Category Archives: Batavus Fryslân

Heavier than Air

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When I came back to the Batavus after work yesterday I found red and orange balloons attached to its handlebars.

There was no note attached and I suspect it was a random incident; perhaps a passer-by had the balloons from some event and thought it’d be funny to put the balloons on my bike. The coordination of colors between the balloons and my bike was so perfect it seems like it might have been intentional. Is the responsible party someone I know personally? If it was someone I know I’m guessing I’ll get to the bottom of this in a few days’ time.

One other possibility exists: my bicycle came to life and picked up the balloons itself.
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Fixing a Flat without Removing the Tire

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When I first started changing tires I was taught to take the wheel off the bike, take the tire and tube off the wheel, and replace the punctured tube with a new one.

Over the years I’ve realized that routine is for suckers.

There’s no need to replace a tube so long as you have a good patch and there’s no need to remove the wheel so long as you can find where it’s leaking air.

Portrait in Cook ParkI ended up with a great opportunity to show you exactly what I’m talking about when I ran over some broken glass on my Batavus.

The Batavus Fryslân is the North American version of the venerable Dutch omafiet. It’s a model made specifically for North American customers (I don’t know exactly what that means) but it comes with a lot of the features that make Dutch bikes so great: sturdy rack, wide handlebars, and a chain case.

The chain case keeps your pants free from muck and mud that normally cakes onto a bike ridden in the winter. It also makes it difficult to take the rear wheel off the bike.

When I get a flat I’ll put the Batavus up on a stand or flip it upside-down. After inflating the tire I carefully listen for leaks.

Finding the HoleIf I can’t hear where the air is escaping I’ll get a bottle of water and spray around the tire until I can hear the air bubbling out.

Once I know where the offending puncture is located I deflate the tire and use levers to pop part of the tire off. Then I’ll pull out a section of tube and inflate it again to make sure I know exactly where the hole in the tube is located.

In the recent case of my Batavus it wasn’t a new puncture in the tube but rather an old (and cheap) patch that gave way.

Before applying a new patch I make sure to remove all the debris from the tube (including old patches) and roughen both the tube and patch a bit with sand paper.

New PatchAt that point there’s nothing left except to apply some adhesive and stick on a patch. If you’ve got a patch kit you’ll have everything you need but I’ve also found “shoe goo” (a strong rubber cement) works really well with a cut-out piece of an old tube as a patch.

I always make sure to let the patch sit long enough to ensure it’s solidly in place and then I’ll put the tube and tire back together and inflate the tire.

So there you have it – fixing a flat on a bike is easier than most people would have you think it is. The whole process can take as little as 15 minutes if you can find the hole in the tube quickly!

Happy (belated) Bus Driver Appreciation Day!

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I bet you didn’t know yesterday was International Bus Driver Appreciation Day. Who knows why they scheduled it for a Sunday but if you missed the occasion make sure you say “Thanks” to your favorite transit operator today instead.

Personally I’m very thankful for the friendly staff at TriMet, my local public transit agency. Every now and then I’ll get on a bus driven by an operator who’s a bit grumpy but the remaining 98% of the time the TriMet operators I interact with are pleasant, professional, and helpful.

There are a lot gaps in the bicycle and pedestrian transportation network where I live so public transit is a vital piece of my active transportation puzzel.

I’m sure you can understand why I’ve spent a lot of time riding TriMet with a bicycle so to celebrate Bus Driver Appreciation Day I thought I’d share some (or…”a ton of”) pictures I’ve taken while traveling on TriMet over the past few years.

To start things off, the best type of bicycle to bring with you on TriMet and other public transit, by far, is a folding bike.

Combining public transit and bicycling is virtually stress free when your bike folds up as small as carry-on luggage. You’ll never be stranded if a bike rack is full and in most cases you can bring the bike, folded up, onto vehicles that don’t allow full size bikes.

Bromptons at NightBromtons on the BusBrompton on a BusWaiting for a Train  Brompton on the MAX

Just because yesterday was “Bus Driver Appreciation Day” doesn’t mean I’m going to forget about how great it is to have a rail system in the city. Train operators and conductors deserve just as much praise as bus drivers. Because of them you and your bicycle can travel on one of the quickest and most reliable forms of public transportation.

MAX Reflection #2Flipped  Bike on TriMet  Bike on the MAXThe Flying Pigeon's 1st Train Ride  Two for One Parking

My personal favorite rail-based transportation is TriMet’s WES. The WES runs through the western suburbs of the Metro area and provides commuters with a way to get all the from Wilsonville to Beaverton, connecting destinations along the way with the MAX at the Beaverton Transit Center.

Based on my experience the WES also has the most reliably available bike parking. There are a few hanging spaces but most of the parking is flat, open space that can accomodate bikes of all sizes.

The Flying Pigeon's 2nd Train Ride  Brompton on the WESBrompton on the WES

TriMet has also been a source of inspiration for some of my “artsy” photography.

WES
Brompton & the WES  MergeSW 5th & MorrisonWatch for Trains - 3 of 4  Watch for Trains - 1 of 4  Watch for Trains - 4 of 4Crosswalk

And on rainy days TriMet gives shelter to people and their bicycles.

Rain on the BusBus Mall

TriMet can even helped you get to places part way around the world.

TriMet to Amsterdam

So take a few minutes and thank a public transit employee who you see today. They make help make life better for people who want to get around on foot or by bike.