[mello yello]

Both great options. Thanks Bret L and closebr. I didn’t realize my option #2 had taken me through the restricted Beltsville Ag Research center. Actually, that route added another 300ft of elevation gain all told.

I’m looking forward to this now. I’d like to do it once or twice before BTWD, and probably periodically after that. closebr, I’ll definitely take you up on that offer, I’ll probably be PM’ing you, maybe as early as next week some time, if it’s nice. I’m probably not ever going to become a regular, but doing it periodically sounds good.

[mello yello]

@creadinger 159172 wrote:

These roads are probably farther east than you need to go.

Yeah, if I get north of the Beltway east of the B/W parkway there are limited access points to go West. I used to commute to New Carrollton by bike somewhat irregularly, and that wasn’t too bad once I figured out how to avoid 701. They’ve since re-done 701 with bike shoulders.

[mello yello]

Thanks for all the tips! I’ll have to bike the whole way now!

I’m going to old Main Street Laurel, C Street, it backs up to the Patuxent River / Riverside park, only a few blocks from the MARC station. Old Town Laurel is pretty cut-off by big highways, it seems. I may have to modify all of these suggestions to get to where I need to go.

I’m thinking something along the lines of this:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/20655593

or this, without MD 197:
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/20655767

[mello yello]

@KLizotte 159162 wrote:

one will have to be mindful not to trip on the legs.

Yeah, I think that’s the biggest complaint. It’s not for people who will be spending all day around it working on bikes. I envision setting this up in the alley outside the garage so I have plenty of space to walk around.

[mello yello]

I confirmed with Mike that New District Brewing will be doing the PM pit stop again this year, so you’ll have that to look forward to.

I registered for BTWD at a (new?) pit stop on my way to either Union Station or the Anacostia Trail – Twining! I’m sad to miss the Crystal City week and the big Rosslyn party this year.

[mello yello]

Thanks!
It’s really hard to know looking at Maps… I’ll have to throw in some Rt 197 or 198 to get over to Main Street, and I know both of those stink because I drive on them.

[mello yello]

We went to a police/community meeting and everyone was complaining about the property crimes & other stuff, and when we told our story, and someone else told theirs, we realized that the bike belonged to someone a few blocks over who had the lock cut off of the garage and made off with the bike and a lawnmower. We got it back to the rightful owner.

There’s definitely a crew around here doing break-ins and stealing lawnmowers and other valuables… I had no idea there was a resale market for lawnmowers.

[mello yello]

Thanks guys,
Day after I posted this I was told I’m being let go, so bike-related projects are getting shelved. I figure I have about $100 worth of spokes and nipples to buy. Now that I know who has the goods I’ll get in touch with you (PM here?) if this project gets traction again. Tension meter would actually be good to have, I’m not great at plucking the spokes to see how they sound.

Hozn thanks for the tip on motor oil, I have plenty of that laying around…

[mello yello]

@lordofthemark 145827 wrote:

This was my first commute with the 28’s – I think I was about 1 MPH faster than usual – I guess they help less on uphills? I was also a tad hesitant on rougher surfaces (like Eads or the turn into Crystal City on 18th) though I had no real problems (mello – I would still like to ride them a bit more for deciding for certain). It seemed like everyone who passed me was riding a road bike, which could mean I was riding faster, or it could mean there just were not a lot of other folks riding hybrids today.

It can take a bit of getting used to. It’s ok- take as long as you need to decide. If you don’t want them I can always put them on the wheels I’m building in my imagination (I got the rims in hand… just need the spokes, nipples, and time… then to build another bike to put them on… then… well, you know how this cycle goes)

[mello yello]

Yes, the last set of wheels I built was 10 years ago and I’m only anticipating having short stretches of time to do this… between normal everyday life with a 1-year old and, well, cleanup after said 1-year old goes to bed. This puts wheelbuilding into the “odd-hours” category

[mello yello]

I’m seriously tempted… but it’s an uphill battle to get a 3rd bike when I already have one I don’t ride… even if it is slightly too small.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/bik/5776048482.html

[mello yello]

Was the hole on the inside or outside of the tire? I just had two tubes rupture there… on the inside, at apparent weak spots in the rubber material. It had nothing to do with the tire, or the perfectly smooth rim-strip. I also had trouble getting my patches to hold in that particular location.

Of note, if you want to add sealant inside the tube on a Presta-valved tube, you need to cut it open, add the slime, and then patch it. I’m not comfortable enough to do that. A schrader you can take the valve out with the attachment on a can of slime.
Edit: maybe this was just how my old scout leaders did it back in the 90’s… I’m reading some of the previous posts and it looks like this is not true. You learn something new every day.

[mello yello]

@dasgeh 145683 wrote:

I’ve also heard of people putting a car seat bucket (NO HELMET) in the trailer. I’m not a trailer expert, so YMMV.

There are contoured inserts made for the bike trailers, but they all come with warnings (liability only? best practice?) that they are for stroller mode only.
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That said, up to you. The kid is strapped in with a 5-point harness into a light, stiff roll cage… and if you use a sling/baby snuggler/ car seat adapter (haven’t seen one) and pull the trailer behind the bike, don’t also put a helmet on them!

[mello yello]

Now that I’m looking into it I’m getting an adapter for my own bike… thanks for the inspiration!
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[mello yello]

@cvcalhoun 145676 wrote:

Whatever’s on the shelf at Costco every 3 years is not a bad guideline, actually. They all have to meet the same safety standards.

That being said, you might look at the Raskullz helmets. (I got the one for my granddaughter from Target, but Costco may well have them.) They come in various designs that appeal to children. My granddaughter’s is the monkey one (picture below). Persuading her that she’d look like a monkey helped get her into it the first time. And after a couple of rides, she understood that helmets were a necessity for rides. I once put her in the trailer without one on, and she immediately screamed that she needed her helmet. (I was in fact going to put the helmet on before we started up, but thought it was okay to put her in there first, add helmet immediately afterward.)

Thanks! I ended up getting a Laser B.O.B. “chick” from the Family Biking Facebook page, and it fits him pretty well. He’s not old enough to be excited about looking like any type of animal yet… but those days are coming soon!

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