Toshi's thread
- Thread starter Toshi
- Start date
sunday with dre (no, i still don't have a camera yet. a visiting undergrad buddy who is a 4th year med student interviewing at uw and staying with me brought her nikon D100)
awesome.
carbon composites are still plastic...
...and more brittle when it's 23 degrees. Harold Parker SF rocks my world, however. Full blather here: http://blog.pedalandwrench.com/2008/11/high-energy-metaphysics.html
Also raced some 'cross today, which was awesome until Eric ate sand in the pit 1/4mi from the finish with me right on his wheel. I've never tossed over the handlebars so fast...
...and more brittle when it's 23 degrees. Harold Parker SF rocks my world, however. Full blather here: http://blog.pedalandwrench.com/2008/11/high-energy-metaphysics.html
Also raced some 'cross today, which was awesome until Eric ate sand in the pit 1/4mi from the finish with me right on his wheel. I've never tossed over the handlebars so fast...
i think i'd break my leg for sure if i got one of these 
http://www.flybar.com/pages/home.html
(on call tonight, killing time after seeing a consult in the ER)
http://www.flybar.com/pages/home.html
(on call tonight, killing time after seeing a consult in the ER)
or at least your dignityi think i'd break my leg for sure if i got one of these
as of today i have 193 days left in my surgical internship, the first year of my residency training. even after this year i'll have at least four more, probably with a fifth year of fellowship, but it'll be in radiology rather than general surgery, enough said.
i rode to west seattle and back to celebrate both being at the halfway point of the year and the occasion of being out of the hospital during daylight hours after logging my 85th hour this week. i had futzed around with my battery last week, breaking out the soldering iron to install a new cell-balancing circuit board that should theoretically allow me to eke more charge out of it before it dies, and this ride provided a chance to test out the battery's capacity. it passed: out of a nominal 12 Ah capacity i used 10.11 Ah and still had plenty of headroom over my low voltage cutoff when i rolled back into my doorway.
afterwards i gave my bike a well-deserved once over. i've now logged 594 miles on it, and it's looking a bit worse for wear here and there. in particular the panniers have developed a habit of trying to escape from the rear rack by sliding backwards, the brake pads have almost given up the ghost, and the wheels are in need of some attention.
unfortunately the ginormous 13 gauge (?) spokes on my front (hub motor) wheel don't lend themselves to fitting in the red, green, or black Park spoke wrenches in my toolbox. hmph. failure. at least i was able to true up the rear wheel and strike a tenuous balance between the brake pads rubbing on the tire or rim and the brake lever from bottoming out on the handlebars. as jessica said, it's a good thing i've worked on bikes for the majority of my life, since this contraption certainly hasn't been maintenance- or headache-free.
this brings me to the question of what's next for me in terms of transportation, especially once i finish this year and head out east with jessica in tow? she'll have her Toyota Corolla, which should continue to putter on for many a year with any luck. i might not have a commute longer than a few minutes' walk to deal with as there's a non-negligible chance we'll land subsidized housing on the campus of the hospital. there's a greater chance that we'll be living off-campus, however, both because of availability and because jessica's cats wouldn't be able to make the move with us otherwise.
but i digress: how will i jet myself around town in the future, especially in some place where it gets legitimately cold in the winter? i'd totally drive an Aptera were it not for the fact that it's not out yet; will only be available in California to start; and is not cheap in the context of a huge student loan burden and a meager resident's salary. minor things, these. i really don't want a "normal" car, on the other hand.
i don't think i'll be able to ride the electric bike in its current incarnation forever: i designed and built it with the purpose of getting me to and from work while avoiding paying for a car or motorcycle as both would have required expensive parking permits. although it serves its purpose well enough it's not the most reliable thing, its brakes frankly suck, it doesn't have sufficient lighting, and its high weight, 75 psi commuter tires, high unsprung weight of the hub motor, and rigid fork and frame really beat me up.
essentially its shortcomings are that it's not an electric motorcycle. so who will answer my pleas and bring to market a reasonably priced, street legal/registerable, reliable, supported, quick, efficient, and practical electric motorcycle or scooter? the contenders are many but most are still vaporware except for Vectrix, which has the problems of price, proprietary battery technology, and not living up to its claims. other ones on the horizon include Zero Motorcycles' eponymous offering, Brammo's Enertia, Piaggio's plug-in hybrid MP3 scooter, and sundry hobby shop specials whose creators have made websites and optimistically project that they'll produce their frankenstein-ish creations for widespread sale.
