Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: A Stand for Quaxing

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  • Lilith __,

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    This is picture of some of the bike stands outside St Martins New World in Chch. These excellent hoop stands right by the main entrance have unfortunately been installed by someone who didn’t understand how bike stands are used.

    Nevertheless, you can see how many customers come by bike, and all credit to the management for recognising this.

    There’s also another large, undercover bike station around the back, although I suspect many cyclists may not realise it’s there. Important to have shelter from rain when stowing groceries in panniers as they need careful balancing and this does take time.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Su Yin Khoo,

    a pannier in the ass...

    ...faffing about trying to find stuff in panniers.
    Those reusable supermarket bags fit into the basket to a T.

    For those sans pannier et basketry, I find tying together two shopping bags* - of evenly distributed weight - makes for a a handy shoulder or neck carry (a third bag may be used as a bridge between bags to lower centre of gravity, if needs be).
    Keeps the hands free and the back straight, biking or walking, and feels just ever so cowboy or frontier...
    I coulda been a luminary,
    I coulda been a wheel!

    *<NB: Double bagging is recommended for sharp or heavy loads>

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • sumware,

    So those Countdown fuel discount vouchers must really attract you with your bike.

    Maybe while Countdown is considering a good bike rack, they can think of promotions for the not so car centric?

    AKL • Since Nov 2006 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    a pannier in the ass...

    ...faffing about trying to find stuff in panniers.
    Those reusable supermarket bags fit into the basket to a T.

    Claire J endorsed these on the previous page. You can stick 'em in a supermarket trolley and do the use your own bag thing. Got mine for less than half new price on TradeMe. Faffing-B-Gone.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Bikes, eh? I now have two: my Avanti Explorer 2, which serves me well and another, which I am not sure whether is a toy or something really, really useful. My favourite local Placemakers had a silent auction for charity (prostrate cancer) and I successfully put in a bid for a Makita electric bike. It is sort of a cross between a Raleigh 20 and a power tool. Not sure whether I look like a dork riding it but it offered welcome assistance in yesterday's late afternoon head-wind,
    Some sarcastic bastard suggested it might be a transition to a mobility scooter...!

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    Makita electric bike. It is sort of a cross between a Raleigh 20 and a power tool.

    Oh good on you, great to hear that it's proving useful. I was kind of tempted by those, before deciding that a full-sized ebike would be better suited to hauling me and my groceries.

    As the bike comes with a couple of lithium batteries and a nice fast charger you could extend your capabilities for minimal outlay with Makita's 'bare tools". Their little vacuum cleaner, intended for tidy tradies, is way better than any dustbuster, and has proven to be a seriously useful bit of kit here in messy post-quake Chch. Like many of their cordless drills I believe it runs on the same battery type as your bike.

    P.S. After a certain age, any electric assist bike is probably a form of mobility scooter.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Lilith __,

    Anyone wondering if it’s possible to quax a small band and their instruments, this is how.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report Reply

  • Zach Bagnall, in reply to Su Yin Khoo,

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    My bike in front of the V&A this morning.

    Forgot about this Bikerakk gem along Hobson St!

    These bolt-on types should be on every lamp post & street sign in town.

    Colorado • Since Nov 2006 • 121 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    A new London arrival are the Brompton Bike cabinets, which have recently started popping up. They seem to be a variation on the Boris Bike scheme, but instead of bikes on racks for members or visitors, the bikes are folded up inside the cabinets, ready for members.

    Like the idea, no idea if actually financially viable.

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • Zach Bagnall, in reply to Su Yin Khoo,

    Auckland could do well with the Cycle Hoops that WCC has been installing in various places around their CBD. It's a quick win using existing infrastructure.

    Cycle Hoops! Yes those. Everywhere, please.

    Colorado • Since Nov 2006 • 121 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Claire J endorsed these on the previous page. You can stick 'em in a supermarket trolley and do the use your own bag thing. Got mine for less than half new price on TradeMe. Faffing-B-Gone.

