Accessorizing!

[pooks]

When I decided we had to have bikes NOW, not eventually, my husband decided to order shaft drive bikes. I didn't care as long as we got them, and I'm loving mine -- even though I've been reading that it may not be as efficient, etc. I mean, it's mine now, so what can I do?

But. It's not funky or cool looking. For a sec when I was reading the "pink or purple" thread I got excited and thought maybe I could change the color, but then realized that probably wouldn't work because of the internal gears. Although I don't know, maybe it wouldn't make any difference.

Anyway, my bike can be seen here on my blog (https://planetpooks.wordpress.com/2006/05/30/runabout/) or on the website for the manufacturer: http://dynamicbicycles.com. (It's the step-thru Runabout.)

So, what can I do to make it look cooler/funkier/prettier/whatever?

And what "stuff" does a bike need? Headlamp? I'm already looking at a bike bag, and/or maybe panniers....

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Have fun with it!

[pooks]

Almost forgot. I especially want an odometer. My husband will end up with the niftiest geekiest GPS he can find and I imagine any time I'd care about something like that, I'll be with him. (For now, anyway.)

But what is considered pretty much essential for a bike computer, without going whole hog?

[CorsairMac]

you can get a very simple Trek Incite 4I, it's a 4 function computer for about $15.

Was Fascinated by the shaft-driven bike tho: do you like it? How does it ride? do you have gearing on yours?, does it seem to work for you? Sorry, I'm probably not answering your question but your bike is so fascinating, I wanna know more - from a personal standpoint!

[margo49]

This is sooooo weird.
Fascinating of course
Logical and no doubt a quantum leap in technology and efficiency
*but*.....
No chain!!!!???!!!
No friendly clicks and clacks and graunches. ?!
No grease,tattoo,throw-offs.?!

Tell us all about it - I looked at your link - I mean how does it *feel*?

[pooks]

Here's the prob -- I don't know how a regular bike feels! (And I'm afraid to find out, actually, since I'm worried that I'll find out it's better. Gack.) I finally found a discussion about them and supposedly they're superior to a poorly maintained chain bike, but not as efficient as a well-maintained chain bike. Also, they're supposedly heavier.

I don't know. The shipping weight of my 17" hybrid was 34 pounds.

As I said, I have nothing to compare it to -- but I love it!

I never thought about noise. It makes none. So maybe this is my Stealth Fighter? Heh.

[pooks]

Oh -- forgot to say, this isn't a quantum leap in tech supposedly -- shaft drives were around 100 years ago and that's what Henry Ford based his autos on -- shaft drive bikes.

So if it was superior, the question is, why did chains take over? (That's what the naysayers say.) The proponents say we have improved the technology now, which is why they're great.

Again, I have no idea!

ETA: They have these in the LLBean catalog, too, with the LLBean label on them. I found them online thru Dynamic and got a little better deal, plus there was a special offer that included the fenders and bike rack, which made it an even better deal.

[ikkin]

what can you do to make it funner? lots of stuff! depends on how much you want to spend.

you can change the grips pretty cheaply- grips come in all sorts of fun colors...especially oury mountain bike grips...i have hot pink grips on my bike...but it's a mountain bike. although i'm sure they'd work fine for a commuter as well. waterbottles/waterbottle holders also often come in fun colors.

throw some stickers on it.

or you could go old skool and find some streamers and/or spoke jewelry. just kidding. sort of.

[Pedal Wench]

I've got hot pink tires on my road bike. Purists think I'm nuts, but it's fun, and maybe they won't take me so seriously as they pass me

[pooks]

Streamers! Now that's a thought!

I hadn't thought of the grips, either.

Kewl.

[WrensMom]

Wow, interesting! I have not seen shaft-drive bicycles before. Motorcycles, yes, but bikes, no. On a motorcycle, the shaft-drive can be a good thing, esp on a touring type one, because of being sealed and easy maintenance. However, you will notice that the racing type motorcycles are always chain-drive. I have been told that this is because a chain-drive more rapidly transfers the energy to the wheel than a shaft-drive does. If the same holds for bicycles (don't know why it wouldn't) I would guess that shaft-drive would be somewhat less efficient for that reason. Just guessing, here, though I do miss my motorbiking days

[pooks]

I've read that before as a strike against the shaft drive.

I have no idea, really, since this is the first bike I've had as an adult. I do like that I don't have to worry about chains. We picked up a catalog from the lbs and my husband opened it to the "tool" section and a two-page spread of stuff for chains and said, "Look at all the stuff we don't need."

One review I found said that a well-maintined chain drive would be superior to a shaft drive, but the shaft drive would be superior to the less-well-maintained chain drive. To that my husband said, "In other words, this is what we need." Heh. The idea of dealing with chains all the time didn't thrill him, obviously.

[MomOnBike]

I've got to admit, I've been tempted by a shaft-drive bike, too. The thought of riding in white pants to an Event with DH is tempting. And no chain maintenance. {sigh}

Traditionalists scoff, but I'm not sure why. Probably because it's not what they're used to - and they like to mess with the fiddely bits of a bike.

And you have the right idea, pimp that thing out within an inch of its life. Spend some time at your LBS and online to figure out what you want. Decide on a Look and go for it, big time. Then post pictures.

[pooks]

When I was at REI yesterday I heard the guys in the bike repair area discussing my bike as they installed the bike computer. They thought it was cool, and that it would be the perfect commuter bike.

I can see that if I wanted to do serious road work I might feel the need to get a road bike, but for what I'm doing, with occasional long rides (or that's the plan) I love this bike!

Of course, I was looking at townies, anyway, so in that case it's pretty similar to what I would have bought if it hadn't been a shaft drive.