i kind of have the sneaking suspicion that i may be alone in my pleas for such a beast, unfortunately, and that offerings may continue to be scant as investors realize that a market as small as mine is not worth pursuing. they'll probably be investing in companies making hobo stew not conveyances for yuppies with an environmental conscience, after all...
i rode to west seattle and back to celebrate both being at the halfway point of the year and the occasion of being out of the hospital during daylight hours after logging my 85th hour this week. i had futzed around with my battery last week, breaking out the soldering iron to install a new cell-balancing circuit board that should theoretically allow me to eke more charge out of it before it dies, and this ride provided a chance to test out the battery's capacity. it passed: out of a nominal 12 Ah capacity i used 10.11 Ah and still had plenty of headroom over my low voltage cutoff when i rolled back into my doorway.
afterwards i gave my bike a well-deserved once over. i've now logged 594 miles on it, and it's looking a bit worse for wear here and there. in particular the panniers have developed a habit of trying to escape from the rear rack by sliding backwards, the brake pads have almost given up the ghost, and the wheels are in need of some attention.
unfortunately the ginormous 13 gauge (?) spokes on my front (hub motor) wheel don't lend themselves to fitting in the red, green, or black Park spoke wrenches in my toolbox. hmph. failure. at least i was able to true up the rear wheel and strike a tenuous balance between the brake pads rubbing on the tire or rim and the brake lever from bottoming out on the handlebars. as jessica said, it's a good thing i've worked on bikes for the majority of my life, since this contraption certainly hasn't been maintenance- or headache-free.
this brings me to the question of what's next for me in terms of transportation, especially once i finish this year and head out east with jessica in tow? she'll have her Toyota Corolla, which should continue to putter on for many a year with any luck. i might not have a commute longer than a few minutes' walk to deal with as there's a non-negligible chance we'll land subsidized housing on the campus of the hospital. there's a greater chance that we'll be living off-campus, however, both because of availability and because jessica's cats wouldn't be able to make the move with us otherwise.
but i digress: how will i jet myself around town in the future, especially in some place where it gets legitimately cold in the winter? i'd totally drive an Aptera were it not for the fact that it's not out yet; will only be available in California to start; and is not cheap in the context of a huge student loan burden and a meager resident's salary. minor things, these. i really don't want a "normal" car, on the other hand.
i don't think i'll be able to ride the electric bike in its current incarnation forever: i designed and built it with the purpose of getting me to and from work while avoiding paying for a car or motorcycle as both would have required expensive parking permits. although it serves its purpose well enough it's not the most reliable thing, its brakes frankly suck, it doesn't have sufficient lighting, and its high weight, 75 psi commuter tires, high unsprung weight of the hub motor, and rigid fork and frame really beat me up.
essentially its shortcomings are that it's not an electric motorcycle. so who will answer my pleas and bring to market a reasonably priced, street legal/registerable, reliable, supported, quick, efficient, and practical electric motorcycle or scooter? the contenders are many but most are still vaporware except for Vectrix, which has the problems of price, proprietary battery technology, and not living up to its claims. other ones on the horizon include Zero Motorcycles' eponymous offering, Brammo's Enertia, Piaggio's plug-in hybrid MP3 scooter, and sundry hobby shop specials whose creators have made websites and optimistically project that they'll produce their frankenstein-ish creations for widespread sale.
i kind of have the sneaking suspicion that i may be alone in my pleas for such a beast, unfortunately, and that offerings may continue to be scant as investors realize that a market as small as mine is not worth pursuing. they'll probably be investing in companies making hobo stew not conveyances for yuppies with an environmental conscience, after all...
Congratulations on your halfway. You know how to celebrate in style. As far as the cold, a good pair of booties (and a fixed gear with fenders) goes a long way. This is from our trail ride today (27 deg):
These guys even got dunked briefly in a river halfway up the shin and kept the feet passably warm for 4hrs outside. (go performancebike.com)
This, on the other hand, is a crappy bootie. The fact that it became rigid with ice was fairly amusing, however.
