The Lone Reinger

[Si]

I saw him again.

Some might remember my previous reports of this chap. He rides an MTB that has been converted for town use...totally reasonable bike except one thing. He sits in a bolt upright position (no doubt due to a bad back or some such), but in this position he can't reach the bars. So, rather than getting a dutch style bike or modifying the bars themselves, he has reigns attached to the ends of the bars which he holds horse riding stylee as he rides along. Thus there is about 1 ft of rope between his hands and the bars/controls. He also has a funny habit of just riding around in circles on the wide bits of pavement in front of the shops.

In the past when I've seen him I've wondered how easy it is for him to get to the brakes if he needs to stop quickly. Well this week I found out as he decide to ride out into the road, without first looking, as I was going past. When he noticed me he did manage to get down onto the bars and grab the brakes...but it was a close thing. The sudden movement caused him to lose balance and come to a hopping halt half way into the road. Not at all convincing. Thankfully I had been aware of the potential problem as soon as I sited him and so was able to adjust speed and trajectory to safely negotiate him...but I do fear for his future.

Takes all sorts I s'pose.

[Edwards]

I wondered about the thread title, with the pedants thing going on.Curiosity got the better of me and I now understand the reason.

As you say it takes all sorts. I am wondering what people will make of me when I finally get out with the dog attached to the trike?

[Si]

Probably depends on how you attach him!

Have you thought of just putting him in a trailer behind it and towing him down to a park where he can then be let out to run along side you?

[kwackers]

Might be Father Christmas out and about on his pushbike picking up pressies.
All those centuries of piloting reindeer, he probably knows no different...

[661-Pete]

As you say it takes all sorts. I am wondering what people will make of me when I finally get out with the dog attached to the trike?

Stranger things have happened
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2 ... land-video

[gaz]

Perhaps he's a customer of http://www.bikereins.com/

Although I don't think he's using the product in accordance with the manual.

[7_lives_left]

Would Tonto be a more appropriate name?

[DaveP]

I am wondering what people will make of me when I finally get out with the dog attached to the trike?

They'll think you've missed the point mate!
Bike? Trike? Thing with pedals? Pah!
You want to wear him down, you need one of these
http://www.culpeppers.co.uk/catalogue/?cat=DaxScooter

[Edwards]

We saw a Husky at the kennels and I made a comment about him? as a sled dog pulling the recumbent trike.
That was before I saw him pulling on the lead. WOW I now weigh 10 stone so there was no way I could have held him back when standing let alone on the trike.

It reminded me of a trick my older broth played on me with an Alsatian we had when I was about 8. I was playing on my roller skates and he tied the dog lead to both my hands.
Then let the dog go, if I fell over the dog waited until I got up and set off again. I could not get the skates off with hands tied.
In the end somebody called the police who took me home and I got a walloping for being daft.
The good old days.

Sorry Si for taking this off topic.

[661-Pete]

Would Tonto be a more appropriate name?

Or "Kemo Sahbee"? ("Que no sabe"*)

*Spanish for "Who doesn't know".....

[ncutler]

Would Tonto be a more appropriate name?

Probably. Which reminds me.

Back in the early 80's I found myself sitting round a boardroom table with a few BT marketing wonks discussing a possible training course for users of their new computer. This was a derivative of the Sinclair "One per Desk" machine that BT were calling "Tonto".

One of them asked me if I knew what "tonto" meant and, quick as a flash, in an outstanding display of knowledge outside the technical & nerdy I replied:

"It's Spanish for stupid".

We didn't get the job .....................

Nick

Supposedly, Tonto in BT speak was an acronym for "The Outstanding New Telecoms Opportunity" which to my mind was even more stupid than "Tonto"

[Mick F]

I think Tonto refers to the character on the wezzy "The Lone Ranger" - - Tonto meant "the man who walks alone".

[Si]

We saw a Husky at the kennels and I made a comment about him? as a sled dog pulling the recumbent trike.
That was before I saw him pulling on the lead. WOW I now weigh 10 stone so there was no way I could have held him back when standing let alone on the trike.

There is a very good book called "Winterdance" about a chap who decides to enter the Iditarod husky/sled race in Alaska. Unfortunately he doesn't have any snow where he lives for most of the year so he hitched his racing dog team up to an MTB. Apparently he was OK until the first corner....it then took him most of the day to catch up with them.....he later found that he could hitch the same dog team to his big American pickup truck and they would quite happily trot down the road pulling it along. Strong animals!

[531colin]

Off-topic again........isn't the suspension meant to let the (un-sprung) wheel bounce about, while the rider luxuriates in (sprung) comfort....?

[Edwards]

With all the dog walking I am down to 10 stone there is no way I could hold a husky even with reins.
Our son has seen somebody with a husky in Wales a few times. He says it looks fun but how do you get them to stop?
A small Collie can be bad enough.

I think that trying to ride a bike using them could be a bit of fun but I can not see me being allowed to try.