[opendro]

Originally Posted by zenx

Got a bike. Merida Matts SUB 40-V. 19k OTR with a bunch of accessories. Rode 15+ kms home - and surprised myself
Hoping the positives continue and it actually becomes my regular commuter.

One question zenx. You mentioned in the blog that your friends made some quick fix for the puncture. Was it in some cycle workshop or your friends have some technique. I want to know in case my cycle gets punctured in the wrong place.

[diabloo]

Good to hear you are on cycle again .
I have seen cycles for 2K~4K. But 19K for a cycle - what does it have?
Some of the costly cycles I have heard

• Firefox
• Treks
• Merida

Originally Posted by zenx

Got a bike. Merida Matts SUB 40-V. 19k OTR with a bunch of accessories. Rode 15+ kms home - and surprised myself
Hoping the positives continue and it actually becomes my regular commuter.

[zenx]

Originally Posted by opendro

That looks cool, zenx. How do you feel about the gas filled front suspension? Does it really work good enough to make a good difference? I ride pretty plain stuff and will look for a good one in the future.

lohithrao, from my experience, cycling in Bangalore weather is reasonable and good. Like any sports or physical work, you will sweat more in initial days. My office is hardly 3 Km and I hardly sweat unless I race. I'm sure I will not sweat much for at least 6 or 7 Km.

Take it this way. You walk regularly for 2 Km to office. This will still make you sweat, but quite doable without much stink in office.

In any case, some deo is important.

Gas filled, eh ? Didn't realize
Rode to office this morning - very peaceful - and not that much sweat. I'm sure in a week or so will do it even more easily. Also - did it in exactly as much time as an auto I'd started off with!

[zenx]

Originally Posted by opendro

One question zenx. You mentioned in the blog that your friends made some quick fix for the puncture. Was it in some cycle workshop or your friends have some technique. I want to know in case my cycle gets punctured in the wrong place.

They had a puncture repair kit - I carry a similar one on my (motor)bike trips. Just sand/rough the punctured area a bit, apply some of the puncture-glue to the sticker and press it hard, ensuring its uniformly done. Fill air!
The best part was that the wheel were off in a minute.

[zenx]

Originally Posted by diabloo

Good to hear you are on cycle again .
I have seen cycles for 2K~4K. But 19K for a cycle - what does it have?
Some of the costly cycles I have heard

• Firefox
• Treks
• Merida

The Treks and Meridas start at around 15k - give or take a little. 19k is for a slightly better dérailleur and better suspension with a lockout. Dunno if I need those but I thought I might as well.

There is a large difference between the 2-4k bikes - I've ridden 2 of them earlier - and even between the Firefox and the Treks/Meridas. The braking itself, and the fact that things continue to work, itself is worth it. Plus these are aluminum frames - and very good quality components all round.

Incidentally - these are entry level bikes Get serious and you're looking at 30k.

[diabloo]

How to ensure these bikes are not stolen? How to secure them?

[zenx]

Originally Posted by diabloo

How to ensure these bikes are not stolen? How to secure them?

V good points.

1. Insure them - am trying to figure out how
2. Keep them at home, inside office This is my current srtategy.

I know of people who've installed alarms etc. I guess it cannot be guaranteed, in any case.

[diabloo]

How about using Laptop locks?

[opendro]

Originally Posted by zenx

V good points.

1. Insure them - am trying to figure out how
2. Keep them at home, inside office This is my current srtategy.

I know of people who've installed alarms etc. I guess it cannot be guaranteed, in any case.

Lock them to the nearest pole or tree, assuming they cannot easily cut the lock chain

[zenx]

Originally Posted by opendro

Lock them to the nearest pole or tree, assuming they cannot easily cut the lock chain

Hehe - I guess thats part of the deal - hope !

[asr245]

Originally Posted by zenx

V good points.

1. Insure them - am trying to figure out how
2. Keep them at home, inside office This is my current srtategy.

I know of people who've installed alarms etc. I guess it cannot be guaranteed, in any case.

Let me know if you get insurance. I recently bought a TREK 4300D for roughly 28K with accessories.

TREKNOLOGY BIKES 3 - 4300 Disc

I was thinking about riding it to the squash courts but am not sure if they will allow me to park the bike just outside the court (which is inside the builing). So haven't started doing that yet.

[diabloo]

Techies on bicycles Quintegra chants green mantra

CHENNAI, INDIA: For Quintegra Solutions, even an employee motivation programme is part of its pro-environment campaign. Instead of taking its employees to any picnic spot, the city-based IT services company Saturday arranged a 20-km cycle ride as a day-out programme.

At 7 a.m. more than 70 employees of Quintegra assembled near the East Coast Road (ECR) toll plaza here.

On the roadside, 75 cycles were lined up by TI Cycles, the cycles division of the city-based Tube Investments of India Ltd, which organised the event.

"We declare one day in a week as no vehicles day. Employees are expected to reach office using public transport or any other mode but not fuel-powered personal vehicles," said Sriram Narasimhan, senior vice president (human resources) of Quintegra.

For many Quintegra employees accustomed to sitting before the computers and commuting in their own vehicles, the cycle ride initially seemed to be a strenuous exercise.

"The last time I rode a cycle was eight years ago," said Nirmala, an employee.

However, riding Hercules mountain terrain bikes and BSA racer bikes the employees happily pedalled their way enjoying the scenic view of the Bay of Bengal, farm houses and the casurina plantations.

After a one-and-a-half hour ride, the employees reached the destination - Hotel Shelters Resorts.

"It is really nice to have participated in this trip. Cycling to office is not a bad idea after all," a participant said.

Meanwhile, TI officials said the company was planning to conduct such events more regularly and extend beyond Chennai to places like New Delhi, Mumbai and Nashik to promote bicycles.

[zenx]

Very very cool! I'm totally loving biking to work. Carry a spare shirt, and keep a towel at office. Already getting to 20kmph+, and I suspect my speedo's calibrated wrong - the distance is sure than the 6.98 kms i see.

May the keeda spread

[motorheadinc]

I would keep it short and Sweet (K.I.S.S.)

I got my bike after a week at the dealer.
As my cycle has got different kind of rims they needed a special kind of tube (long valve) which was not available with the dealer.

In Pune, the whole of last week was dry with barely any rains and pleasant weather, but heck i dint have my bike.

As soon as i got my cycle back this weekend and took it out for my morning cycling regime it started to drizzle.Ignored it and went ahead to complete my 10 kms routine. Got completely drenched and now feeling pain in my entire body.

Hopefully i wont fall sick.Need some hot coffee now

[zenx]

Originally Posted by motorheadinc

As soon as i got my cycle back this weekend and took it out for my morning cycling regime it started to drizzle.Ignored it and went ahead to complete my 10 kms routine. Got completely drenched and now feeling pain in my entire body.

Hopefully i wont fall sick.Need some hot coffee now

Hehe, baptism by fire - or in this case - water! Hang in there, things will start looking up and who knows - soon you may ride to just get drenched

Take care and get well soon.