(Riffing on two earlier posts.) So I’ve been doing a bit of metalwork. I decided to make some adjustments to the frame of one of my several bags that fit onto the Brompton’s front bag attachement, to use it as support for a small bag. The metalwork involved me simply sawing off the side extended aluminium bars and leaving only the central part of the support frame. You can just see it in the enlarged version (click). There are times when I do not want to have a large bag on the bike, or even medium sized. Usually, then I have the small bag on my shoulder across the chest, and that works well, but nothing beats riding with nothing on your back or shoulder. So this is my solution, and one of my leather handbags fits quite well (with the aid of a strap I made from parts bought in a hardware store, and two tiny bungees with hooks, that you can’t see) onto the neatly detachable frame. Happens to match the seat/saddle nicely, all complementing the British racing green colour.
A very elegant solution, also allowing me to keep the bag on the bike all the time, still easily doing the quick fold, and to stably tow it when fully folded too (using the handle at the top of the frame that you can just about see), giving me less stress on the arm when transferring train lines in the station and so forth. (It is hard to imagine but the folded bike ends up with that bag frame handle pointing in just the right direction to two the whole thing if desired. Pic (old) of the folded bike here.)
While you’re looking, notice that I’ve now got tiny pedals on it that receive shoes with clips in the bottom. This gives me more power for hills and acceleration that puts less stress on my knees. I made this change a couple of years ago, I think. Invisible changes include an installation of new wheels (better, newly designed rims) and an wider more even range of gears that gives me a higher top speed and an excellent lowest gear for difficult hills. This bike, almost ten years old now, remains one of the best, most versatile and rewarding investments I’ve ever made.
By the way, it is the Fall CicLAVia on Sunday! It is back downtown. Enjoy it if you go. I am not sure I can due to a weekend full of wedding activities I must attend.
-cvj
