Advice for someone new to this

[dplasters]

First – the route
My wife and I are buying a town-home near the Vienna Metro (just south of it). She will be walking to the metro and I will be biking the whopping 3.2 miles to work just off of Gallows Road. My plan is to take Lee Highway. Does anyone have experience on this road? The lights aren’t super close together but my hope is that it keeps it relatively safe for bicycle traffic. Any feedback on Lee highway between Blake Lane and Gallows Road would be greatly appreciated.

Second – the bike
I don’t currently own a bike. So I’ll be needing to buy one of those two wheeled contraptions. As the bike will only be used for commuting to and from work and to and from the grocery store I’m not trying to spend a lot and I’m trying to keep it simple to keep the maintenance down. My inner cheapskate wants me to buy a Vilano Edge for only $250 and call it a day. My inner maintenancephobe wants me to purchase a Spot Dualie. Any advice on this? I am concerned that I will struggle on the hills particularly on Lee Highway between Blake and Nutley but I’ve never ridden a single speed bike so I don’t know how steep a hill needs to be before it becomes daunting. I have a psychological obsession with belt driven bikes since discovering them. Less maintenance is always better to me. The only reason my car runs is because it tells me when the tire pressure is low and when it needs servicing. But I’ll be storing the bike indoors, so is a belt really worth all that extra money?

Additional info:
My fitness – I work out 4-5 days a week, walk 18 holes a golf once a week and generally am very active. I feel fairly confident that I will do alright, but understand that everything uses muscles in a slightly different way.

Budget – Max is $900 would much rather spend less than $500.

My office has a gym/shower so getting a little sweaty on the way to work is no problem.

Topic

[dbb]

I set a goal fairly early in the bike process. When I was convinced this cycling thing wasn’t my next passing fad, I would get a “good” bike. I defined that to be 10K miles of riding. My reward was a nice road bike to augment my hybrid. Set a challenging goal and then work towards it.

[dplasters]

Awww you’re one year old you beautiful two wheeled transportation machine.

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[ShawnoftheDread]

Time to get him a friend.

[dplasters]

@ShawnoftheDread 114710 wrote:

Time to get him a friend.

The only bike I’ve ever received the thumbs up on getting in addition seems actually impossible to get. And is silly and even less versatile than my current bike… but its so pretty……………….. Trek District Carbon. A Madone with the carbon frame altered to accept a belt drive. My wife seems somewhat interested in one day going for an electric family/cargo bike. We need more infrastructure out here in Fairfax before she will get on the wagon, errr electric saddle? though.

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[dasgeh]

@dplasters 114867 wrote:

My wife seems somewhat interested in one day going for an electric family/cargo bike. We need more infrastructure out here in Fairfax before she will get on the wagon, errr electric saddle? though.

I don’t know where you are in FFX, but electric family/cargo bikes are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

[dplasters]

@dasgeh 114883 wrote:

I don’t know where you are in FFX, but electric family/cargo bikes are AWESOME!!!!!!!!!

We live walking distance to the Vienna metro on the south side. With the large amount of construction that is planned in the area combined with the new community center we have hopes the future of cycling here will be brighter. We are already pretty high density for FFX and are predicted to continue to grow in density.

But then again the Mosaic district nearish to dunn loring is supposed to be ‘urban’ and that is mediocre bike friendly at best. It is more of a half hearted, ‘we will give you some wider sidewalks but crossing Lee and Gallows will still terrify you because you don’t belong on the road’ kind of design.

*on point – I feed her ideas of dropping future children off at the two very close elementary schools via bike – speaking of –

Props to the kids/families I see leaving Marshall Rd Elementary nearly every day. Kids biking to and from school and generally be awesome.

Negative points to the speed signs on Marshall Rd. You say “School Zone, lower speed limit” but the speed limit on the road is always 25mph. Its not actually any lower at all. Although I appreciate that drivers tend to do it more when there are yellow lights that flash.

New idea – Speed limit signs now all require flashing lights and pictures of children.

[dasgeh]

@dplasters 114895 wrote:

New idea – Speed limit signs now all require flashing lights and pictures of children.

Or we could actually lower the speed limit. I believe Virginia allows 15mph in school zones.

[mstone]

@dasgeh 114897 wrote:

Or we could actually lower the speed limit. I believe Virginia allows 15mph in school zones.

The local school board needs to pass a resolution asking for that, then the local government needs to pass an ordinance enacting it.

[dasgeh]

@mstone 114898 wrote:

The local school board needs to pass a resolution asking for that, then the local government needs to pass an ordinance enacting it.

Well, yes, I didn’t mean the people on this board should put up a new sign.

[Author]

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