[GuyContinental]

@Meganomics 65175 wrote:

TrailGator is a reputable maker of tow bars for kids’ bike. The best one that I’ve heard of is the FollowMe Tandem Coupling, used by Emily Finch (@1lessgmsuburban) and Elle Bustamante of Tiny Helmets Big Bikes. From what I’ve heard, it seems to offer the best combination of stability and convenience.

Good luck in your search!

Oooo I like that design! Thanks for the lead. Pricey though…

http://www.followmetandem.co.uk/

[GuyContinental]

@JorgeGortex 65045 wrote:

Nice catch on this one. Like the looks of this one and great for this sort of purpose: durable, long lasting, and easy to use. Sweet.

Good Kickstarter video set too- I love that he’s wearing a Pebble watch… Form factor isn’t there yet but a proper injection-molding tool (mold) would cost $20K on it’s own.

[GuyContinental]

I had the opportunity to attend Outdoor Retailer this year and can say that GoPro is absolutely dominant in this space (and their booth ooozed awesome in a place that was full of awesome…)- Contour is gone but there are at least a dozen little guys (and 4-5 BIG ones) that are building robust “life-cameras” Now that we are entering the holiday season we should see these models start hitting the market and all sorts of price points and feature sets.

That said, I can’t stand the GoPro form factor- IMO everyone looks ridiculous with a little box on their head unless that box is a light…. or a Tefillin

I want a “lipstick” style rugged waterproof camera waaay smaller than a Contour that can clip unobtrusively on the side of my helmet, has a 12hr+ battery life, 1080 resolution, and 120+ fps (so I can go back and framegrab) and BT streaming to my phone. It also needs a constant overwrite function so I only bother messing with it when something happens (naked ninjas, near death experiences, the elusive jackalope…). oh and it can’t cost any more than $100. Not on the market now but I can almost guarantee something like it will be in the next 24 months (not at that price point though).

[GuyContinental]

@hozn 64898 wrote:

Yeah, he probably could use the pedal bike, but until he has outgrown the balance bike he may not prefer pedals.

Same story with my 4.5 y/o- he maxed out the Skuut a while ago and now his legs are long enough that they are getting in his way. I put him on his 12″ pedal bike a few times with training wheels and he hated it- couldn’t carve they way he could on the balance bike (which is the point…). This Sunday I just pulled off the training wheels and walked along the sidewalk with my hand on his back for about 5 minutes… then he took off. I was amazed at how easy the transition was and totally convinced that the balance bike was the trick. He lovvvves his Skuut but now that he has a “big boy bike” the Skuut went right to his 2.5 y/o brother who is maybe an inch too short for it. Unfortunately, he’s definitely too big for the 12″ as well so there will be a 16″ at x-mas.

On child two I’ll leave him on the Skuut until he’s either too big or demands to try the 12″. Next summer I’ll get him accustomed to pedals on the Wee-hoo and then totally skip the training wheels. If I had to do it over I would probably just buy a 16″ and let the balance bike fill the gap.

[GuyContinental]

Oh boy- an ex-pat buddy in Austria just bought a Eraly Rider Belter 16″ for his 4yo… thing o’ beauty:

http://www.ethicalshoppingforbabies.co.uk/2012/11/early-rider-belter-the-best-first-pedal-bike/

I’d love to grab one of these or a CNOC 16″ for my 4.5yo but pocketbook reality suggests the most stripped down big box store 16″ I can find.

[GuyContinental]

@KS1G 61099 wrote:

Anyone planning to be at GL tomorrow? Planning on 7-7:15 arrival, 7:45-ish departure.

I’m pondering… haven’t been on the bike since the Sunday before last, need to ride but have some conflicts to work out.

[GuyContinental]

@hozn 60400 wrote:

I will be out there again briefly between 7:15-7:45 or so. Some Donkey scheduled an 8:30 meeting again.

Sounds like GuyC is out in account of sprained an ankle — some violation of rule 42, or at least the spirit of #42 (I guess adventure races don’t have swims).

Oh I swam… in the C&O canal… twice. Yechhh. In fact I sprained my ankle sliding down a muddy bank into a suspicious-smelling creek.

I had fun at FMCC II- coffee without the 40 mile ride… hmmm

[GuyContinental]

I may slum in street garb at around 8 (and cheat on the FMCCIII crew)- sprained an ankle on Sunday, can’t ride to Herndon but can hobble to Java Shack.

[GuyContinental]

@hozn 59230 wrote:

Looks like GuyContinental and I (and Greg) will be rolling in to GL around 7:15.

I suppose it’s becoming standard enough now that it’s only worth calling out the exceptions.

Oh I dunno, a weekly attempt to guilt one or two of the FMCC II crowd into a real ride (Dickie…) has its utility.

I was trying to figure out the timing of hitting all three clubs but unless one of the shops opens at 6 or a group hangs out past nine, I don’t think that it’s really doable. Plus, it’d be a LOT of coffee…

[GuyContinental]

Sort of last minute, but I just realized that I don’t know a “wife-who-is-semicomfortable-with-towing-kid” friendly route from the VRE station on Crystal Drive to Hayes park (coming from Clarendon I figure that the MVT is the safest way to get to crystal city). Any suggestions? The mighty google has us coming up 15th… in front of CostCo… on a Sunday…Is 18th to Hayes better?

[GuyContinental]

@Dickie 58360 wrote:

Had a nice run in with GuyContinental at the top of Virginia road on the W&OD. We both needed a break from the heat… so being rocket scientists we stood in the sun and talked for about 10 minutes… not our brightest moment!

Hmmm I thought that riding out to FMCC III with five real rocket scientists (on their way to Orbital Sciences- kit tagline was “It really is rocket science”) would have made me smarter… guess not.

[GuyContinental]

@Rod Smith 58343 wrote:

If Steve Eunpu shows up, give him props for reaching the Diamond Level (5000 pts) in the National Bike Challenge, a milestone he will reach tomorrow.

Steve was there… told me to tell you that he’s watching you.

[GuyContinental]

@Rod Smith 58343 wrote:

If Steve Eunpu shows up, give him props for reaching the Diamond Level (5000 pts) in the National Bike Challenge, a milestone he will reach tomorrow. I described him as our Super Domestic in another post, but he is our GC contender now. A ringer, I “met” through Strava and invited him to join our team. He doesn’t post here, but I have ridden with him. Good guy, gets up early to put in 40 miles every morning before work. A bicycle rider, if one can be a rouleur without being a racer, it’s Steve.

Yup, I met him a few weeks ago- he’s joining Hans for a quick jaunt from Vienna to Leesburg and back before coffee.

[GuyContinental]

@Dickie 57831 wrote:

We normally stick around until about 9:00.

Come on Dickie, with that much extra time, join me at 6 at Revolution for the trek west- heck, I can even give you company all the way back to work…

[GuyContinental]

@ShawnoftheDread 58306 wrote:

So, coming up Veitch from the Custis, is it better to take Wilson the whole way or take Key as far west as possible?

If you already use Key as a substitute for Wilson, stay on it and swing a left on Highland to Wilson then up 2 blocks to NSS. 13th, the other backroad, is a mess from construction.

[Author]

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