The Communication Cube


I just couldn't resist when seeing it barely used for a good price:

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Excuse my ignorance, but that does not look like a mandolin nor a violin... too much cords for a Lyre/violonchello... what is that instrument?
 
I could be mistaken but I believe it's a viola da gamba.
(Please correct me if I'm wrong)

-Neelix
"Viola da Gamba" is by definition a fiddle that is played between the legs, so yes and no, it can be played between the legs like a small viol or hanging on the neck/shoulder with a strap under the finger board which I prefer since you can play it standing this way too and it gives more options to play it on the knees giving you a bit more space for the bow than between the legs.
There were many forms of fiddles in the last centuries and that's just one of them. The tuning of the strings is great to easily play with two strings at once especcially in G, A, C and D keys, which is great for my sessions.
Like on the more common viol the frets can be adjusted and removed and are not damaging the strings like modern steel ones do.
It's sold as a tenor fiddle (as in the old definition of fiddle, not violin) and I like that it has modern tuning mechanics since I always get annoyed by the old ones.
 
Overall score: 4.76
Total time: 91.60

My score with a trackpad, think I would probably do a bit better with a mouse as quicker to get to the sweet spot I'm trying to click, will play again when have one
 
Does anyone here ride bikes? Whether as a hobby or just as an enthusiast, even racing?

I've dropped ~$180, more or less, to get my dad's old Tassajara into riding form. Most of that tentative budget comprised of a tune-up (good bike shop in the 9th Ward offers a good deal), 8-speed cassette and chain (both were rusted through), new grips (the old ones rotted), new brake blocks, 4 inner tubes, new treads, seat cover, saddle bag, and a small bike kit (just 3 tire levers+scabs+wrench). It's a hefty bike for city commuting, yes, but it's WAYY better than one of those gaudy, flimsy Wal-Mart bikes people like riding. Plus, it's not an easy-to-find frame, so it makes me feel like a special snowflake.

In regards to low-spoke-count wheels (Aerospoke, HED3, etc.), I think they look fire, but many seem to be split in regards to the practicality of these kinds of wheels. But...just look at this road bike.

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Flames.

I don't think I'll do anything too extreme to my Tassajara (disk brakes and Aerospoke wheels still being options), but I do eventually (read: when I have a ~$5k hole burning in my pocket) want to build an e-bike (or just buy the components myself and get the bike shop to build it for me). I'm thinking about a set-up involving a Cyclone mid-drive motor, disk brakes, a NuVinci N360 CVT hub, and Aerospoke wheels. As for the frame, it'll either be a touring frame or mountain bike frame.

Putting a pannier rack on such a bike would place plenty of stress on the wheel itself as opposed to the frame (which would be redundant on a MTB frame, considering how beefy they are), but moving everything away from the seat tube would provide enough room for a 50+V triangle battery without it interfering with anything else.
 
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Why is "it's my main way of transportation and I drive to work with it every day" never even considered?

Sorry, it wasn't strongly implied. Yeah, my somewhat-specific description is misleading.

I do ride my mountain bike to work every day* though (very trivial commute, a notch over 1 mile).*edit: I don't work every day, but you get what I'm saying
 
Ditnt i post some picture of my Bike bevore??
Some yeahrs ago, i dit a bikeride every week, not far away, but it taked some time..
Once i used it too transport Honey to a customer, and once i put my Mini Drone in the Cargo Back and made a flight in a break on my bike ride..
I also truyd to land my Drone on the Cargo Back, but it ditnt work out..

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I live in Ankh-Morpork, so I deliberately ride old shitty looking heaps that get some nice parts to make them ride well but won't get stolen too fast (at least not the whole thing).
Got two of them so I always have one spare if one is broken down or stolen and got a third one too for free now but it needs to get some new parts before it can move properly again.
It's always good to make them not get too much attention.
 
Same thing here in Amsterdam. Got 2 locks, to keep the wheels from being stolen, or the bike being stolen if the wheel is loosened.
 
My frame's got this ugly, faded teal color to it and the chainwheels are somewhat rusted (nothing penetrating though). Not flashy at all. Frankly, my 2 concerns are the gear cabling and shiny, new rear cassette making the bike appear expensive. However, since so many people here have chromed-out bikes, I reckon mine not looking not as nice in comparison is a perk.

Getting your components stolen is some shit though. Would-be bike thieves around here are nowhere near smart enough to do that. They always wanna flip the bike as fast as possible, which is getting harder, considering the kinds of bikes people here seem so keen on buying. It's always either road bikes that are better than any random bike off the street or Wal-Mart pushbikes that are cheaper than literally every other bike off the street.

Having 2 locks is a good idea, especially if the bike is going to be sitting in one spot all day. I always have a chain, but only take the u-lock for work though.
 
Yeah, making a bike look unattractive is pretty much the only defence against theft to order (as it's known) where thieves equipped with angle grinder and van can take not only the bike but the thing it's locked to. Locking up your wheels and securing your seatpost discourages the opportunist thief who'll take what they can to sell on, and perhaps get a rise out of you.

I'm not a fan of those aero wheels personally. Never had a problem with v-brakes either, though you need to pump them in the wet to sluice the water off the rim before they'll grip. Disc brakes do make taking your wheel off more complex, but I'd consider them essential if you expect to go off-road and get the bike muddy for example. I assume that old bike is a steel framed bike - I'd love to have a steel bike.
 
Yeah, making a bike look unattractive is pretty much the only defence against theft to order (as it's known) where thieves equipped with angle grinder and van can take not only the bike but the thing it's locked to. Locking up your wheels and securing your seatpost discourages the opportunist thief who'll take what they can to sell on, and perhaps get a rise out of you.
At the next train station here (which is near several apartment blocks and a school), sometimes a truck comes at night and takes all bikes that are chained somewhere near the station.
I've been lucky so far and didn't have to leave my bike there often, unfortunately I had parts stolen in my own bicycle basement/garage by neighbours already, including a basket I had secured with four cable straps.
Once I just went into a supermarket for 5min and in that time someone stole one of the well secured luggage spanners I use to stop bags from flying out of the basket.

At least none of my musical instruments got stolen yet, we had this happening too at some sessions.
I hate people.
 
sometimes a truck comes at night and takes all bikes that are chained somewhere near the station
Ah... here in Amsterdam the municipality does that too. You see, if you park on unauthorized spots (because the authorized spots are occupied) it is dangerous for other people (obstructs too much, dangerous to blind people, etc).
Of course, we also have the black van that comes at night and sweeps any bike that is easy to lift. And we have the junkie that sells a wheel, or luggage spanner... for cheap.
Current price of a luggage spanner (Bike Store): 8 euro the black rubber one. 12 euro the white rubber with braided coloured cotton thread.
 
Ah... here in Amsterdam the municipality does that too. You see, if you park on unauthorized spots (because the authorized spots are occupied) it is dangerous for other people (obstructs too much, dangerous to blind people, etc).
Of course, we also have the black van that comes at night and sweeps any bike that is easy to lift. And we have the junkie that sells a wheel, or luggage spanner... for cheap.
Current price of a luggage spanner (Bike Store): 8 euro the black rubber one. 12 euro the white rubber with braided coloured cotton thread.
It's an official parking spot for a few dozen bicycles, those are simply organized thiefs and there was an official warning about those by now somewhere.
[doublepost=1467833117,1467826750][/doublepost]Since this thread is locked, I'll just post it here:
 
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