of high BB and way too much trail I suppose.

The bike wanted to got straight reasonably @ 6-7 MPH, above or below that was... Just wonky, nearly impossible to go straight until that window as well.

We did 25 miles on them, the American River paved bike way OTOH was a delight! ;)

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

1/10/21 11:58 AM

Upright

I’ll have to get used to the upright position as I’m buying an e-cargo bike. It’s actually a demo which I took a ride on a few months ago, and it has a box between the bars and the front wheel, so the front wheel is way out like a chopper and it’s actually quite stable. It’s a blast to ride, handles great with a cable actuated steering system. I could put both my dogs in the box but they wouldn’t stay in long.

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Nick Payne
Joined: 10 Jan 2004
Posts: 2625
Location: Canberra, Australia

1/11/21 10:27 PM


quote:
I’ll have to get used to the upright position as I’m buying an e-cargo bike. It’s actually a demo which I took a ride on a few months ago, and it has a box between the bars and the front wheel, so the front wheel is way out like a chopper and it’s actually quite stable. It’s a blast to ride, handles great with a cable actuated steering system. I could put both my dogs in the box but they wouldn’t stay in long.

Our dog only stayed in the compartment of my cargo bike long enough for a photo. As soon as the bike started moving he hopped out:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/BoFqCjATFYC3q4wv9

Of course, if your dog is well-trained, he happily goes for a bike ride like this:

<img width="1200" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1403/7343/files/carterwallandluka003-12.jpg" alt="">

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Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

1/13/21 10:49 AM

Cute dog, Nick!

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

1/13/21 10:56 AM

Yeah, nice dog

"It will take a few more biscuits to keep me in this thing."

As to whether my dogs are well trained, well, they are Dalmatians....

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

1/13/21 11:07 AM

Our young female Greyhound @ 23 months still has a lot of puppy sauce. And more opinion that we'd prefer... ;)

I'd rather a tether than to haul her...

Our previous boys spent 4+ years @ track before we got them. But track days are over pretty much. So she lacks the previous handling the boys had. But they are fast learners.

Nina is one fast hound though... I mean crazy fast, youth presumably.

We just got the rear fence line [200'] buttoned up after removing the remaining briar at the back of the lot for more hound run/room.

When the wet season arrived, a underground spring found it's way to surface of the graded/seeded section. It started a flow that has not stopped for 3 months now. It was deep in the briar, not seen in the 10 years we've been here, but not really unexpected. Gotta section it off so no legs find a way into the hole and path the water runs...

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

1/13/21 11:11 AM

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/paris-mayor-pushes-ahead-with-plan-to-give-champs-elysees-a-305-million-green-makeover/

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

1/13/21 12:58 PM

Greyhound tales

That story is a bit nostalgic. Years ago we had a wandering Greyhound named Bernie. To contain him I out up a fence that encircled our house and a small pond. The fence passed over the outlet to the pond. As soon as Bernie got into the yard he put his nose on the ground and followed the fence until he came to the outlet, ducked under the fence and was out. I then managed to block the open space with stones and cinder blocks.

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KerryIrons
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 3234
Location: Midland, MI

1/15/21 10:46 AM

Speedy dog

For a couple of years on one of our routes there was an untethered Greyhound. It used to come out and run alongside us, never barking or threatening in any way. Just stretching the legs, and man could it stretch its legs. We all knew that it could take off at any time and leave us in the dust. It was like riding next to a deer - just bounding along and enjoying the day. I imagine owning one could be a challenge.

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

1/15/21 11:04 AM

Hounds

Yes, they love to run. Leaving one loose is not best practices - they should be fenced in or on a leash.

We used to have 2 that would do laps around the house (inside the fence) like they were racing.

They can go from 0 to top speed (about 40 mph) in six strides.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

1/15/21 11:15 AM

Yeah, built to be speed demons.

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