ISWE and the N.I.T.E. Ride 2013

ISWE Rides the 2013 N.I.T.E Ride

Waiting in the back for 3 to 4 thousand riders to clear the start of the 2013 N.I.T.E. Ride.

Had a great time riding in the 2013 Indianapolis N.I.T.E. Ride.

Reasons the N.I.T.E. ride is awesome:

1. It's hard to describe the feeling of having the police and sheriff's department clear the streets of all cars for bikes. It was wonderful to ride through downtown Indianapolis with absolutely no fear of being murdered by a Mercedes. The cyclists were happy, but I'd have to say the spectators on sidewalks and porches were even more happy. They exuberantly cheered us the entire length of Capital Ave. Maybe we should consider making this a permanent arrangement?
2. Met a great father/son small wheel team from Terre Haute, Indiana riding 16" Greenpseed GT3 and 20" ICE tadpole recumbents. The said there was no discernable difference in performance between the 16 and 20 inch wheels. Interesting. They even entertained during the 45 minute wait time between the race start and when we actually got moving by telling the story of a harrowing 25 mph Rans Velocity crash resulting in a broken leg. Ouch! Unfortunately did not get their names but will possibly try to catch up with them at a ride they recommended, the Bob Galloway Memorial Amish Country Bicycle Tour in Decatur, IL.
3. It's really fun to ride with 3 to 4 thousand bikes, at night, on city streets. Awesome! If you haven't done it, you should give it a try. It's great for beginners too, because it's a tour. That means speed is not important. Everyone can ride at their own pace over the tour's 18 mile course through Indy, Butler, and IUPUI.

The ISWE Brompton in the paddock.

The ISWE Brompton performed beyond expectations--ours and those of other riders, on the N.I.T.E. Ride. First, the Brompton's hub dynamo lighting system is... awesome. You really have to be in the presence of a couple thousand riders with battery powered LEDs to appreciate the difference. During several of the darker sections of the ride, it was almost as if the Brompton was performing a public service by lighting the way for half a dozen bikes with underpowered lighting. There is a minute penalty in terms of drag for generating your own juice, but that's easily offset by the  value of being able to see every last bump and pothole and the knowledge that you won't be contributing yet another set of Duracell's to the landfill. Nice job Brompton!
Second, small wheels are perfect for navigating tight congested quarters, especially around turns, and quickly accelerating one through them.

Quotes of the day:

Before the ride:
"Man, are you even going to be able to keep up with those small wheel? I don't know the physics, but... " - woman on a gigantic mountain bike.

During the ride:
"Oooh! Look, there goes that guy on that little bike!" - astonished fellow N.I.T.E. rider... being passed.

Small-wheel sightings:

There were quite several small-wheel trikes present. Only one of the perhaps dozen trikes spotted featured an oversized rear wheel. There was also a Giant Halfway and several (four or five) Bike Fridays. Although Bike Fridays aren't the best folders, sometimes not really folding at all, they are solid road bikes, explaining their frequency at group rides. With thin tires, lightweight frames, and excellent components, they are worthy adversaries for their large wheel ride peers. We'll try to get more pics of them on rides with more amenable lighting conditions.

Takeaway: Ride the N.I.T.E. Ride in 2014. You'll be very glad you did!

Stay tuned: Next time, we interview Sam from Athens for more details about his new Catrike Trail tadple recumbent.

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