subject:"Re\: \[RBW\] Re\: Clem for my husband"

Re: [RBW] Re: Clem for my husband

2015-12-15 Thread LeahFoy

Hi, All, I just wanted to post a quick update on my husband's new Clem. You 
will remember that he was enamored with Specialized and its garish modern style 
and garish modern colors. You will be amused to know that he has been studying 
MY bike and wondering how to make his more like it. You know, so we can 
"match." Anyway, this is a man who never spends money on himself. Therefore, 
you might imagine my shock when he wanted new cork grips ("like yours, Leah"), 
wanted those grips shellacked ("to match our saddles, Leah") and a new Brooks 
saddle ("They make them with SPRINGS?!?"). I took some extra liberties, 
however, and not only did he get his new cork grips (which I then shellacked, 
along with mine to "match") and his Brooks (in honey to "match", mind you), but 
I got him a silver bell (complements but doesn't "match" my brass bell), a 
bottle cage, a cygolight which has yet to arrive, and I wrapped an Irish strap 
around his bars. I don't know why I did that last thing. Now our bars do not 
"match." He has neither inquired nor complained about the cost of Riv-ing up 
his Clem, which is quite possibly a first.

I cringe to say it, but the magic of this bike is, for now, unnoticed by my 
husband. He has no notion of how special it is, and the attributes of his Clem 
that he's assigned value to are not typical, or even sensical. When I ask him 
about his favorite attributes of his bike, he offers this as the pinnacle of 
the bike's good points: it matches mine. I have to stifle laughter because he's 
ridiculous. Incorrigible and ridiculous and darling! His favorite, and I do 
mean all-time, incomparable, cherished, revered, favorite thing, is that it 
looks like our bikes are a matched pair. How silly it would be for me to be on 
my Riv and he on a Specialized! What a relief not to have made THAT mistake. 
Because, priorities! Also, if we can be seen riding our bikes in tandem, all 
the better, so that the neighborhood knows WE MATCH. Is it foolish to suppose 
that over time he will realize the true splendor of lugged steel magic bikes 
created by the elves at Rivendell? For this we hope!

His ride impressions are that the bike feels sturdy and sounds quiet. He is 
weirded out by friction shifting. You know how sometimes you'll think you're in 
gear and then when you apply more pressure to the pedals sometimes the gears 
will grind or slip? He HATES that.  "It was NOT out of gear! I was going along 
perfectly fine, didn't touch a thing and then IT DID THIS!" Completely 
confounded by friction shifting, can't see why this would ever be superior to 
his old Pile 'O Junk and its twisty numbered grip shifting mechanism. Somehow 
his chain popped off the rear cog and gouged the paint on his frame. That was a 
low point for sure. He definitely needs his saddle raised a few inches but 
staunchly opposes that idea ("I like it like this."). Not easily deterred, I 
raised it at least a couple of inches when I installed his Brooks. We'll see if 
he notices. He calls his bike his "gentleman's bike." He says it looks like a 
British gentleman just waiting to go for a ride. The only British thing on the 
bike is the saddle, and the rest of it is a conglomeration of parts from all 
over the world, but it's British if you ask HIM. His next idea is to figure out 
the bag situation. He doesn't want a Saddlesack because he doesn't want to lose 
his Pletscher rack. So he thinks about rear Back-a-Bike bags, but he isn't sure 
yet. 

Now, I have a couple of questions, and they are silly because I don't know 
anything about bikes, so bear with me. Look at the angle of his Brooks. He 
hasn't complained (because he's been away on business and hasn't ridden it 
yet), but it looks like I may want to nose it down a bit, and I better know how 
to do it before he asks. Mine adjusts effortlessly. Why can't I seem to do it 
with his? Also, when I ride his bike, I feel scrunched. He's 6 feet and I'm 
only 5' 6" but I feel like I want to stretch out more. When I sit on my bike it 
might as well be a favorite chair, it's so comfortable. Could this be because 
the Clem bars rise and reach back? Mine are Albatross, how different can they 
be? Can bars really made THAT much difference? 