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thanks for the bootie tip, keith. i used to rock some neoprene performance booties back in the pre-cambridge days, in fact. it's not so much that my feet get cold on my commute but that it's 5 in the morning, it's sub-40 degrees, and it's often really, really wet outside. even with full goretex and a few layers it's just not a pleasant experience.
in the future i'll be free of the requirements of legal parking at bike racks and ability to fit on the buses' bike racks as is the case this year. i think the next iteration of toshi-transport (hyphened due to swear filter, heh) will have motor vehicle-class lighting and suspension, thus necessitating something other than a bike for a platform, and in turn requiring a powertrain sufficiently ambitious in terms of wattage that i wouldn't feel comfortable working on it myself... as it is 48V and a potential 40A (currently, har har, limited to 20A) is enough to give oneself a powerful jolt if the wires were crossed, so to speak.
in the future i'll be free of the requirements of legal parking at bike racks and ability to fit on the buses' bike racks as is the case this year. i think the next iteration of toshi-transport (hyphened due to swear filter, heh) will have motor vehicle-class lighting and suspension, thus necessitating something other than a bike for a platform, and in turn requiring a powertrain sufficiently ambitious in terms of wattage that i wouldn't feel comfortable working on it myself... as it is 48V and a potential 40A (currently, har har, limited to 20A) is enough to give oneself a powerful jolt if the wires were crossed, so to speak.
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it was so cold this morning that i broke my U-lock: the key and mechanism iced up (not to mention the drawbridge on the way to the hospital! yikes), proceeded to not turn freely, and then i broke the key trying to force the innards to do my bidding.
luckily the emergency department has a U-lock to check out to hapless employees in just this situation so my bike was safely locked all day. i swung by REI on my way back and made the discovery that they've dropped the Kryptonite brand. thus my Kryptonite Evolution U-lock is now replaced with some random brand, an OnGuard Brute STD. mmm, STDs.
that particular Evolution was a warrantee replacement for a 1999-era Kryptonite Evolution 2000 U-lock what with the round key/Bic exploit, so this marks an end of an era.
to
to
luckily the emergency department has a U-lock to check out to hapless employees in just this situation so my bike was safely locked all day. i swung by REI on my way back and made the discovery that they've dropped the Kryptonite brand. thus my Kryptonite Evolution U-lock is now replaced with some random brand, an OnGuard Brute STD. mmm, STDs.
that particular Evolution was a warrantee replacement for a 1999-era Kryptonite Evolution 2000 U-lock what with the round key/Bic exploit, so this marks an end of an era.
to
to
i just signed up to make 100% of my electricity sourced from renewable sources.
http://www.seattle.gov/light/Green/greenPower/greenup.asp
(on the downside the extra $12/mo flat fee for this privilege is as much as my entire electric bill -- the flat rate really penalizes low users like me but such is life.)
http://www.seattle.gov/light/Green/greenPower/greenup.asp
(on the downside the extra $12/mo flat fee for this privilege is as much as my entire electric bill -- the flat rate really penalizes low users like me but such is life.)
how nasty was my commute? keep in mind that it was at 4:15 AM. also be mindful that the road in front of my house is and remains closed because it's about a 10 percent grade and is sheer ice. i slid down the sidewalk for a solid block on my ass, holding the handlebars of my also-sliding bike so that it didn't escape.
some other drivers found out that steep neighborhood roads + ice = bad. 3 blocks from my house today:
http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_121908WXB_bus_hangs_over_I-5_TP.7ba7cab9.html
yeah, that's two charter buses that went through the guardrail after attempting to descend a street parallel to the one upon which i slid this morning. (the rest of my commute was only marginally better, all ice and hills. ugh.)
some other drivers found out that steep neighborhood roads + ice = bad. 3 blocks from my house today:
http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_121908WXB_bus_hangs_over_I-5_TP.7ba7cab9.html
yeah, that's two charter buses that went through the guardrail after attempting to descend a street parallel to the one upon which i slid this morning. (the rest of my commute was only marginally better, all ice and hills. ugh.)
^^
good stuff.
good stuff.
kryptonite wrote back and will replace my lock if i get it cut off and send them the broken key + lock! score.
(also, my 5D Mk II + 24-105 f/4L IS kit has shipped from amazon. yikes.)
Merry x-mas to you! (That lens is quite excellent...)
