Decided to get a shorter stem, so ordered a 90mm stem online. Slightly concerned about possible squirrelly handling, especially when I’ve already made it more squirrelly with the front rack. It didn’t feel that heavy when I was carrying the box up to my apartment but when I rode with it to Critical Mass yesterday I kept checking to see if my brake was rubbing against my front wheel, because I had to pedal so much harder to move compared to before. Perhaps I should have just gotten an Old Man Mountain rear rack, or a Carradice SQR saddle bag. Although racks are more versatile than saddlebags — I might have to carry big boxes of stuff I’ve ordered online from the UPS depot.

I am strangely fascinated by moustache bars, but I will hold off trying them out, because they would get in the way if I wanted to tie the milk crate on the front rack for hauling groceries.

October Critical Mass

Less anti-car madness this time round, it seems. At least I noticed less idiots hitting cars and yelling obscenities at drivers. Only there were two nasty incidents where massers got into fights with drivers.

And ow. Arms screaming from the first hour onwards, and I was on the bike for five and a half hours, which I think is the longest so far. I really need to change my handlebars, or find a way to move the seat forward. Get a shorter stem, and get maybe moustache handlebars. Only concern is that moustache handlebars might get in the way of my milk crate.

Most of the Halloween costumes were rather mediocre. I liked the male nuns though. And the reflective skeleton costume I caught on film here would, I think make a great year-round night cycling outfit.

Damn

First spill on the IRO. Ridiculous really. Had just turned off pavement from Stuart Hall, and was proceeding at walking pace down the quad towards Harper. I vaguely remember being visually distracted by something, possibly the group of students who’d just emerged from Stuart. At any rate, I suddenly found myself being thrown off the pedals. Slowest feeling fall I’ve ever experienced. I’m not sure that the actual process was that slow, but I remember having a lot of time to notice that I was falling, to think SHIT n times, and then the final crash which misaligned my handlebars and ravaged the end of my bar tape. I must have had both feet stuck in the toe clips then, because I certainly had lots of time to do a foot plant if I could. I probably had locked my leg as though I was coasting, and, of course, having one straight stiff leg on a fixed gear with your feet stuck in clips is a recipe for disaster.

My body itself is none the worse except for a probably gigantic bruise on my right kneecap. Since it was a record cold today (snow in early October!) I was wearing my abrasion resistant climbing pants, which probably saved me a nasty graze.