[brendan]

@peterw_diy 83679 wrote:

Xtracycle IP: true. They’re MySQL/Oracle, not Caldera/SCO.

Oh great. Now my bike is going to trick me into installing the Ask Toolbar when I’m not paying attention…

B

[brendan]

On the Q St. bike lane, I usually pull over to the right of (or to the right side of) the bike lane when I stop at a light. I invite everyone shoal me.

If I’m feeling up to it, and traffic is clear enough, I pass them to the left (outside) of the bike lane. Or I just go slower. Depends on mood.

B

PS – don’t block the crosswalk, jerks.

PPS – so glad they fixed that cutout/pothole across the bike lane on the east side of 14th! It was pretty dangerous and was there forever.

[brendan]

Replying to several msgs:

Hmm…I’m not willing to bad mouth xtracycle too much on the IP enforcement until they actually do something evil. The reality of the world market is that you can’t run a manufacturing business (or…secure funding) without securing some sort of legal rights. What other bike company has attempted to do something similar so successfully?

Hydraulic brakes, last I heard, aren’t worth the trouble outside of mountain biking (I’m willing to hear arguments that isn’t the case, of course). I love my mechanical discs! BB7s, all the way.

Pete’s right about the ease of tightening the mechanical discs. The reach down and click it in a few works miracles for the front brake, and depending on what you’ve got on the back of the bike, it’s almost as easy to do the back brake.

Just remember to adjust the inner pad with a hex wrench when you’re at home from time to time or you’ll get uneven wear and potentially stress out the brake body due to the uneven placement. If you ride a lot, anyway. I speak from experience…

I’d suggest test rides without precious cargo! Also, you may need to adjust the seat, handlebars, to better fit you. I did find the radish a bit wobbly (as shipped) for my preference.

However, when I got a big dummy, I knew I had a partner for life.

B

[brendan]

@bobco85 82794 wrote:

I’m glad you’re okay, but passing through there today around 7 p.m., there appeared to have been a made connection between cyclist and driver in the same fashion as your situation. No one looked hurt as I saw the cyclist and a few other cyclists checking his bike (nothing looked bent), and the driver and passenger of the car were standing there talking with them.

I’ll note for the record that I have *twice* seen southbound (VA-bound) cars turn left from key bridge onto the Whitehurst freeway. I know. Insane.

I haven’t seen any cars coming *up* the Whitehurst entrance ramp…yet.

B

[brendan]

For sweat/salt I keep a cotton bandana/kerchief tied to the handlebars for my clear/sun glasses most seasons. It kinda works in the rain/mist when wet (turns droplets into non-beaded moisture) but you still do have to stop every once in a while to clear them.

[brendan]

Thirding or fourthing Lezyne.

[brendan]

Hmm, would be somewhat less confusing if it was titled “Bottom 10 and Top 10″…

[brendan]

@n18 82645 wrote:

They removed that tree, which is near Lyon Village, about 2 miles from Rosslyn.

Awesome. In addition to Tim’s report, I also called it in to Arlington Parks around 10:40am or so after seeing a guy take a slow tumble after skidding to a halt just short of the tree.

I tried moving it myself, but it was wedged in pretty good…and I’m not allowed to break any more bones.

B

[brendan]

@lordofthemark 81630 wrote:

Its by Bell, and I don’t know the model (I got it from my daughter’s apartment it apparently belonged to a previous resident who had left it behind when moving out – typical student apartment that has had different roommates moving in and out for years, yet has never been vacated, and has accumulated “stuff”) It does not have a gauge – I suppose I can use the tire gauge from my car.

I second the recommendation for a basic floor pump at home. And regarding pumps to take on the go, I’ll just note that I’ve ripped off my share of tube valves using frame pumps that don’t have a flexible hose, but just attach directly to the valve. I may be somewhat ham-handed, but a ripped valve isn’t patchable and isn’t something I want to deal with when I’m out with the bike. I suggest a portable/frame pump that includes a hose…

[brendan]

@mstone 81590 wrote:

Anyone want to guess where the Fairfax Drive bike lane is in this picture?

In my experience, it’s always been delineated by a gravel spill across the intersection…

I’m mostly taking custis home now, but that picture brings back the memories…

[brendan]

@consularrider 81403 wrote:

About half the time I’ll give a triple ring heading west under Carlin Springs Rd on the W&OD, especially if the trail is very busy. That’s one of the few places I regularly encounter other trail users cutting the corner. More people cut the corner on the W&OD at the right angle turn between Brandymore Castle and the East Falls Church basketball court, but most of the year they are visible through the trees.

Ah, and that little tunnel just west of the basketball court has a rather tight and blind kink in it when you’re heading east. I now ring my bell before/in the tunnel, just to notify anyone who happens to be loitering on the trail just past the east side of the overpass. Seriously, DON’T STAND THERE.

[brendan]

@GB 81385 wrote:

Does anyone else call/ring bell when going around a blind turn? I do ~30% of the time, I can’t say it has caused me to avoid a collision yet, but I imagine it will one day.

I usually ring my bell twice before/when heading under the bridge just west of brandymore castle…especially when heading east, since I’ve encountered folks loitering just east of the blind-ish exit there.

B

[brendan]

@sjclaeys 81380 wrote:

The air is filled with the scream of unlubed chains as they are forever pulled across the largest chainring and the smallest cog at 45 rpm.

Also, my b-screw is totally misadjusted.

Or wait, we weren’t talking about me?

B

[brendan]

@Geoff 81306 wrote:

I had to think about this. I was doing what I always do at that point, attack the hill for all I’m worth. If he thought he could pass and couldn’t pull it off, I figured that was his concern. But I can see that (a) he probably thought I was being a prideful jerk who simply didn’t want to let him by, and (b) the situation was potentially unsafe. Side by side on a hill? What if someone flying down towards us had come a little too close to our lane? Results would have been ugly. Should I have backed down? Should he have backed down (sooner)? Don’t know.

Yes, he should have backed down, but sometimes you gotta take one for the team.

Esp since the western sister has a bit of a blind downhill start for riders heading east! Aka a bit of a blind uphill finish for those heading west.

Had to hit the brakes hard to a full stop (luckily had only started accelerating down) coming around that curve when faced with a cyclist slow-passing wide, fully in the opposite lane. Monday, I think.

[brendan]

@ShawnoftheDread 81242 wrote:

Nice to see Pete and Brendan, but I think that monolith is a hellmouth.

[Author]

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