Bicycle!

I so want a Strida. Yeah, it came with the tyres already with air in them... so I do get to test it out after all.

I've only tested it in the hallway so far... it's a teensy bit wobbly at first (due to different steering pivot than I'm used to?) but by mid-way down the hallway is absolutely fine. It's easy for me to fold up, very easy to push around like a surveyor's wheel when folded, and although I had to be slow at assembly (I'm not that strong right now) it was not difficult. Riding it does not make my hip twinge, which is an improvement over, say, walking, although I'd want to take it on a longer run to really know how it will affect me physically. Having the carrier with a 5kg capacity is also a good thing as it means that for most light riding I would not need to have a backpack, further reducing stress on my joints (one of the problems I'm coming up against in the warmer weather is that I need to carry water but it weighs rather a lot).

The back light/reflector combination is a slight PITA because it isn't easy to remove the light; I would probably just leave the reflector on and get a different light for night riding, myself. I suppose this is slightly less an issue with a bicycle that can be safely stowed inside, but the lights they send with the thing are not the cheapest ever. Also the front light uses two size N batteries which are likely to be difficult to source in some circumstances. Sod that, I think, I'd get cheaper lights that I can get rechargeable batteries for instead.

I don't think I would do without the 'performance kit', though - £72.30 ex VAT but you get a padded gel saddle and the handlebars and pedals fold for a smaller folded size, which means you can ALSO get it onto an airplane (probably a good idea to spend the £60 on the padded travel bag at that point)... but more importantly means it takes up as little space as possible when on trains.

It's a beautiful day. I think I'm off to the Post Office to pick up a parcel, and then to Tesco to buy a bicycle pump...

:)))

(I so want one of these. Le sigh. It would be useful...)

More wittering about somene else's bicycle

Absolutely lovely.

I was too scared to ride on the roads, because I didn't have my helmet and I hadn't ridden a proper bicycle since before my fall in September, and so on. So, I rolled the folded bicycle to the start of the footpath, rode all the way to the church, got off, walked the bicycle to Tesco, folded it, rolled it around inside looking for a tyre pump, did not find a tyre pump but got some sewing elastic for attaching things to the luggage rack, left Tesco, unfolded, walked around the corner to the Post Office, picked up a parcel, attached it to the luggage rack, walked the bicycle to the other end of the footpath, saw the "NO CYCLING" sign, walked until I was clear of all the students and figured it would be okay to cycle, cycled the rest of the way back except for the bit with the busy road, where I got off and walked again.

Thoughts:
-cycling is actually less painful for me than walking. This kindof makes sense but it surprised me, especially when going from cycling to walking.
-tension when holding onto handlebars is bad and makes my elbow hurt. It also makes the steering wonky. If I relax and don't lean on my arms, though, I'm fine.
-gosh it's quiet
-the bell is cute
-I need to put the seat higher (currently it is at what I estimate is the right height for hairyears, who is not as tall as I am)
-the parcel did not fall off, so I win at parcel-attaching
-it's a lot easier to roll along unfolded than folded (I found it easier than a 'normal' bicycle in fact); however when it is folded the rolling along can be done without any horrible bending over and so on. I wouldn't want to do it for miles but it's certainly fine for changing between trains.
-fold-up pedals really do make a difference. I heart them.
-folded, it goes up and down stairs okay... again, I wouldn't want to do it for miles, but it should be sufficient for most Tube travel.
-wow it's easy to fold and unfold!

I think if it were mine I would start cycling a few days a week. I'd start with the Thames Path, which mostly doesn't have cars on it, and gradually work my way toward Actual Roads With Cars On, and eventually toward Riding To Visit Other People, and riding to and from students on Sundays...

So. Yes. I thought I wanted one of these, now I've tried one and I still think I want it. I might try to borrow it for a week or two at some point to see if I really really still want one, but I think I'd best let hairyears have a go first ;P

I didn't test it on long grass or anything so I'm not sure how useful it is off of paved surfaces, but even if it won't do grass it would be good for foraging because it would extend my realistic range so much. Who knows, I might even have to get a trailer...