It is never too early to start! I won't be able to make the one during bikefest due to a conflict with another ride, but I would appreciate if any of the future time and dates of training rides are posted here! thanks.
Tentatively, I'm planning on leading DD training rides for the WPW every Sunday at 10 AM starting at the First Ave bike rental, beginning September 16th.
We'll start with 3-4 hills at a time, then we'll work our way to Dirty Half-Dozens and beyond.
ah thanks. now i remember you had told me that, but i couldn't recall if a start date was set in stone.
Wondering how Rialto will be handled this year. It's missing 30 or so feet at the bottom due to construction.
It was always the shortest hill anyways. What's another 30 less feet?
That 30 ft is the flattish part where you could get a stroke and clip in. The way the road is cut now, the start is 24% grade. I think it will need to be handled like a time trial start... a handler for each rider, rider starts clipped in, handler gives a solid push.
Bumping this topic to the top. Any new info on these rides? No sign of these rides on the wpw website.
I hope I can have a bike ready for this
bah, i need to change my work schedule, all the fun stuff is always on sundays.
(double post removed)
My bike is ready. I am not. Looking forward to 10am on the 16th.
I thought this started this weekend 
for some reason I forgot the start date.
I suppose I should get these posted on the WPW calendar, eh?
Actually, thanks for bringing this up, as it reminded me that I need to correct the start date...the first DD training ride will be Sunday September 23rd, not Sunday the 16th. I promised to take my son camping on the GAP that weekend, and, well, priorities and all that.
As far as bikes and readiness go, hah. in fact, double hah. I fully expect to be crawling, given the lack of serious riding I've had over the last few months.
I Am very slow up hills as always.
Okay, the basic info has been posted to the WPW Calendar.
To summarize: All rides start at 10 AM, Golden Triangle bike rental. (Note that there is no ride on 10/28, and that we're giving Rialto a miss entirely in this year's series.)
9/23: Center/Ravine/Berryhill
9/30: High/Logan/Suffolk
10/7: Sycamore/Canton/Boustead
10/14: Welsh/Barry/Flowers
10/21: Center/Ravine/Berryhill/High/Logan/Suffolk/
10/28: NONE
11/4: Sycamore/Canton/Boustead/Welsh/Barry/Flowers
11/11: As many as we feel like
anyone feel like gathering tomorrow for a few hills, even if it means we have to suffer through it without dan or the support of the wheelmen?
i would be down for it, except i work on sundays and cant make any of these dates.
There is a hilly ride out of thick at 7:30am on Sundays if you are interested in hills. If we do the fox chapel area we could ask adam if perhaps we could do a dirty dozen hill or two. I have to get my road bike in working order again.
@HV, I am interested in a DD type training ride, but not a 730 start.
Ooooh is there any way this could be at 11 instead of ten so I could gooooo!?!?!?!? I really reallyreally wanna ride the dd this year!!!
@W Roger: I don't want to change the time at this point, but I'd be happy to take you on a DD tour at some other time. PM me if you're interested, and let me know what your schedule looks like.
Arg, I really want to do the DD this year but alas, no spare monies to change up the gearing on the bike.
You can do it with your current gearing. More hills!
Yeah, Stef is gonna do it on her fixie and make us all feel like chumps. 
We'll see about that. I would have to change my gearing. I need to see if it is possible. It is a goal, but I may not be able to do it.
@WR, you could always join mid ride - of course everyone will give you shit for missing the first hills, but it's part of the (type 2) fun.
Ooops, wrong.
It is probably more like type III fun. No fun at all.
Alright, I'll try and make a training ride to judge my abilities.
I really think you are a stronger rider than you think.
*bump* for this coming Sunday, and repost of the schedule:
All rides start at 10 AM, Golden Triangle bike rental.
