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@Certifried 30579 wrote:

I use a packet of Tropical Punch Kool-Aid in each load of cycling clothes. Works great!

Just don’t use the sugar-free version, because you want to smell sweet.

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M Street SW/SE is part of my commute. In the afternoon, why not just take M Street all the way to Water/Maine? You’re west of the biggest pain, which is at 6th Street SE. (Buses and car pools at the Navy Yard, which often cause me to bail to L Street SE until I get to Half Street.)

I have no problems with M Street in the morning, but I’m riding earlier than you are and I am not sure what the traffic to Fort McNair is like.

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@Certifried 30352 wrote:

Did the little kittens have top hats too?

Not if their Manx cats. After all, you should only wear a top hat with tails.

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@Dirt 30287 wrote:

One thing that I have done is use a little tape to cover up some of the vents up front. It lets you limit the amount of air coming into the helmet, while still having some cooling and plenty of vents to let the sweat go out the back. This technique has been made much more cute with the advent of pink, Hello Kitty duct tape.

If I feel the need to cover the vents — say it’s in single digits — I pull out the rain cover. I might try duct tape on the front vents — not pink or Hello Kitty, though. Some silver duct tape might make my helmet look a bit like Certified’s, though…

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Both? That just means two bikes and we all know one is never enough.

My preference is flat. My commute, errands, etc. has me stopping for Stop signs, traffic lights, pedestrians, and what have you, so a “comfortale” posisiton for riding 50 miles doesn’t matter too much. I also prefer being a bit more upright in traffic. (The Cross-Check is a nice bike, though; I have one, I just don’t use it for commuting.)

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@lordofthemark 29604 wrote:

Should I be very embarrassed at having this bike? (ultra terrain EXTREME, as it happens)

Around here? No, we just want people on bikes.

Around ELITE cyclists? Probably, but we don’t care.

Around non-cyclists? I don’t know, if they see me wearing lycra, they’ve gone blind and can’t see the bike.

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@acc 29608 wrote:

Please don’t go cheap on lighting. Spend whatever it takes to be seen.

Agreed. My rule of thumb is that if it’s bright enough for me to see and ride comfortably — as in not “I can barely see, but if I ride 3 mph, I can find my way” — on an unlighted trail, it’s bright enough for me to be seen. Years ago, my NiteRider Digital Pro 12E lights cost more than my bike.

@acc 29608 wrote:

Another thing that you can consider is a lock that lights up in the dark. Fumbling with a combination in the dark brings back nights underneath the bleachers during high school. But that’s another story for another day.

If your light is on your helmet, can’t you just point it at the lock? While I sometimes wear a helmet light, my main light is always on the bike — I always want a light pointing the direction I am going — and there have been times a helmet light would be handy to grab something out of a pannier, unlock a lock, etc.

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@jrenaut 29320 wrote:

Now, now, we love and respect all mankind, remember?

We do, but people that cut me off are monkeys, nimrods, or dipsticks and thus not members of mankind.

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@Dirt 28975 wrote:

Wearing a good vest helps too. They’re great when you have a flat tire or other mechanical. You may be up and off your bike and still need to be seen.

Agreed. It doesn’t look stylish, but this vest is what I wear.

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@Dirt 29263 wrote:

Chock full of chromey goodness.

In this thread? I think Chock Full o’Nuts is more appropriate….

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“Folded bicycles are allowed on Metrorail during all operational hours, but must remain folded and inside a carrying case or bag during weekday peak hours: 7-10 a.m. and 4-7 p.m.”

So, even though this bike fits in a pocket, since it doesn’t fold, it would not be allowed?

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What get’s me out the door? My feet — one step, then another. Seriously, other than under dangerous conditions, I cannot remember a morning where I have not wanted to go out and ride to work. Sometimes it’s the high point of my day and it’s all downhill from there, but I can’t say any ride to work has been a bad one. (Yes, that includes the morning with three flats, that ended in a three mile walk.) Besides, the alternative — walking to/from the bus and subway — means I’m going to be out in the cold, rain, whatever, so I might as well ride.

On the other hand, there are days I don’t look forward to the ride home, but once I’m on the bike it’s not too bad.

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@jabberwocky 29079 wrote:

I actually disagree that blinkies are better on the road. They are good attention grabbers, but they make it much harder to judge position and velocity because the light isn’t always on. I find I’m much better off with a very bright light set to constant.

I’ll have to hunt it down, but there was a study about this, a number of years ago. The recommendation was for a steady light over a blinking one for this reason. I’ll sometimes add a blinking one if I am riding in heavy traffic at night, but normally it’s just the one steady light. (I’ve got one light mounted on the rack and one on the seat post.)

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@Certifried 28704 wrote:

I’m open to suggestions LOL.

“Sexy Selle An-atomica”

(“Sexy SA” for short.)

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@Certifried 28586 wrote:

haha, VA suckers! should this go in the covet thread?

Nah, because I’d need a car to covet one.

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