I just received this x-mas present for my bike (Tune BOBO):
The Ti compression bolt and the elegantly simple gummy starfangled replacer are both nifty. The plastic compression ring and aluminum crown race sketch me out a little tho...
the plan for continued car-free commuting over the range/comfort afforded by my electric bike:
1) Piaggio MP3
probably the 400 cc model, but not the 500 as it has less storage, which is kind of the point of a scooter, and has fewer windshield options.
$6-9k depending on new/used -- i'm not sure how much scooter dealers can be argued down from MSRP as they often seem quite financially tenuous themselves. around 55-65 mpg. Euro 3 emissions compliant, so like a modern but not brand-new car.
2) Piaggio "large comfort" windscreen
insanely tall and curves back over the rider's head even! with no wiper one must keep it clean so that visibility during rain doesn't suffer too much but this would be the ticket to keep relatively warm and dry.
$495 new through Piaggio dealers.
3) Piaggio MP3 Heated Leg Cover
also seen in the above photo is the winter skirt. it's electrically heated and stays attached to the scooter. i'm not sure if it'd actually be necessary.
about $300 new +/- currency conversion.
4) Schwalbe winter tires
another not-sure-if-strictly necessary thing is winter tires. turns out Schwalbe makes 'em in scooter sizes. studded proper-winter tires are available for the front but i'd have to settle for a 4-season tire for the rear as it's a larger diameter that's not so common.
$160/tire for the front studded ones (times two tires!) and $120 for the rear non-studded. lots cheaper than RX-8 tires for sure!
5) AGV S-4 helmet
all the (protective) gear all the time: or ATGATT in the 2-wheeled nerdspeak. this starts at the top with a helmet, and in the US the relevant ratings are Snell 2005 and DOT. assuming it fits my big melon i'd go with the AGV S-4 helmet as it garnered top ratings in the SHARP UK helmet rating trials and is reasonably priced.
$160-200, easily available including at a local scooter store/art gallery (yeah, wtf?!).
6) Scala Rider Q2
possibly superfluous item but worthy of mention since it's cool and techy: the Scala Rider Q2. it's a bluetooth headset for phones that has a helmet-mounted mic, speaker, and handsfree answering/calling functionality. it also streams audio from MP3 players or a built-in FM radio; streams the voice commands from GPS navi units; lets you talk in full duplex with your pillion (passenger) if they have a similar headset; and lets you talk with other people using Q2 units on other bikes within 500m. cool, eh?
that only did phone functions + FM, but did those functions well.
around $220, or $400 for two (so that your passenger's helmet can have one). somewhat unclear whether an add-on is necessary for music.
7) Power Trip Bravo gloves
more protective gear: gloves. these are similar to bike offerings except more durable so as to not abrade immediately upon impact. just as i and probably you use winter and summer gloves there are similar options. i found a decent looking set on clearance because consumers apparently had little interest in buying US Army-branded product: Power Trip US Army branded Bravo motorcycle gloves.
$18 + shipping = $26 to my door, which is about 60% of my on-sale waterproof/winter bike riding gloves, mind you!
8) FirstGear Kilimanjaro 5.0
jackets seem similar to ski or biking gear but they really aren't: motorcycle jackets have thicker and more abrasion-resistant materials (traditionally leather, or Cordura for those inclined to the newfangled) and often have armor in the shoulders and elbows. since i'm going to be horribly unstylish on a _scooter_ anyway i figured i might as well go for high-vis as well. one that i found recommended and looks good on paper is the FirstGear Kilimanjaro 5.0.
$270, which is about on par with ski shells, sadly. things are expensive!
9) FieldSheer Adventure pants
the lower half needs coverage, too. it's kind of a shame since i have really nice GoreTex pants from biking but knees need scrape protection as well. i'm not sold on the above pants by any means but my criteria will basically be: Cordura; armored; fits me.
$175, seems a bit steep for "just pants".
10) Gerbing heated vest or jacket liner
finally, if the NYC winter proves to be really cold, my commute on the longer side, and i don't go for something as radical as the skirt above (see item #3) i may well look into electrically heated clothing. sounds toasty! Gerbing's is an outfit that makes such things, and in the US to boot if i'm correct! they also have an outlet store of sorts for older models.
