[OneEighth]

Unfortunately, my work event went a bit later than expected, but, given the prevalence of skinny jeans (and, I’m guessing Pabst Blue Ribbon), my 3-piece suit and drink preference might not have dove-tailed nicely.
I did, however, ride home down 15th, across the bridge, and north on the MVT to the Custis, etc a little after 11 last night. Not in the suit, mind you.
Sorry I missed it.

[OneEighth]

I thought the guys on the job were really courteous this morning when I rode through there—which was a short bit after 0900, by which time they were set up and had a marked detour from the trail. Please pass that along as well, Tim.
Thanks.
Tom

[OneEighth]

The best part of coming across the tree crew this morning was the opportunity to a a quick, mushy, tree-branch-strewn dogleg off the path in honor of cx season.
I did make sure to thank them for their work, too.

[OneEighth]

I will be at a work event nearby. If there is anyone still there after 9, maybe I’ll see you.

[OneEighth]

It was fun!
Y’all are good folks. Really enjoyed hanging out doing something helpful.
Jimmy, saw you briefly but you left before I could congratulate you on your cx race (and your glamour shots courtesy of Pete).
I think Sofie learned something this evening. Not sure what, but something and I’ll settle for that.
See y’all out and about.
Tom

[OneEighth]

Hey Chris. Welcome to the funny farm.
Most sidewalls aren’t going to take kindly to abrasion, especially when you are looking for a lighter, skinnier tire that is meant for speed. If you are mostly riding on decently paved surfaces, I would skew the tire choice to that. Vittoria Zaffiros are very inexpensive training tires that generally hold up well and allow for high pressure (which is a big part of going fast). You’ll get enough tread to feel comfortable in the wet, too. They’ll hold up on less than fabulous surfaces (I’ve tested that often enough). And, no, the tread won’t slow you down.
If I remember right, the 23s can be inflated to about 145 psi. At about $15 a pop, you can change tires several times before you’ve bought a set of gatorskins.
Cheers.
Tom

[OneEighth]

Honestly, speed limits on the trails is a solution in search of a problem.
Are there folks who go too fast for the conditions? Sure. But, frankly, the root problem is safe passing/sharing of the trail. Speed is incidental. I’d rather see requirements that trail users wear reflective gear or carry lights.

[OneEighth]

Good luck, Skreaminquadz.
Have fun y’all. I can’t ride with you, but, just maybe I can take my daughter to see some racing in the morning.

[OneEighth]

Thanks for the link, Tim.

[OneEighth]

I’m going to chime in with a general observation that repaving in Arlington has been pretty substandard this year. I’ve notice that neighborhood roads that have recently been resurfaced are not at all smooth—the surface of the asphalt is very granular and look like they will deteriorate quickly over the winter.
Clearly, someone, despite being paid to do so, has not been overseeing the work very diligently.

[OneEighth]

I tend to hose the chain with WD-40 and wipe it, the cog, and the chainring down once a week. After the WD-40 has had a chance to evaporate, I apply a bead of Pedro’s ice wax to the business side of the chain and let it dry.
Cleaning between each link with a rag usually isn’t necessary because I clean the chain pretty regularly and don’t gunk it up with too much lubricant.
Removing the chain and soaking it in mineral spirits works wonders on truly dirty chains.
If you park your bike indoors, you probably have room for a stand. Just get in the habit of putting your bike on the stand for a quick wipe-down after every ride.

[OneEighth]

I’m thankful that I have the luxury to decide in what order to list the things I’m thankful for rather than being in a position where I’m just thankful to have food and a place to stay.
Cheers.
Tom

[OneEighth]

You have to match the gearing to your intended use. If you are regularly doing the hill loop or Walter Reed up from Four Mile Run, skip the fixie.
Otherwise, figure out what gear you can comfortably climb in and use that as a starting point. If you get a fixed/fixed hub, you can always leave yourself some flexibility (though you still won’t be shifting on the fly…)
If you gear to make the hills easier, you just have to spin a bit more on the flats. (And, you’ll get passed a bit more.)
As long as you are sensible, your knees should be fine.
If you really start digging into this and have questions, holler. Happy to help.

[OneEighth]

This is what I like to see—vehicle descriptions, tags, and, please, physical descriptions of the operators. Now we just need a database.

[OneEighth]

Gotta ask for the backstory on the rudeness.

[Author]

Posts