HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dpeders1@cc.swarthmore.edu (Daniel Pedersen)
Subject: Luka Bloom's "Acoustic Motorbike (words)
Reply-To: dpeders1@cc.swarthmore.edu (Daniel Pedersen)
Organization: Swarthmore College
Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1993 03:46:32 GMT

Here are the words to the title track of Luka Bloom's "Acoustic Motorbike"
on Reprise Records, 1992:

The day began with a rainbow in the sand
As I cycled into Kerry
Cattle grazing on a steep hillside
Looked well fed well balanced
Close to the edge

Chorus:
Pedal on, Pedal on, Pedal on for miles
Pedal on 
Pedal on, Pedal on , Pedal on for miles
Pedal on 

I take a break, I close my eyes
And I'm as happy as the Dolphin
In a quiet spot talking to myself
Talking about the rain
Talking about the rain
All this rain

Chorus

You see whenever I'm alone 
I tend to brood
But when I'm out on my bike 
it's a different mood
I leave my brain at home
Get up on the saddle
No hanging around
I don't diddle-daddle

I work my legs
I pump my thighs
Take in the scenery passing me by
The Kerry Mountains or the Wicklow hills
The antidote to my emotional ills
A motion built upon human toil
Nuclear free needs no oil
But it makes me hot, makes me hard
I never thought I could have come this far
Through miles of mountains, valleys, streams
This is the right stuff filling my dreams
So come on, get up on your bike
Ah go on, get up on your bike

Chorus

--> The song has all sorts of sound effects which I don't remember all that
well now, but include country sounds (Ithink) and a bicycle bell.  The CD
has a silhouette of someone (Luka?) riding a MTB, and the booklet has a few
cycling pix.  No, he isn't wearing a helmet...	I especially like the
concept of the "acoustic Motorbike" as a term for bicycle.  Not that I see
the bicycle as an unmotorized motorcycle, but I thought that the retronym (a
la William Safire) was interesting. 

Luka Bloom is infamous as the Irishman who does a rap song.  Overall, this
is a good album and I recommend it.  It featured heavily on the local
alternative music NPR station - WXPN, 88.5 FM in the Phila area.

Pdeal on through the New Year.

-->Daniel Pedersen  -  Keren's Daddy		(215)543-8961
	dpeders1@cc.swarthmore.edu	pedersen@engin.swarthmore.edu
======================================================================
Highway sign on I-10, AZ: "Federal Prison - Do Not Pick Up Hitch-Hikers"
	50 yards later: "Campground	Next Right"
"Why do you kill people?"   -   "I am a terminator."  [Terminator 2]

Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
From: ae505@yfn.ysu.edu (Frank Krygowski)
Subject: Re: Drafting etiquette?
Organization: Youngstown State University/Youngstown Free-Net
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 16:20:10 GMT


About friendliness of cyclists (and people in general):  I agree
about people from cold, wet climates being less friendly.  I'm
not sure about how it happens, but I've found people in THIS cloudy
area to be less friendly, and... get this... I was born & raised
here!

Honestly, when I first began traveling the USA (college days) I was
surprised to find strangers smiling and saying hello.  You don't do 
that in this area!

As to cyclists, more specifically, in our area, there are indications
that the "performance" oriented cyclists around here are less friendly.
There are 3 clubs within shouting distance.  Two are mostly racer
wannabees, ours is absolutely all kinds of cyclists.  The next closest
club is dying now, and their members are moving to our club.  Why?
When a ride's posted, the jocks are unfriendly, then ride off at 25 MPH
leaving the new rider wondering what they said.

Time after time folks have come to us after giving up on them.
Invariably, they rave about our friendliness.  We try hard to take care
of new folks.

I'm getting off track.  To summarize, this seems to be a less outgoing
area.  Perhaps the racers are worst.  But we've somehow put together 
a friendly club.  (Out-Spokin' Wheelmen, Youngstown OH)
Frank Krygowski  ae505@yfn.ysu.edu
From: kipper@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Kip Ingram)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
Subject: Pulse rate during trail rides
Date: 29 Dec 92 19:48:18 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

Hi.  I've noticed that I can get my pulse up into the 140-160 range a whole
lot easier (well, my legs don't feel as tired) when I get my mountain bike
out on a good trail, as opposed to riding the mountain bike or my road bike
on asphalt.  Does anyone else out there experience this?

