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@Tania 124292 wrote:

I am completely outclassed by this bike. But I rode one today and it made me want to try very stupid things on it.

I’ve been lusting after that model for awhile. And I’ve been granted a bike ticket next year! Did you give it a ride at Bikenetic?

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@baiskeli 123762 wrote:

Me too. Cycling has definitely affected my sense of propriety while walking.

I now catch myself doing shoulder checks constantly while walking around the city if I’m going to alter my course even slightly. A couple of times I’m pretty sure people have thought I was brazenly craning my neck around to check out some attractive person. Somehow I don’t think anybody would buy me protesting, “No really, I’m not a lecherous old man; I’m a punctilious transportation nerd!”

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Doesn’t it seem like a terrible idea to take a bike on a cross country trip when none of the parts are user serviceable? I don’t think you can so much as adjust the brakes or change a flat tire on a CaBi/CitiBike without specialized tools.

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@DismalScientist 123233 wrote:

Bike to Bethesda and Metro to Rockville.

For the bike ride, cross at Chain Bridge and take the rough trail up to the CCT. Might be about 10 miles each way and you miss all the nasty riding in traffic in Montgomery County.

That seems like a great idea. And it leaves a bicycle bail-out option for mornings when the Red Line is a disaster.

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The statutory language says: “Except as otherwise permitted for a motor vehicle, no person shall operate a motorized bicycle on any sidewalk or any off-street bikepath or bicycle route within the District. This prohibition shall apply even though the motorized bicycle is being operated solely by human power.”

It seems that the chart DC has put together assumes that any bike lane is an “off-street bikepath or bicycle route.” However I don’t think this language is particularly clear, especially when you consider the types of infrastructure we have. For example, the Met Branch trail seems to obviously be an off-street bikepath. But what about the 15th Street cycletrack or other protected bike lanes?

And it’s not particularly clear if “off-street” modifies both “bikepath” and “bicycle route.” If it does, then it seems that a simple painted right side bike lane wouldn’t be covered by this prohibition. And even if it doesn’t, is a simple bike lane a “bike route”? I can’t find a statutory definition for the term.

FWIW, I’m going to continue riding my ebike in all types of bike infrastructure, since I consider that to be both considerably safer for me and the more logical place for me to be. Drivers don’t understand the distinction and go positively bonkers when they see us not using bike infrastructure that’s been provided. How long do people think I could go riding down Penn Ave everyday at 20mph taking a full lane before getting, in order, (i) honked at, (ii) yelled at, (iii) ticketed, (iv) assaulted, (v) assaulted with a vehicle, (v) hit by a vehicle. My guesses (i) first day, (ii) first week, (iii) first month, (iv) first quarter, (v) first semester, (v) within a year.

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@run/bike 121746 wrote:

I had no idea that “E-Bike Ride” was one of the categories you could select on Strava.

I think this must be somewhat new. I definitely looked into an option to flag my ebike commutes the year before last. Last winter, due to mechanical issues, I was on my cross bike for most of the FS period.

On ebikes and FS more generally, I agree that people racking up big miles on assisted rides would be lame and contrary to the spirit of the game. But I don’t know that anyone would do that. Last winter I did all my recreational riding indoors (because I’m soft and worthy of ridicule). So only my commutes/errands (which are what I’d use the ebike for) were recorded and I was toward the very bottom of the total distance standings.

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I posted strava rides on my ebike last year solely for purposes of Freezing Saddles. One day I opened it up going up Capitol Hill to see if I could take the KOM (and then would delete the ride afterwards of course). I seem to recall it only being good for like seventh or eighth place.

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@hozn 121703 wrote:

Though maybe not quite as large as a horse.

And certainly less messy, if the periodic Penn Ave piles of manure are any indication.

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An ebike is my daily commuter. It gets to me to work and between meetings looking presentable–even in a suit in August like when I went to meetings with the IRS yesterday. Without it I’d be yet another lawyer in a German sports sedan, which I don’t think is what anyone (least of all me) really wants.

I take it on the local trails very rarely; most commonly to go from home on Capitol Hill to my dentist in Crystal City. I don’t particularly like flouting the MVT ebike ban, but I’m not about to bike on a highway either.

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@PotomacCyclist 121599 wrote:

I was just going to mention Ashton. He is now paralyzed from the waist down, or maybe from the chest down. I know he is now wheelchair-bound.

He’s not always wheelchair bound!

It’s still a sad story, but it’s awesome to see someone get back on the horse and seem to be enjoying life.

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Yesterday evening around 7PM two cars that had a fender bender pulled into the 15th St cycletrack near the White House ellipse entrance. It was creating a significant issue for Northbound bikes trying to get past without having to ride against traffic on 15th.

But a Secret Service policeman was already on the scene to suggest that they move. And when MPD showed up very quickly thereafter (perhaps called to take an accident report?) he was on a bike and incensed that they’d pulled into the lane. I was a ways off waiting for the Penn Ave light by this point, but I believe I overheard him say, “Well now you’re getting two tickets!”

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@btj 120825 wrote:

It wasn’t a big deal to change the tube since it was the front wheel. The rear would be a bigger pain…

I just had a flat on my cargo bike’s rear wheel, and for this reason it got one of those sealant-filled tubes. I guess time will tell if it’s helpful or not.

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I’ve got a pair of VO touring pedals on my around town bike and am very happy with them. No slippage issues, even in dress shoes in wet weather. The only problem has been that the platforms are made of a softer metal, so one got mildly bent when I clipped it in a corner. Though that hasn’t affected performance at all.

I tried a pair of their road pedals and hated the single-sided platform. Not recommended (nor intended) for a town bike!

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This unfortunate trend has inspired me to create my very first Kickstarter. With your backing we’re going to create the world’s first Artisanal Jousting Lance^TM made specifically for cyclists. Our lances will be vastly superior to current wood-based offerings because our carbon fiber models are available starting at a scant 175 grams!

I’ll be displaying the prototypes starting tomorrow on the 15th St, Penn Ave, and East Capitol bike lanes!

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Good riddance. What a raft of dissembling and disingenuous answers, especially re: speed cameras and bikes. I genuinely would like to see a speed camera and red light camera (and any other enforcement cameras that we can dream up) at every single intersection in Capitol Hill. If we can have that I’ll put whatever type of license plate you want on my bike.

Also, please, oh please, tell me that he’s taking John Townsend with him!

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