Thanks very much to all the club members that joined Lesse and me during the 12 weeks of our ride series on Staten Island.  Just because the ride series is over that doesn't mean we'll no longer be riding on SI.  Quite the opposite as we plan on being there every Sunday morning just as long as the roads are clear and dry and the wind chill is above freezing.  (For the record we were able to ride on SI in every month last season.)

A little about our rides:

1. You need a sense of adventure since we don't use a cue sheet.

2. Our rides are a combination of climbing up short, steep hills (think 16-18% grades) and long stretches of urban roads.

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I know the general rule is to toss a booted tire ASAP but what experiences have people had with prolonged riding on a tire with a boot? Is it really that dangerous if booted well? I have a cut on the center line of the tread that goes all the way through to the inside - 3 mm long on the inside, 4-5 mm long on the outside. The tire is otherwise in good shape and so I am thinking of booting it with a couple of layers of duct tape and riding it.

It was bound to happen, my commuter was stolen from outside my apartment. It's my fault, I left it there over a weekend when I was out of town and some heathen took an angle grinder to the Kryptonite. The worst part of the loss (besides the violation) is that I lost the lock (the bike was a true beater and made up of salvaged parts, so practically worthless to anyone but me who built it).

The second worst part is that I lost the mount and ultimately the light I used on the front of the bike for early morning/late night commutes.

More ffromt he local rag if there are any nteersted ex pat's on the board.

 http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/unveiled-plans-for-2300km-of-cyclepaths-29567711.html

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Looking for recommendations/input on selecting a trailer hitch bike rack that will hold 2-3 bikes.  Something easy to use and sturdy.  

http://copakeauction.auctionflex.com/showlots.ap?co=9768&weid=30991&weii...

I'm new to mountain biking and have spent some time locating some accessable beginner trails.  I just wondered if any of you have ridden the trails in Sprain Ridge Park and if so did you need a County Park Pass? Thanks!