Bike Lust

Zoot Katz said:

On Sunday I rode a modern, German made, Pedersen.
Wow! What a sweet riding machine.
They're elegant like tall bikes and comfortable like cruisers.
One is left wondering why all bikes weren't made this way.
Now I want one. It's the first bike I've coveted in a long time.

If you ever get a chance to ride one, do it.
--
zk

I've seen a few in Gothenburg and Copenhagen. I got to test ride one
owned by a super nice bike shop owner I met in Gothenburg outside of a
grocery. Magnificently quirky--I'd ride one in a heartbeat if I lived
in a flat city. It might not be "better" than a modern city bike in
terms of ergonomics, but [censored] it, it's just cool.

I got outbid on one on Ebay a while back. I chickened out at $1000, but
would probably have gone a bit higher had I been able to see it in
person.

They still make them in Copenhagen's Christiania district, and they're
not terribly dear in price either. Last time I priced out a sensible
urban version with a Nexus hub, it wasn't more than about
$1200US--pretty fair in my opinion.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Zoot Katz said:

They're elegant like tall bikes and comfortable like cruisers.

OK, I'm thinking you've seen different tall bikes than I have, because
the ones I have seen have been cobbled together contraptions. I would
like to see an elegant tall bike. Do you have an URL to some pics?
Thanks!

--
fneep

Kevan Smith said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Zoot Katz said:

They're elegant like tall bikes and comfortable like cruisers.

OK, I'm thinking you've seen different tall bikes than I have, because
the ones I have seen have been cobbled together contraptions. I would
like to see an elegant tall bike. Do you have an URL to some pics?

A bike shop in my area sells individually designed Pedersen bikes,
some even with wooden rims:
http://www.egon-rahe.de/pedersen.htm
also see http://www.egon-rahe.de/modelle.htm
(in German language, but with some images)

Not everybody´s taste, but definitly not "cobbled together".

Regards,
Christian
http://www.tinyworld.de

Christian Zickermann said:

A bike shop in my area sells individually designed Pedersen bikes,
some even with wooden rims:
http://www.egon-rahe.de/pedersen.htm
also see http://www.egon-rahe.de/modelle.htm
(in German language, but with some images)

Not everybody´s taste, but definitly not "cobbled together".

WOW! Those are goregeous!

I was drooling over the "standard" ones here:
http://www.pedersenbicycle.dk/infot.htm
--
zk

Kevan Smith said:

Quoted message said:

They're elegant like tall bikes and comfortable like cruisers.

OK, I'm thinking you've seen different tall bikes than I have, because
the ones I have seen have been cobbled together contraptions. I would
like to see an elegant tall bike. Do you have an URL to some pics?
Thanks!

Not necessarily "elegant" looking but the ride is incomparable.
They're stable and stately at sub-walking speeds.

Chalo's is the most elegantly built tall bike I've ever not seen.
You can get a glimpse of it here:
http://www.deadbabybikes.org/bikes/300x300k/0001.jpg

The Pedersen is pretty elegant with its small diameter tubes. The
head tube looks a bit cluttered but its ride is sooooo different.
--
zk

On 12 Jun 2006 20:24:00 -0700, "landotter" <[email hidden]>
wrote of Pedersen bikes:

Quoted message said:

I've seen a few in Gothenburg and Copenhagen. I got to test ride one
owned by a super nice bike shop owner I met in Gothenburg outside of a
grocery. Magnificently quirky--I'd ride one in a heartbeat if I lived
in a flat city. It might not be "better" than a modern city bike in
terms of ergonomics, but [censored] it, it's just cool.

This one was set-up with a 7spd cassette and single chain wheel. The
short steep pitches I did with it didn't indicate that it would climb
poorly. Where you lose it is in aerodynamics. But that's not much of
an issue below 20 KmH

Quoted message said:

I got outbid on one on Ebay a while back. I chickened out at $1000, but
would probably have gone a bit higher had I been able to see it in
person.

My friend purchased just the frame, fork and sling saddle off Ebay.
IIRC, he mentioned ~$600.

Quoted message said:

They still make them in Copenhagen's Christiania district, and they're
not terribly dear in price either. Last time I priced out a sensible
urban version with a Nexus hub, it wasn't more than about
$1200US--pretty fair in my opinion.

The German made ones are about the same price.

I'm dreaming of a cream coloured one with green pin striping, Rolhoff
rear hub, SON front hub and maybe a green saddle.
But I'd settle for standard black with Nexus hubs.
--
zk

Zoot Katz said:

Kevan Smith said:

Quoted message said:

They're elegant like tall bikes and comfortable like cruisers.

OK, I'm thinking you've seen different tall bikes than I have, because
the ones I have seen have been cobbled together contraptions. I would
like to see an elegant tall bike. Do you have an URL to some pics?
Thanks!

Not necessarily "elegant" looking but the ride is incomparable.
They're stable and stately at sub-walking speeds.

Chalo's is the most elegantly built tall bike I've ever not seen.
You can get a glimpse of it here:
http://www.deadbabybikes.org/bikes/300x300k/0001.jpg

Awwww, that picture doesn't even show the down-low-glow tubes on it!