$89 for an old-new stock jacket liner, marked down from $149 normally. plugs into the 12V accessory power outlet.
1) Piaggio MP3
probably the 400 cc model, but not the 500 as it has less storage, which is kind of the point of a scooter, and has fewer windshield options.
$6-9k depending on new/used -- i'm not sure how much scooter dealers can be argued down from MSRP as they often seem quite financially tenuous themselves. around 55-65 mpg. Euro 3 emissions compliant, so like a modern but not brand-new car.
2) Piaggio "large comfort" windscreen
insanely tall and curves back over the rider's head even! with no wiper one must keep it clean so that visibility during rain doesn't suffer too much but this would be the ticket to keep relatively warm and dry.
$495 new through Piaggio dealers.
3) Piaggio MP3 Heated Leg Cover
also seen in the above photo is the winter skirt. it's electrically heated and stays attached to the scooter. i'm not sure if it'd actually be necessary.
about $300 new +/- currency conversion.
4) Schwalbe winter tires
another not-sure-if-strictly necessary thing is winter tires. turns out Schwalbe makes 'em in scooter sizes. studded proper-winter tires are available for the front but i'd have to settle for a 4-season tire for the rear as it's a larger diameter that's not so common.
$160/tire for the front studded ones (times two tires!) and $120 for the rear non-studded. lots cheaper than RX-8 tires for sure!
5) AGV S-4 helmet
all the (protective) gear all the time: or ATGATT in the 2-wheeled nerdspeak. this starts at the top with a helmet, and in the US the relevant ratings are Snell 2005 and DOT. assuming it fits my big melon i'd go with the AGV S-4 helmet as it garnered top ratings in the SHARP UK helmet rating trials and is reasonably priced.
$160-200, easily available including at a local scooter store/art gallery (yeah, wtf?!).
6) Scala Rider Q2
possibly superfluous item but worthy of mention since it's cool and techy: the Scala Rider Q2. it's a bluetooth headset for phones that has a helmet-mounted mic, speaker, and handsfree answering/calling functionality. it also streams audio from MP3 players or a built-in FM radio; streams the voice commands from GPS navi units; lets you talk in full duplex with your pillion (passenger) if they have a similar headset; and lets you talk with other people using Q2 units on other bikes within 500m. cool, eh?
around $220, or $400 for two (so that your passenger's helmet can have one). somewhat unclear whether an add-on is necessary for music.
7) Power Trip Bravo gloves
more protective gear: gloves. these are similar to bike offerings except more durable so as to not abrade immediately upon impact. just as i and probably you use winter and summer gloves there are similar options. i found a decent looking set on clearance because consumers apparently had little interest in buying US Army-branded product: Power Trip US Army branded Bravo motorcycle gloves.
$18 + shipping = $26 to my door, which is about 60% of my on-sale waterproof/winter bike riding gloves, mind you!
8) FirstGear Kilimanjaro 5.0
jackets seem similar to ski or biking gear but they really aren't: motorcycle jackets have thicker and more abrasion-resistant materials (traditionally leather, or Cordura for those inclined to the newfangled) and often have armor in the shoulders and elbows. since i'm going to be horribly unstylish on a _scooter_ anyway i figured i might as well go for high-vis as well. one that i found recommended and looks good on paper is the FirstGear Kilimanjaro 5.0.
$270, which is about on par with ski shells, sadly. things are expensive!
9) FieldSheer Adventure pants
the lower half needs coverage, too. it's kind of a shame since i have really nice GoreTex pants from biking but knees need scrape protection as well. i'm not sold on the above pants by any means but my criteria will basically be: Cordura; armored; fits me.
$175, seems a bit steep for "just pants".
10) Gerbing heated vest or jacket liner
finally, if the NYC winter proves to be really cold, my commute on the longer side, and i don't go for something as radical as the skirt above (see item #3) i may well look into electrically heated clothing. sounds toasty! Gerbing's is an outfit that makes such things, and in the US to boot if i'm correct! they also have an outlet store of sorts for older models.
$89 for an old-new stock jacket liner, marked down from $149 normally. plugs into the 12V accessory power outlet.
