Comments on: Jesse the Human Engine http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/ Encouragement, Education & Advocacy for Bicycling in the Real World Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:48:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Eric http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/comment-page-1/#comment-8434 Eric Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:05:57 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=4818#comment-8434 I think I saw Jesse last week. Some terrier outside of the Publix at Baldwin Park was giving him what for. Jesse seemed non-plussed, but I was in a hurry and didn't have time to say hello, which would have only "entertained" the dog even more. Not that many Madsen's around. I'm pretty sure it was him. I think I saw Jesse last week.
Some terrier outside of the Publix at Baldwin Park was giving him what for.

Jesse seemed non-plussed, but I was in a hurry and didn’t have time to say hello, which would have only “entertained” the dog even more.

Not that many Madsen’s around. I’m pretty sure it was him.

]]> By: Marya http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/comment-page-1/#comment-8417 Marya Mon, 28 Jun 2010 09:54:21 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=4818#comment-8417 Hi all - We have the Madsen too and I just wanted to chime in and say that we love it! We live in Portland, OR. We ride it everywhere - more places than we ever thought we would, frankly...and we have lots of fun dressing the bike up for holidays too! We added one of those wicker removable baskets for up front (tied a screaming ghoul to the front of it for Halloween and big scary spiders, along w/ stringing the whole bike up w/ battery-operated orange lights and other creepy things!) and we also added a cup holder on the handlebar, a bell, a rear-view mirror, and the bike shop added a pipe looking thing which sticks out the back of the bucket and on there is a flashing rear light. They also added a bracket for one of those tall bright orange safety flags so we feel extra safe! I also had the tires upgraded to some heavy duty Shwalbes as well as upgraded the breaks and yes the seat. Well worth the money cause the bike's been used and abused but keeps serving us well. That's 3 boys riding in the back!! Another fun thing to do: buy a couple of those cheap portable ipod speakers (mine are from my old Discman!) and play tunes from the basket in front! The only thing our minivan of a bike is missing is the DVD player in the rear. But I don't think so... My only gripe is that they - sigh - still haven't put the rain shield on the market. I cant BELIEVE they haven't done it yet (what's wrong w/ them? It would bring in so much money and sell their bikes even better - especially in the Northwest which is a huge bike and cargo bike region!). We'd ride the bike a LOT more during bad parts of the year (and here in Portland, that's a lot of missed days!) if they'd hurry up and sell that thing. I'm verging on feeling offended, actually! Lastly I just wanted to say that in our neck of the woods there are some pretty hilly areas (though not like San Francisco) and the bike does surprisingly well with those. On occasion I have to get out and walk/push but very, very rarely (on two different occasions only, and they were very steep). The 8 speeds seem perfect to me. This was a great article, and very inspiring, thanks! :) Hi all -

We have the Madsen too and I just wanted to chime in and say that we love it! We live in Portland, OR. We ride it everywhere – more places than we ever thought we would, frankly…and we have lots of fun dressing the bike up for holidays too! We added one of those wicker removable baskets for up front (tied a screaming ghoul to the front of it for Halloween and big scary spiders, along w/ stringing the whole bike up w/ battery-operated orange lights and other creepy things!) and we also added a cup holder on the handlebar, a bell, a rear-view mirror, and the bike shop added a pipe looking thing which sticks out the back of the bucket and on there is a flashing rear light. They also added a bracket for one of those tall bright orange safety flags so we feel extra safe! I also had the tires upgraded to some heavy duty Shwalbes as well as upgraded the breaks and yes the seat. Well worth the money cause the bike’s been used and abused but keeps serving us well. That’s 3 boys riding in the back!! Another fun thing to do: buy a couple of those cheap portable ipod speakers (mine are from my old Discman!) and play tunes from the basket in front! The only thing our minivan of a bike is missing is the DVD player in the rear. But I don’t think so…

My only gripe is that they – sigh – still haven’t put the rain shield on the market. I cant BELIEVE they haven’t done it yet (what’s wrong w/ them? It would bring in so much money and sell their bikes even better – especially in the Northwest which is a huge bike and cargo bike region!). We’d ride the bike a LOT more during bad parts of the year (and here in Portland, that’s a lot of missed days!) if they’d hurry up and sell that thing. I’m verging on feeling offended, actually!

Lastly I just wanted to say that in our neck of the woods there are some pretty hilly areas (though not like San Francisco) and the bike does surprisingly well with those. On occasion I have to get out and walk/push but very, very rarely (on two different occasions only, and they were very steep). The 8 speeds seem perfect to me.

This was a great article, and very inspiring, thanks! :)

]]> By: Angie http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/comment-page-1/#comment-5579 Angie Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:10:59 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=4818#comment-5579 The biggest reason we opted for the Madsen was price. The cost of the bakfiets was way out of our reach and not an option, especially since this was our first venture into family cycling. At the time, the Madsen was the cheapest and the only one that didn't require DIY mods to carry kids. Xtracycle now carries the PeaPod kids seat, but it wasn't out at the time. It's true that most of what we ride is pretty flat, so the gears and brakes weren't as much of an issue for us. We're very happy with the choice, though I know it isn't necessarily the best bike for every situation. The biggest reason we opted for the Madsen was price. The cost of the bakfiets was way out of our reach and not an option, especially since this was our first venture into family cycling. At the time, the Madsen was the cheapest and the only one that didn’t require DIY mods to carry kids. Xtracycle now carries the PeaPod kids seat, but it wasn’t out at the time.

