Tuesday 3 January 2017

Have you ever stared hard at something...

And tried to figure it out? 

There's so many things these days, different types of bikes, wheels, and whatever else.  You get used to having to look at something properly, having to use all your faculties to ascertain what use a cardboard mud guard, why someones glued leather gloves to their handlebars, or if they actually think the fabric 'flesh coloured' plaster (the kind that was ALWAYS floating in the verruca pool at swimming) is actually going to hold the seat to it's post. 

Being in the Big London, there's this bike just parked outside our hotel and for the past three days I've been trying to work out how it's ridden.  Standing on the pedals arms stretched out far, changing direction like pulling the ropes on a boat sail?

Or perhaps sat down far, the owner with a reach like Mr Stretch, leisurely gliding along not a shit to be given?

Three days I've looked and pondered on this. 



Three days I've examined closely, curious, wondering if it would be rode standing up on the pedals, body forward into the handlebars as if skiing.  Or leisurely sat down, arms stretched out, and corners leaned into like one does on a sail boat?  Why is the wheel tucked in so? Is the bell difficult to use?  I'm imagining some sort of chin notion that doesn't seem safe.  But then... but then....

Perhaps it's just a fixie, with the front wheel turned round for ease of locking.  Sometimes... cycling really is just that simple.