Kip Ingram
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
From: rajacobs@plg.uwaterloo.ca (Rory Jacobs)
Subject: Re: Friendly riders (was Drafting etiquette?)
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 14:15:44 GMT

I must admit on occasion I am unfriendly and just blow by people
without even acknowledgening their existence.  (Usually on my "hard"
ride day).  However, on any other day of the week I always
wave/node/say "Hi" to cyclists in either direction.  I have found that
most people in Southern Ontario pretty much wave back.  However, if I
am on my mtn. bike (riding to the trails of course...) roadies who
would wave back if I was on my road bike, don't wave back.  

Oh, I almost forgot, I think off roaders are much friendlier then
road racers.  I think it's because off road riding is less rushed.

-Rory
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc,rec.bicycles.tech,aus.bicycles
From: tommy@boole.att.com (Tommy Reingold)
Subject: Re: Automatic transmissions for bikes
Reply-To: tommy@boole.att.com
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ, USA
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 21:09:42 GMT
Originator: tommy@hoodlum

pardo@cs.washington.edu (David Keppel) writes:

$ The basic issue is that the demands of a transmission on a
$ high-performance bicycle are much harder to deal with than
$ the demands on a high-performance car.

I agree with this, so in general I agree with your article.  I
disagree with one point:

$  - Cars generally get by with 4 to 6 speeds.  Bikes often
$ have more to choose from so there is more work involved in
$ deciding which gear to be in.  There are more gears because
$ human engines are much sensitive about gearing, which makes
$ it all the more important to be in the right gear.
$ [...]

Since a human can produce a lot more torque than a car engine, it is
really less sensitive to gearing.  You can ride a bicycle with one gear
and cover almost all of the terrain that you can on a multi-gear bike.
This is not true of cars.  (Actually, I'm not sure if the higher torque
of the human engine is the reason for this.)  Gearing is for
convenience.  I will not to refute the value of gears, though; I will
keep mine.
-- 
Tommy Reingold
AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ
tommy@boole.att.com or att!boole!tommy
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
From: david@postman.gr.osf.org (David George)
Subject: Re: Is there hope (for car drivers) ?
Organization: OSF RI Grenoble
Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1992 10:41:45 GMT

In article <47900002@hpopd.pwd.hp.com>, apm@hpopd.pwd.hp.com (Andrew Merritt) writes:

|> What makes you think the car drivers are not also breathing in the fumes?

Well for one thing the tendancy for cars now to be fitted with filtered
air intakes.  This practise has even 'filtered' down to the Opel (GM) Astra
and features in their advertising.  So now the drivers are even more
insulated from the pollution they alone cause !

David.
From: jrdodd@waikato.ac.nz
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
Subject: Re: Is there hope (for car drivers) ?
Date: 27 Dec 92 18:32:53 +1300
Organization: University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

In article <1992Dec23.115139.6745@osf.org>, david@postman.gr.osf.org (David George) writes:
> I did a strange thing yesterday.  I drove a car into the centre of town.
> (Grenoble, France pop 150,000).  I felt I had to as I wanted to deliver
> some stuff not easily tranportable by bike.  The journey covered a distance
> of 14 km (about 9 miles) and the 'driving' time was 1 hour 30 minutes.  I'm
> told this is typical for the 6pm - 7pm post rush hour period.  Sat in the
> car I thought, I could cycle this distance in 40 minutes easily and people do
> this everyday of their working lives !!!
> 
> Now the big problem with cycling around here is pollution, 60% of it caused
> by motorcars.  Catalysors and Lead Free petrol are not that common either.
> Anyone making the jump from car driving to cycling is immediately faced with
> breathing huge quantities of toxic air.  Now I'm planning on moving as I'm seem
> to have developed a whole range of pollution related illnesses, so what hope
> is there ?
> 
> David.
> 
Move to New Zealand...

Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc,rec.bicycles.tech,aus.bicycles
From: elliott@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Brian Elliott)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
Subject: Advice on Trainers
Date: 29 Dec 92 14:05:47 GMT
Reply-To: elliott@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Brian Elliott)
Distribution: usa
Organization: DTRC Annapolis - Code 3572


	I am in need of some advice on indoor trainers, having never
	used one before I have alot of questions. Here are some that 
	come to mind: 

	What are the pros/cons of the mag units compared to the fan.

	What adverse affect, if any, do these units have on the bike,
	I own a aluminum road bike.
	
