Morning Happiness with GG and overcoming PUE Syndrome

G.G. with a rack of groceries.

Regular readers could probably sense a little guilt in last week’s Other Bike update-  while the situation has improved, money has been tight for me this past year.  I have gotten very accustomed to doing more with less and splurging on a bike did come with a little remorse.  However, I am really enjoying riding the new Linus  bike which I have done almost every day since her purchase.  I say her- because today she earned the name GG which is short for Grocery Getter. 

This morning I rode GG with Liam on his bike to school.  He has been expressing some hesitation and a little fear about crossing a busy intersection on his way to school and so I have been going with him until he becomes more comfortable and confident with the crossing.  As we were riding he mentioned several times that he could “get it from here” and then began quietly  dropping waaaay back from me as we got closer to the school (where other kids were walking).   I have been recognizing the beginning stages of P.U.E. Syndrome, or Parental Unit Embarrassment Syndrome  in Liam since the start of middle school last month.

Dale Price used "Costume Therapy" to overcome the affect that P.U.E. syndrome was having on his teenager.

Top research into P.U.E suggests sensitivity to Liam’s budding desire for independence and acquiescence to his presentations of symptoms that may include redness of the skin, looking at the ground and shortening temper.  I also came across an alternative approach that seems to have worked for one family to overcome the ravages of P.U.E   that is credited with tightening the father/son bond.  Dale Price, of American Fork, Utah, has spent the past school year waving at his high school son’s school bus every day while dressed in costumes as a lampshade, Elvis, and Santa, just to name a few.  While riding a bike in costume may pose some technical challenges I believe that adaptation of Dale’s principles holds a lot of promise. 

Dale and his son were even featured on Good Morning America:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/embarrassing-dad-170-costumes/story?id=13783709

Let it begin. 

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Part Time Lover- The “Other Bike”

I bought a new bike- and I like it.  I still like my primary bike too- so let’s start with that.

I am always hesitant to draw thinly veiled analogies between bikes and relationships so I wont even attempt to veil it.  I kind of broke that stance with The Ex Girlfriend anyhow, so in for a dime in for a dollar- right?  I have a perfectly healthy relationship with my primary ride, the 1994 Specialized M2 that has been in our family in one way, shape or form since it was purchased.  I have personally ridden the bike over four thousand miles in the past two years.  It has been good to me- no accidents, not even an in-ride flat during that time.  In fact, I just installed two new Maxxis Detonator tires, Lizard Skins race bar tape and a new-to-me Fizik saddle because all three were worn out from our two thousand miles together this year.  I have been riding a lot this year, which is good; but probably a third of that mileage has been “non-training” or just cruising around town. 

For those of you who are accustomed to rationalizing irrational purchasing decisions (like most cyclists), you  see where I am headed with this line of  “logic”.  If you don’t see it- hang on cause here it comes!   Popularized by warehouse stores, I classify this particular rationalization as “the more you buy, the more you really save” argument and it goes something like this:  Though less expensive than many hobbies and fitness activities (justification #1), cycling maintenance and parts can be expensive (justification #2).  Though I do most of my own maintenance which saves some money (justification #3), I would save even more if I rode my primary road bike with all the expensive components less frequently for “around town” stuff (justification #4)- fewer miles equals less wear and tear.  However, if I am going to ride my primary road bike less, then I am going to need a NEW bike that I can put those harder city miles on…right?  (Game, set and match).    

My new Linus Roadster Sport (sweet)

Going back to the relationship analogy this is also like the guy who cheats on his wife because he “loves” her, or she just doesn’t understand- or even because “she wont do that”.   Don’t hate the player- hate the game.  The point here is that when people want something, they can take talk them selves into pretty much anything  by any means necessary.    In this case I bought a new Linus Roadster Sport in Olive.

The Flat Noah's Arc Bars Added Responsiveness

Chris at Loose Nuts Cycles knew I would be back after my failed attempt to win a free Linus earlier this year (Another Day, Another Bike Giveway).  Like a good bar tender, he was hip to my motivation and my justification for buying a new bike.  Can you imagine that they just happened to have the model, color and size that I wanted in stock?  It was destiny- so I decided to take destiny out for a test ride around Grant Park. 

The initial set up on the Roadster was a little more upright than I was wanting, being more accustomed to a compact riding position on the road bike.  While definitely in keeping with the traditional design roots of the roadster and club style, I found that the swept-back  North Road handle bars with thier nearly perpendicular grip position made the steering and response a little softer than I wanted.  This setup is fine, just personal preference here.  Chris happily set me up for a trial ride with a pair of crescent-shaped Noah’s Arc handle bars by Soma Fabrications.  These flat bars dropped my riding positon and the 95mm of backsweep gave me the verve and responsiveness I was looking for.  Chris had never put these bars on a Linus, but they look very slick.   I bought the bike.

While this bike is decidedly not for putting in the miles, I have found myself wanting to ride it- and have found several occassions to do so on just the first day.  I am already saving money! 

Get Your Own Linus Here:

Phone:	(404) 228-5555
Address:	452 Cherokee Ave “A”, Atlanta, GA 30312
Email:	Kareem@loosenutscycles.com Chris@loosenutscycles.com
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