9/23: Center/Ravine/Berryhill
9/30: High/Logan/Suffolk
10/7: Sycamore/Canton/Boustead
10/14: Welsh/Barry/Flowers
10/21: Center/Ravine/Berryhill/High/Logan/Suffolk/
10/28: NONE
11/4: Sycamore/Canton/Boustead/Welsh/Barry/Flowers
11/11: As many as we feel like
The ride on 9/30 (High, Logan, Suffolk) should be fairly comedic, as I've managed to schedule myself for a 300K the day before. I'm fervently hoping not to hike-a-bike, but fully expect the legs to be feeling not so fresh. So, for anyone who wants to ride some of the worst DD hills, but feels really self-conscious about their likely lack of blazing speed...9/30 will be a really good day to pick.
I hate Logan. Very seriously dreading that one. Doubtful now that I will be doing this fixed with all of the downhill between the real hills. Not sure that I want to beat myself up that much. I guess the mind blocks out unpleasant things. I forgot how long the first two climbs were. I need to find where the right gear for me is. Granny gear is too low. I felt so wobbly going up berry hill. Thanks for leading the ride, Dan. Hope you made it home safely. Quizbot - didn't realize that was you on the specialized. Hope the knee is ok.
Also if I even think about doing this with one gear, I have 28x700c tires, 165mm crank arms, and 46T in the front. Any opinion on a rear cog size that wouldn't kill me?
boo, i no longer enjoy working on sundays.
(Heh...I didn't realize that was Quizbot either.)
He and I made it back just fine...a slow leak in the rear merely required topping up on an occasional basis. And hey, I got a bonus climb back up Browns Hill in the bargain...extra training is always good, right?
@stef: You could always singlespeed it, ya know.
More like poop hill road.
Edit: I read this aloud and from the other room, Colin said that a slow leak is normal at his age.
reddan tops off his slow leak at sheetz. , i bet.
_I_ don't leak, thank you very much. It's either full pressure, or glorious catastrophic blowout for me...none of that sissy in-between stuff.
(But I would top off at Sheetz. If I needed to. Which I never do. But I would.)
Ha, ya, that was me flying under the radar? I thought the helmet cam would've been a giveaway.
That was the most annoying slow leak I've had in a while. Should've just fixed it when I had the wheel off but then convinced myself that I forgot to close the valve after topping off this morning. Duh. Thanks to Dan for coming back to check up on me 
@stefb - knee held up pretty well, thanks. These were my first DD grade climbs since surgery a year ago... first test felt ok. Quads... that's another story.
Any news on the date for the 2012 running ?
It is always the Saturday after thanksgiving, unless it got changed. I missed it two years ago cause I was in a wedding.
Dave - more people are using helmet cams lately. I also was under the influence of cold medicine.
I missed getting the jagoff on video who was coming up Kittanning Pike blasting horn as everyone was coming down at a good clip after Center. Seemed a bit dickish of driver guy... not sure if anyone else noticed.
Yeah I swore at him.
So that would Saturday, November 24th, correct ? I am coming down from Canada where we have a different date for Thanksgiving (and it is always a Monday)...
Yes, definitely.
@reddan, co-worker reminded me that the Pgh Great Race is this Sunday and that the 10K run probably will come down Blvd of the Allies about the same time we crossed over it last Sunday. It may also make it more difficult for anyone coming to the starting point to get there w/o crossing the course.
Up to you, but you might want to give some thought to an alternate starting point this weekend.
Jim
@Jim, thanks for the heads-up.
If need be, we can always loop around via Fort Duquesne Blvd, the Point, and the trail.
Damn I missed the first ride already and I'm going to be out of town again this weekend. Hopefully I'll be back in time next week but I don't know what shape I'll be in off the redeye.
Yeah I'm out again this week due to racing in the Great Race.
5k starts @8, 10k starts @9:30. Blvd will be tied up all morning. I'm missing the group ride since my wife is running the 10k, but will be heading out from S'liberty around 1p to hit High/Logan/Suffolk if anyone's interested in a later start (W Roger?)
As I mentioned above, I'm likely to have very little in my legs this coming Sunday. I'm still planning to show up and (hopefully) ride, but I'm also looking for someone who wouldn't mind being backup ride leader, *just in case* I fail to HTFU.
