欧州自転車レース追っかけ日記

It has been a week and two days since ...
It has been a week and two days since I started using my newly acquired Brompton bike to commute to work (and back home, of course).

Mostly
1. from home to nearest bus stop,
2. from the nearest train station to the work,
3. reverse of 2. and
4. from the closest tram station to home.
Overall, around 6 km to 7 km a day in total, I guess.

First, it was a bit of struggle to keep the pace high going uphills but I am getting used to it.

Today, I rode all the way to the station because I felt like doing so and this meant I rode about 2.5 km. After arriving at the station where Express train stopped, I rode around 1 km additionally. On my way home I rode that 1 km stretch. From Luxembourg Central station I rode all the way home with a bit of detour resulting in about 4 km of bike ride.

I am getting used to riding longer and faster day by day. Now I enjoy riding the bike. The more I ride, the better I feel.

The gearing issue
Currently the front chainring on my Brompton has obviously 50 teeth and the rear gears (two of them) are, I guess, 12, 14, 16 or 18 (two of these 4 possibly).

To me for the moment, riding fast is not on my wish list. So I am considering changing the front chainring smaller. I don't have too many choices at hand. I only have one 38 ring with P.C.D. 130 mm.

38 might be too small but I will try it on my Brompton and see if it works.

I meant it in terms of ratio but
When I wrote (just above this paragraph) that 38-cog chainring might be too small, I meant that the ratio (38 to whatever rear gears I had, 12? 14? 16? 18? ?? on my Brompton rear wheel). It might make me feel the pedaling resistance too light. That was what I meant.

I got the chainring (50) out and installed 38. I realized that this small chainring (meant for road bike inner "climbing") came too close to the spider arms (5 arms). The chain definitely could rub the tip of those spider arms. I guess 38 is too small physically.


In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Brompton now (after a couple of weeks)]の続きを読む

テーマ:自動車の整備＆修理 - ジャンル:車・バイク

1. 2023/12/27(水) 15:01:53|
2. Bikes and related things
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Bromptons spotted in Köln (Cologne)
So I went (by very untrustworthy, in terms of punctuality, DB = Deutsche Bahn a.k.a. German Railway or Railroad) to Köln to pick up the Brompton I bought via ebay.

I did not know (although I have been to Köln several times to watch bike road races, mainly Rund um Köln = Cologne Tour) that bike lanes (at some places as wide as the lanes for the cars) were abundant in the city at least near the main station area).

I spotted not so many co-bikers during my stay taking advantages of those lanes.

On the other hand, I spotted at least 4 or 5 Brompton users (a.k.a. Bros?) inside the train stations (Köln Hbf = Köln Central Station and Köln Messe-Deutz Station). I was surprised that Bros were popular there.

Some useless memos for me.
The Koblenz Hbf (Central or Main Train Station) seemed to be a secluded location. What I mean is that the train from Luxembourg came into the station and then left for the direction of Köln backward. Most trains did not come through the station but seemed to come in and retreated ass backwards.

The Brompton genuine airpump (Zefal OEM) that I got with the bike seemed to work not so well. The tire tube valve was so-called Schrader (the same as the automobile tire valve). The aforementioned airpump was supposed to work with these valves but I found it rather awkward to work with.

I realized when I arrived at the Köln Hbf after picking the bike up and ran for 15 miniuts that both tires were not properly inflated and decided to pump them up. It took me a while before completing the task. I understand that my Brompton was kept in a storage for a long time before sold off to me. I wonder if she (previous owner) tried to pump them up or not. I doubt she did and I was impressed that the tubes kept the air inside for such a long time.

Personally, I prefer so-called French valve (Presta) than the Schrader valve.

I used (after coming home) my own mini flour air pump to inflate the tubes. I am writing this on Thursday (K&oml;ln trip was on Wednesday) an I am going to work on Friday. I think I am going to use my Brompton to get to work for the first time. I will get to the Luxembourg central station and take a train. I use a so-called RE train. RE stands for Regional Express (German word for Regional express). They stop at much much fewer stations till my destination (only one extra station).

Since this Thursday described above, I have been commuting by train, bus and tram with my Brompton.

If I keep it up, it is estimated that I will save over 200 Euro (possibly 250 Euro) per month. The best part of using my Brompton is not the amount of money I save but the health benefit I get.


