So I had to go to Manhattan the other
day to do grown-up stuff. It meant I had to wear a suit and tie.
I don't like wearing a suit and tie.
I was also faced with having to go from
Grand Central Terminal to the Financial District for Meeting A.
Later, I needed to go to the west side for Meeting B, not far from
the Intrepid Museum. Finally, hours later, I had Meeting C, which was
to take place about forty blocks south from Grand Central Terminal.
Then I wanted to cap off the day by having dinner with a friend in
Soho.
I decided to do something that I had
never done but had always wanted to do: take a bike into the city and
do it all without the hassle and expense of gas, parking garage fees,
subways, buses or taxicabs.
But I worried I was opening myself up
to all new hassles. I needed to bring a folding bike because there
was no way around Metro North's no-bikes-on-at-peak-hours rule.
Ideally, I'd bring a Brompton and just fold it up and carry it
inside, but I don't have a Brompton. I could have done that with the
South Norwalk bike, but it would be like wearing filthy jeans to the
opera. You just don't do it.
The Dahon Matrix was the bike to take.
Rugged, dependable, easily lockable, and comfortable to ride without
padded shorts.
However, I needed to make some
adjustments before its grand day out: First, I took off the rear rack
and bike box. Next, I secured the Cane Creek Thudbuster to the frame
with a Knog lock to discourage theft. Then I added some highly reflective
tape to the rear fender to discourage cabs from running me over in
the dark.
I then added three other necessities.
Going left to right: The essential
Kryptonite lock I bought more than four years ago but I can count the
number of times I've used it on one finger – it is a special
occasion lock, after all. Next is a Serfas USB powered blinking bike
light I could fit in my jacket pocket and fasten to the handlebars at
sundown. Finally, the Reisenthel Airbelt shoulder bag my wife bought me over the summer.
That really is an airplane seatbelt used as a buckle. I like it
because the next time I fly I can help with the safety lecture.
I also picked out a suit that was a
dark color to hide grease stains (should I acquire any). Also,
remembering what I learned when I visited the Brompton factory and
saw their Oratory jacket, I picked a suit that had a jacket roomy in the
shoulders so I wouldn't stretch or split it when leaning forward for
handlebars.
Also, I brought my helmet with the
little rearview mirror. Protecting the skull always pulls rank over
good hair.
The day started easily: it was a cool
autumn day so I didn't have to worry too much about sweat as I
pedaled off to the station. The next good piece of luck came when I
discovered my train was one of the nice, new ones.
There was also an open seat, so I sat
down. Since I was right next to a very professional-looking woman, I
carefully checked her reaction. She didn't recoil at any odor I had,
real or imagined, so I figured so far so good.
When the train arrived, I waited until
my car had emptied before taking my bike from the station. It was
just after rush hour and I thought I'd easily make it to my first
meeting.
I wasn't prepared for a couple of
things. Bike lanes would appear and disappear frequently, and to my
dismay I discovered that pedestrians seem to enjoy stepping into
traffic with a cell phone to their ear. Even my Incredibell was
powerless to penetrate their shell of Personal Haze.
But I really, really enjoyed biking to
the first meeting. Wind going through the jacket, blowing the tie
over my shoulder, it all seemed to work. Not only that, but I made it
to where I was going and was confident enough to lock the Dahon with
the NYC Level One configuration:
So the plastic bag used to keep the
lock in my shoulder bag was used to cover the seat (and hide the
seatpost), and the Special Occasion lock was threaded through the
frame and the front wheel. I didn't lock the rear wheel or remove the
seat. I was satisfied. The bike next to mine looked safe enough, even
though it included an ominous warning.
I guess that's the thing with bikes that blend into the city landscape (at one point in the day I had to reprimand a fellow who was leaning on the Dahon and nearly about to sit on the top tube while he was talking to a friend. Occupational hazard for city bikes, I suppose).
With my helmet stowed in my bag, my
hair somewhat in place and my body oder not repelling anyone (that I
noticed), I transformed into a grown-up and attended the grown-up
meeting.
Nearly an hour and a half later, I left Meeting A and headed outside. The bike was still there so I began riding it north. On the way, I got hungry, and at a red light I noticed I was next to the Soho location of Dos Caminos. I dismounted and walked to the sidewalk before the light turned green – thankful that the bike had given me some flexibility to stop anywhere.
But, as is sometimes the case in most
cities, I didn't have the flexibility to park the bike anywhere. I
ended up asking the hostess of Dos Caminos permission to chain the
bike to the railing. Thankfully, my permission was granted.
The Soho location has a nice bar seat
area that allows one to people-watch while eating.
After lunch, I again thanked the
hostess for allowing me to park my bike at the railing and I headed off
to my next meeting. This time I was greeted by a rack put in place by
the 34th Street Partnership. I again used the NYC Level
One configuration to lock the Dahon.
After Meeting B, I was faced with a few
hours before Meeting C. So I went to another one of the great public
spaces in Manhattan: the High Line. Made from an old elevated freight
train line, this park, maintained by Friends on the High Line, is a
work of art. Since bikes aren't allowed on it, I locked up under one
of the entrances.
I then headed up the stairs to the
park, and alternatively sat and took a stroll.
After some Zen-like time on the High
Line, I headed to my final meeting. I was quickly reminded at how
much of a preferable mode of transportation a bike in New York City
can be.
Since the bike was to be locked up as
day would turn into night, I decided to lock it with NYC Level 2
configuration: removing the front wheel and threading the Kryptonite
lock all the way through.
The bike stayed safe through sunset,
and before long the workday was over and I was ready to have dinner
with my friend. When we said goodbye, I unlocked the bike, put it
back together and attached the Serfas light to the handelbars. I kept
the cars in sight with the helmet rearview mirror. Cabs would
sometimes pass very close, but in the city, it happens. I even had a
fairly comfortable ride up Park Avenue, the same street Will Smith
drove his Mustang in 'I am Legend.'
I made it to Grand Central Terminal
just in time to make the 9:07 train back to Stamford. There was plenty of room on the train so there was no need to fold the bike in the vestibule. After the 44 minute train trip it
was a simple 1.7 mile ride back home, and the Serfas light still had
plenty of power to make me seen. The day was a complete success. I
made it everywhere I wanted to go, saved money on parking and
transport, and I got to see more than I ever could have seen out the
window of a cab or a subway. I didn't stink, and most importantly, I
enjoyed myself. It made me hope others would consider biking on a
weekday: with a special occasion lock and a good bike, there
is little in NYC that can't be done. Thanks for reading.
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