Month: June 2011

Bikes to Like, Lynskey

Bikes to Like: Eric P.’s Titanium Lynskey

This week Chasing Mailboxes turns its gaze away from steel and toward titanium. That’s right, people. Titanium!

During a trip to Tennesseee last year, I became familiar with Lynskey Bikes, based out of Chattanooga. In an odd coincidence, Felkerino and I started riding more with cycling friend and randonneur Eric, whose primary randonneuring bike is a Lynskey. I wanted to learn more about it and asked Eric to guest post for Bikes to Like.

He graciously accepted (thanks, Eric!) and this is what he shared with me about his lovely Lynskey. 

Eric and the Lynskey, crossing the Potomac on White’s Ferry

1. What kind of bike do you have?

A custom titanium Lynskey.  SRAM drivetrain and handbuilt wheels by Travis Evans at Just Riding Along Bike Shop.
Continue reading “Bikes to Like: Eric P.’s Titanium Lynskey”

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Dining Room Bike Shop, Rivendell

Quickbeam Single Speeding and its Pleasures

Quickbeam visits the White House

Lately I’ve been riding my Rivendell Quickbeam around. It started because my Surly got so dirty I just couldn’t take it anymore and I set it aside for a bath. Then I cleaned the Surly and now I still can’t ride it because it’s clean, and riding it will make it dirty again. And since Felkerino and are no longer dating and he is my real life spouse, I have to clean all my own bikes. Sigh. Life is rough.

I did not always ride single speed. I used to have an aluminum Specialized Langster fixed gear.

Have you ever ridden an aluminum fixed gear? Holy cow! Continue reading “Quickbeam Single Speeding and its Pleasures”

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DC Randonneurs

D.C. Randonneur Randy Mouri Completes Race Across AMerica

It’s been an exciting 11 plus days for many D.C.-area randonneurs, as we followed fellow randonneur Randy Mouri on his solo attempt at Race Across AMerica (RAAM). Today, we finally got a glimpse of our hero in-person as he succesfully made his way across the USA to be an official RAAM finisher.

Randy, official RAAM finisher

It was inspiring to see Randy continue to press forward through the final miles of the course, even though I could not even imagine the physical and mental fatigue he was enduring. He did it with such grace and style.

Ultimately, Randy’s official time stood at 11 days, one hour, and 13 minutes. Outstanding! Continue reading “D.C. Randonneur Randy Mouri Completes Race Across AMerica”

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Tandeming

Tandem notes: “She’s not pedaling!” Seriously?!

As you may already know (since I really like to talk about it), Felkerino and I met on a tandem first date and we’ve been riding together ever since. Riding tandem with Felkerino was my first exposure to this family of freak bikes, but at the time I don’t remember thinking much about it.

Tandeming on Skyline Drive

Now that we have been doing this for a while (since 2004), I’ve figured out that lots of people do think about people who ride tandem, and they like to share those thoughts with us when they see one ride by. Continue reading “Tandem notes: “She’s not pedaling!” Seriously?!”

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Commute/Utility Cycling Gear, Commuting & Transpo

Ride for your Life: Grocery Shopping

Felkerino and I recently acquired a bike to share, the Bridgestone MB-4. To-date, the sharing has consisted of me letting Felkerino ride it. That’s ok. My day will come.

We realized that the Bridgestone is perfect for hitching up the $40 mint-condition Burley trailer that Felkerino got a few years ago from Goodwill. He’s been threatening to use it for years, and with the Bridgestone in our possession, he finally got his chance. Continue reading “Ride for your Life: Grocery Shopping”

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Bikes to Like, Velo Orange

Bikes to Like: Mark B.’s Velo Orange Randonneur

When I saw Mark B.’s Velo Orange Randonneur making an appearance on rides this year, I knew it had to be part of Bikes to Like. 

His bike is so lucky. It gets to traverse the stunningly beautiful terrain of the Shenandoah Valley, which Mark calls home.  Here is what Mark had to say about his lovely steed and the riding he does on it.

Mark and the VO on the Cacapon 200K (c) Bill Beck

1. What kind of bike do you have?

I ride a Velo Orange Rando frame built up from miscelleneous parts from an early 90’s Cannondale and a newer Bianchi. It’s all steel.

Continue reading “Bikes to Like: Mark B.’s Velo Orange Randonneur”

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Bike Touring, Maryland, West Virginia

Two Day Tour! D.C. to Martinsburg, WV and back

Planning our escape

This weekend Felkerino and I rode with our friend Lane G. from our front door in the District to Martinsburg, West Virginia, and back. It was a great way to spend the weekend. I got to ride my bike for two straight days and never had to worry about carrying a card.

I enjoy the brevets. However, I also like to limit the “event” riding that I do because, for me, it can get restrictive. In general, I think that touring is my favorite way to ride.