	I would also appreciate any comments on specific models and
	prices.

	I am also curious about rollers, to me they look like they
	would simulate actual outdoor conditions more than the track-
	stand type.

	Any opinions on the above questions are much appreciated. Post
	or e-mail to elliott@oasys.dt.navy.mil
Xref: sparky rec.bicycles.misc:1811 rec.bicycles.tech:2875
From: rkd@pt.com (Ray Downes)
Subject: Re: Automatic transmissions for bikes
Organization: Performance Technologies, Incorporated
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 18:22:13 GMT

In article <1992Dec27.224239.2958@sifon.cc.mcgill.ca> marc@gauss.math.mcgill.ca (Marc Sokolowski) writes:
[snip-snip]
>	For me it is inevitable that not only autos will become a
>significant portion of bikes, including race bikes, but will very rapidly
>dominate, with only high quality manual transmissions surviving in high-end
>equipement. This because bikes are getting more and more popular for a
>boring task called commuting, and because of the similarity of evolution
>with cars, as autos got extremely popular (at least in NA) when high torque
>V6 and V8's that became available starting in the 50's only needed 3 forward
>speeds. Here, it's high performance electronics and miniturization of
>sensors, connexions etc... that will do the trick.
>
>					Marc

I've ridden with a fair amount of what I'll call casual riders,
especially during the pre-index days, who wouldn't or couldn't figure
out how to use their multi-gear bike. Many riders even today, owning
14-24 speed bikes, don't know how to get the next higher gear ratio,
and tend to struggle along with same maybe 3-4 gear ratios (with at
least one of those being a "bad" gear). Worse yet, some manufacturers
chose very poor gear combinations, some even with 3-4 "good" gear ratio
duplicates!

For "the masses", who have no interest in swapping gears, instead of a
automatic transmission, how about a intellegent shift lever, i.e. one
that decides what the next higher (or lower) gear-inch combo is and
single or double shifts as required.

I'm picturing a single lever, perhaps using a shift drum as in some
motorcycle transmissions, where a single shift "up", does a single or
double shift as required. The drum could be matched with predetermined
chainring and freewheel/cassettes "sets" (manufacturers would love
this), dealers could alter the "set" as required to meet the
rider/terrain requirements. The drum would also be "programmed" to
disallow bad gear combinations.

This would retain almost all of the current drivetrain design and
components, easing the burden on manufacturers and dealers.

I'm all for sharing my current commute route with hundreds more bike
commuters - don't think it's going to happen till bikes are much more
casual-rider friendly.  Relatively flat commute routes are one thing -
the gear-naive might get by. Stick a few hills in the way, or a couple
of windy days, and they'll find it either too time consuming and/or too
hard and bag it.

Just a thought, probably all wrong ...
-- 
Ray Downes, Performance Technologies Incorporated		rkd@pt.com
315 Science Parkway, Rochester, New York 14620		  
Voice - (716) 256-0200, FAX (716) 256-0791
From: fraser@icphp1.epfl.ch
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
Subject: Re: Drafting etiquette?
Date: 23 Dec 92 12:53:55 GMT
Reply-To: rec.bicycles.misc
Organization: EPFL


 While people are on the subject of drafting etiquette-
	As a European who cycled a fair bit during two months in Boston, I
should like to make the following remarks:
	(i) when passing serious-looking cyclists coming in the other
direction, I always greeted them somehow, a nod of the head, (polite)
gesture of the hand, wave etc, or shouted "Hi". I was singularly ignored
in 95% of the cases. In Europe it's the 5% that don't acknowledge. Is there
no "camaraderie" in the US (or just Boston)? All these cyclists saw me,
they were out training/ridind but not head-down hell-for-leather.
	(ii) when I caught and overtook someone, again not even a grunt of
acknowledgement. People jump on the wheel and stay there.
	So I'd be interested to have some feedback from US cyclists. Perhaps
people are friendly off-road? I was also suprised to see that women
cyclists were friendlier, despite the fact that they must be subject to
a fair bit of harrassment from (male) cyclists and rivers alike.


			Cheers,
					David Fraser.
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
From: les@SAIL.Stanford.edu (Les Earnest)
Subject: Re: Drafting etiquette?
Reply-To: les@cs.stanford.edu
Organization: Computer Science Department, Stanford University
Date: Fri, 25 Dec 1992 09:21:47 GMT

Frank Krygowski wrote:
   About friendliness of cyclists (and people in general):  I agree
   about people from cold, wet climates being less friendly.  I'm
   not sure about how it happens, but I've found people in THIS cloudy
   area to be less friendly, and... get this... I was born & raised
   here!

