Andrea Adjusts her saddle and sets her sights on some more cycling adventures
Andrea writes:
After adjusting my seat just so, the two bike mechanics took it
for a test drive.
 |
| The Bike Mechanics test out the new saddle height. Will it get a thumbs up or thumbs down? |
Upon their triumphant return there was an enthusiastic debate
about whose car is going to get the new bike rack.... As my birthday is around the
corner I suspect it will be me!
Having had this bike now for the last week has been fun for all
the family. I have not taken any long trips on the roads but stuck mostly to
cycle paths, which has been fine as there are a few nice places to cycle in Cork.
I think when I get my own bike I will be joining Maria on a trip to UCC, or
even the city!
It would be so great to hop into the city on a Saturday morning
and not worry about parking..
Editor’s Comment:
UCC has some beautiful grounds and plenty of bike stands with several
on and off-road cycle-ways to get there. However I do know of a few cycle
thefts in the area, so make sure you lock your bike well there! The following
video gives some good general advice on how best to lock your bike:
However even the best locks can be broken- the better ones
simply take longer to hack. For expensive bikes, I personally favour alarmed
locks, such as those used by motor bikes.
Image above from: http://www.dhgate.com/product/12-120cm-bicycle-alarm-lock-excellent-the/161868868.html
Image to the left from: http://lockalarm.com/products/all/lock-alarm-xt/ When an attempt is made to cut through the ultra hard steel cable or attack the main lock unit the alarm starts screaming!
These typically retail at €30-€50. However there are much more sophisticated versions currently being developed, with electronic keys, GPS and smartphone apps so that not only does the lock screech loudly when being hammered or cut, it also alerts the owner’s phone. However, at present these locks are rather expensive and may not ship out until next year..…
Images above show the http://lock8.me/ and http://bitlock.co/
There are still lots of other low or no cost measures you can take to
minimise theft and maximise chances of lost bike retrieval- like taking a photo
of your bike and noting the registration number.
Read all the tips here: http://www.transportforireland.ie/cycling/ or get the Garda Crime Prevention Information
sheet here: http://www.garda.ie/Documents/User/CP%20Info%20Sheet%20-%20VS4%20-%20Bicycles-2010-01-11.pdf
