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Yea, that pole looks like it’s about 10′

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@Tania 134237 wrote:

I need to borrow someone’s 33mm tires to see if they’ll work.

I’ve got a set of Compass Stampede Passes and a single Challenge Strada Bianca (which measures out closer to 33mm) that you’re welcome to borrow and try out.

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This is a great idea! I’d be willing to go spend some time cleaning up the intersections on the Penn Ave lane. But do we know where the city stands with snow removal? Things have shifted in the Penn lane just over the course of the past two days, and on 15th I saw yesterday that things are clear up to R Street, but they were still working on the rest of it.

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I finally got around to clicking on the BAFS Slackers Strava link because I’m procrastinating on writing a memo. The same procrastination led me to backfill data for all of my 2016 commutes.

Am I doing this slacker thing right?

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Perhaps those of us on ebikes (particularly those using them because they’re slackers, not because they have special mini-me cargo to transport) who are taking part just to enjoy the fun and camaraderie could make an offering at the alter of athletic achievement. Do a little something to recognize those who excel at the athletic competition aspect of the thing.

I was thinking maybe special Pointless Prizes for the top riders who take the most KOMs over the course of the competition (measured by KOMs after the annual reset)? They could be awarded with the finest ales and pastries in all the land, in the hopes of upsetting their strict diet and training regimens and bringing them back into contact with the mere mortals.

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@mstone 129645 wrote:

I thought it was “passhole”?

Found the Bostonian!

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@Rod Smith 129585 wrote:

Did you ride that in previous Freezing Saddles? Why do you need to carry so much stuff? Moots YBB!

I’ve actually ridden it for the last two years. In fact, two years ago we rode to and from the final happy hour together (I was the dude in the suit)! In terms of the stuff, there’s actually quite a bit of empty space on a daily basis, which leaves plenty of spare room for cargo when it’s called for. The back left pannier holds the motor’s controller, most of the wiring, and bike repair kit. The trunk bag holds the battery. The right pannier holds my rain gear and some grocery bags. The saddle bag is on a Nitto quick release and is basically a briefcase. It’s got my lunch, work papers, iPad, keys, etc. The front porteur bag is usually empty for the commute, but gets used frequently to haul groceries, take-out, other shopping and mail/packages. The whole thing was my attempt to press a frame I love and can’t bear to part with into service as a cargo bike. It works well enough. And while it’s got the cool YBB suspension design, it’s actually the Litespeed version from 1996–when I spent all my savings from working in a shop on it.

In terms of the larger question of where to draw the line on ebikes (if, in fact, a line is gonna get drawn), I have competing thoughts. If we’re going to draw lines based on equipment, my bike is probably a reasonable place to draw it (whether I’m on the “in” or “out” side being up to folk’s judgment). I think that my bike is more bike-like than vespa-like–an opinion I’ve formed with no conflicts of interest, I assure you!–but if ridden by a hooligan it’s performance is well outside the capabilities of most cyclists. And if ridden by someone who isn’t fair minded, it could be used to quickly rack up significant mileage for little effort (despite the fact it would be interminably boring and easier to just fake Strava entries).

In favor of allowing me/my bike:

• It’s built on a bicycle frame using bicycle parts;
• It’s light enough that I carry it up and down my 10 front steps in & out of the house every day without rupturing a disk;
• It leaves me fully exposed to the elements;
• Edit to add: It rides on bike infrastructure without conflict, and cars certainly view me with the same disdain they have for other bikes;
• It meets the federal standards for ebikes (when the governor is active);
• It doesn’t really encourage logging extra mileage. I’m going to make the same trips using that bike whether participating or not, since it’s my primary transportation;
• It’s far less scooter/motorcycle-like than this other guy in DC (not necessarily relevant, but I also scrupulously obey traffic laws).
• My stats for both of the past two years were below middling. My only real contribution to a team’s points was due to my consistency riding almost every day, which is why I had fun participating. The competition kept me from ever bagging and taking the metro or from not going in to the office on snowy “work from home” days. If I go for a weekend recreational ride, I’m going to take a “real” bike;
• I don’t ride noticeably differently from other cyclists. Most people are surprised when I point out that it’s an ebike. I use the throttle to accelerate from a stop more quickly and easily than most cyclists, but once the momentum is established I tend to drop the throttle and continue on leg power. Unless I’m in a hurry for some specific reason, I’m not out blowing past “real” cyclists like they’re standing still. My commute is typically the best part of my day, why would I rush it!?!
• I enjoy participating in the camaraderie and discussions around the competition. The past two years I learned some great tips on riding in adverse weather from participating. For example, on the forum’s recommendation I picked up a set of moosemitts and am looking forward to avoiding numb fingers and borderline-frostbite this year.

