[mello yello]

got sick over the weekend, just in time for vacation too.
Driving in sucks, I have a sunroof that has recently decided to start leaking – my car smells like mildew.
Will try to pick up commuting when I get back mid-July.

[mello yello]

That totally stinks that your bike got stolen. I was on the mall for Folk Life Festival on Saturday, and noticed lots of bikes around, some not very well locked. With that many people and that many bikes, I’m not too surprised that there were thefts… just sucks to be the one stolen from.

Aside from a direct replacement Salsa Vaya, maybe look at:
Surly LHT (available in disc)
Soma Saga
Bruce Gordon BLT
Kona Sutra

I have an IRO Rob Roy, similar idea but SS/FG specific (rear-facing dropouts), but Tony has discontinued those.

Edit: And, of course, Bianchi Volpe

[mello yello]

@rcannon100 56655 wrote:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3198[/ATTACH]

Nice. I’ve always thought that it would be fun to bring a bike down to Ocracoke. It gets a bit crazy though town with traffic and pedestrians and scooters and golf carts and bikes all mixing it up on a very narrow 2-lane road, though. How was your experience there?

Also – “Mater” the bobbed deuce-and-a-half, is just barely hanging on – he’s more rust than steel at this point.

[mello yello]

Well that was fast.

I certainly wouldn’t want to be caught out in it, but these things are just hauling through and leaving clear skies behind them.

30 minutes and it’ll be dry enough not to spray my back, I bet.

[mello yello]

@KLizotte 56541 wrote:

I wish we could get such PSAs on TV to reach the broadest audience.

To reach drivers in real time you need to find a way to text it to them!

[mello yello]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]3187[/ATTACH]

hahaha! Classic!

it was a good laugh.

I just signed up for Strava, and it suggested that I set a “privacy” radius from my house to the nearest major intersection so that I do not display where my house is to the internet at large.

[mello yello]

@dcv 56300 wrote:

Starting my commute this morning I noticed I may have used 2 of my 17 skid patches a little too much.

No kidding! Where I ride those this spots would suck up the bottle glass like nobody’s business!
I can’t wait to get my fixed gear back, but never did do much skidding.
Do you ride brakeless?
Do you have crazy amounts of extra energy that can only be discharged through epic shreds?
Is your bike just too light? (I can fix that for you with a frame swap.)

Looks like it might be time for a new tire.

[mello yello]

a “loaded” commute this morning. two changes of clothes, two lunches, camelback bladder, coffee, patch kit, multi tool, tire levers, pump, keys, wallet, badge, phone… didn’t forget anything, but could only carry it in an over-the shoulder Chico bag (nylon reusable grocery bag). Heavy and unwieldy. I can’t wait to get my panniers back when my new bike is built. Having all that hanging on one side of my back made me feel heavy and unbalanced, and this trip felt slower than yesterday.

I remembered to turn on Strava. It’s funny – it thinks I maintained 14.7 mph and reached 50.8 mph! (there is a discrepancy between the “top speed” it lists and the peak speed on the graph – which says 41.8 mph – much more believable, but probably still optimistic. I have never used a cycle computer before, so have no idea how fast I usually ride.

[mello yello]

I already have a vintage road bike, but if I didn’t, I’d be all over this Nishiki Olympic 12:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/bik/3891767465.html

Tange infinity tubing, very nice (suntour, I think?) components. Vette (Turbo copy?) saddle. drool.

[mello yello]

I’m not sure about donating a crashed helmet to Pheonix. Although it may be better than nothing, it’s still a crashed helmet that may totally break apart when it’s needed the most.

You are welcome to use it for a planter or chandelier, however!

I do have a Louis Garneauax “racing” type helmet with big ventilation that never fit my head very well. Has been in my garage ~ 4 years. Up for grabs if anyone wants it.

[mello yello]

Maybe he thought you were pointing for him to go around you in the other lane?

Some drivers are just clueless, and dangerous.

[mello yello]

Started 10 minutes late, still got in at the same time – I hit more green lights than usual – not waiting at stops, combined with keeping my speed up, shaved quite a bit of time. 40 minutes total.

Yesterday, I downloaded Strava, and recorded my commute home. This morning I completely forgot to turn it on to see the difference (there is a big difference – the 435 ft of elevation is all uphill on the way home) Strava said I did the homeward trip in 43 minutes moving time yesterday, I think it was just over 50:00 total.

Maybe tomorrow morning I’ll have it together and remember to start the recorder.

[mello yello]

On my second commute in, since I started commuting again, I had a single-bike accident where my pedal fell off (improper installation – mine) and this caused me to lose my balance and splat! I hit all the hard points – ankle, knee, hip, elbow, head. I felt my head bounce a little, and there is now a slight impression in the helmet (Bell from Costco ~ 3 years old, not used much at all). I rode with damaged helmet for another week or so, and last weekend I went back and picked up what looked like the exact same one.

Football shaped (one point in the rear, but not ‘fins’), breakaway visor, black (no other color options) and… my favorite piece… integrated blinky on the adjustment dial. Not the brightest, but it’s always there, and won’t fall off like the blinkys I used to clip to the straps on the back of my head. The hi-viz Superflash goes on the bike and is on whenever I’m riding on the road, day or night.

The old helmet looks barely scratched, and it’s still in the garage – I really should throw it out, but it’s so tempting to hang on to it for a ‘spare’. I’ll file it correctly into the large green bin when I get home tonight, after reading this thread and the “when to replace your helmet” page.

[mello yello]

Volpe has passed to hozn. Have fun with the build!

[mello yello]

A bit late starting this morning – stopped to talk to the tree crew cleaning up the alley… but made it in 10 minutes later than I was shooting for nonetheless. I’m improving my time, figuring out which stops are critical and which are optional (yes, I break the law where it’s safe – another conversation). Also, it’s faster to ride hills on the street than stay flat on the sidewalk.

This marks my 10th one-way commute since BTWD and 50% for the week
Monday-drive in, carpool home
Tuesday – bike in, drive home
Wednesday – drive in, bike home
Thursday – bike both ways
Friday – bike in, drive home.

I think I can add one more by putting the bike in the car on Mondays… but errands on Tuesday evening requires the car.

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