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my thoughts on the above:
2 wheels requires a lot of extra protective equipment if one is to do it properly and in inclement weather! but in my mind there is no substitute for protective gear. my continued health, not to mention my full complement of autologous skin, is worth a paycheck imo.
even with the price of gas apt to rise the scooter is not likely to be a contender for the cheapest mode of transportation. that title will continue to go to walking; biking; taking the bus or train; electric biking; and driving a beater car into the ground.
jessica and i are thinking of buying a house or condo out on long island given the interest rates and general low prices in the housing market, and as such my commute probably will be longer than walking distance, and possibly up to 15ish miles (hopefully less). my time spent bike- and now electric bike-commuting has taught me that i have limits. i want to have the option to have suspension, real automotive-style lighting, and higher speeds than my legs + electric motor can push me to, at least on days when i have to be in early or stay late.
i'm still opposed to the beater car option as i was when i decided to sell my RX-8 and build the electric bike because of the smog-forming emissions, safety, and reliability aspects. initially i was opposed to motorcycles for the same reason (emissions) but the advent of Euro 3-compliant motorcycles such as this Piaggio MP3 means realistically that they're as clean as the average newish automobile on the road. see my post in the alternative personal transportation thread for more details on this. basically, what i would want to spend and what i would want out of a car (mileage, emissions, safety) are not compatible with 4 wheels. besides, i wouldn't want to drive a car except in the winter, and the economics of cars do not favor buying a vehicle but only driving it sparingly except for through Zipcar or other car sharing services. Zipcar is sadly not available out on Long Island, and their pricing model makes more sense for errands than for commuting into a workplace, in any case.
finally, a lot of this safety gear will be good for years and years (besides providing lots of fodder for birthday and christmas lists! heh), and hopefully i can continue riding two wheels of some variety for many a decade. there probably will come a time when i can afford the latest Prius or other nonsense with proper snow tires and will commute safely in it throughout the winter instead of shivering on a scooter, but that time isn't now.
2 wheels requires a lot of extra protective equipment if one is to do it properly and in inclement weather! but in my mind there is no substitute for protective gear. my continued health, not to mention my full complement of autologous skin, is worth a paycheck imo.
even with the price of gas apt to rise the scooter is not likely to be a contender for the cheapest mode of transportation. that title will continue to go to walking; biking; taking the bus or train; electric biking; and driving a beater car into the ground.
jessica and i are thinking of buying a house or condo out on long island given the interest rates and general low prices in the housing market, and as such my commute probably will be longer than walking distance, and possibly up to 15ish miles (hopefully less). my time spent bike- and now electric bike-commuting has taught me that i have limits. i want to have the option to have suspension, real automotive-style lighting, and higher speeds than my legs + electric motor can push me to, at least on days when i have to be in early or stay late.
i'm still opposed to the beater car option as i was when i decided to sell my RX-8 and build the electric bike because of the smog-forming emissions, safety, and reliability aspects. initially i was opposed to motorcycles for the same reason (emissions) but the advent of Euro 3-compliant motorcycles such as this Piaggio MP3 means realistically that they're as clean as the average newish automobile on the road. see my post in the alternative personal transportation thread for more details on this. basically, what i would want to spend and what i would want out of a car (mileage, emissions, safety) are not compatible with 4 wheels. besides, i wouldn't want to drive a car except in the winter, and the economics of cars do not favor buying a vehicle but only driving it sparingly except for through Zipcar or other car sharing services. Zipcar is sadly not available out on Long Island, and their pricing model makes more sense for errands than for commuting into a workplace, in any case.
finally, a lot of this safety gear will be good for years and years (besides providing lots of fodder for birthday and christmas lists! heh), and hopefully i can continue riding two wheels of some variety for many a decade. there probably will come a time when i can afford the latest Prius or other nonsense with proper snow tires and will commute safely in it throughout the winter instead of shivering on a scooter, but that time isn't now.
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Nice choice of scooter Toshi. 
Points that I'd make are:
Helmet..... wouldn't worry about getting one with funky graphics as it will probably just end up scuffed to hell, But DON'T skimp on it as it could save your life.
Jacket and pants, Don't bother with leather. Get Cordura far better comfort in the cold and in the wet, and in mine and my friends experience Cordura is better in crashes.
2 months ago I crashed @ 70kmph and not a mark or bruise on me and the pants/Jacket didn't have even the slightest mark on them (pity the bike wasn't like that). The same crash in leather would have given your skin the same level of abrasion resistance but the leather itself would have been trashed.