Preferably, someone who's ridden High, Logan, and Suffering-Hellish-Burning in the past.
I can do it, Dan.
Quizbot, I might take you up on that. I'm doing the 10k with a quick swim in the river afterwards so itll be depending on time and my energy at that point.
@bhattenb: Sent you email. Thanks!
road trip, who's in?
Video: http://vimeo.com/50335883
@ Rice Rocket I would love to...but I already have plans for a different hill this week.
I hope some of you show. The rain isn't supposed to start again until this afternoon, so hopefully it is not more miserable than it has to be. Though you never know what the weather is gonna be the day of..
i would, but im stuck @ work, and i hate climbing. 
I got there at 10:15 and no one was there. Was I too late? It was a pain to get there so I'm thinking people might have met elsewhere.
We left at 10:10. Small group this week. Hopefully more people are able to make it and I hope it isn't raining next week. I made Logan my bitch. Well, I didn't fly up it, but I did it and the other hills without stopping. All of those times we did Suffolk on the decaf rides and I was frightened while riding down it fixed, as much as it sucks, I meant what I said when I said that I would rather climb Suffolk than ride down it. At least I know I can control my bike and not slip while going up a wet brick road.
Does anyone have a .gpx file of the whole route? I had it but I think I deleted it. I have some time off this week...
Stef,
Dan has a couple of them
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1230237
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/639640
pghmike also has:
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/454279
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/756658
You can search on your own.
Had a 3000ft climb today on vacation....
does anyone know if the route has been plotted yet?
so far i've found 9 differnt routes tagged as 2011.
And has anyone spoken to Danny chew about Rialto?
I emailed Danny a few days ago...he hasn't looked at Rialto, so hasn't yet decided what he'll do.
Since I am gonna be out if town this weekend, I plan to do the three hills on Friday at 10am instead if anyone wants to join me. Meet at the same place.
10?
Good I can sleep late.
Boustead Street over in Beechview is a good choice too.
Boustead is already hill 10?
Oh my bad! Was over at Casa Rasta this weekend and drove down it thinking it would be good.
drove down it thinking it would be good.
"Good" is a highly relative term in this case.
Yeah, so, umm. let's bump this back to noon.
SOmehow i was convinced to ride a century on thursday, and i may need a lil extra time in the morning to make sure my legs function.
Just a smidgen of time.
So noon, we're good on that? excellent.
I don't know that i am able to do this at all today, as I have to go out of town. Sorry dudes.
Might actually make the one this week!
I need to put the Free Radical (to be technical, Eric's Free Radical) on the 'bent this weekend. Figure I might as well improve my Canton chances to "realm of possibility."
Well, I'm happy to report that the Free Radical worked great, as regards keeping me from unicycling. Now, I need to work on tire choice and pressure, as I spun out badly on all three attempts today.
Rode barry/holt/elanore by myself today for kicks.
My reaction...This is stupid! What posses me to have an interest in the DD!
Oh, and my lungs hurt once I made it to the top.
Sad that I missed this. Pictures please.
I've got a 26X2.3 Kenda K-Rad, might do the trick, but you'll need to run a disc brake if you switch to 26", the canti studs are for 700c. Hit me up before you buy a tire you'll never use again, I have access to many tires.
I didn't have any plans for the DD this year, but I might have to go if you actually show up with the the longtail bent.
Dan - I fear you've brought your weight distribution TOO far forward. You might do better on the Metabike with a borrowed 20" front disc wheel from R. Gentry and your seat angle brought upwards to 35 deg or thereabouts. The handling will be very quick with so litte trail, but that's precisely what will work best at such low speeds. And the dinky front wheel will greatly reduce heel strike (actually, there may be none at all).
Holy cow how much chain do you need on a bent with a longtail!?!
I've been doing an after work ride, 18 mi in 90 minutes, that includes Greenfield/Sylvan/Bigelow -- this is not quite a DD hill, it is close. It is a 1 mile climb, starting and ending at similar elevations to Flowers/Tesla.
