It's only when someone else rode my bike...

... that I realised how amazing my wheel lights were!

Put some fun between your legs!

Tron bike video

Shot by @hephail :D

TRON-ESQUE

Many Many moons ago, I came across a bike wheel lighting system called monkeylectric and I thought to myself- I should get me one of those... 
but I couldn't afford it.

I had this toy which would throw light on a coloured strip of paper and would make colour rings when spun.

That inspired me to buy some LEDs and batteries and created a spoke light which looked really good on my old bike.
It wasn't a very a very practical design, so I gave up soon. 

Then after two long years, I came across another DIY lighting system. I liked it and headed off to my local electrical shop where I discovered this: A self adhesive strip of tiny LEDs which are cut according to requirement. 

  

Just a matter of soldering the contacts with that battery connector thingy.

The self adhesive LED strip should then be fitted on the inside surface of the wheel. Valve to valve.

        

The 9 v battery should be taped to the spokes such that the battery wire connector can be attached to it. 

The battery connector acts like a switch.

The LED strip cost me a hundred bucks a metre. I bought two 2 m long strips, two 9 v batteries, two battery contacts and some black electrical tape.
I spent Rs 480 for the whole contraption.

Switch on the lights and take the bike out for a spin in the dark!

LOOK MA NO HANDS!

*thud*... NOT!

Shoe shots

I love clicking pictures of my feet and shoes. But lately, shooting the same kind of photos became monotonous. So this morning when I was cycling to yoga, I decided to click photos of my shoes while riding! 

And a few of them came out well. I did have a couple of heart in mouth moments when I almost lost my balance while I was taking those pictures, but overall it was quite amusing :D

two glasses of wine

Two glasses of wine, a wonderful lunch, great company and a cup of coffee later, I enjoyed riding back home more than usual!

Fixing the valve

For the last two weeks, my bergamont was lying about in my stilt parking gathering dust because of the front tyre valve which refused to let any air being pumped in the tube. And because I had no time to get it fixed because I was just flittering back and forth from site to site and home. And college.

So day before yesterday when I was bored of work- just having watched a movie called 'Whip It!' (it's about roller derby) I felt like skating. So I went to the store room to search for my old skates.

I couldn't find them.

But then I happened to notice my bike lying around gathering more dust even as I walked towards it. Instinctively, I undid the front break, pulled the quick release wheel lever and took the front wheel up to my room. I washed it, fixed the presta valve pin which had to be straightened. I pumped air in wheel and took it down, fixed it back on the bike, washed the bike clean and was ready to go.

I will probably start servicing and fixing my bike myself from now on...

I was just going through this lovely blog I recently started following called girls and bicycles, and came across this post.

Innovative uses of a bicycle - I (Sharpening knifes)

Mr. Kishan Yadav- the 'Dhaar Wala' (knife sharpener) came to our doorstep today morning. I had two knifes which needed sharpening so I went out to get it done.
As I shot this video, I noticed how a buffing wheel has been attached in the top tube of his simple bicycle. It is connected to a circular strip on the back wheel. He pedals his bike while on the stand and then sharpens the knife on the buffing wheel which moves quite fast.
The speed can be controlled manually by pedaling faster or slower. The technique requires a lot of practice. One must learn it the hard way. But what is life without a little hardship.
It's an old method of sharpening blades in the Indian Subcontinent, Africa and even South America, apparently. The sound of the blade being sharpened is calming at times, and can be totally maddening the other times.
But the careful concentration and calm with which Kishan Yadav goes about his business was worth seeing. Looking at knifes being sharpened was never such a therapeutic experience before...

Look ma no hands - IN REALTIME!