It’s true that most of what we ride is pretty flat, so the gears and brakes weren’t as much of an issue for us. We’re very happy with the choice, though I know it isn’t necessarily the best bike for every situation.

]]> By: BAW http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/comment-page-1/#comment-5416 BAW Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:22:01 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=4818#comment-5416 May I ask why you chose the Madsen over a Dutch bakfiest or one of the American knockoffs like the Organic Engines Long Juan, the Human Powered Machines Long Haul, the CETMA Cargo, or the Metrofiets? My problem with them is that their gears and braking are inadaquate for hilly areas like where I live (West Virginia--called the Mountain State for good reason), but you live in flat-as-a-pancake Florida. May I ask why you chose the Madsen over a Dutch bakfiest or one of the American knockoffs like the Organic Engines Long Juan, the Human Powered Machines Long Haul, the CETMA Cargo, or the Metrofiets? My problem with them is that their gears and braking are inadaquate for hilly areas like where I live (West Virginia–called the Mountain State for good reason), but you live in flat-as-a-pancake Florida.

]]> By: Keri http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/comment-page-1/#comment-5414 Keri Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:47:22 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=4818#comment-5414 Wendy, Here's the link to Angie & Jesse's blog: http://fouronaquarter.com/ Wendy,

Here’s the link to Angie & Jesse’s blog:
http://fouronaquarter.com/

]]> By: Wendy http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/comment-page-1/#comment-5412 Wendy Sun, 20 Dec 2009 05:28:42 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=4818#comment-5412 http://www.threadless.com/product/562/Infinity_MPG Jesse & Angie, Hey guys. It was lovely seeing you today in Central Park. :) I forgot exactly what your blog is titled and found this article instead. The link above is of a t shirt I thought you might like, especially on sale for $10! You both rock and I am very proud of what you are doing for this crazy earth. Wendy http://www.threadless.com/product/562/Infinity_MPG
Jesse & Angie,
Hey guys. It was lovely seeing you today in Central Park. :) I forgot exactly what your blog is titled and found this article instead. The link above is of a t shirt I thought you might like, especially on sale for $10! You both rock and I am very proud of what you are doing for this crazy earth.
Wendy

]]> By: BAW http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/comment-page-1/#comment-4618 BAW Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:02:56 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=4818#comment-4618 The nice thing about being a bicycle commuter in Orlando is that it is as flat as a pancake and most of the year the weather is nice. And, as Jesse is a schoolteacher, when the weather is the most stinking hot, he's off work. The nice thing about being a bicycle commuter in Orlando is that it is as flat as a pancake and most of the year the weather is nice. And, as Jesse is a schoolteacher, when the weather is the most stinking hot, he’s off work.

]]> By: BAW http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/comment-page-1/#comment-4617 BAW Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:56:37 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=4818#comment-4617 I'd suggest replacing the derailleurs in the back with an internal hub gear (a Shimano 7- or 8-speed, or a Rolhoff, or even a NuVinci CVT) and putting a Schlumpf up front. Get a generator lighting system so you don't have the batteries going out at the Most Inconvenient Moment. As for the seat--go for an Easy Seat; it doesn't have the horn, which tends to pinch and squeeze a part of a man's body that does not need to be pinched or squeezed. I’d suggest replacing the derailleurs in the back with an internal hub gear (a Shimano 7- or 8-speed, or a Rolhoff, or even a NuVinci CVT) and putting a Schlumpf up front. Get a generator lighting system so you don’t have the batteries going out at the Most Inconvenient Moment. As for the seat–go for an Easy Seat; it doesn’t have the horn, which tends to pinch and squeeze a part of a man’s body that does not need to be pinched or squeezed.

]]> By: Amy http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/comment-page-1/#comment-4600 Amy Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:10:12 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=4818#comment-4600 Ah Ha! Very crafty. :-) I had some black plastic coated copper wire that worked great. Also, just ended up using E6000 to glue a little felt patch to top of the light itself (it's a clip-on style from Planet Bike) Should work. Thanks! Ah Ha! Very crafty. :-) I had some black plastic coated copper wire that worked great. Also, just ended up using E6000 to glue a little felt patch to top of the light itself (it’s a clip-on style from Planet Bike) Should work. Thanks!

]]> By: Jesse http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2009/09/17/jesse-the-human-engine/comment-page-1/#comment-4547 Jesse Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:47:38 +0000 http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/?p=4818#comment-4547 Hey, Angie~ I didn't tell you this, but I had to wedge some felt eraser material underneath the rear blinky light so it didn't bounce up and down on the fender. Just an FYI for everyone! Hey, Angie~

I didn’t tell you this, but I had to wedge some felt eraser material underneath the rear blinky light so it didn’t bounce up and down on the fender. Just an FYI for everyone!

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