I enjoyed the training ride Sunday (will fix nutrition issues for next training ride; bonked on last hill:(
I'm trying to get two training rides in a week (of 2-4 hills each ride), is there anyone that wants to tackle a few hills mid-week starting around 4 p.m.? I'd feel more comfortable riding some of these hills which see more car traffic with other riders rather than solo.
I might be up for Thursday ( not sure if that's still mid-week though).
Thursday is mid-week to me:)
I did High - Logan (fail) - Suffolk (1st time) yesterday. Woke up this am & needed ibuprofen & a roller for the low back. Suffolk was grueling. Only good thing about it is that its surface is really fresh & new.
Went by the top of Rialto... I don't see it being part of the ride this year. The bottom 40 - 60 ft is completely destroyed.
The Rt. 28 improvements PennDOT renderings of the 31st St interchange show a barrier at the foot of Rialto... there's a staircase on that side... curious how they're going to handle the pedestrian crosswalks there.
With Rialto out of the picture, I'm wondering what would be a good substitute somewhere along the existing route.... something from the following list (source)?
Street / Neighborhood / Grade
1. Canton Beechview 37%
2. Flowers Hazelwood 28%
3. East Woodford Carrick 27.6%
4. Cutler Northside 26%
5. Rialto (Pig Hill) Troy Hill 24%
6. Tesla Hazelwood 24%
7. Newitt Carrick 23%
8. N. Winebiddle Garfield 23%
9. Hampshire Beechview 23%
10. Potomac Banksville 22%
Outside of the city:
1 Logan Millvale 25%
2. Winsdor Forest Hills 25%
3. Decatur Forest Hills 24%
4. Seavy-High Etna 22%
5. Marion Forest Hills 19%
quizbot, I'm glad to know I'm not suffering alone.
We are all suffering. We are all nuts. I found the top of tesla surprisingly challenging. Maybe I was tired but it felt worse than Eleanor.
pbeaver and others, I'll be doing a training ride thursday afternoon. let me know if you'd like to meet up.
I would love to do this but I think I will still be at work and I may be getting a much needed new front derailleur.
technically, you dont need a front one on multi-speed, i rode my bike for about 2 years w/o a front one.
you just need to get used to downshifting with your foot & then hopping off the bike for the upshift.
ain't no big thing.
you probably don't even need to get off for the upshift--you just need better fine motor control than pbeaver has
/ducks
When there is a mass of people doing the dirty dozen, I think it is safest to shift on my bike.
I spent a while trying.to master the mounted upshift.
Closest I could get was to either brake my ankle, take.off my shoes and use my toes, or mount a hook onto my sneaker.
That's why I hopped off & used a house key to backwind the chain onto my big gear.
maybe another day Stefb, I'll still be there Sunday morning (for at least some of the hills). I can't even imagine attempting a mounted upshift.
@Stefb if you are going to use downshift I think it would wise to install something like:
http://www.bdopcycling.com/Shark%20Tooth.asp
or
http://www.jensonusa.com/Bicycle-Components/Chain-Tensioners-and-Guides/K-Edge-Road-Triple-Chain-Catcher-1
I don't know which one is better. I've heard that roadies prefers K-Edge.
http://vimeo.com/21275371 -- K-Edge Chain Catcher Install
New SRAM Red has one built in. Plus it yaws so you never get chain rub.
Two birds, one stone?
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZeIcbxpj0o
Well goodbye SRAM and hello shamano components! Excited to try them out on Sunday. Only worries about this new knee pain that started this week.
I put one of these on my MTB which is prone to chain jumping and it's great: http://n-gear.com/whatis.html
FWIW I have never dumped the chain on either of my surlys (I bought another one of these but havent installed it), just mid-range shimano triples.
I've got one of those type of chaing jump guards from thick and it works great on my 1x9.
Is this ride happening Sunday? Going to try to join. 10am every week?
