My Evening Commute

[Dickie]

Was not my finest. It started OK as I stopped off at Bikenetic to see Dirt and talk new cross/commuter tires as mine are completely shot and flatting all the time. Dirt was not around but Jan was glad to help out. I left informed but without new rubber for now. Back on the WOD and being careful to elude the dreaded FCPD I slowed at the Grove St. crossing only to be passed by a dude with absolutely no regard for the stop sign. He flew through the intersection just as I was getting clipped in without even a look. He then pulled the ultimate DB move, passing (and nearly clipping) two woman with strollers as they crossed paths with a gentleman walking towards them… yep, four abreast with him at speed. The gentleman yelled and put his hands out for protection and the ladies screamed. I slowed, apologized for his behavior and chased the scum down. As I got next to him (and gestured for him to remove his headphones) I became possessed by a sudden calmness (weird). I decided to politely explain what I had just witnessed and suggested better methods for future situations… he tolerated my intrusion and then I flatted. DANG IT! Luckily it was directly in front of the “Free Air” station on the WOD so I rolled my bike to the station, leaned my steed against the air machine (you can see where this is going), started taking off my back pack when I watched my bike slowly roll forward and fall against the pole…. result:

Needless to say, wasn’t a great ride home.

Topic

[consularrider]

@KWL 133011 wrote:

Egad! That was a workout. During the hour I spent riding 8 miles another inch of snow was added. And thank you, thank you, thank you Arlington County for the easy going on the 4MRT and the ramp up to Rt 1. Nice work.

So, I assume you are happy with the Pugsley purchase.

[KWL]

Oh yes. It has exceeded my expectations. I didn’t really expect it to handle the 18 inches of snow on my unplowed street and sure enough, it couldn’t.

[hozn]

@KWL 133038 wrote:

Oh yes. It has exceeded my expectations. I didn’t really expect it to handle the 18 inches of snow on my unplowed street and sure enough, it couldn’t.

Out of curiosity, how many inches of this snow can the Pugsley handle?

[KWL]

@hozn 133084 wrote:

Out of curiosity, how many inches of this snow can the Pugsley handle?

From my limited experience, about 4-6 inches of unpacked snow. I imagine a better motor could do more.

[hozn]

That is not bad!

[consularrider]

I’ve been mostly riding over packed snow and deeply rutted ice which the Pugsley with Dillinger 4 studded tires handles very well. The couple of times I had to traverse the days old crusted snow, it was fine with about four or so inches, but when I hit six or more got bogged down. I haven’t had the chance to hit any fresh powder yet.

[hozn]

That makes sense; I think my 2.3″ tires are only rideable in a couple inches, but really are only fun on well packed snow.

[KWL]

@consularrider 133189 wrote:

I’ve been mostly riding over packed snow and deeply rutted ice which the Pugsley with Dillinger 4 studded tires handles very well. The couple of times I had to traverse the days old crusted snow, it was fine with about four or so inches, but when I hit six or more got bogged down. I haven’t had the chance to hit any fresh powder yet.

I’m beginning to question the need for studded tires, the Pugsley being so capable even on ice. A good thing, considering my Dillingers which were scheduled to be delivered today likely aren’t going to be. I haven’t yet hit a sold sheet of ice, but have negotiated lumpy ice, packed snow with a glaze and frozen ruts. This morning my commute was about 60% pavement where the studded tires are likely to give me a not-so-fun ride. To be able to ride the pavement (sort of) smoothly and still handle the snow/ruts/ice has been good so far with the Nates. I may change my tune once the Dillingers arrive and we get a different type of snow or a lot more thaw/freeze cycles.

[consularrider]

@KWL 133221 wrote:

I’m beginning to question the need for studded tires, the Pugsley being so capable even on ice. A good thing, considering my Dillingers which were scheduled to be delivered today likely aren’t going to be. I haven’t yet hit a sold sheet of ice, but have negotiated lumpy ice, packed snow with a glaze and frozen ruts. This morning my commute was about 60% pavement where the studded tires are likely to give me a not-so-fun ride. To be able to ride the pavement (sort of) smoothly and still handle the snow/ruts/ice has been good so far with the Nates. I may change my tune once the Dillingers arrive and we get a different type of snow or a lot more thaw/freeze cycles.

I rode some very rough and badly rutted ice last week and was very thankful for the extra control the studs gave me. I also felt them bite into the packed snow/ice under some brown sugar topping that was clogging up the knobbies. Of course I haven’t seen a lot of “clear” pavement in the six days I’ve been riding the Dillingers. I plan on leaving them on the Pugsley until spring and change back to non-studded tires on my old rigid Raleigh mtb for days when the road between my apartment and the Embassy is clear. Another employee commuted by fat bike today and we are working on a forest road ride this weekend.

[bobco85]

Whew, George Mason Drive from Henderson Rd to Seminary Rd and Seminary Rd to Beauregard St were a mess! Traffic was very slow-moving due to the multiple piles of snow at many of the intersections that basically took the right lane away, forcing everyone to merge for 50 feet, split into 2 lanes, then merge again at the next intersection. Tomorrow, I should be able to use the W&OD trail to skip most of this since it was apparently cleared today.

I hope that in the future snow plows will not build massive piles of snow at the corners of intersections. This does 3 things:

1. It makes things hazardous for pedestrians who have to navigate over/around the piles just to cross the street or continue on the sidewalk.
2. It chokes off a lane of traffic, forcing everyone to merge which in succession really slows traffic down (I’m all for traffic calming, but this is ridiculous!).
3. Causes the obstructive snow piles to last much longer because the packed snow takes longer to melt

I am appreciative of the work done by snow plow drivers, and I think that a tweak in their technique would greatly improve conditions for all pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers instead of only drivers and confident cyclists.

[S. Arlington Observer]

Hello Stalwart Commuters!

Heads up. I went out for a short midday ride and the weather has changed a LOT since this morning. The wind is much stronger (and about blew me over at one point).

Those of you heading west or northwest are in for quite a slog. Those heading east or southeast….just unfurl the sails and go with it.

Also, while it is a drying wind, it will probably drop the temps below freezing fairly soon after darkness.

Good luck.

[Crickey7]

This is the point at which I adjust my route to hug the lee side of the ridge on which Wisconsin Avenue sits. Fortunately, the Brits and Joe Biden have shoveled the sidewalk up the south side of Mass Ave.

[sjclaeys]

@S. Arlington Observer 133637 wrote:

Hello Stalwart Commuters!

Heads up. I went out for a short midday ride and the weather has changed a LOT since this morning. The wind is much stronger (and about blew me over at one point).

Those of you heading west or northwest are in for quite a slog. Those heading east or southeast….just unfurl the sails and go with it.

Also, while it is a drying wind, it will probably drop the temps below freezing fairly soon after darkness.

Good luck.

Arghh! Team 14 Salty Dogs, raise the main sails and set course a bit abaft the beam!

[huskerdont]

@S. Arlington Observer 133637 wrote:

Hello Stalwart Commuters!

Heads up. I went out for a short midday ride and the weather has changed a LOT since this morning. The wind is much stronger (and about blew me over at one point).

Those of you heading west or northwest are in for quite a slog. Those heading east or southeast….just unfurl the sails and go with it.

Also, while it is a drying wind, it will probably drop the temps below freezing fairly soon after darkness.

Good luck.

You call that a wind? Didn’t even blow me off me bike going back across Key Bridge. It’s not a real wind unless I have to put a foot down.

[Judd]

There was a moment where I thought I was going to need a foot down on the Key Bridge.

[Author]

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