Thursday, May 6, 2010

Smurfetting around.

colmanized

My Italian road bike is certainly the 'other' bike. It is also beautiful, European, has that solid Italian sleekness to it and it rides like butter when free of stop-go-stop environments. I thought I would dedicate at least a little post to it.
I have now put on the freewheel that my friend Eric guided me to and it makes *all* that much difference. Instead of riding it once every blue moon, I have been riding this beauty almost every Wednesday evening for butterlap which it really is the only time I make a huge effort not to ride Frenchie luv, so I just go for it.
Hi precious
fixin to fix
Eric doing some fine tuning.
Recently, I have also ridden the bike all over the south bay. I get bored, easily bored with routines, so I have found many ways to mix it up. I have taken this smurfette up a flight of 3 stories/Bart levels, including being on the wrong platform right when my train approaches. Argh. With the Frenchie, that would take me ages, especially when I must carry this gadget I tote around called a laptop. At almost half the weight, that is more realistic.
I have tried this at least a couple of times in the last month or so. Is not often that I have to travel between cities up to 100 miles in one day. Caltrain, coach buses and Bart become a good tool, but really at the end of the day, I'd like to get back to my peeps and in time to join them for trivia night and a beer. You know.
essential
essential mug.

good morning my fellow eaerly birds
Van ness and Grove - 7:14 AM


I still prefer my Frenchie 99% of the time, but this bike is lovely for rides when I need to head outside the city. Rides like butter on open roads, and can't wait to explore even more further in Marin, Napa, East Bay and Woodside. Everywhere. Let's go!!
So here are some pictures from a recent day at work, before even getting to work. This bike does get me everywhere when (and if) I need to get to many places in the Bay Area in one day. Not often at all, but it happens. And it sure is fun.
Lindenized
Bike fuel: caffeine. Lots of it :D

11 comments:

  1. First, I must say that your tights are remarkable. See, I just remarked about them ;)

    Second, smurfetting is my new favorite verb. You make the buttery rides sound so appealing, one of my goals this summer is to test ride a road bike more than a few feet. Gotta get over my fears.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It warms to me to know that you're such a fashionable chic cyclist, but you still rock the Sidis + road bike (both of which, are actually very fashionable!).

    Too often there's a divide in cyclists-- you do one or the other and you can't play for both teams. I'm just a Bike Whore-- I play for EVERYBODY'S team. ;)

    LOVE IT!

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey! My bike is called Smurfette! I guess I will say "I am Smurfetting to work" from now on!

    ReplyDelete
  4. that torpado is classic italian steel racing geometry + custom lightened campy NR crank and chainrings, not to mention the pantographing. a very sweet machine. and it kicks my torpado's butt on butter! enjoy it...

    ReplyDelete
  5. hoorah! lovin' the T. happy Marining... hills, hugs, far afield you go!

    ReplyDelete
  6. those stockings with coffee is just the BEST photo! LOVE! Hope you have a great weekend and get to ride lots! + drink good coffee!

    xo Mary Jo

    ReplyDelete
  7. sq, we need you at trivia nites. kthx. TD!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm not sure I've ever commented here before (though I read your stuff often!) -- but I have definitely showed my appreciation for your Torpado on your flickr stream. I recently cleaned an old Torpado up and have been loving it, though mine looks to be vintage-er than yours ;)

    Pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mike_milloy/sets/72157622565370901/

    Keep up the great blogging!

    Mike
    http://www.themikestand.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. thanks dottie/ i think i have more tights than memory cells...je jee
    you just gotta find one that you dont feel totally strange on, should feel like it communicates with you - sounds funny, but it is true!

    RJ/ why yes :D thanks! ive had tons of fun with those sidis

    mHope/ iknow rite!! thanks for dropping by

    eric/ the smurfette super luvs you back cino!!

    fifi/ you can see how i so easily fall for those baristas...

    sig/ hig+hugs!! luvitt

    maryJo/ thankssssss <3 those are one of my fave pair, just a tad too cozy for SF's moody weather.

    ctx/ is it tuesday yet!?? me misses the quadruplettes quad.

    esteban/ mil gracias! im taking it to the brevet, i think...

    mike/ thanks so much - i am very happy to hear from you :D
    that set is *super* nice pics
    much appreciate, such nice comments +let me know if you want to do a torpado paisano long lost cousin post - that would rock :D
    and please let's stay in touch!!

    ReplyDelete

with coffee in hand, sincere thanks for your readership ×