This Sunday and next, 10 AM at the Jail Trail bike rental.
This Sunday: Sycamore-Canton-Boustead-Welsh-Barry/Holt/Eleanor-Flowers-Kilbourne-Tesla.
Next Sunday: Start with Center, and do as many was we feel like.
Hi.
New Pittsburgh resident here. I have heard of the Jail Trail (actually just today) but am not sure where it or the bike rental are... can you help me find it ?
Ken
(incredibly jonesed to be riding the Dirty Dozen ...)
The "Jail Trail" is more properly known as the Eliza Furnace section of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail system. The "Jail Trail bike rental place" is Golden Triangle Bike Rental.
Where are you coming from, and what mode of transit are you using to get there? This board is awesome at giving directions, as I learned when I moved here last August
Here's a map showing their location. It has Google's green bike route mode turned on, so you can see the Jail Trail extending out to the east. (They're closed for the winter though.)
Welcome to Pittsburgh!
Have fun guys. Sad that I am not around for the type 3 fun! Looking forward to next week for some strange reason.
What? No DD hills in Dallas?
Haha I have seen not one hill here. I do not believe this is a real city. Though there are a few shared bike lanes and a few "bikes may use full lane" signs.
Thaks for the directions. I hope to meet you folks on Sunday.
I plan on attacking Canton again this week in preparation for the full training ride on Sunday. Looking forward to it.
I refuse to be defeated by Canton! (although my rear hanger/derailleur may disagree:(
Back from taking on Suffolk, RIsing Main, Barry+Mission. I missed a shift heading in to Mission, lost momentum and fell over. Good times !
Looking forward to meeting you folks tomorrow !
what time should i expect this to roll through aspinwall? i've been shirking my dd training this year, but i think i'm ready to have a go this week, at least to find out how much i have to do in the next two weeks.
I'm having a few extra beers tonight in preparation for tomorrow's training. I've always been the type to gorge before a ride, instead of after.
I'm likely not leading (been down with a stomach bug all week), but Brian H. and Jim L. have kindly volunteered to take the reins.
I'd expect it'll be at least 10:45 before the ride hits Center.
And the weather looks absolutely lovely...
Steven, how did you "force" the bike layer on in the linked G-map? Thanks, and major geek-factor to you! V.
I may just meet everyone at the bottom of center. I gonna be up late tonight. And I am gonna drag ass tomorrow. I hope to make it up all of the hills, but I am comin down with some chest cold that makes it really hard to breathe. Hope you feel better, Dan.
I just turned on the bike layer before clicking the Link button in the left pane. No geekiness required.
(But if you want to do it the geeky way, you can just add &lci=bike to the end of a plain map URL. If there's already an lci= part at the end, add ,bike to it.)
That sucked! I think I just died.
Hi folks.
I posted some of the pictures from today's ride on Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ktrueman/sets/72157631986042814/
I was so tired, I could not give vertical thumbs up. Good ride guys.
Nice pics!
Wish I could have hung around for the rest of the hills. I did manage to replace all 8 missing/broken spokes tonight, and now have a true wheel.
Great riding with you all yesterday and a big ada-boy to those who finished the deed.
Wish I could have stuck around for the rest of the fun but, [sigh] those leaves won't rake themselves.
Anyone considering a ride on the course next Saturday or Sunday? Thinking Sycamore to the finish.
Super impressed by those who stuck out the whole thing! After climbing back over into the SS there was no way I was making it up Eleanor or Tesla. (barely made it up Greenfield:) Good luck to all and see you on ride day. I hope to finally get my derailleurs functioning properly by then.
i would love to do the final 6 hills next weekend, provided you don't get started at some ungodly hour. like, say, 10:00. noon, though, i could handle!
