[timo96]

First check to make certain the seat post is not stuck in the frame. If that’s the case, you’ll need to address this first.
As for upgrades –>
Minimally: new brake pads, new tires and tubes, new cables and housing, true the wheels. In this order.

Highly recommended: replace the hub bearings on both wheels and re-grease, grease the chain (or replace), get some grease down into the freewheel or replace, clean out and re-grease the headset and bottom bracket, re-grease the pedals. Basically anything that rotates has bearings and 40 year old grease that needs to be replaced. The internet will tell you how to do this and what tools you will need.

Recommended: replace the (most likely steel) wheels with a new (or used) alloy set. You’ll stop faster (particularly in wet weather) and your bike will be 3 pounds lighter. If you have some sentimental attachment to old Schwinn wheels, then by all means keep them.

[timo96]

Couple of thoughts:

This happened right in front of my apartment 11th and P — I was taking the trash out and heard the wreck, my gf saw the cyclist get hit and thrown. Group of guys racing; dude who wrecked = no brakes, no helmet (not judging, just noting). No doubt that the cyclists were in the wrong, but there is also no doubt in my mind that the taxi driver was speeding – probably more than a little bit. I say this because I talked to people who saw it happen, because of the physics of where the impact happened versus where the taxi driver managed to stop his vehicle, and because I have seen the video. If the cyclists weren’t blowing redlights this accident would not have happened. It may also have been avoided if the taxi driver was going a safe speed for that road (believe the limit is 25 mph on 11th St).

The young man who was struck is very, very lucky he is not dead. There is no other way to put it.

Other thoughts — dude’s buddies were fairly poor examples of human beings. It was awfully cool of them to split before the cops showed up.

[timo96]

@creadinger 24300 wrote:

The wooden staircase in the photo is the only identifying feature.

I think its about 1/4 of the way up to Mass Ave on the straight section after the short flat section with the bends after the tunnel. If you don’t know the trail, I’m sure that is highly confusing.

I’m gonna guess right near mile marker 5.5 on this map.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]1309[/ATTACH]

That’s about right. The trail is (was?) closed just south of Mass Ave b/c there are reportedly (according to PEPCO employee) 4 power lines down between that point and Mass Ave.

So, unless he got on a some other point I don’t know about, he road 5.5 miles up the CCT.

[timo96]

@creadinger 24285 wrote:

Wow, some people.

When did this happen? I was on the CCT from Fletcher’s down to Water Street about noon yesterday and there were NPS trucks on the towpath and on the CCT clearing branches. There was also a tree blockage near the Georgetown tunnel, which even this idiot’s cute little Miata wouldn’t have fit through. That probably took an hour or two to clear.

Either way, I think we’re all lucky he owns a cute little Miata because if it was much heavier the bridge over the water treatment plant might not have held up and that would have been bad for everyone.

It’s probably a good thing it was really hot yesterday because otherwise the trail would have been pretty busy.

He scared the living [redacted] out of me coming the opposite direction in the Dalecarlia Tunnel around 6:15ish. Cops arrived and made an apparent arrest at around 7:15ish. The trail was plenty packed at that time. It’s a minor miracle no one was hurt or worse by this extremely distasteful human being.
I’m not sure about damage to the water treatment bridge, but it looked pretty clear that a car had driven over it when I biked over it later.

[timo96]

Park Police showed up and arrested him.

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