[trailrunner]

As mstone said, fit is important, and different helmet companies use slightly different shapes for their helmets.

Another thing that’s important to me is the tension adjustment. We’ve come a long way from adjusting the fit (not on the fly) with different size pads. The current Roc-Loc type systems work great, but what I really like about them is that during this time of year, I can easily make it looser in the morning for when I wear a skull cap, and tighter in the afternoon if it’s warm and I don’t have an extra layer on my head.

As far as the visor goes – I remember when these first came out for mountain bike helmets in the late 1990s. I bought one, wore it for a while, and didn’t see the benefit of the visor. That was a long time ago and maybe I should revisit it. YMMV.

I currently have two helmets. One is a mid-range helmet that I use for commuting. I keep my light on it always so I don’t have to hassle with taking it on and off (with “hassle” being defined as taking more than 15 seconds). It is completely bright neon green, and I added reflective tape. My other helmet is for when I’m not commuting. It’s a nicer one. It is bright neon green and black. Visibility is important to me.

Beyond these considerations, to me, a helmet is a helmet.

[trailrunner]

Glenn,

So sorry to hear this. Hope you heal up and come back strong! Get well soon!!

[trailrunner]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11091[/ATTACH]

28 February
I bought this Parlee Z4 in June 2010. It was the most money I spent on a bike, and worth it all. I had it built with an Ultegra group, CK hubs and BB, Velocity rims, Cane Creek 110 headset, Thompson seatpost. It’s a very nice ride.

n=8 for trailrunner

[trailrunner]

http://www.strava.com/activities/503813799

I count 47 qualifying dead ends over 14.8 miles, for a ratio of 3.2.

[trailrunner]

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26 February

I used to do a lot of triathlons. For the first couple of years, I just used one of my road bikes. I never really felt like I was at a disadvantage, but when I could afford it, I finally bought this Litespeed Saber in June 2002. I picked it up on a Friday and raced it at Spud that weekend. After that, I rode it for another decade in many races and on training rides. I didn’t make too many changes to the setup: new aerobars, new seat, new headset, but that’s about it. I haven’t done a triathlon in a couple of years, but I have way too many great memories of riding this bike in races to think about selling it.

I hadn’t ridden this bike in a while, but took it out for a short ride this morning. The path was muddy, so now I gotta wash it.

n=7 for trailrunner

[trailrunner]

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22 February
I took this photo about five miles in to my commute home tonight. This is my Kona Sutra, which I bought 1.5 years ago as a touring bike to tow my camping trailer, and as a commuter and errand bike. I swapped the seat (came with a Brooks B-17, which I didn’t like) and the rear rack. This bike is built like a tank and weighs about as much.
n=6 for trailrunner

[trailrunner]

@vvill 135312 wrote:

Not to be too rule-y but surely you folks have more to say about a bike than just that? Doesn’t have to be a paragraph but it’s skirting the guidelines a bit.

I figured people were getting bored hearing about my bikes, and since I’m halfway through my quiver, I thought I’d keep it short.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11023[/ATTACH]

But since you asked – I bought this bike in November 2005. I raced it for a couple of years and had a blast. Now I ride it on not-too-technical trails and on some paths. Over the years, I replaced the original fork with a carbon fork, took it down to one chainring since I never did use the large ring very much, upgraded the brakes, and made a few other improvements. For a couple of years I also used it as a commuter.

[trailrunner]

I had a close call Friday afternoon on the way home from work. I was waiting patiently for the green light to cross John J Kingman road, standing on the shoulder out of the travel lines. I usually get stopped at this light, and while I’m there, it’s pretty common for cars from the Fairfax County Parkway behind me to my left to turn right onto Kingman, passing in front of me, and most cars do this politely and without issue.

But on Friday, I looked over my left shoulder and saw a car rolling slowly, directly towards me while I’m standing on the shoulder. I tried to point out (with my fingers) that the travel lanes were over there — in front of me, but me kept coming right at me. As he got closer, he rolled down his passenger-side window. At this point I thought maybe he’s lost and needs to ask directions. But then he asks me “how am I supposed to make a right turn?” I told him again that the road was over there, not where I was, and he then proceeded to tell me that I was acting like a b*tthole and some other gibberish as he drove away.

[trailrunner]

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21 February
Redline Conquest Pro
n=5 for trailrunner

[trailrunner]

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20 February at Lake Accotink
I bought this Stumpjumper in late 1995. It was one of the last steel-frame Stumpjumpers, and came with a Mag 21 fork, which provided about one inch of travel — big stuff back then. I raced on this bike in the mid-90s. Shortly after I bought this bike, V-brakes came out, so I took the bike to Papillon Cycles and they welded (or brazed?) the cable stops I needed for V-brakes. In the process of doing that, they burned off the paint, but I didn’t like how it looked anyway. Over the years, I got the frame powder-coated, replaced the Mag 21 with a rigid fork, and removed the bar ends and put on a riser bar.
n=4 for trailrunner

[trailrunner]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11008[/ATTACH]

19 February
Lemond Zurich, steel frame
When I bought this bike in 2000, it was blue and yellow, but I repainted it in basic but economical black about 2006 or 2007. Now I mostly use this bike as a commuter when I don’t need to carry much stuff, and it sure felt good to ride this bike today after riding my slow, heavy, studded-tire commuter for the past month.

n=3 for trailrunner

[trailrunner]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]10922[/ATTACH]

8 February
3.25 miles into my commute home, I could smell the incense from the temple when I took this picture
this is my old Rockhopper that I bought in 1992 – rode it a lot, raced it a bit, and now it’s one of my commuters
n=2 for trailrunner

[trailrunner]

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7 February 2016
Trek Madone from around 2004 or so
outside of Clifton VA, just before climbing the wall

this is n=1 for trailrunner

[trailrunner]

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Trek Madone, 9 January, on the W&OD

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Parlee Z4, 17 January, Mason Neck State Park

[trailrunner]

@dasgeh 132740 wrote:

Which bike path? Have you reported to the authorities?

The bike path on the Franconia-Springfield parkway, just east of Rolling Road and Hunter Village Drive.

I did report it. Since it was there still this morning, I called Greenspring, but they said it wasn’t theirs. Then I called FFX county police and reported it. When I rode home, it was gone, but since I called the police only about an hour or so before I rode home in the day, I don’t think they had anything to do with. Regardless, the problem is gone now.

[Author]

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