Even the experts can be wrong

[Blueberry]

If you want the Cross bike and like the idea of LHT's why not get the Surly Cross Check



Like this?

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=15784

Yep - that was part of the inspiration But I was thinking for really cruddy weather, she might want 26" wheels

CA (who loves her cross check too...)

[pardes]

Along the lines of people being so overly-helpful that they complicate things with misconceptions, like "Bruce,"..... or help you toooooo much.....

All the bus drivers now all seem to know me whether I ride their bus or not. This is probably due to the fact that my lab is right next door to the bus garage and I sit under a tree for a break next to the bus driver parking lot so I say hello and chat with a number of drivers walking by to start their bus routes.

Anyway, I took a different bus home tonight and before I could even start pushing the bike toward the bus, the driver has sprinted out of the bus (loaded with full capacity passengers) and flipped down the bike rack. He snatched the bike out of my hands with a BIG grin and tossed it up on the rack.

Ummmmm, well, ummmm except he installed the bike in backwards and was trying to load the spring over the back tire instead of the front tire which made a difference in the tightness of the hold. I debated about saying something since he was so kind but I also knew he would be barreling down the interstate at 65 miles an hour on bumpy patches of road and I really didn't want to see my beauty Trek being launched into the air so I suggested we turn it around into the correct position.

Clearly he has never put a bike on a bus before. The wheels spun at angles which seemed to baffle him and he was having trouble getting the tires into the slots so by the time we FINALLY got the bike settled and got back on the bus ALL THE FULL CAPACITY PASSENGERS were glaring at both of us.

After this experience, I'm pretty impressed that I can strip the bike of a messenger bag, panniers, flip the rack down, whip the bike into place and get on the bus with my bus ticket in hand ready to punch all within 20 seconds.

Oh, and by the way, he did the reverse at my bus stop near home. He blocked a long line of traffic at a Shell gas station while he got the bike off the bus, walked it well out of the way of the cars, waved goodbye, and then got back on the bus.

A very sweet man.

[TahoeDirtGirl]

That's cute about the bus driver! You know, I am always intimidated when there is a full bus or I'm holding people up, and I know I would probably wind up dumping out the contents of at least one of my bags...you know how that goes!

Did you take a bow when you got on the bus? haha...

It pays to have a second set of wheels. If you have disk brakes it will get pricey but it's worth it. I know I have a spare set and once when I got a flat I just used my second set because I was in a hurry AND I left my patch kit at work!

[Blueberry]

I think maybe we are confusing 26" diameter mtn bike size wheels with 700x26c wide tires?

Nope - not me at least

But in case anyone is confused...

The Cross Check is 700c diameter wheels, and will take probably ~38's (maybe more...)

The LHT (at least in the size most women would ride) has 26" diameter wheels and will take very wide tires - I was thinking she might want to do something along the lines of what bikerhen has done

CA

[pardes]

Weight is the biggest consideration. I have to lift it up on the bus rack. Between now and Spring I'll be test hefting quite a few bikes.

[bmccasland]

Weight is the biggest consideration. I have to lift it up on the bus rack. Between now and Spring I'll be test hefting quite a few bikes.

I can just see you in a bike shop doing curls with a bike in each hand. A couple in the right, nope, do a couple with the left, nope, back to right, try a couple more. Put down bikes, pick up a pair more.....

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Weight is the biggest consideration. I have to lift it up on the bus rack. Between now and Spring I'll be test hefting quite a few bikes.

Do it at home too! The more times you heft up a bike, the stronger you will get!

[bikerHen]

To confuse things more I have 26 X 1.75 tires on my LHT, with 50mm aluminum fenders. My Surly looks like a tank. But when it rains, my feet and legs stay very dry. I just added a very cool set of mud flaps too! I also have a second set of wheels with my studded tires. They're quick and easy to change when need. bikerHen

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

It's all in the fork clearance....

[Grog]

Wow, I'm still to see a Vancouver bus driver doing that!!!!