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Yes, the bugs are out in force. Gnats especially. Very annoying while riding. Luckily the speeds are low so there’s no mess unlike riding a motorcycle in the summer months.

@KLizotte 20808 wrote:

Last night I did an evening ride on the MVT heading to Mt Vernon. Holy cow, coming back thru the woodsy curvy bits at 8:30 pm got me into the biggest swarms of bugs I have ever seen in my life. It was disgustingly awful. It was like biking through a hail storm – the bugs were so big I could feel them hitting me all over and when you go thru a big enough swarm, they make a noise I can’t describe. Having my lights on made it worse because I could see the swarm before I went into it. Many of the little buggers made it down inside my bra – not sure how they managed it but I have never jumped into the shower so fast. Thank god none of them were biters. I don’t even want to think about the number of bugs that made it into my hair. Once I got to the airport, things got better.

From now on, I’m sticking to the city for night rides. Fewer bugs. NPS really needs to import a bat colony; talk about fast food for them.

Avoid the south end of the MVT during warm summer nights. The bugs are simply out of control. You have been warned.

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I’m an insect. I’m lovin this heat.

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Congrats on #2. Kids are a labor or love for sure. Here’s what I suggest you do….remove the wheels, seat post and saddle and keep them inside. Hang the bike (if you can on the top tube) in the shed. You will probably need new cables and housing on it before you can ride it again. Possibly new hbar tape as well. Not sure what the elements are in your shed. Since wildlife and bugs will be out in force soon, it’s not just the weather that’s going to do a number on your roadbike. I’ve noticed some of these critters like eating rubber or something similar. That’s why I suggested to keep your wheels and saddle indoors. Hope this info helps. BTW, boy or girl?

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@mstone 20313 wrote:

This gets back to that whole “it’s hard to find non-racer bikes/shops” meme. If someone’s commuting and wants to carry a bunch of stuff, they should probably not be getting a lightweight road bike (or a full suspension mountain bike). But the shops push what they have…

If the staff in the store knows what they’re doing, then things will be easy like Sunday morning but but some customers have no clue what they want or is fixed on getting a bike that is not designed for what they had in mind.

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I use a medium size Timbuk 2 messenger bag in the winter months and a smaller back pack in the summer months. From what I’ve seen in our shop, some commuters go over board on the panniers and racks. I’ve seen a few broken axles in the rear hub and wobbly wheels due to the heavy weight. On car tires, there is an embossed “Load Limit” number on the sidewall. I think bike tires should have the same or at least fatter spokes to support the weight.

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I don’t use them. I like to hear and see what’s around me while I’m riding. When Gibson and I are gig’ing, then I wear headphones.

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Sorry Spoke but once you remove the tags and put them on, they are yours. Just a fact. I’m just saying…

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If all 3 chain rings are available then why not just replace the rings. As long as it’s compatible, has the right diameter and teeth count. Replace the crank if the threads for the pedal is severely stripped and/or if the pedal spindle broke off. You might have to pay more labor since the bike tech will be dismantling the rings.

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K,

Let me know when you’re ready for a Commuter Fit @ BPS in Gtown. I’ll hook you up.

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Now the facts are coming out. To answer your question, YES. Since you’re pulling weight, you’re accelerating chain wear plus other components in the drive train. Brake wear is also a factor since it requires more power to stop a vehicle with more weight. Especially descending.

@jrenaut 19148 wrote:

Would towing a trailer full of children regularly make a difference? Of my 50 or so miles a week, probably 10-15 are pulling the trailer.

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It’s more of a delay for a thief. If they really want it, they will take the whole thing.

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http://www.ridewithgps.com
http://www.mapmyride.com
http://www.garminconnect.com

Type in the keyword of the ride and the location and badabing!!!

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Another place I can think of in the Carolina’s that needs signs like that is this place called Ocean Lakes Resort. Golf carts RULE in that place. Unfortunately the resort does not have a designated path for walking/running. I was there for a week and didn’t see any. Nice cribs though. BTW, how r u K?

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I do the “Water boarding” scream. Of course I pick my victims. It’s rated R. Not for the whole family.

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Super awesome to see both planes in the air like that. Nice.

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