Personally I highly rate Polo's Stratos pants with the zip out winter liner and insert pockets for CE armour. I've been riding in them in temp ranges from zero deg C to approx 30degC (liner removed) and they have been awesome!
oh yeah.... English translation of that webpage.
The Jacket? well bits to look for are crash padding/armour on shoulders spine and elbows and it's good if it has a zip out liner to extend the range of temps it is comfortable in..... oh and buy fairly large so you can wear it over several layers, as odds on you will end up at some point wearing heavy clothes under it, or clothes more suitable for what ever your doing at the destination.
Get 2 pair of gloves one winter weight and one summer weight.... And again I highly recommend heated grips on the bike.
Your hands are the most exposed and most easily chilled part of your bod on the bike, I've had my hands get so cold I couldn't operate the handle bar controls before and it ain't fun trust me.
A pro enduro rider (KTM on the European circut) friend of mine also recommends using latex examination gloves under his riding gloves to help keep them warm with out losing sensitivity, it's not a perfect fix but it def helped me riding in the French and Swiss alps this year (was snowing around me as I rode over the mountain pass out of the valley Damo lives in).
And lastly I do recommend dri rider water proof motorbike boots These are the ones I use Uber comfy good crash protection (shins and ankles) and have Never let any water in.... oh and a Rain suit!!!!!! They are ugly but man they work!
Ok I'll shut up now.
oster_oops:
Points that I'd make are:
Helmet..... wouldn't worry about getting one with funky graphics as it will probably just end up scuffed to hell, But DON'T skimp on it as it could save your life.
Jacket and pants, Don't bother with leather. Get Cordura far better comfort in the cold and in the wet, and in mine and my friends experience Cordura is better in crashes.
2 months ago I crashed @ 70kmph and not a mark or bruise on me and the pants/Jacket didn't have even the slightest mark on them (pity the bike wasn't like that). The same crash in leather would have given your skin the same level of abrasion resistance but the leather itself would have been trashed.
Personally I highly rate Polo's Stratos pants with the zip out winter liner and insert pockets for CE armour. I've been riding in them in temp ranges from zero deg C to approx 30degC (liner removed) and they have been awesome!
oh yeah.... English translation of that webpage.
The Jacket? well bits to look for are crash padding/armour on shoulders spine and elbows and it's good if it has a zip out liner to extend the range of temps it is comfortable in..... oh and buy fairly large so you can wear it over several layers, as odds on you will end up at some point wearing heavy clothes under it, or clothes more suitable for what ever your doing at the destination.
Get 2 pair of gloves one winter weight and one summer weight.... And again I highly recommend heated grips on the bike.
Your hands are the most exposed and most easily chilled part of your bod on the bike, I've had my hands get so cold I couldn't operate the handle bar controls before and it ain't fun trust me.
A pro enduro rider (KTM on the European circut) friend of mine also recommends using latex examination gloves under his riding gloves to help keep them warm with out losing sensitivity, it's not a perfect fix but it def helped me riding in the French and Swiss alps this year (was snowing around me as I rode over the mountain pass out of the valley Damo lives in).
And lastly I do recommend dri rider water proof motorbike boots These are the ones I use Uber comfy good crash protection (shins and ankles) and have Never let any water in.... oh and a Rain suit!!!!!! They are ugly but man they work!
Ok I'll shut up now.
oster_oops:
so it looks like motorcycles generally aren't financed at non-usurious rates by banks, unlike cars. this means i'll be paying cash, which realistically means that this won't happen until i'm solidly in new york after july of this year. until then i just have too much on the plate:
- that fancypants camera that i sprung for (Canon 5D Mk II)
- wedding band for the girl before the april 11 big day. i want titanium, she wants platinum to match her engagement ring. i think she's getting the better deal! heh
- moving costs from seattle to new york
- "little things" here and there, like a GPS unit for the soon-to-be-shared Corolla before we make the trek eastward
in the meantime i will collect bits and pieces of gear. the gloves are already on their way...
- that fancypants camera that i sprung for (Canon 5D Mk II)
- wedding band for the girl before the april 11 big day. i want titanium, she wants platinum to match her engagement ring. i think she's getting the better deal! heh
- moving costs from seattle to new york
- "little things" here and there, like a GPS unit for the soon-to-be-shared Corolla before we make the trek eastward
in the meantime i will collect bits and pieces of gear. the gloves are already on their way...