These are shaky, but show it off a little.

http://tinyurl.com/r8t3u
http://tinyurl.com/n5uqd
http://students.washington.edu/dennyt/bike/photos/20060303_DBB/pages/20060303%20-%20DBB%20075.html
http://students.washington.edu/dennyt/bike/photos/20060303_DBB/pages/20060303%20-%20DBB%20004.html

--
Dane Buson - [email hidden]
A novice asked the master: "I perceive that one computer company is
much larger than all others. It towers above its competition like a giant
among dwarfs. Any one of its divisions could comprise an entire business.
Why is this so?"
The master replied, "Why do you ask such foolish questions? That
company is large because it is so large. If it only made hardware, nobody
would buy it. If it only maintained systems, people would treat it like a
servant. But because it combines all of these things, people think it one
of the gods! By not seeking to strive, it conquers without effort."
-- Geoffrey James, "The Tao of Programming"

Zoot Katz said:

On Sunday I rode a modern, German made, Pedersen.
Wow! What a sweet riding machine.
They're elegant like tall bikes and comfortable like cruisers.
One is left wondering why all bikes weren't made this way.
Now I want one. It's the first bike I've coveted in a long time.

If you ever get a chance to ride one, do it.

If you like the way they look or the looks they attract that's cool but
since you call it a "sweet riding machine", I have to ask. Does it (or
tall bikes in general) really serve any purpose that wouldn't be better
served by a conventional DF bike? I'm sure riders of tall bikes have
better visibility in traffic but the disadvantages in terms of storage
and secure parking- not to mention that the mere act of stopping would
seem to require either a convenient lightpole or an assistant- seem to
me to be an awfully high price for better visibility.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

Bob said:

Zoot Katz said:

On Sunday I rode a modern, German made, Pedersen.
Wow! What a sweet riding machine.
They're elegant like tall bikes and comfortable like cruisers.
One is left wondering why all bikes weren't made this way.
Now I want one. It's the first bike I've coveted in a long time.

If you ever get a chance to ride one, do it.

If you like the way they look or the looks they attract that's cool but
since you call it a "sweet riding machine", I have to ask. Does it (or
tall bikes in general) really serve any purpose that wouldn't be better
served by a conventional DF bike? I'm sure riders of tall bikes have
better visibility in traffic but the disadvantages in terms of storage
and secure parking- not to mention that the mere act of stopping would
seem to require either a convenient lightpole or an assistant- seem to
me to be an awfully high price for better visibility.

Pedersons aren't tall bikes. Now the "head tube" area is quite tall
giving a very upright seating position. They're bikes for Copenhagen
and Amsterdam where you don't often exceed 15mph and almost certainly
have some cloth saddlebags containing a nice wedge of cheese.

Advantages of the Pederson are that it's extremely strong and light,
hammock seating, upright position...main advantage is that it's
anachronistic. :-P Nothing wrong with that.

It looks like you took a section of bridge and added wheels.

Bob said:

Zoot Katz said:

On Sunday I rode a modern, German made, Pedersen.
Wow! What a sweet riding machine.
They're elegant like tall bikes and comfortable like cruisers.
One is left wondering why all bikes weren't made this way.
Now I want one. It's the first bike I've coveted in a long time.

If you ever get a chance to ride one, do it.

If you like the way they look or the looks they attract that's cool but
since you call it a "sweet riding machine", I have to ask. Does it (or
tall bikes in general) really serve any purpose that wouldn't be better
served by a conventional DF bike? I'm sure riders of tall bikes have
better visibility in traffic but the disadvantages in terms of storage
and secure parking- not to mention that the mere act of stopping would
seem to require either a convenient lightpole or an assistant- seem to
me to be an awfully high price for better visibility.

Tall bikes turn heads, no argument. The Pedersen does that too plus
it has a pedigree for snob appeal and professional workmanship.

I don't think that the Pedersen serves any special purpose though it
could easily replace my joe-bike in terms of functionality and
surpass it in terms of comfort. Head winds on joe-bike sometimes have
me wishing for drop bars. The Pedersen would be the same. Dabbing
required a greater stretch but maybe that was because its owner is a
full head taller than me. (Similar leg length though)

Stopping in traffic on a tall bike does require a convenient prop
unless one dismounts. Believe me, dismounting is something you want
to figure out before mounting. They balance so well at low speeds
that by timing the lights is the way most tall-bikers avoid stopping
or dismounting.

Spontaneous dismounts can be more injurious than with civilian bikes.
--
zk

Zoot Katz said:

Tall bikes turn heads, no argument. The Pedersen does that too plus
it has a pedigree for snob appeal and professional workmanship.

I don't think that the Pedersen serves any special purpose though it
could easily replace my joe-bike in terms of functionality and
surpass it in terms of comfort. Head winds on joe-bike sometimes have
me wishing for drop bars. The Pedersen would be the same. Dabbing
required a greater stretch but maybe that was because its owner is a
full head taller than me. (Similar leg length though)

Stopping in traffic on a tall bike does require a convenient prop
unless one dismounts. Believe me, dismounting is something you want
to figure out before mounting. They balance so well at low speeds
that by timing the lights is the way most tall-bikers avoid stopping
or dismounting.

Spontaneous dismounts can be more injurious than with civilian bikes.

As I said then, whatever turns your pedals. On the issues of stopping
in traffic and spontaneous dismounts, I personally subscribe to Mr.
Murphy's philosophy- whatever can go wrong will and usually at the most
inopportune time. I have the scars to prove him right. ;-)

Regards,
Bob Hunt