[ShawnoftheDread]

@dasgeh 25508 wrote:

Also, I’d think really hard before buying a hybrid. Why are your comprising between on-road and off-? I used to be a hybrid rider, but I don’t go off road. I realized that I’m just sacrificing some of the best qualities of bikes made for roads, and not getting anything on the other side. If you want speed, look at road bikes. If you want durability, look at cross or touring bikes. If you want up-right geometry, look at touring bikes or “dutch bikes”.
Good luck!

I don’t know why cyclists denigrate hybrids so much. A lot of the trails and roads in the area are perfect for hybrids–bumpy and poorly paved, with frequent detours onto gravel, dirt, or grass. Flat bars are also useful for city riding. My back likes them too. Sure, a cyclocross would be great — show me one in the $500 range in an LBS.

[ShawnoftheDread]

Cool. That section of the Cross County Trail in Wakefield Park is dirt and rough gravel. There’s not a great work-around though. Braddock Road to Wakefield Chapel Rd is very busy, but with a rough path/sidewalk and a wide shoulder. But Wakefield Chapel Rd. from Braddock to Queen Elizabeth Blvd. is narrow with no shoulder. There’s a bike lane on Wakefield Chapel after Queen Elizabeth, though, that runs almost to NVCC at Little River Turnpike.

[ShawnoftheDread]

I may have done some gratuitous calf extensions in front of my wife the past few weeks.

[ShawnoftheDread]

No, we need to go someplace with cones. It’s too hard to ride with a cup and a spoon.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@vvill 25376 wrote:

The last time I had a problem like this was on my hybrid early last year – about 4 flats in a couple weeks. I put on new rim tape (Velox cloth stuff) and have had no flats since then. The factory installed stuff was sort of like a loop of plastic and it looked like it had moved around a lot.

A few months ago I had replaced the original rubber stuff with some sort of plastic that the LBS told me was better. Over the weekend I adopted Dirt’s electrical tape suggestion, so we’ll see if that does the trick.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Terpfan 25335 wrote:

I definitely wasn’t in that peloton because I felt like there were few people out today. I did notice more folks heading south than usual it seemed. I almost asked if I was missing out on something fun and should turn around.

You must get up early. I think Kel was running late today and I was my usual tardy self, and the crowds were out at about 8:30.

[ShawnoftheDread]

Clearly we need Angle Grinder Man to redirect his focus.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGQMq3hNv-g&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[ShawnoftheDread]

@KLizotte 25283 wrote:

That is quite a ride on an MTB on such a hot and humid day. It’s the humidity that gets ya and there isn’t much shade along the routes you took.

If you post where you are trying to go from the Pentagon I’m sure the folks here can tell you an optimal route or two. There are a few shortcuts here and there that we know of that can save you the hassle of busy streets, awkward intersections, etc. I can also show you them in person on a weekend if needed.

Would be nice if you could find a carpool (that takes your bike) to the Pentagon given the HOV lanes; may be faster than the bus.

The weekday express busses are actually very quick from Annandale to the Pentagon, and they come fairly regularly.

[ShawnoftheDread]

Braddock is mostly awful. You have to find various neighborhood streets to bypass it, so I wouldn’t bother. I also rode Edsel to Van Dorn last weekend and don’t recommend it. I’ll check out Alpine when I have the chance.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@jordash 25239 wrote:

Are you new to installing tubes? Perhaps you’re pinching the tube when you’re installing it. At this point, perhaps you should buy another tire and try it out. If you stop getting flats, there’s definitely something sharp in that tire. If you keep getting them you’ve ruled out one source (and still have a replacement tire), which makes the rim the likely culprit.

No, I’ve been installing tubes since I was a kid. And the holes are all on the rim side. Yesterday’s flat was two small holes – looked just like the adjacent spoke nipple.

[ShawnoftheDread]

Another flat coming home today! Blurg.

[ShawnoftheDread]

I’m a simple man with simple tastes. And a walkout basement.

http://sellwoodcycle.com/consign/52cm-van-dessel-gin-trombones-1800/

[ShawnoftheDread]

Had a great time. Thanks, Kathy. And the ride home was perfect, so good call on the weather, too.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@creadinger 25022 wrote:

Sheesh, this person has patience. If that had been me, you would have found my bike tossed into the woods and I would have taken up jogging.

Fixing flats is still better than running.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@dasgeh 24915 wrote:

We’ve been toying with the idea of starting a Kidical Mass Arlington (in part because it’s usually too far for us to bike to Kidical Mass DC stuff, and it seems odd to me to drive to a bike ride). Would people be interested?

I’d be interested. Would have my six year old on a trail-a bike. Maybe even the three year old in a trailer behind that. We would probably have to drive to the start though.

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