    The video shows Ortliebs which by all accounts are great, but Vaude's Aqua Roller bags are pretty much exactly the same setup, plus they have a hard plastic backing (so are harder wearing with wheel muck etc and can take a bit more of a bashing), and they actually cost a little bit less than the Ortliebs. I got mine online as even with GST taken into account it was $100 cheaper that way.

    The downside with rolltop panniers is that they generally don't have external pockets, so I'm considering getting one of those little packs for my handlebar stem to hold keys, wallet, swipe cards for the office etc.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Sam F,

    The downside with rolltop panniers is that they generally don't have external pockets, so I'm considering getting one of those little packs for my handlebar stem to hold keys, wallet, swipe cards for the office etc.

    I have a basket on front too. I know it's a bit Mary Poppins, but you can't beat the convenience.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Sam F,

    The convertible backpack pannier from Rode that Russell put me onto a couple of years back has been bloody good for commuting. It takes about 20 seconds to do the conversion, and it's a perfectly good bag for keeping papers and laptop/tablet separate from clothes/food, with 3 further pockets for stuff, although I tend to just use the top pocket for everything frequently used, phone, wallet, keys, pens, thumb drive, bike lights, etc. It's a reasonably comfortable backpack too. It's basically my biking grab bag, containing stuff for every biking contingency. Very well made gear, hasn't frayed or worn at any point.

    I don't really like the idea of leaving a bag on the bike with anything in it when I'm not there. I tossed around the idea of little handlebar or saddle bags, but realized I would never leave them on the bike so they'd just end up being another thing to carry. A lockable box might work out, at least for the repair kit, and somewhere to put the lights, odometer, etc, if I think they're in any danger of being swiped. But that's something you'd see on a motorbike, not a pushbike. So I end up carrying the extra kilo of gear that's just for biking. But when it's in a backpack I don't really notice it at all. In a shoulder bag, I definitely noticed it.

    Can't carry a lot of shopping, though. A bonus pannier on the chain-side would be handy for that sort of thing.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    When we have Google self-riding bikes, the need to park and lock will disappear.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to BenWilson,

    Very well made gear, hasn’t frayed or worn at any point.

    The only problem I've struck is losing the little strap at the bottom, that secures it to the rear fork. Bought a couple of replacements, they fell off too, decided I could do without it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Calder,

    Just spent a few days cycling around Kyoto, which is ideal for cycling, but hostile to cycle-parking. There are designated cycle parks - few and far between - but if you just lock your bike to a lamppost the cops, when and if they feel like it, just cut the cable and take the bike on one of their periodic roundups. Bike are also banned from the CBD. On the other hand, many shops and all supermarkets, have dedicated customer cycle parks right outside the door. Needless to say, nothing ever gets stolen, from anywhere, by anyone.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 66 posts Report Reply

  • grant,

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    Would this provide a solution?

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2015 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Peter Calder,

    Needless to say, nothing ever gets stolen, from anywhere, by anyone.

    Except the cops, and then they take the whole thing with no comeback. Not sure if that's a better system.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • grant,

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    The bike racks as they were at my school in 1972ish

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2015 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to grant,

    A fossil fuel powered fossil!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • grant, in reply to BenWilson,

    from exactly 100 years ago..

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2015 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to Russell Brown,

    decided I could do without it.

    So the bag just flops about without even really being secured to the bike? Surely it would bounce off at the least excuse?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • grant, in reply to BenWilson,

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    The advertisement makes it sound highly desirable.

    Christchurch • Since Aug 2015 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    The advertisement makes it sound highly desirable.

    Yes, somehow they make it sound like a really fun kind of bicycling rather than a really dangerous kind of motorcycling. Especially since that is technically a tricycle, with all the amazing performance characteristics that entails.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Moz,

    Took my Long John to the mall this morning, grocery shopping and stuff. It holds about the same as a supermarket trolley, so I can just shop 'til the trolley is getting full (or heavy) and know that it's all going to fit in the bin.

    Being Sydney, it was 28 degrees at 11am when I was riding home. Which is why I buy icecream and other frozen stuff on my way home from work. Free image hosting pic with ads, sorry, don't have proper access to my website from here.

    Sydney, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 1233 posts Report Reply

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