I am in for the back 6 as well. Preferably Saturday, but Sunday may work if it is 10am. I have an order in for a new rear cassette and chain that will drop me down to a 32 in The back for canton. I really think my legs are strong enough with what I have.. I just have to figure out the weight distribution and keep my line. On the day of I need better nutrition so I don't feel crappy at the end. My legs are fine today. Hope you all feel fine as well. Nice riding with you all.
for canton, another thing to keep in mind is to try to go up the hill as fast as you can. if you slow down, the force of your tire on the "pavement" on your down stroke can cause your wheel to slip, and then you're in trouble.
Yeah I realized that on my last attempt but got in trouble veering to the left. Which guy were you, HV?
I could do another crack at 6 hills (or more) on Saturday. (Sunday I have to bike 79 miles to complete a Strava challenge.)
Stef-you almost had it, just a little lower in the back and you'll be there, I'm sure. I have no idea how you hammer out the hills with those gears, good on you!
On the nutrition note, I've found the Vega sports energizer/gels/recovery stuff to be amazing. Highly recommend them. They're vegan, but you don't have to be to get the benefit. They have them at whole foods and the co-op. I'm mentioning this too because I vaguely remember an old thread about doing endurance biking as a vegetarian/vegan.
Thanks. What is funny is that I have a huge tub of the vega one powder mix sitting in my cupboard from earlier this year. It seemed to be kinda like a laxative, so I kinda got away from using it.. Being that I can't always run to the bathroom at work during surgery.. But I will try their other products. I think cliff bars upset my stomach as well. My body doesn't like energy bars and goo and such, but I am always open to suggestions.
Honey Stinger waffles are delicious.
Saturday works for me. The weather looks good. Maybe start a bit earlier to get off the road before the Saturday crowds are out?
Regarding the old fueling question: most energy bars and many gels are made with short chain sugars and most all of them are "sweet" to taste. For me, that means I can only use them for a few hours before I get a sour stomach.
Some years ago I started using maltodextrin for my mid event fueling. Being a complex sugar you get a slower burn and less of an energy spike. Its tasteless so you can mix it with anything. Variety helps me with sour stomach.
If you haven’t tried it it’s worth the experiment. You can buy malto in bulk bags from 1 to 50 lbs from a beer brewing supply store such as South Hills Brewing or North Country Wines in the North Hills.
I am good to leave at any hour ... I like an early start too.
Stef, just put a pound or two of cooked bacon into a ziplock & toss it into your jersey pocket, you'll be fine.
Everything is better with bacon. Personal favorite in ultra long events: peanut butter, jelly and bacon on white bread. For added flavor, butter and grill in a frying pan. Rock'n.
I think Vega One is the nutrition or energizer shake? I use half a packet of the sport energizer (a whole packet makes me jumpy and more of the bathroom effect) then a gel packet (great cause it's mostly dates) after hill #3 and #6. Some other food in between (no sugars, just fruit) and then the recovery packet (whole thing) afterward. the recovery powder is incredible, tasty, and really does help. I was using the Cliff stuff, seemed ok, but I trust Vega has only real stuff in it.
@stefb - i wasn't on the group ride. i went by myself on a bunch of the hills a few hours later. sunday mornings have never really been my thing.
Did a few hill by myself too! Feel like I am in DD shape at the moment.
My ride...
Barry / Holt / Eleanor (3 times in a row!)
Welsh Way
Sycamore St
Flowers / Tesla.
Pick a time and place to meet this weekend and I will be there.
Ok I will pick. 9am on Saturday at the usual meeting place? Last 6 hills? I am hoping someone can commit to coming who knows the route. I think I can remember it, but I don't wanna get us lost. I got my new cassette in the mail today.
I am good for 9AM. Last 6 hills sounds good; I suck at orientation (for now).
I can't come, but here's a reasonable route for the last six hills: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1926890
It's not the official route, but what the heck.
9 sounds great. I like the route too. I've never riden the back half. I can however follow a cue sheet. Hopefully that's enough...
I can't make it after all. I am going for a long ride on flatter land.
