My Morning Commute

[Steve O]

@Emm 90738 wrote:

…since I’m “between” houses right now while I finish moving all of my stuff to Del Ray

Hey! You coulda been this person:
http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?7280-Time-to-catch-Portland-Who-s-going-to-be-first-to-offer-themselves-for-a-bike-move

[Dickie]

@Emm 90738 wrote:

I did realize that one night this week I’m stuck with the laptop in the backpack since I’m “between” houses right now while I finish moving all of my stuff to Del Ray, and I left my hybrid at the home I wont be at until Saturday . Whoops…The shoulder pain I’m going to experience will hopefully teach me a lesson!

With the money you save from not buying a rack and attachments invest in a really good and dedicated cycling back-pack or messenger bag. These will at least provide more comfort and breathability over the cheaper multi-purpose backpacks.

[cyclingfool]

@Dickie 90744 wrote:

With the money you save from not buying a rack and attachments invest in a really good and dedicated cycling back-pack or messenger bag. These will at least provide more comfort and breathability over the cheaper multi-purpose backpacks.

Yeah. I lust for a good Chrome messenger bag, but since my one and only bike is equipped with not one, but two, and perhaps soon to be three, racks, and I have panniers and a rack trunk if needed, I can’t justify the purchase in any way. If I could, I would. So, I agree wholeheartedly with Dickie here, the time is ripe for the messenger bag of your dreams!

[kcb203]

@TwoWheelsDC 90721 wrote:

The fun and aesthetic pleasure of riding a “clean” (no rack or fenders) road bike, for me, greatly outweighs most utility concerns. I used to commute solely on my rack’d and fender’d bike with a pannier, but somewhere along the line I did a couple road bike + backpack commuting days and the use of my “utility” bike declined very quickly after that. A lot of people dismiss as impractical the idea of road bike commuting in and around the city, but I enjoy it a lot. Don’t be ashamed to embrace your inner ELITE!

I used to commute on a hybrid with 700×28 tires and a rear rack with panniers, and then my cyclocross bike with a backpack, now I just ride my carbon road bike with a backpack every day. I just feel more alive on a road bike than the hybrid. I’ve used five of my six bikes to commute (hybrid, road, tri, cross, fixie)–everything but the mountain bike. And I haven’t tried my unicycle yet. Anyone offering lessons?

[Greenbelt]

15th Street cycletrack this morning at about 9am. Level of Service for bikes really isn’t too good in that area. I think there is more bike traffic southbound than car traffic northbound by far. I wish the light synchonization (especially at Mass Ave, which usually gridlocks before their 45 second green is finished anyway) were a bit better for southbound bikes in the morning.

Northbound it seems OK in the evening — generally you at least make a couple greens along the way.

[Phatboing]

@kcb203 90750 wrote:

I used to commute on a hybrid with 700×28 tires and a rear rack with panniers, and then my cyclocross bike with a backpack, now I just ride my carbon road bike with a backpack every day. I just feel more alive on a road bike than the hybrid. I’ve used five of my six bikes to commute (hybrid, road, tri, cross, fixie)–everything but the mountain bike. And I haven’t tried my unicycle yet. Anyone offering lessons?

Oh, this hits close to home. Last week, I think, was the first time I did more commutes on the Future Space Sex Machine than on the workhorse. I feel guilty, but I really don’t.

[consularrider]

Right now I am bouncing back and forth between my hybrid commeter setup which I use on rainy days and when I have to bring in/take home clothing or other things, and my road bike which I use when there is little chance of rain and wearing only a minimal backpack (converted hydration pack minus the bladder). Riding the road bike is certainly more of a pleasure.

[dasgeh]

@Greenbelt 90751 wrote:

Level of Service for bikes really isn’t too good in that area.

Silly Greenbelt, everyone knows only cars count for LOS… #trafficengineeringproblems

[Drewdane]

My morning commute was sobering. Today is a Metro day, and I just got my first taste of the Glorious New Dawn that is life with the Silver Line. 😡 (this forum really needs a “stabby” icon; “mad” just doesn’t cut it)

I may end up becoming a daily bike commuter after all.

[Terpfan]

@Greenbelt 90751 wrote:

15th Street cycletrack this morning at about 9am. Level of Service for bikes really isn’t too good in that area. I think there is more bike traffic southbound than car traffic northbound by far. I wish the light synchonization (especially at Mass Ave, which usually gridlocks before their 45 second green is finished anyway) were a bit better for southbound bikes in the morning.

I hate the timing on those lights. Going southbound from the Holiday Inn, you have to sprint from the green to catch the Mass Avenue light. Ditto from L to K if you want to catch the K light. I used to ride that stretch all the time. Now, only maybe once a week and one-way en route to trivia.

But there are far more cyclists using 15th st there than cars. I used to work at 15th & M and would walk to get coffee across the street each morning. I would usually count 5-15 cyclists versus 3-7 cars. Even if not, the volume per space used has go to be some huge multiplying factor.

[rcannon100]

Members of Bike Arlington have been undercover at the totem pole. One was there last night and I believe Chris was there this morning. Are we being watched?

[Tim Kelley]

@rcannon100 90805 wrote:

Members of Bike Arlington have been undercover at the totem pole. One was there last night and I believe Chris was there this morning. Are we being watched?

Always…

You didn’t see the camera? We must be doing it right then…

[americancyclo]

@Drewdane 90792 wrote:

My morning commute was sobering. Today is a Metro day, and I just got my first taste of the Glorious New Dawn that is life with the Silver Line. 😡 (this forum really needs a “stabby” icon; “mad” just doesn’t cut it)

I may end up becoming a daily bike commuter after all.

Does that mean you ride the blue line?

[Powerful Pete]

Excellent commute this AM thanks to the eminently useful advice provided by forum members.

Took the longish route and proceeded to get lost (all my own doing). So instead of a ~10 km commute it turned into ~ 16.5 km. All well.

Rode to the 14th street bridge and past the Jefferson Memorial. Somehow got my bearings mixed up and turned right on Jefferson Drive instead of heading north on to 15th :o. Resulted in a pleasant detour and the chance to experience the central bike lane on Pennsylvania Avenue.

All good. Now at work and already excited about the ride home this afternoon. 😎

[cyclingfool]

My morning commute was a bit awkward. I couldn’t get my right shoe (SPD) clipped into my pedal. After several attempts and about a half mile of awkward non-clipped pedaling, I finally pulled over to a bench in the linear park along Potomac Avenue and checked out my pedals and shoes. Come to realize I am missing a screw from the cleat on my right shoe. Not sure how that happened. My shoes were working just fine last night. And I had recently (like 2-3 weeks ago) checked the cleats and screws to make sure they were all tightly in place.

So, unable to clip in (and fearful that if I did clip in, the missing screw might make it dangerously difficult to get unclipped), I just pedaled awkwardly the rest of the way to work. My cleats, though recessed in the sole of the shoe, were old and pretty worn down from a fair amount of off-bike walking. I’d actually already been thinking about replacing them soon anyway, so… after a phone call to confirm availability and a quick check of the threads in the shoe to rule out that as a reason for the lost screw, my lunch break became another awkwardly pedaled trip, this time up to District Hardware to buy a replacement set of cleats, which I promptly put on my shoes right outside the store. Problem solved. The ride back felt so much nicer since I could actually clip my right foot in!

#unscheduledmaintenance

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