[jabberwocky]

I get cotton shop towels off Amazon (for example, https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Auto-Shop-Wash-Towels/dp/B00P1N8QU2/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1474901954&sr=8-10). They aren’t expensive and a towel can be used for a while before it really needs to be tossed (I don’t try to wash them).

I like my old tshirts.

[jabberwocky]

Pretty much everything out there is good now. For touring, I’d stick to mid-range (higher end stuff gets expensive and lighter but I don’t think its any more reliable). My touring bike is a mix of 9 speed shimano MTB and road components.

It does depend on where you intend on touring. In the US? You can be pretty flexible. I mean, worst case you have to wait for a day or two for a part to arrive. Planning on touring in other countries? You want to really look at everything from the perspective of “how easy will it be to field repair this if I can’t get parts”. Probably bar end shifters, robust MTB derailleurs, cup and cone hubs, etc.

@dkel 146374 wrote:

Gates Carbon Drive. Smooth as butter, silent as the night. You have to choose what type of IGH or SS—or fixed!—hub you want to run with it, because Gates doesn’t make that stuff.

I’m not sure I would for a touring bike. Belts are a pain to repair and you simply won’t find them anywhere. Chains are pretty universal. Plus, I know a lot of people who have snapped belts (I think all my MTB friends who tried belt drive are back to chains because they couldn’t get belts to hold up).

[jabberwocky]

@vvill 145490 wrote:

Did Surly ever really have a road bike?

They’ve had the Pacer for pretty much as long as I’ve been cycling. I don’t think its popular (I’ve never seen one in the wild). Roadies aren’t into the retro-hipster thing I guess.

[jabberwocky]

@elbows 144917 wrote:

http://wtop.com/loudoun-county/2016/08/2nd-trail-user-reports-attempted-assault-on-wod/
“Trail users are reminded to never use the trail alone.” I’m glad the bicyclist who rode by and likely thwarted the attack didn’t heed that advice.

I think its ridiculous how often that sort of thing is said to victims of assault (especially women). I know its probably meant as harmless advice, but it smells of victim blaming. It should be safe to be in public without having to travel in a group.

(not directed at you, elbows, you just had the quote from the article handy).

[jabberwocky]

People like that don’t give a damn about the law. The only thing that deters them is thinking there might be a consequence for their actions. I’d recommend a helmet cam and a backpack that says “bike equipped with camera, aggressive driving will be reported to police” on it.

[jabberwocky]

I had a similar thing happen to me a few years back; a driver tried to pass too closely, mirror hit my arm, but in my case it knocked my arm off the bars and I went down and their rear tire went over my elbow.

Glad you were uninjured! Some people seem to have trouble with the whole “leave space when passing” concept.

[jabberwocky]

Since the rear derailleur on the carbon roadbike decided to confess its love for my rear spokes on Friday (which resulted in a very dramatic love explosion of carbon derailleur cage and spokes in the middle of the road), today I pulled out fixie 2 and converted it to a SS (cause I love coasting way too much). Gearing was a bit too low, but otherwise it was a lovely ride in.

[jabberwocky]

The problem is that Gallows looks like a highway. Its relatively straight, multi lane and high traffic. You can set whatever speed limit you want and do as much enforcement as you want, but its not gonna really slow people down because the road design invites high speeds.

Same basic problem as the GW parkway.

[jabberwocky]

30% grade for any length more than a few dozen yards would be among the steepest roads in the country (possibly the world). The steepest road in the US (Canton Ave in Pittsburg) hits 35% or so but only for a few yards.

EDIT: And we can say for certain that there is no place within 25 miles of Fairfax with that sort of hill, just because half a mile (2,640 feet) at 30% is about an 800 foot gain. There isn’t anywhere near DC with that kind of elevation gain. I don’t think there’s even any land over 800 ft above sea level until you get the first mountains of the Appalachian range at the west edge of Loudoun.

[jabberwocky]

@Harry Meatmotor 143113 wrote:

I dunno – $3k asking price for the least expensive (Specialized Turbo, non-offroad, natch) model is a fairly large barrier to entry. Further, most of the MTB models are $5k+, and the only folks I know that regularly drop that kind of coin on MTBs are the DH/AM crew. And they’re all stuck riding at ski resorts anyhow.

Most mid-range trail bikes are in the 3k and up range these days. I’m not sure that price is a huge barrier to entry in the high-end MTB market.

@Harry Meatmotor 143113 wrote:

Also, one of the tricks to marketing these offroad capable e-bikes is to remind the users that there are FAR more offroad fire access/jeep trails where motorized vehicles are WELCOME, than twisty singletrack where an extra 500 watts ain’t gonna net you much except for getting wrapped around a tree. Motorized vehicles are prohibited from the vast majority of National and State/Local park hiking/biking/horse trails.

I, for one, would think that ripping around on the jeep trails at Moab would be way more fun than trying to thread the needle on single track with a 50-pound 29+ squish bike with 500+ extra watts at my disposal.

I think they will appeal strongly to the people who want to rip up downhill actually; not that the power is very useful there, but it can sure be used to get back uphill just as fast as downhill.

I agree they should be treated as slow motorcycles rather than fast bicycles. I’ve been and out of MTB advocacy for a while now and the big problem is that MTB groups have spent literally decades convincing land managers not to group us with dirtbikes and ATVs and such. People riding motorized mountain bikes will seriously threaten a lot of access.

[jabberwocky]

I’d probable do a good quality rear rack, then bolt or strap a piece of exterior plywood thats slightly over the size of the portfolio to it. Then bungee the portfolio to the plywood.

I assume what they are transporting can’t be rolled up? I’ve transported architectural sets before (sometimes several hundred 24×36 sheets) but I’ve always rolled them up and jammed them vertically in a pannier.

[jabberwocky]

Not exactly the same, but I almost got hit a few years ago while crossing (in the road) at a light that had just turned green. Someone apparently decided they want to make the light (which had just changed to red), floored it and threaded the needle between the cars stopped in both lanes. Surprised the shit out of me, because I do make a point to check that cars are actually stopped and had started moving when suddenly a car flew across a few feet in front of me at maybe 60mph.

All I remember was seeing the Maryland plate as he sped off. :rolleyes:

[jabberwocky]

The mindset seems to be that as long as injuries are minor, they will get a ticket for whatever the officer feels like citing them for and you’ll get compensated by their insurance for whatever injury you sustained and bike repairs. And thats if you’re lucky. I know when I was hit a few years back, the driver got a minor citation and I got a check cut by their insurance for my brief hospital visit and damage to bike and helmet. TBH, based on some stories I’ve heard, I considered myself reasonably lucky to have even gotten that. I know people who have been hit by motorists running a light and then been cited for running the light themselves (because the motorist lied to the officer and the officer believed them).

I do know I always commute with my GoPro going on my helmet. If I get hit again I definitely want to make sure there is evidence of what happened.

[jabberwocky]

The CK hubs and headset on my Soma are pewter. My recollection is they have a bit of a purple tinge to them. Lovely color. I can send pics when I get home if it will help.

[jabberwocky]

I actually used to pass on the right occasionally, just because some joggers would take the “jog in the center” a bit too far and actually be mostly in the other lane. My thought process is that there are two of us and two lanes. If you seem to be claiming the left one I”m gonna use the right. Though it was always a fun game to try and guess whether they mean to be there or just drifted there and will jump back once they realize someone is coming up behind them.

I soooooo don’t miss the W&OD. :p

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