Because a certain local sporting goods chain is The Devil

[gurdymonkey]

I was actually kind of glad that when I went to the one over in Berkeley that they were completely out of Bern helmets in women's styles and only had one style of the men's in a couple sizes, black only, which may be all Joe Cool, gents, but isn't going to help make you more visible on the road.

I tried them anyway, as well as a Bell multisport helmet (also black only!) and one of the Nutcase multi-sports, to get an idea of sizing, weight and padding. I liked the fit and weight of both the Bern and the Nutcase (which are notable for coming in a variety of wonderfully fun colors and patterns), but I preferred the profile of the Bern, wrote down the size that fit me and will ordered one in gloss white from somewhere that does have what I want in stock at a fair price and reasonable shipping after I get paid this week. EDIT: Life is short, get the damn thing already.  Further research reveals that there are two versions of this helmet, one which is a "hard hat" version not approved for cycling, the other lined with the sort of polystyrene goodness the certifiers of such things deem safe. I made sure I searched with all the correct info, found a site that had the right thing and free shipping and ordered it tonight before I forgot which specs are which, 'cause I remember a fair amount of back-and-forthing of white helmet boxes from Mom's tack shop when the AHSA first mandated ASTM/SEI approved helmets for riders under 18 in the 80's. 

White will be more visible if I get caught out after sunset and I can add my own custom paint-work if I like. Sawako Furuno, eat your heart out.

After years of riding horses in some sort of helmet or another, I like the Bern because (a) it just feels like it fits me properly, with better placed and more numerous pads than the Bell Bellisima helmet I bought a week or so ago, (b) it covers more of the back of my skull, (c) it has fewer vent holes, my theory being that fewer holes mean greater structural integrity should the worst happen, and (d) even with more padding, does not make me look as hydrocephalic as the Bell did.

One of the sales minions - the same fellow who helpfully snagged a helmet off an upper shelf for me to try on - caught me browsing through their rack of bike bags and panniers (more for ideas as to where and where not to put straps and hooks) and asked if I needed assistance. I sighed and said, "They're all so (big huffy sigh) UGLY. And clunky. And they'll look all wrong on my vintage bike.* I think I'm just gonna have to sew my own."  To my intense delight, Minion #1 said, "I know. I want a small handlebar bag to pack my lunch in and I can't find anything I like. I should probably just get some canvas or something." I recommended Discount Fabrics on San Pablo and Ashby and sailed out of there without buying a damn thing and avoiding any Sales Associate Demons who wanted to sell me a membership.

On a whim, and because it was STILL freezing ass cold on this side of the hills, and because I still wasn't hungry and thought it might get my mind off the rather fascinating back cramps I was experiencing this morning, I figured I'd tool up to Concord and see what The Devil had in stock at the store up there. Even less, it turns out. However, I also stopped at a place that sells discount upholstery and drapery fabric and found THIS:
 
THAT'S going to be my bike bags. Hell, if I was built the way I was back in my teens, I'd make a mini dress out of it and get me some white go go boots....

*Speaking of which, if you look at the frames on most new bikes, they're frigging enormous! Mimi was made of steel tubing by a company that catered to a budget market via companies like Sears Roebuck and Western Auto, but you park her next to a new cruiser or hybrid with fat tubular aluminum and she looks positively dainty.  So pissed I feel too awful to ride today.

I think I need a bike icon....

Comments

[ladycelia.livejournal.com]

That's some fabulous fabric!

One of two icons for you

[ladycelia.livejournal.com]

To be followed by another.

2nd bike for you

[ladycelia.livejournal.com]

And the other one!

[horsefriend2.livejournal.com]

If you are going to paint a helmet, make ABSOLUTELY!!! sure that the paint is compatible with the plastic the helmet is made from. I ran into this problem many years ago when I was MB racing; I had a nice black, Italian, hardshell helmet, that a friend painted for me with a stunning montage of skulls (OK, it WAS the mid '80's) the paint reacted with the helmet plastic; slung it on the bars one day soon after, it TAPPED! the frame, and shattered! :

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

Good to know. Hmmm, creating my own decals might be the way to go....

[erink.livejournal.com]

This place has some more civilized bike accessories (at a price). http://www.rivbike.com/ Baskets also are making a comeback. Like this one: http://publicbikes.com/p/Peterboro-Original-Bike-Basket-Large

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

Don't know if you missed the basket vs. panniers debate, but I don't want that groovy space-age front fender hidden by a basket, so I've mounted a rat-trap rack on the rear. Besides, I like the idea of designing and building my own saddle bags.

Rivendell is local-ish. And yes, spendy. Some good articles in the sidebar though.

[erink.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, I missed that. (Pennsic.)

Make sure the bags don't hit your feet on the backstroke and that there are no fiddly bits to catch on/in your wheel. You would be amazed what a back wheel can suck in and chew up!

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

This is why I've been looking at pannier bags I have no intention of buying: to get ideas on points of attachment, dimensions and so forth. I've got some ideas that I think will allow me to clip into the bike frame from the bottom of the bag, and a rigid interfacing of the back of the bag should keep them from wanting to feed into the spokes.