That said, I don’t think I would appreciate touring half so much if I did not complete a Super Randonneur series. After the 600K, a 200K with a century chaser feels like a completely reasonable ride. Almost like we’re shortcutting. AND we can even start at 7 a.m. as opposed to 4 a.m. How civilized! Continue reading “Two Day Tour! D.C. to Martinsburg, WV and back”

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Bike Touring

White House Plaza Moment: Welcoming the Touring Cyclists

Earlier this week I took a couple of passes through the White House Plaza, first to take some pre-work bicycle glamour shots and later to enjoy a bit of afternoon sun. Continue reading “White House Plaza Moment: Welcoming the Touring Cyclists”

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Gear

Bicycle Tchotchkes: “I heart your bike” Bikemail

If you’re like me, you ride with one eye on the road and one eye checking out what other cyclists are riding. There have been a few times where I’ve stopped to admire a bike parked somewhere in the city, pulled out a pen and paper, and scrawled a note to the owner about how much I like his or her bicycle. I then wedged it somewhere on the bike for the owner to read. I call it bikemail.

Middle Gersemalina, who is quite familiar with my passion for the velocipede, found an alternative for my hand-scrawled bikemail. She discovered some elegant letterpress tags made by Heroes and Criminals Press out of Asheville, North Carolina. Continue reading “Bicycle Tchotchkes: “I heart your bike” Bikemail”

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DC Commute Scenes

Olek’s Yarn Bomb Bike

Remember when I spied a little yarn bombed bike in front of the Renwick Gallery a couple of weeks ago? Curiosity piqued, I returned to the gallery to find out if the staff there knew anything about it. Continue reading “Olek’s Yarn Bomb Bike”

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Bikes to Like, Gunnar

Bikes to Like: Scott G.’s Gunnar Sport

Last year, Felkerino and I started running into seeing Scott G. on D.C. Randonneurs rides and spent a lot of time following him and his friend Charlie around the Endless Mountains 1000K course.

From L to R: Bruce, Charlie, and Scott on the Endless Mountains 1000K

Scott is an international randonneur, having lived and ridden in Canada, Australia, and various parts of the United States.

Since Scott has completed lots of brevets in lots of places, I wanted to know more about what he chose to ride and why. I asked him to be part of Bikes to Like, and here is what he told me about his brevet bike of choice.

1. What kind of bike do you have?

It is a Gunnar Sport bike in black with stealth Gunnar logos (just the outline of the name, not the inside). I built it up with various bits. A combination of stuff I had around the bike bins (Old Dura ace d/t shifters, a Ritchey compact crank) but I did buy some new bits to hang on it as well.

Continue reading “Bikes to Like: Scott G.’s Gunnar Sport”

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Bike Touring

The C&O Canal and the Great Allegheny Passage Trail

Summertime means bicycle touring time! My favorite!

Every summer, I see riders arrive in Washington, D.C. who have pedaled 330 miles, mostly on trail, all the way from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  How did they do it, you ask? They rode the Great Allegheny Passage Trail and the C&O Canal.
Continue reading “The C&O Canal and the Great Allegheny Passage Trail”

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600K, Brevets, DC Randonneurs, Randonneuring, Tandeming

D.C. Randonneurs 600K Brevet

Hi, everybody. I’m still trying to catch up on sleep from the excitement of the weekend, but I  put together what I believe is a coherent summary of Felkerino’s and my 600K adventure. Find it over at The Daily Randonneur. Check out my photos here. Long story short, the ride was killer gorgeous and we’re qualified for Paris-Brest-Paris! Continue reading D.C. Randonneurs 600K Brevet

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Commute/Utility Cycling Gear, Commuting & Transpo

A Bike Ride, a Burley trailer, and a new Nishiki mixte frame

Wow, this week went fast. Felkerino and I are off to join our D.C. Randonneurs friends for a little bike ride. This is one where reflective gear and lights are required.

Wear the vest, randonneurs!

Before we go, though, I would like to share that we are putting the Bridgestone MB-4 to work. This morning, Felkerino hitched the Burley trailer to it and rode off to retrieve a 1980 Nishiki mixte frame that someone gave us.
Continue reading “A Bike Ride, a Burley trailer, and a new Nishiki mixte frame”

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Commuting & Transpo, DC Commute Scenes

D.C. Commute Scenes: Yarn Bombing and Bicycles

Sometimes I think I’m the last to know about most everything. Yesterday I came across a bicycle with training wheels u-locked to the fence in front of the Renwick Gallery. It caught my eye because

  1. I don’t see that many child-size bicycles; and
  2. It was encased in knitting. Even the training wheels!

Continue reading “D.C. Commute Scenes: Yarn Bombing and Bicycles”

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