Anyway, there's a link here, and if you would be so kind to examine the bike 
and give your opinion, I'd be grateful!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/daytondogg/albums/72157661891945032

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Re: [RBW] Re: Clem for my husband

2015-12-15 Thread Kathy

Just want to say - he is one lucky man.

On 12/15/2015 11:33 AM, LeahFoy wrote:

Hi, All, I just wanted to post a quick update on my husband's new Clem. You will remember that he was enamored with Specialized and its garish modern style and
garish modern colors. You will be amused to know that he has been studying MY bike and wondering how to make his more like it. You know, so we can
"match." Anyway, this is a man who never spends money on himself. Therefore, you might imagine my shock when he wanted new cork grips ("like
yours, Leah"), wanted those grips shellacked ("to match our saddles, Leah") and a new Brooks saddle ("They make them with
SPRINGS?!?"). I took some extra liberties, however, and not only did he get his new cork grips (which I then shellacked, along with mine to
"match") and his Brooks (in honey to "match", mind you), but I got him a silver bell (complements but doesn't "match" my brass
bell), a bottle cage, a cygolight which has yet to arrive, and I wrapped an Irish strap around his bars. I don't know why I did that last thing. Now our bars
do not "match." He has neither inquired nor complained about the cost of Riv-ing up his Clem, which is quite possibly a first.

I cringe to say it, but the magic of this bike is, for now, unnoticed by my
husband. He has no notion of how special it is, and the attributes of his Clem
that he's assigned value to are not typical, or even sensical. When I ask him
about his favorite attributes of his bike, he offers this as the pinnacle of
the bike's good points: it matches mine. I have to stifle laughter because he's
ridiculous. Incorrigible and ridiculous and darling! His favorite, and I do
mean all-time, incomparable, cherished, revered, favorite thing, is that it
looks like our bikes are a matched pair. How silly it would be for me to be on
my Riv and he on a Specialized! What a relief not to have made THAT mistake.
Because, priorities! Also, if we can be seen riding our bikes in tandem, all
the better, so that the neighborhood knows WE MATCH. Is it foolish to suppose
that over time he will realize the true splendor of lugged steel magic bikes
created by the elves at Rivendell? For this we hope!

His ride impressions are that the bike feels sturdy and sounds quiet. He is weirded out by friction shifting.
You know how sometimes you'll think you're in gear and then when you apply more pressure to the pedals
sometimes the gears will grind or slip? He HATES that. "It was NOT out of gear! I was going along
perfectly fine, didn't touch a thing and then IT DID THIS!" Completely confounded by friction shifting,
can't see why this would ever be superior to his old Pile 'O Junk and its twisty numbered grip shifting
mechanism. Somehow his chain popped off the rear cog and gouged the paint on his frame. That was a low point
for sure. He definitely needs his saddle raised a few inches but staunchly opposes that idea ("I like it
like this."). Not easily deterred, I raised it at least a couple of inches when I installed his Brooks.
We'll see if he notices. He calls his bike his "gentleman's bike." He says it looks like a British
gentleman just waiting to go for a ride. The only British thing on the bike is the saddle, and the rest of it
is a conglomeration of parts from all over the world, but it's British if you ask HIM. His next idea is to
figure out the bag situation. He doesn't want a Saddlesack because he doesn't want to lose his Pletscher
rack. So he thinks about rear Back-a-Bike bags, but he isn't sure yet.

Now, I have a couple of questions, and they are silly because I don't know anything
about bikes, so bear with me. Look at the angle of his Brooks. He hasn't complained
(because he's been away on business and hasn't ridden it yet), but it looks like I
may want to nose it down a bit, and I better know how to do it before he asks. Mine
adjusts effortlessly. Why can't I seem to do it with his? Also, when I ride his
bike, I feel scrunched. He's 6 feet and I'm only 5' 6" but I feel like I want
to stretch out more. When I sit on my bike it might as well be a favorite chair,
it's so comfortable. Could this be because the Clem bars rise and reach back? Mine
are Albatross, how different can they be? Can bars really made THAT much difference?

Anyway, there's a link here, and if you would be so kind to examine the bike
and give your opinion, I'd be grateful!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/daytondogg/albums/72157661891945032

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To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com.
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