Facts cutting against allowing me/my bike:

• If so inclined, I could ride substantially differently from other cyclists; the bike is controlled by a throttle, and is powerful enough to be “driven” from stopped to full speed with no pedal input;
• With the governor disabled, it can exceed federal ebike standards (the vendor’s site suggests it can produce 1,200 Watts at peak load and can sustain a cruising speed of just over 27.5mph);
• To the extent people want to judge reasons for using an ebike, mine are lacking. I’m able bodied and don’t have that far to go to work — ~5miles. I just choose to ride in my work clothes (a full suit & tie) because it’s what works best for me and because I frequently have to use my bike to jump between meetings around town and/or to haul cargo;
• Bikes with similar motor kits and capabilities resemble, to me at least, scooters more than they do bikes (jump to minute 4 of the video).

Having typed through my thoughts in a meandering way, for which I apologize, I can totally see a good argument for excluding me based on the potential of my equipment, but still think it would be reasonable to let me participate based on how I actually use it. Perhaps something like allowing ebikes to participate with an admonishment: “Thou Shalt Ride Like Cyclists!” or something of that sort? Lumping us onto a single team, such as the Slackers, might also work? To help folks decide I’ll also try to be at Swings for the next two Friday Coffee Clubs, instead of hitting my snooze button like usual, so folks can see and ride it if they want.

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To help guide the discussion, a picture of my ebike is below. It weighs maybe a bit over 60-70lbs, I’d guess is usually loaded to around 100lbs plus a portly rider, and has a 500Watt motor that can propel it to just over 25mph (I typically have it governed to 20mph). It uses a throttle, since I like to use the assist to gain speed from the frequent stops on my commute, and then once at speed is usually kept bopping along by principally human power.

I’m perfectly happy bowing out of FS this year if folks prefer a … uh, purist approach to things. And if folks decide that there’s some specific bright-line limit that works, I don’t think enforcement needs to be a concern. Those of us on the wrong side of the line would be cool with, and abide by, the consensus of the group (I say, having apparently crowned myself spokesperson for everyone who owns a kitted-out eBike). And besides, we’ve always allowed self-reported data to be counted through Strava without needing PwC to come do spot-audits.

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There’s a woman on East Capitol who sings a little ditty to scofflaw cyclists. I’ll be waiting at a red light, smugly basking in my own self-righteousness. She’ll be next to me at her bus stop, basking in her own eccentricity and vegan shoes. And every time a cyclist comes through and runs the light she’ll sing out something like “Oh look at you, aren’t you: above the law; a very important person; a special snowflake; etc.”

I’ve tried adding accompaniment with my Crane bell, but sadly I lack the rhythm necessary for percussion instruments.

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After a few frightening interactions with young people in my neighborhood, I started keeping this pepper spray strapped to my bike. Thankfully I’ve never had to use it, but my experiences and stories like this make me glad it’s there.

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Guilty! There but for the grace of birth control go I…so far.

And really, I’d have thought it less notable if the kid hadn’t been wearing a diaper/disposable training whatevers.

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I was actually sitting there, trying to look in any other direction, thinking, “Man, isn’t it usually Chinese tourists that we’re giving a hard time for their kids peeing in public?!?”

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It was a weird morning.

First, some dude rolled around me at a red light on East Capitol who was then going slowly when I got the light some seconds later. I was just cruising along a bit more than a bike length behind him when he starts to come to a complete stop. I slow and stop too, thinking he either saw something I didn’t or had a mechanical and might need a hand. Nope. He thought I was tailgating him and proceeded to deliver a lecture on proper following distance and safety generally–while, on top of ignoring traffic lights, not wearing a helmet or having lights. I shrugged and bid him a polite “good day.”

Later at Pennsylvania and 9th, two parents shoaled me at a light so that they could hop off their bikes, set down their kickstands to form a little blockade in the crosswalk, and then take their kid down from his child seat. Why? So that they could pull down his pants and huggies and have him pee on a bollard. There were a lot of people oscillating between disbelieving stares and awkwardly averting our eyes.

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MPD indicated drop-ins were welcome. The only real requirement is a helmet.

I’m going to miss the ride, unfortunately, as I’ll be stuck in traffic on I-95 somewhere between Fort Bragg and Quantico.

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The quotes from the pastors are absolute indecipherable word salad. I can’t imagine having to sit through one of their sermons and I most certainly would not be willing to waste time trying to have a conversation with them about the city’s transportation policies, much less something as complex as “gentrification.”

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