In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Commuting with the Brompton or not?]の続きを読む

テーマ:日記というか、雑記というか… - ジャンル:日記

1. 2023/12/18(月) 16:36:50|
2. Diary
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I finally got it
My short one-day trip to Köln to collect the ebay Brompton was a successful one although a bit frustrating one because of the mess created by the DB (Deutsche Bahn = German Railway).



In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [I got it, baby! My Brompton is here.]の続きを読む

テーマ:日記 - ジャンル:日記

1. 2023/12/14(木) 01:08:42|
2. Bikes and related things
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Off to Cologne (Köln), Germany!
The ebay seller told me (via ebay message) that I should call this person whom this Brompton legally belonged. It turned out that this ebay seller (account holder) was helping a friend of her sell off this Brompton.

So I called and talked to the real owner. We agreed on a date and time frame to transfer the ownership of this Brompton bike. So I take a early morning train to Köln, Germany and take an early evening train back to Luxembourg.

Amazing (I knew but) that the price difference that a cheaper fair and a more expensive fair make.

I carefully chose (via Train ticket app) cheaper connections and in the end the total price I paid was less than 50 Euro (48 and something). I could have chosen more expensive tickets that would cost me more than 130 Euro.

This Brompton was first sold on ebay at 1,000 Euro with "Buy it now" option. I immediately sent 900 Euro offer but soon it was sold to someone. I didn't regret having underbid. I was a bit surprised to it resurface after about one day absence.

I was a curious about the possible reason of its resurfacing.

The seller wrote in the description that "pick-up" was preferred but it could shipped but had to be asked first (if conditions were met). I guessed that someone bought it and asked for shipping but the conditions were not agreeable (charges?). The buyer and the seller agreed to part ways(?).

Anyway, the reason was not my concern. I offered 950 Euro this time. And the rest was history (the seller agreed).

The photos showed one additional item on the bike. An ABUS bike lock device that looked formidable as they are renouned to be.

The bike is in good condition and relatively new. It has the Brompton genuine air pump on it. I don't have that sacred IKEA DIMPA bag with me. I have to prepare a bag to cover my Brompton. Normally it costs to bring a bike on a train in Germany. I want to avoid that charge by taking it inside a bag. If a bike is inside a reasonably sized bag, it is considered to be a carry-on luggage, which incurs, of course, no charges.

Anyway, the arrangement was as soon as I arrive at Köln Central Station, I proceed to the seller's residence and get the bike.

I have a whole day until around 16:30 to make some cycling tour of Köln. What shall I do there?

In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Oh, my Brompton!]の続きを読む

テーマ:自動車の整備＆修理 - ジャンル:車・バイク

1. 2023/12/09(土) 16:30:43|
2. Bikes and related things
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What happened to the Brompton?
The elusive Brompton bike still remains elusive as ever. I seem to be not able to catch it.

If I lived in the United Kingdom (The United Kingdom of Great Britain and North Ireland), I would have it sooner as the Brompton bikes are very abundant there.

Some sellers only allow the "pick-up on location" transaction and those are the ones I am after. If they allow only shipping, I have no chance of avoiding the hefty import charges.

I have experienced two cases of ebay fraud where sellers tried (and I don't know if they had succeeded) to make profit out of phony deals. Now I think I know whom to trust and whom not to trust. Now I think I know how to discern those phony deals.

Anyway, I am still after them, chasing two of them currently; One from Germany and the other from the UK. I am not sure how my search for a Brompton will turn out.

The German deal is a "Buy it now" type so I can buy it right away if I wanted. And the price is not that bad at all at 1,000 Euro.

It appeared a couple days ago and I offered to pay 900 Euro but someone snatched it away and my offer was turned down at the same time. It resurfaced Today after one or two days.

Did the buyer had cold feet and refused to pay? Did the buyer did not read the transaction conditions that the seller preferred "pick-up" and shipping options had to be declared first (before committing?). The buyer turned out to be from a remote place and the seller refused to send there?

The seller seems to have decent amount of transaction record so I believe this seller and the deal is genuine.

Although the price he is asking for this bike is within my budget, I offered her/him less than the set price. This time the price is 950 Euro not because I am a cheap tightfisted person but I want to say that I got it at a three-figure price. I am waiting for her/his answer. If it goes away, I am fine. I miss it a bit but not too much. Let it be!


In Japanese: 続きをどうぞ [Seeking a Brompton saga continues]の続きを読む

テーマ:自動車の整備＆修理 - ジャンル:車・バイク

1. 2023/12/06(水) 20:05:50|
2. Bikes and related things
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