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My experience with dynamo lights decades back was they always tore up my tire. Not sure what the technology is on them now but I think I’ll stick with my battery operated LED’s.

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That’s a lot of lumens.

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Just like what Greenbelt said…check the radar before you roll out. There will be times when your ride in is clear then a few hours later it’s crappy. Checking the radar pattern on TWC or a local news website is necessary. I got caught in a storm once while riding back from Alexandria. Luckily there was a Safeway close by and I stayed in there while this violent storm passed. Once it cleared, nothing but downed branches and power lines. Kinda hard to navigate around them on a road bike with road shoes on.

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BTW, another thing that I do to prevent the “stink” on my helmets after a ride is I ball up some paper towels and absorb the left over sweat that is on my helmet pads. That way it dries faster plus minimizes the stink level. I also hang sweaty cycling apparel right away after a ride. Works for me.

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NOT sitting in bumper to bumper traffic is my motivation to ride.

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I’d rather not put photos on this forum. It might be somebody’s bike in here. Ever seen a car with rusty perforations? That’s what the corrosion looks like.

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It is crazy/nasty. I couldn’t believe that it was dried sweat that was flaking off that bike. It’s like flipping a funnel cake upside down and letting the sugar just fall off. Yikes!!!

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GuyC,

If I were you, I would just discard those gloves. If you’re 10 feet away and you can still smell them, then it’s time to say bubbye. I’m at the Pro Shop at the moment in Gtown and we have this bike that is totally corroded from the rider/owner’s sweat. Apparently he sweats more than normal so the parts that are corroded are the shifters, handle bar, bottom bracket and shell, saddle rails, seat collar and rear drop outs. The bike is nasty and unfortunately the bike is condemned for safety reasons. I’m sure his apparel is also caked in salt after a good ride in the heat. I just wonder if he also has a problem with his gloves. BTW, do you own a TIME frame?

@GuyContinental 16455 wrote:

Has anyone found a reasonable solution for glove stink? I regularly wash mine and have tried febreeze, baking soda (to reduce the acid), washing every day but I just. cant. beat. the funk. In fact I can smell them now, on the other side of my office 10 feet away draped over my bars… I can only imagine what they smell like to others (think hockey locker room). They get a ton of use so I generally wear them out in a year but the stink re-occurs within 3 months and like like expensive gloves so I’m not going to replace them that frequently. None of the rest of my gear (fastidiously cleaned) or even my shoes has this problem (not that it smells like roses…)

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Call it “The Beltway” because everybody is there at any given time.

@Dirt 15952 wrote:

Can we call it “The Beltway”? I kinda like the idea of the odd looks people will give me when I say I’m going for a spin around The Beltway at lunch.

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ABL. Arlington Bike Loop. Simple enough.

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Rode by the chimney this morning as part of my commute to work and noticed benches down there. I’ll pitch my tent down there one night and get the fireplace goin.

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There’s probably more artifacts below Custis Trail. Just like old ruins that were buried from centuries ago but there isn’t a volcano around these parts. Dozers for the “then” housing market perhaps.

@pfunkallstar 15750 wrote:

I’ve wondered the same thing for the past twenty years! It is really a curious place to build a house since it floods pretty much every week.

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Cow catcher on the front end of your bike?

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I have the Lezyne alloy pump that’s attached to my water bottle cage. The only time I use it is for road side flats. It’s normal for that tiny thing not to pump up the tire to 120. I just pump it enough just to get going again. The other feature that I like is it has a flexible hose that attaches to the end of it. This design allows free movement as your pumping so it won’t put a strain on the tire valve. We all know that presta valves is so flimsy. I also carry CO2 as a back up. Unfortunately, CO2 is only at it’s best when the temperature outside is warm/hot. Otherwise they just freeze in the cold.

@SilverSpring 15642 wrote:

As I was fixing a flat on the Georgetown Branch today (sigh…at least I can now change a tire without crying…too much), I was admiring my Blackburn AirStik for its handiness…for the first 50 pumps. After that, I fiercely wish that I had forearms like Popeye. I’m not saying my pump’s days are numbered, but what recommendations do you have for a Schrader/Presta compatible replacement? I could use a pump with a gauge and don’t think I’d do well with CO2 cartridges (I’d just use them to make bubbly martinis or something). Thanks for your thoughts.

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Remove the shifters completely and let them dangle. Once they’re off, you’ll see that clamp part if the shifters remain on the handle bar. Possibly the sticky stuff from the tape is keeping the clamp from loosening. If it has bonded from corrosion you might want to look into replacing clamps and inspecting the inside of the shifters. Also inspect the handle bar for corrosion. (Not sure if just the clamp part is available. I’ll ask around) The clamp has these claws to keep them from moving side to side once it’s tight. The design on the clamp is like a noose. The more you tighten the allen bolt, the tighter it gets. Email me off forum on what you see then we can go from there. Kinda hard to give you a solution to your problem. I can’t see it.

@creadinger 15523 wrote:

Ok, I need a hand.

I took off the bar tape, and pulled off the cyclocross brake levers. Easy enough. For the STi shifters I rolled up the rubber sleeves and loosened the little screws but the shifters are as tight as ever. They’re not even budging. Is there something else I need to do? Since it’s been 7 years is it possible they’re sorta glued to the bar? If so, how should I unstick them? Some gentle hammering? Punching? Yelling? Do a couple of forgot-to-unclip falls to each side?

Thanks for the help!

[Author]

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