Wow! It’s so long since I wrote anything on this blog. Thank goodness I manage to Tweet a little more regularly.
Anyway, as I’ve mentioned on Twitter several times, I recently purchased a new folding bicycle, the Dahon Vitesse D7HG. And very pleased I am with it too.
The 20″ wheels and internal gearing system make it a joy to ride. However, on the lat night of my holidays in France I was given a sharp reminder of a particular no-no when riding small wheeled cycles.
It was a lesson I learned on my first bike, another small wheeler (non-folding though). It was a metallic red Triang Junior 1970. It was given that name some time around 1966, so the 1970 bit was meant to sound modern – futuristic, even. Certainly felt futuristic to me. Still does. I have a distant recollection of it being featured on Blue Peter, although I could be wrong about that.
Anyway, on a small wheeler it’s not a good idea to mount even the smallest of kerbs at any angle other than somewhere near 90°. With bigger wheels it doesn’t seem to matter, but the smaller front wheel always wants to run along the kerb’s lower edge, pitching the bike sideways and the rider off.
No great damage done on this occasion. The knee is just about healed now, a couple of weeks later. Strange, though, how a lost memory can be rekindled with a sharp burst of pain.