As near as I can tell, friendliness is a cultural trait that is
uncorrelated with climate.  In fact, along the West Coast of North
America the correlation is the opposite of the one postulated above:
the colder the climate, the warmer the people.

Josh Putnam seems to confirm this observation:
   There are definitely cultural differences, but cold and rain
   can't be the only factors.  I've found Washington riders
   friendlier on the road than Southern Californians, but the
   variations within Washington are at least as great as the
   differences between Washington and California.

Filling in some more points, Northern Californians are typically
friendlier than Southern Californians, Oregonians intermediate between
NorCal and Washington, British Columbians friendlier still, and
Alaskans are aggressively friendly.  For example, if you stand on a
corner in almost any town in Alaska and look slightly perplexed,
someone is likely to approach you within 30 seconds to ask if they can
help -- I've run tests.

The top level of friendliness that I have encountered is among Eskimos
in rural Alaska.  One of our daughters-in-law is Yup'ik Eskimo and
we've visited her home village on island in the Bering Sea both in
summer and mid-winter.  The people there are not only friendly but
have a very strong sense of humor, which sometimes runs toward
practical jokes.  I suspect that such a sense of humor is essential to
survival in a harsh climate.

Of course, if there were any hot shot Eskimo cyclists they would
probably turn out to be arrogant, but with only about two months of
non-winter and no paved roads to speak of it is not possible to get in
enough riding time there to develop an attitute.

--
Les Earnest           Phone:  415 941-3984    Fax: 415 941-3934
Internet: Les@cs.Stanford.edu              USMail: 12769 Dianne Drive
UUCP: . . . decwrl!cs.Stanford.edu!Les         Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
From: dave@pipi.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp (David Wuertele)
Subject: Re: Need to read : Are you an idiot?
Organization: Institute of Industrial Science, University of tokyo.
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 20:10:20 GMT

I looked but did not find a smiley in jasmith@admin1.memst.edu's article.

In article <1992Dec30.105216.4788@admin1.memst.edu> jasmith@admin1.memst.edu (John) writes:
> 	       The facts are that a car's weigh over a ton and a bike weigh
> 	  less than 25 pounds.  So, my question is who are these idiots that
> 	  get out on busy streets and ride in the street?  I see these people
> 	  out around rush hour on the most travel roads in Memphis.  The traffic 
> 	  is almost bumper to bumper, and you have some idiot on his bike in the 
> 	  right hand lane slowing traffic up.

When traffic is bumper to bumper, either a bicycle will travel faster or
it will take up less space than any 2000 lb smog-maker on the road.
Either way, not only is the cyclist not "slowing traffic up," but the
source of the traffic is idiot motorists like you.

>         I see these people and some times I'd like to
> 	  open my passenger door and knock them down or just run them off the
> 	  road.  And you know what's really bad.  I'm a fellow bicyclist.

Yup, it is REALLY bad to give assholes like you driver's licenses.

>         I consider myself a execise nut.

Is your name REALLY Smith?  Or is one of your "execises" boxing?

>         Mainly what I'm saying to the people 
> 	  that insist on riding on main streets during rush hour.  It's not safe,
> 	  because there is more chance for an accident and there is a bigger
> 	  chance somebody is going to run you off the road.

By the same logic, plus some, I reccomend you start riding the bus.
You'll reduce your chances of getting run off the road, and on top of that
you'll help to reduce pollution.  You'll also save a lot of money.  But
most of all, YOU won't be driving, so all those other Memphis drivers can
go back to their bikes in peace.

Dave
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
From: dmiles@carson.u.washington.edu (David Miles)
Subject: Audible greetings (was)Re: Drafting etiquette?
Organization: University of Washington
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 20:53:46 GMT

fraser@icphp1.epfl.ch writes:


> While people are on the subject of drafting etiquette-
>	As a European who cycled a fair bit during two months in Boston, I
>should like to make the following remarks:
{about American bicyclists not acknowleding greetings}
>	So I'd be interested to have some feedback from US cyclists.