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Have you ridden moto's on the road yet? If not I strongly recommend the MSF course. Actually I recommend it to auto drivers as well. I would also recommend trying to hook up with an experienced safety related rider and spend some time following them. There is so much to be learned, most of it is getting in the proper mind set.
i've taken a ridercourse in the past, got my endorsement and all. i'm signed up for another one in april. with how things are going it probably won't be until the fall until i scrape together enough cash anyway -- guess it'll be the electric bike for a bit longer.
It will give you time to find a scooter gang to join.i've taken a ridercourse in the past, got my endorsement and all. i'm signed up for another one in april. with how things are going it probably won't be until the fall until i scrape together enough cash anyway -- guess it'll be the electric bike for a bit longer.
i just sold my klein for $200 over craigslist. it had been totally neglected since i built up the electric bike save for the period when i was waiting for a replacement motor controller. i'm trying to pare down my goods in anticipation of the impending eastward migration...
it's here. along with a big bill to pay off at the end of the month!
first shots with new camera found at the linked post
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starting last wednesday i'm on call (as in in house from 6 AM one day until 8 AM-noon the next day) every third day for the next 8 weeks.
while this sucks in some respects, it also means that i have "post-call days" every third day where i get to go home really early after spending the day/night on call. if i forgo sleep then i can make use of this day. today i felt motivated and went on a 3+ hour stroll from my neighborhood, capitol hill, to downtown, pike's place market, the waterfront, and back. today's assignment was to shoot at both 12mm and 135mm. oddly enough i had more inspiration shooting wide than long.
urban color - january 12, 2009
(hit the link for 14 more)
while this sucks in some respects, it also means that i have "post-call days" every third day where i get to go home really early after spending the day/night on call. if i forgo sleep then i can make use of this day. today i felt motivated and went on a 3+ hour stroll from my neighborhood, capitol hill, to downtown, pike's place market, the waterfront, and back. today's assignment was to shoot at both 12mm and 135mm. oddly enough i had more inspiration shooting wide than long.
urban color - january 12, 2009
(hit the link for 14 more)
Cool shots. Was the 100% crop of the chocolate straight out of the camera? (as in nothing that couldn't be tweaked in the RAW file)starting last wednesday i'm on call (as in in house from 6 AM one day until 8 AM-noon the next day) every third day for the next 8 weeks.
while this sucks in some respects, it also means that i have "post-call days" every third day where i get to go home really early after spending the day/night on call. if i forgo sleep then i can make use of this day. today i felt motivated and went on a 3+ hour stroll from my neighborhood, capitol hill, to downtown, pike's place market, the waterfront, and back. today's assignment was to shoot at both 12mm and 135mm. oddly enough i had more inspiration shooting wide than long.
urban color - january 12, 2009
(hit the link for 14 more)
Toshi, do you know what kind of roads your commute will involve? Parkways? The dreaded LIE? Surface roads? I like the idea of the scooter -- totally doable year-round here, winter doesn't get *that* cold (will hit the teens - 20s as highs for the first time this winter at the end of this week). Your biggest concern will be the fine, courteous LI drivers who are only happy to share the road with you. I've seen a big increase in scooters in NYC/the boroughs. Vespa has (had?) a big promotion going for free parking in a number of garages around the city if you bought one.
thanks for the local input. i'm not sure of what my commute will entail just yet because i'm not sure where we'll be living. it could be on the hospital campus, so my commute would be entirely by foot. the buying a place option is kind of out the door due to my pessimism about the economy's prospects for recovery in 4 years. thus i'll probably be coming from one of the local towns on surface streets, ideally less than 5 miles so as to make a bike commute pleasant in warmer months, too.
my PS2/DF/GT4 setup is now on eBay. no one bit on craigslist:
http://cgi.ebay.com/PlayStation-2-Logitech-Driving-Force-Gran-Turismo-4_W0QQitemZ110338690284QQihZ001QQcategoryZ139971QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/PlayStation-2-Logitech-Driving-Force-Gran-Turismo-4_W0QQitemZ110338690284QQihZ001QQcategoryZ139971QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
