DC Bike Ride – successor to BikeDC?

[CaseyKane50]

@chris_s 133627 wrote:

WABA’s been teasing a big announcement for February 3rd, but they’ve dropped enough hints that the cat is pretty much out of the bag:

http://dcbikeride.com/

The detailed map shows that the ride will briefly dip into Virginia.

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The overall length of the ride will be 17 miles.

[bentbike33]

May 22. Good date. Seems less likely to be hurricaned-out than a September date.

But then again, “Boat-to-Work Day” was also in May, wasn’t it?

[Boomer Cycles]

@bentbike33 133634 wrote:

May 22. Good date. Seems less likely to be hurricaned-out than a September date.

But then again, “Boat-to-Work Day” was also in May, wasn’t it?

May is also national Bike month, and the launch of the National Bike Challenge, if my feeble memory serves me well.

[TwoWheelsDC]

Unfortunately misses the highlights of BikeDC, namely riding on RCP, 66, and the GWMP, but I don’t blame WABA for that. This is probably about as good as they’re gonna get.

[PotomacCyclist]

This route mirrors much of the route for the Marine Corps Marathon and parts of the Army Ten-Miler running races. I think it’s a good route. It passes by many of the famous monuments, memorials and historic districts (National Mall, Georgetown, Capitol Dome, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Watergate, Pentagon and the Kennedy Center). Wilderness areas tend to look the same. They are nice but not distinguishable. Especially for out-of-town visitors or people from the distant suburbs who don’t travel to DC that often, the monuments and memorials are the bigger draw. There are plenty of places to ride around in natural settings in the suburbs and exurbs already.

While we can ride past the monuments and memorials any day, it’s rare to do so without having to worry about car traffic. Unfortunately it seems that the section in Georgetown runs on the Whitehurst Freeway. I guess that’s the best option for large numbers of cyclists, but it’s not scenic. You can see the tops of some nearby buildings, but it’s not the same as traveling through the older sections of Georgetown. The small, narrow neighborhood streets wouldn’t be able to handle hundreds of cyclists at a time, so I understand the decision.

[dasgeh]

Right now they have a very disturbing Youth Rider Policy. Hoping to get that changed, but if they stick with that, then I would hope #bikeDC would not support this ride.

[Tim Kelley]

@dasgeh 133925 wrote:

Right now they have a very disturbing Youth Rider Policy. Hoping to get that changed, but if they stick with that, then I would hope #bikeDC would not support this ride.

Why do you think they did it that way?

Is that to maintain the 6mph average pace needed to complete the route in the allotted time? Or maybe insurance reasons?

[notlost]

@Tim Kelley 133926 wrote:

Why do you think they did it that way?

Is that to maintain the 6mph average pace needed to complete the route in the allotted time? Or maybe insurance reasons?

Insurance is where my money is placed.

[MFC]

I don’t mind supporting WABA, but this seems pretty-flipping expensive for a 17-mile bike ride.

[sjclaeys]

I signed up to get the WABA discount. Looks promising and I want to show support. However, note that there is a $4.48 fee added on to the price. It would be good for WABA to give more details on what we will get for $52.48 besides a 17 mile ride with closed roads.

[jasonhgross]

I signed up. I figure it’s a good donation opportunity. Also, I imagine as an inaugural event the specifics are still pending so we can expect to know exactly what we will get as the event draws nearer.

[consularrider]

@sjclaeys 134021 wrote:

I signed up to get the WABA discount. Looks promising and I want to show support. However, note that there is a $4.48 fee added on to the price. It would be good for WABA to give more details on what we will get for $52.48 besides a 17 mile ride with closed roads.

Closed city streets are not cheap. I expect the $4.48 fee goes to the registration website operator. Also an extract from an email I sent to WABA asking about volunteering as a ride marshal. “… the DCBR is not a WABA ride or event … WABA is a founding partner of the ride, so while we are not directly involved in the operation of the event, the DCBR organizers are making a substantial grant to support WABA’s advocacy work and community organizing for Vision Zero. We’re so thrilled this event is taking place and are invested in its success …”

[americancyclo]

@dasgeh 133925 wrote:

Right now they have a very disturbing Youth Rider Policy. Hoping to get that changed, but if they stick with that, then I would hope #bikeDC would not support this ride.

I recall one of the last events before this was cancelled, we rode with some folks with sleeping toddlers in their I-Bert seats. The new “no kids under 3” keeps us from participating as a family. but then again, are they going to stop us from riding?

[TwoWheelsDC]

Didn’t the BikeDC ride have a “family” ride? I seem to remember the ride getting jammed up at Iwo Jima by about a thousand little kids and their parents with trail-a-bikes and trailers and training wheels and all that. Hard to believe that there’s some new insurance requirement all of the sudden, when there doesn’t seem to have been one previously.

[chris_s]

@americancyclo 134035 wrote:

are they going to stop us from riding?

There’s always that. Nobody is going to demand your kid’s birth certificate. “He’s three. He’s small for his age.” is really all you need, but on principle I’d really like to see the policy changed (and am in contact with them about it).

[Author]

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