[brendan]

@StopMeansStop 5921 wrote:

You shouldn’t have to adjust the brakes. The pads close on the rim of the wheel, not the tire itself.

While this is true, depending on the brakes, larger tires might not easily pass through the calipers even when uninflated and/or the brakes completely released (though larger tiresmay pass through with the brake pads temporarily removed). Just a heads up.

Brendan

PS – the Big Apples are a dream to ride on my cargo bike.

[brendan]

Aww, I need my hobo fix!

Brendan

[brendan]

@OneEighth 5965 wrote:

I would love to know what happened in this particular case.
Not jumping to conclusions here—just saying that I frequently get passed by other riders who are flying by on that stretch of downhill.

I used to fly by. Now even on bike-light-green I brake a lot more. I guess that means the lights are effective (on this sample point anyway).

I’m now more worried about being rear-ended by a bike there.

Brendan

[brendan]

@StopMeansStop 5884 wrote:

On my last long ride, my bibs got a little damp. Well, more than a little. I felt like I was wearing a filled diaper. Other than carrying a 2nd pair, how can one stay dry? It’s not the wetness I mind, but the rash. The body glide helped, but wasnt perfect

I wouldn’t use body glide. Use bike-specific chamois butter/cream.

And if you end up with ring around the rear, I suggest investigating topical meds usually found in the baby aisle…

Brendan

[brendan]

@Dirt 5633 wrote:

DaveK: I love the idea of the MagicShine. It is definitely the most bang for the buck. I’m also happy that your house didn’t burn down.

Heh. The newer battery boxes seem substantially better constructed.

Brendan

[brendan]

@CCrew 5606 wrote:

I don’t see that one working either. Seem to both go to the same place.

Hmm, ok, here’s the text then:

Chuck (@ bike rack dc)
Jul 10 (1 day ago)
To all who participate in the Sunday shop ride..

First, I want to thank Mike, Dom, Jason, Lyle, Tony, Olwen, et al who helped McKenzie to get home. It was great to see the gang rally around her despite McKenzie’s stubborness.

In response to the accident on today’s shop ride, there will be some changes to the way the ride is carried out, particularly between the shop and the first stop at Starbucks in Potomac. It is essential that we slow the pace on MacArthur and keep the pace line to a single or double where conditions permit.

Changes to the shop ride will include the following:

1. Smaller groups of 15 to 20 with one to two designated leaders per group from the shop to Starbucks in Potomac. This will also give the ride leaders tthe opportunity to help newer cyclists learn to ride in a steady and safe pace line.
2. Each group must ride single file pace lines and double pace lines only where conditions permit.
3. The pace on MacArthur and Falls Rd must slow to a 16 to 18 mph average. This is considered the moderate or “warm-up” phase of the ride.
4. If you want to “hammer” MacArthur or Falls Road you must go off the front of the ride and on your own. This can no longer be done within the context of the group, its simply too dangerous on these roads.

Feel free to contact me off the group with any questions or concerns. I look forward to seeing you out on future rides.

Chuck

[brendan]

Hmm, looks like that link goes to the reply, here’s the thread starter: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/bikerackdc/TVE6ynBfYEk/ZWpVFHaIAAsJ

Brendan

[brendan]

@Dirt 5013 wrote:

Great topic for discussion, Brendan. Thank you for posting up.

Got an email about an incident on macarthur during one of today’s rides. I hear indirectly it was a car mirror clipping incident and that the cyclist is OK.

https://groups.google.com/d/topic/bikerackdc/TVE6ynBfYEk/discussion

Brendan

[brendan]

@Riley Casey 5560 wrote:

No need to ban electric bikes because the occasional jerk rides too fast on a multi user trail.

It’s funny you mention that. There are some folks on road bikes on the MUTs going faster than most ebikes top out at…

I prefer the cargo bike for MUTs for several reasons, but one that applies here is that it slows me down to a more friendly pace. Or at least, a less unfriendly pace.

Were I MUT commuter, however, travel time might be/seem more important than friendliness.

Brendan

[brendan]

@Greenbelt 5513 wrote:

Kids and dogs seem to understand bells very well. “On your left” not so much. Took me a while to learn this.

Right, which is why I do an “early bell or two or three” and then a “mid to late: on the left” approach.

