little kids LOVE my bike!

Claire Petersky replied:

So, what makes your bike so special? Recumbent or something?
__________________________

jj counter-replied:

Bottom of the line Trek 7200 FX, but what 8 y.o. wouldn't dig those
candyapple red streamers, the bell, and the vintage playing cards,
clothes-pinned to the spokes?
------------------------------------------------

Bottom of the line?? I thought I was moving up from my previous
level when I got a Trek 7200 FX.
It's the only one of its group that has 36 spokes, which is what drew me
to it, compared to the more expensive Trek hybrids with those
20/24-spoke wheels that wouldn't make me feel very secure, atop them.

I get a lot of positive responses with the 7200 FX from the
pre-teen set, or is it the streamlined accessories: a large fairing and
a rearview mirror housing that looks like something else that is small,
firm and familiar and also a rocket-shaped helmet and cargo box? These
kids, who have to first pass through the hot bicycle stage, before most
of them sadly regress into their automotive phase, are the best fans of
special bikes and their gear. When I've gone out on a quadraped
recumbent tricycle, all tricked out with the same streamlined gear, the
youngsters paid a lot of favorable attention.

When they get to high school, they should give a .5 GPA boost to
those who show wisdom by not having gotten a driver's license. When
they ride a bicycle to a part-time job, they should get a 50-cent an
hour pay bonus. The Feds could pay for this benefit, if they spent
1/10th of 1 per cent less on military operations. Taking it to a
further point, anyone who has gotten to Social Security age without ever
having had a driver's license, should get a 10% larger benefit for life
and free rides on public transit. Actually, without ever having spent
what it takes to maintain a motor vehicle, they'd likely have plenty of
assets.

Steve McDonald

Not to say that the 7200FX is a low quality bike, though some
will argue. But it is the bottom of the FX line of bikes.
Personally, I liked it enough to buy it, so I don't think it's
that bad. It's not a racing bike, but it's reliable, shifts
smoothly, is lighter than a steel bike, and is not too unpleasant
to ride on.

~Rob

"Steve McDonald" wrote in message
...
:
: Claire Petersky replied:
:
: So, what makes your bike so special? Recumbent or
something?
: __________________________
:
: jj counter-replied:
:
: Bottom of the line Trek 7200 FX, but what 8 y.o. wouldn't
dig those
: candyapple red streamers, the bell, and the vintage playing
cards,
: clothes-pinned to the spokes?
: ------------------------------------------------
:
: Bottom of the line?? I thought I was moving up from my
previous
: level when I got a Trek 7200 FX.
: It's the only one of its group that has 36 spokes, which is
what drew me
: to it, compared to the more expensive Trek hybrids with those
: 20/24-spoke wheels that wouldn't make me feel very secure, atop
them.
:
: I get a lot of positive responses with the 7200 FX from
the
: pre-teen set, or is it the streamlined accessories: a large
fairing and
: a rearview mirror housing that looks like something else that
is small,
: firm and familiar and also a rocket-shaped helmet and cargo
box? These
: kids, who have to first pass through the hot bicycle stage,
before most
: of them sadly regress into their automotive phase, are the best
fans of
: special bikes and their gear. When I've gone out on a
quadraped
: recumbent tricycle, all tricked out with the same streamlined
gear, the
: youngsters paid a lot of favorable attention.
:
: When they get to high school, they should give a .5 GPA
boost to
: those who show wisdom by not having gotten a driver's license.
When
: they ride a bicycle to a part-time job, they should get a
50-cent an
: hour pay bonus. The Feds could pay for this benefit, if they
spent
: 1/10th of 1 per cent less on military operations. Taking it to
a
: further point, anyone who has gotten to Social Security age
without ever
: having had a driver's license, should get a 10% larger benefit
for life
: and free rides on public transit. Actually, without ever
having spent
: what it takes to maintain a motor vehicle, they'd likely have
plenty of
: assets.
:
: Steve McDonald
:

Riding to work is not punishment. It's fun!

