[elcee]

I had the “pleasure” of experiencing the Lee Hwy/Lynn intersection as a driver, coming off Rt 110/I-66. Given the number of cars that are trying to turn right onto northbound Lynn, I don’t know why the lights just aren’t configured so that either cars move, or bikes & pedestrians move … but not all at the same time. It seems to me that there should be a right-turn light cycle from Lee to Lynn.

Drivers coming up to that intersection from Lee can’t see the pedestrian and bike traffic if they’re three or four cars back. The front cars are stopped for the crosswalk traffic, but those in the rear get impatient and start blowing horns … then blast through the intersection when there’s finally some movement.

[elcee]

I think Ballston Mall has a bike rack on the Glebe Rd exit, just past the cashier booths. It’s not quite indoors but not quite outside either.

You might want to check whether any of the parking garages have bike racks. The Metro station has racks, but they’re usually full, and also quite exposed.

[elcee]

And then there’s the H bar:

http://www.jonesbikes.com/h-bar.html

[elcee]

Any decent locksmith should be able to open a padlock.

[elcee]

Here’s Michelin’s take on inflation pressure:

http://www.michelinbicycletire.com/michelinbicycle/index.cfm?event=airpressure.view

[elcee]

What are the rear gears on the old and new bike?

[elcee]

@KLizotte 5919 wrote:

Yes, I have 700x35c.

With 35 mm tires, I’ll bet that you could run at 60-65 psi with not much more risk of getting a pinch flat. You might even get better traction on gravel since the tires will float over the gravel instead of digging in.

Try going down 5 psi at a time. I’m sure you’ll feel a big difference.

[elcee]

@eminva 5890 wrote:

I haven’t been able to watch because I don’t have Versus and it looked like there were a lot of technical problems with the online subscription you could buy from NBC Sports (.com), so I passed rather than paying $30 for the privilege of subjecting myself to that kind of frustration. I’ve been reading about it in the newspaper and online and of course I saw the coverage of THE crash.

I’ve been following the Tour through Charles Pelkey’s live blogging on velonews.competitor.com. It has the advantage of allowing you to walk away for a few minutes yet not miss any of the action, since you can just scroll backwards in time.

[elcee]

Here’s one data point, from Jeff Mapes, “Pedaling Revolution,” pp. 241-242:

“Busy roads are toxic air corridors, with pollution levels that can be much higher than a few hundred yards away. An Amsterdam study found that people living near busy streets are exposed to two times as much particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. Similarly, a Harvard School of Public Health study concluded that there is a 500-foot to 1,500-foot zone around heavily trafficked streets with significantly higher pollution levels. … A report from the Center for Technology Assessment found twenty-three studies showing higher pollution levels in cars than in monitoring stations along the side of the road. …

“… This means drivers of motor vehicles are often exposed to worse air pollution than they may be led to believe by measurements of overall air quality. Researchers believe these high pollution levels may be one factor in the previously mentioned German study about driving and heart attacks. The question for cyclists is what kind of risk they are putting themselves in when they ride on busy streets – which in many cities is often a necessity.

“A Dublin study found cyclists were exposed to higher levels of particulate matter, probably, the researchers concluded, because they were frequently sharing the lane with diesel buses, a prime cause of air pollution. In addition, depending on how deeply cyclists are breathing, the study said they may also be absorbing greater quantities of benzene, which can cause cancer, and of other pollutants implicated in respiratory and heart problems.”

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