I've been riding a bike for fun and commuting in the US for 35 years and
also notice people don't talk much on bikes, nor ring bells or do anything
else audible.  I think that we are so used to automobile travel that many 
people aren't really aware that it is possible to hear each other and talk
to each other when riding bicycles.  You'll see people on this group 
advocating soundlessly whipping by pedestrians on multiuse paths, for instance.
I find it much safer to call "Bike on your left" and at least once a week I
get thanked.  And drafting without talking seems almost ridiculously dangerous,
yet people seem to do it all the time.

David Miles  dmiles@u.washington.edu  (in Seattle)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
From: "Michael Smith" <p00004@psilink.com>
Subject: Re: Need to read : Are you an idiot?
Organization: Performance Systems Int'l
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 23:28:14 GMT
X-Mailer: PSILink-DOS (3.3)

>DATE:   30 Dec 92 10:52:16 -0600
>FROM:   John <jasmith@admin1.memst.edu>
>
>            The facts are that a car's weigh over a ton and a bike weigh
>       less than 25 pounds.  So, my question is who are these idiots that
>       get out on busy streets and ride in the street? 
[....]
> I see these people and some times I'd like to
>       open my passenger door and knock them down or just run them off the
>       road.  And you know what's really bad.  I'm a fellow bicyclist.
>       I ride anywhere from 100 to 200 miles a week[....]
>I also swim for an hour twice a week and 
>       run three times about 10 miles.  I consider myself a execise nut. 

Aha. Endorphin poisoning.

--Michael Smith
From: ak398@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Frederick W. Romell)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
Subject: TANDEM reviews desired
Date: 23 Dec 1992 13:29:26 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


This is simple.
	My wife and I have decided to purchase a Tandem.
	We went to a local bike shop and tested a
	Burley Rock and Roll and C'dale's.  
	So we're okay on one, but does anyone 
	have any comments of the other tandems out there.
	Nashbar's, Ibis', etc. 
	It must fit both of us. She is 5'3" and I'm 5'11".
	back and front respectively.

	Any advice is greatly appreciated.  THANKS!
-- 
<<ak398>>  Frederick W. Romell

"Repent Harlequin!"                                "NEVER!"
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
From: paulxxxx@leland.Stanford.EDU (paulastya gupta)
Subject: Beginner in mountain biking
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 92 09:03:32 GMT

Hello!

I am considering picking up mountain biking and would like information on 
the merits and demerits of the sport, whether I can pursue it on an (almost)
daily basis as a means of exercise, and questions such as which "my-first-
bike" to get, and what if any special equipment/clothing is required.

Is there a forum to address these questions (if this is not it?).  Or 
is the best way going and reading a book (doesn't sound right).

Any advice would be appreciated, as well as good place to get a used bike
in Northern California (Marin).  Offhand, I would think that my budget would
be $300.

Thanks!

- paulxxxx@leland.stanford.edu
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
From: josh@Happy-Man.com (Joshua_Putnam)
Subject: Re: Riding in icy conditions
Reply-To: Joshua_Putnam@happy-man.com
Organization: Happy Man Corp., Vashon Island, WA 98070-7399
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 19:29:21 GMT

In <29806@castle.ed.ac.uk> ercn72@festival.ed.ac.uk (R.J.Hare) writes:

>I have another query. When riding in icy/frosty conditions, is it better to
>stick in a low gear or a high gear. I ask this because when I came of my bike
>in the ice a fortnight ago, I was in a low gear (on a hill), and seemed to
>come off the bike when I exerted pressure on the pedals to get moving up the
>hill. Would I have been better off in a higher gear? Is this a meaningful
>question?

I prefer a higher gear in ice/snow than on wet or dry pavement.
A low gear makes it too easy to spin the rear tire on the ice.  A
higher gear reduces the torque you can apply to the wheel, making
it harder to break the tire loose.

I usually select a gear that lets me spin the tire if I try to
sprint, but that keeps the tire contact firm at lower power.
This gives a good compromise between reducing torque and keeping
a gear low enough to produce a sustainable cadence.

The other trick is to keep your weight back over the drive wheel,
not on the front wheel.
-- 
 Joshua_Putnam@happy-man.com    Happy Man Corp.  206/463-9399 x102
 4410 SW Pt. Robinson Rd., Vashon Island, WA  98070-7399  fax x108
 We publish SOLID VALUE for the intelligent investor.  NextMail OK
Info free; sample $20: Send POSTAL addr: Solid-Value@happy-man.com