Since the draft of my essay has several distinct parts to that need not be read in any particular order, I'm thinking of a sort of star layout. It's similar to the circular organization in Castro, but all pages link back to the index.html. I also intend to make a floating table of contents using CSS that will allow a user to reach any page of the site from any other page. The floating part of the table of contents was a layout effect that I discovered by accident when I tried to teach myself CSS a few years ago. The accident in coding made the table of contents float with the reader as he or she would scroll the down the page. So I'll see if I can recreate this happy error.
Now for the tricky part. Pictures. I have a cyclocross bike and a mountain bike that I can readily photograph. A co-worker has also given me permission to take a picture of his well worn commuter. He rides one of the newer models of bikes that exists on the urban continuum. These range from flat handle barred road racers with really skinny high pressure tires to bikes that are a fusion of touring and mountain bikes. I'd like to find a good, tricked out touring bike to photograph and maybe another brand of commuting bike so I can discuss how this spectrum of bikes looks and rides. I may see if I can take pictures in local bike shops. I've also got a fair amount of equipment and accessories laying around to photo, so that's not a problem. I am thinking of writing to a light manufacturer to ask permission to use images of their bike lights. The reason for this is that in the past year and half LED lighting technology has become mature and the LED bike lights available today generate the same amount of light on 4 AA batteries that I get out of a water bottle sized battery. Sadly, I don't have the budget just yet to go out and buy one of these things. In any case, I should be able to get some great night shots that show bike lights and reflective clothing in action.
In case you're all curious, here's a little guide to the kinds of bikes you easily get today:
- Mountain: Today's mountain bikes, unlike the ones I rode in the eighties and nineties, are purpose built dirt machines that, while, while rugged, are not ideal for commuting. They just go too slow and might not mount racks.
- Road Racers: Skinny tires, high pressure and light, stiff frames characterize the traditional racing bike. You can race cars on these things, but you can't hop curbs or carry loaded racks with them. That said, I loved my old Cannondale racer until I destroyed it two years ago in a commuting accident.
- Touring: Rugged frames, long wheel bases, wheels between mountain bike and road bike sized distinguish touring bikes. Not as fast as the road racers, these bikes will take you from your doorstep to the other end of the continent provided you have some sort of road. Older, 1980s and 1990s vintage, mountain bikes make for decent touring bikes. I used my old mountain bikes more for touring than anything else.
- Cyclocross: The French are always a few lengths ahead in all things cycling. Before guys in Marin County started putting bike pedals on old motorcycle frames and riding up mountains, the French had Cyclocross. Winter, the cobblestones of French villages got too slick with frost to ride on. So French bike racers would take their old bikes out on the local cowpaths to stay in shape until spring. And thus a new sport arose. Modern Cyclocross bikes have the same fast geometry as racing bikes, but with extra beefy frames, sturdy forks and touring bike wheels. Most mid range models will mount racks, making them ideal urban commuting bikes. It's kind of like driving a rally race car to work every day. This is the kind of bike I currently field. You can also do light touring and hit the trails with these bikes.
- Urban Bikes: This is more of spectrum than distinct type. Some of these bikes are basically racing bikes with flat handlebars. Others are closer to touring bikes. Some have a definite mountain bike ancestry and use the same frames, but with city gear and wheels.
I'm also going write a bit about riding technique and safety.