Ok I was able to make it up canton twice after I found the best line and had my weight in the right place to avoid spinning out. I did fall over once (I am sure it looked HILAROIUS). But after many failed attempts, I found that the 32 in the back is too low to get enough speed up to the shitty part in the middle, and when I feel the sensation of my front wheel coming up slightly, I know I have my weight just back far enough.
Just checking in - another guy and I completed the last six hills and my legs are feeling pretty roasted (did canton twice and had a nice long climb on the way home as well) Looking forward to next week - I am definitely loading the jersey pockets with tasty snacks.
Good job on canton - that was fun. I'm the guy that was in black and white on the blue bike.
Hey mike! Yeah, my wife. She is a beast.
A beast that kept spinning out half way up! Great job everyone. Unfortunately, Logan and Suffolk tend to try to destroy your legs before you get to the last six!
Great to hear you got up Canton!
Any word on what's being done about Rialto?
It Is out this year. From an email from Danny:
"Unfortunately, the old hill #6 - Rialto St. (Pig Hill) will be eliminated from the Dirty Dozen this year - so there are only 12 hills. PA Rt. 28 construction has done away with the flat section at the bottom where we used to start from. There is no longer a safe way to get riders up the hill. "
awesome job stefb! i hope my advice helped you.
so who will be starting the ride next saturday?
I'm volunteering as a marshal.
^what he said.
Thanks. I will be there.
I would rather marshal.
If anyone wants to meet in the Sq Hill area and ride to the start I wouldn't mind company down Wash Blvd. (I'm kinda whimpy about riding on that road).
I am going to be on my car with bike carrier (max 2), pump, some tools, and patches. I can give a ride if anyone wants it. After start Ken and I are going to move to last six hills.
@sarapgh2 - you can minimize your washington blvd experience by heading down negley run out of east liberty. this is also a fast road, but you'll be going fast too, and it usually has minimal automobile traffic. also, once you get to washington blvd, there will be a LOT of other cyclists about, and you can probably hop in with a group.
There's also a switchback trail you can access (and walk down) from the pavilion near the highland park pool
I'll have to look up Negley Run. I think Highland Park is a bit out of the way for me.
Figures - beautiful weather for weeks then - rain and snow for race day
Weatherbug is saying 40's and 15% chance of precip during the day.
Stef, don't forget your pink thingies.
Haha I don't need the extra weight. Maybe I can have those instead of the pink ribbon I am supposed to tie to my handlebars.
@cburch Yeah, my wife. She is a beast.
Such a sweet talker!
Yeah, my saddle sores are beastly, too. He is a lucky sweet talker.
stef, throw a u-lock over your bars
Ok so the forecast is looking suckier and suckier. I don't mind cold and snow, but I am worried about wet cobble.
H
T
F
U
@stef: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
i worry about wet cobbler, i don't want some soggy person messing with my shoes.
It’s even worse when a wet cobbler is eating wet cobbler while biking on wet cobbles. But they are bad-ass like that.
^ that mental picture just cobbles the mind.
Agreed! I talked to Glenn about this the other night when I picked up my bike at BB and he assured me the best bet is to just let some air out on Canton, etc. They'll have two vehicles and can re-pump as needed after those hills.
That is good to know. I may have to try to drop my pressure down from 115.
did i not say this exact thing to you twice already?
It is well known, husband advice does not count.
I don't want a pinch flat argh
underinflation is awesome. i found out the other day i was around 30-45 pounds under on each tire for pretty much the whole year. only flat i got was from a janky tire that had the wire beading piercing the tube.
@sarahpgh, its worth about the same as wife advice, its just that our gender doesn't continually state said advice over and over and over again.
@stefb with your weight and 23 mm tires (I assume you are going to use those) even 85 are OK. I am going around 95-100 front and 105-110 rear and I weight 255. So far I didn't have snake bites. Moreover on my Hutchinson I rode around 1700 miles and puncture at all.
You should listen to Collin.
I think I have 25s on there. I am gonna try the lower pressure. That should help on burgess also..not a terrible segment of the hill, but Suffolk sucks the life out of you a bit.
@stef, you just need more bacon.