Brendan

[brendan]

@Usern Ame 5490 wrote:

So you are okay if a parent brings their kids onto the bike path and just lets them run around in both lanes?

No, but there is nothing that I can do that will change the behavior other than slow the heck down and call my passes as loudly and authoritatively as possible. Perhaps I let some incredulity creep into my voice when the brainlessness is on display…sometimes more than others…but I’m just passing through: a parenting lesson from anyone, even from the park police, isn’t going to go over well.

Some of the more parkish areas on the W&OD and MVT are overrun with cross-trail and along-trail kid and dog traffic, especially on the weekends. Fighting against that is like trying to stop a tidal wave with a bucket. Some kid is going to get hurt, and it may be partly the parent’s fault. But I’m not going to be involved.

Brendan

[brendan]

@Usern Ame 5465 wrote:

Well I personally I think the whole idea of announcing a pass should be phased out. It shoud be just like driving…do you announce you are going to pass when you are driving? No. You just do it. The reason this works is because people have an expectation that others will be passing them. Bikers should also just have an expectation that others will be passing them. When you are driving it is your responsibility to make sure that the lane you are going to switch to is safe…you do this by checking your mirrors, checking your blind spot, and then announcing with a turn signal your intention. I have no idea why it should be any different for biking.

Unfortunately, pedestrians treat MUTs like sidewalks, and it’ll be a cold day in hell before that ever changes. Bell + called pass seems the safest thing passing both pedestrians and cyclists. Runners w/ headphones are generally experienced enough to check before turning but if they don’t, hey, at least *you tried to warn them*.

Also: it’s important to note that most experienced cyclists will slow down when coming up on another cyclist who is poised to pass a 3rd party. Sometimes they don’t and you end up with a double pass or pass-crash. Less likely to happen if the rear-most cyclist is calling passes, especially if there’s a great difference in cyclist speed.

Brendan

[brendan]

@Tim Kelley 5457 wrote:

PotomacCyclist gave a great primer!

The only thing I would add is that gels and other sports nutrition is good, but can get really old fast. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a ride and not eating because you don’t like the taste.

Experiment with “real” food too–a few of my favorite include fruit, PB&J sandwiches, Fig Newton cookies, beef jerky, Combos, potato chips, pizza, and bbq from Carolina Brothers.

And I’d like to emphasize the hydration as well. Especially on these hot summer days, drinking lots of water (separate from sports drink) is highly recommended. I’m a large individual so I try to consume a bottle for every 10 miles I ride. Extra bottles in rear seat cages work for some people, but I like keeping an extra bottle in my jersey pocket.

For weekend distance rides, especially during the hot season I usually carry packets of Gatorade G2 mix as a compromise: half the calories of original gatorade, but similar electrolyte profile. During really hot days, I alternate that and Propel powder which is essentially calorie free. Why don’t I drink plain water? Two reasons: the citric acid, sweetness and slight saltiness of the sports drinks encourage me to hydrate better and the electrolytes are necessary as I am a *heavy* sweater.

I prefer to get my calories from non-drink sources: cliff shots (sometimes caffeinated) primarily and clif shot rocks (if i can’t find a lunch sport or don’t want to stop). And real food. With the big dummy, I can get a platter at carolina brothers, have the sandwich and some chips there, and then have the sides when I get home!

When whites ferry’s shop is open, I often pick up a can of coke there, breaking the above “rule”, but it’s a COKE! That’s more of a pleasure-based reward than hydration. Also: caffeine.

On century+ rides, nothing beats cheeze-its and caffeinated full-sugar sodas with some peanut m&ms thrown into the mix. But make sure you take in lots of plain water and/or reduced calorie sports drink if you go that route.

Brendan

[brendan]

I used to always do M St eastbound through gtown to penn, to L to New Hampshire when heading to social events in NW. Now I just turn at the left east end of georgetown, climb through the neighborhood to P, take P to florida and head up that way unless I’m meeting folks down by the university or the k street district.

Brendan

[brendan]

When doing a harper’s ferry overnight, it can be fun/refreshing to stop for fireworks pizza in leesburg on the way back…or doner bistro. Just be careful about the beer, you still have a ways to go…

Brendan

[Author]

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