~Rob

"Maggie" wrote in message
oups.com...
:
: ~R wrote:
:
: I was pretty exhausted from climbing a 2.5 mile hill and
looking
: forward to another 1/2 mile of hill to go, but these little
: ducklings really gave me a good pick-me-up.
:
:
: SWEET!
:
: ~Rob
:
:
: Sometimes Life is just sooooo "SWEET" isn't it? I've had
comments
: while riding my bike, but I won't repeat them. One was from a
10 year
: old skateboarder with potty mouth.
:
: But really, most people are very nice to people on bikes around
here.
: Sometimes I think kids think the bikes only belong to them and
us old
: folks should be driving our cars.
:
: In the beginning of my riding, my kids told me only adults with
DWI's
: ride bikes to work....it is an alternate means of
transportation when
: you screwed up your life in some way.
:
: They have changed their mind about that since I actually rode
in the
: charity rides and finished plus lost weight and gained energy.
:
: I think I gave them a new prospective regarding adults using
bikes for
: transportation. It doesn't necessarily mean your license was
suspended
: or revoked.
:
: Maggie
:

Roger Zoul wrote:
I hope you opened their minds a bit....shame for them to grow up not knowing
what fun cycling can be...and how good for the body is it..



They grew up riding their bikes EVERYWHERE. They longed for the day
they could drive. I remember being a teenager and waiting impatiently
for the day I could finally get my license. My friends were waiting
impatiently as well since I was one of the first in the group to turn
the appropriate age. When I took the test and came back to school,
everyone came running over to my locker as I was getting my books.....
"Let's go for a ride, Let's go cuising"....was the cry. I had to look
at them and tell them I failed the drivers test. I passed the next
time. It was tramatic.
Now, after driving forever, I now know that cycling is much more fun.
Back then, you could have never convinced me of that. Getting your
license was a much anticipated right of passage into adulthood. So No
shame on them, they cycled everywhere growing up....when they finally
reached the age where they could drive, they were mucho happy. I'm sure
it will reverse down the road a bit, and they will enjoy cyling more
than driving.

Mags.

"~R" wrote in news:dYY2f.13533$q1.11036
@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net:

Biking to work again today, mostly uphill. Coming up near the end
of the block, there's a pack of 8 yr olds and a mom waiting for a
school bus. One kid points at me and says "Sweet!!". Then the
next kid goes, "Whoa! Look at that bike!", followed by more
"Sweeet!"s. I rang my mini-bell and gave 'em a thumbs up and they
went crazy.

"Sweet!" "Sweet!!" "SWEEET!!!"

I was pretty exhausted from climbing a 2.5 mile hill and looking
forward to another 1/2 mile of hill to go, but these little
ducklings really gave me a good pick-me-up.


SWEET!

~Rob




I get that a lot as well (even from the big kids)!....

http://www.chopzone.com/gallery/brad...m/overkill.htm

Cheers,
Brad

On Wed, 12 Oct 2005 23:11:38 GMT, "~R" wrote:

smoothly, is lighter than a steel bike, and is not too unpleasant
to ride on.

"not too unpleasant to ride on"? Are you a masochist or what?

Jasper

Had a similar experience near the end of a short thirty miler last
Saturday, as a young child suddenly screams , quite enthusiastically
"BIKES!" as me and my riding partner passed.

It would be nice if at least a few of your admirers decided to follow in
your "tire prints"

- -

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"
"May you have the winds at your back,
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

Group: rec.bicycles.misc Date: Sat, Oct 15, 2005, 3:33am (EDT+4) From:
(ATZ)

I get that a lot as well (even from the big
kids)!....
http://www.chopzone.com/gallery/brad...m/overkill.htm

Cheers,
Brad

Someone's been spending FAR too much time watching "Ameican Chopper"!
LOL

Must admit, it does look sorta cool. How does it pedal though?

- -

Chris Zacho ~ "Your Friendly Neighborhood Wheelman"
"May you have the winds at your back,
And a really low gear for the hills!"

Chris'Z Corner
http://www.geocities.com/czcorner

Mon, 17 Oct 2005 22:08:47 -0400,
,
(Chris Zacho "The Wheelman") wrote:

It would be nice if at least a few of your admirers decided to follow in
your "tire prints"

Whenever I see a little kid, who is still obviously learning to ride,
I give 'em a "ding ding" with the bell and a big thumbs up.

The slightly older ones, who have learned to ride and it looks like
they're on a new bike, I usually yell out something like "cool bike",
along with a big thumbs up.
--
zk

ATZ wrote:

I get that a lot as well (even from the big kids)!....

http://www.chopzone.com/gallery/brad...m/overkill.htm

Cheers,
Brad


SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET !!!!!


Maggie