[brendan]

@rpiretti 85041 wrote:

You: A lady and a gentlemen on e-assist bikes
Me: Laughing my a$$ off, because you two cat 6 athletes were totally racing down Brandywine Castle in an epic dual

Small blessings if they were headed east…

[brendan]

I’ve been parking my Big Dummy outside of the Galaxy Hut on Wilson Blvd. about 20% of the time, including overnight, for the past several years. Not because I’m a lush, but because my apartment was (until I moved out at the end of April) over the bar for the last 17 years. As far as I can tell, it was never molested by bikes thieves. Granted, I always use two differently-keyed locks, including a Fahgettaboudit, plus a cable.

In Shaw though, I’ve had accessories stripped off the bike twice while parked overnight. Also, car window smashed in.

Moral of the story: lock your bike well and budget for car window replacement(s).

PS – ok, also, I suppose the door staff was probably acting as a semi-official bike guard from 5pm to 2am every day as well.

[brendan]

@W & Odie 84904 wrote:

Walk Like An Egyptian

Bike Like An Egyptian!

[brendan]

@KS1G 84843 wrote:

Looks like I am going to be working in Ballston a few times each week. I plan to start biking in, and I’ve located the bike parking (rack) in the building garage. Are there places in Ballston that have showers available at a reasonable cost? E.g., I’m not joining Sports & Health (across Wilson Ave from my building) just to clean up a few times a week.

If I have to, I can do the bird bath and baby wipes routine in the men’s room. Unfortunately, I am hot-desking, so unless I can find a place to stash a bag of gear, I’m going to have to carry more with me than I prefer (oh well).

Suggestions welcome.

I’m in a similar situation (Shaw->Reston and back). So far, I’ve done OK with the accessible stall in the mens’ room (on whichever floor the stalls aren’t already occupied) and a retail box of individually wrapped Action Wipes. Granted, I ride a cargo bike, so schlepping a change (or two) of clothes, two laptops and an extra pair of shoes isn’t a problem.

No one has complained. Seriously, I’ve asked. No one has a problem with it. Actions Wipes work, but I do take a shower before I get on the bike in the morning (as well as when I get home). I chose action wipes mostly due to price and size. And it turns out I’m a fan of the tea tree oil scent (secret hippy, I guess).

I keep all of my sweaty and/or rain soaked clothes in dry bags at whatever desk I end up at that day. I also tend to wear the synthetic or wool underwear (that I also wear under my work clothes after I arrive) under my bike shorts on my way home, as the idea of pulling on the same chamois I rode out on several hours later is…well…gross.

During the less cold months waterproof Ortlieb bags (or dry bags in non waterproof panniers) might do. However in the winter, I’m not sure how I’d schlep enough stuff to/from work daily with a standard rack (and the two-laptop requirement).

B

[brendan]

@lordofthemark 84790 wrote:

You might want to take a look at this

http://usa.streetsblog.org/2014/05/08/low-income-americans-walk-and-bike-to-work-the-most/

Love that the article is written by a friend I met group camping the Friday night before my first Seagull century.

B

[brendan]

By “running” lights, do you refer to a) proceeding through a stale yellow or fresh red, b) proceeding through a stale red, c) slowing for a red but rolling through if clear or d) stopping for a red and proceeding if clear (Idaho Stop)?

“Running lights” is a loaded term, so just asking to clarify…

[brendan]

This is probably the best article written about the concept that I’ve encountered. That said, to fully flesh it out, I think it should also include an additional discussion about any changes to bike/pedestrian interactions that may arise (hopefully positive, but…). I say this mostly because the ad hoc idaho stop behavior I’ve seen in DC, esp. on group rides, has often been pedestrian-unfriendly.

EDIT: also, I like comparing stopping a bike at a stop sign/red-light to turning off your car and putting it in park at every stop-sign/red-light, then starting it up again and putting it in gear when you are clear to proceed.

[brendan]

B

[brendan]

@mstone 84743 wrote:

The button is a switch. When nobody is there, the switch is open. When somebody pushes the button, the switch is closed. If the switch is broken, it stays open when pushed. Unless it knows someone pushed it, it doesn’t know it’s broken. This is different from the lights, which can be expected to cycle on a known schedule.

If these signals are able to report when they are non-functional, then they are computer controlled/monitored. In that case, you could have a routine which notes a significant drop in the number of “calls” via the button and/or a significant change in the ratio of calls from each side of the street.

B

[brendan]

@dasgeh 84742 wrote:

http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7SQn/infiniti-limited-engagement-spring-event-after-winter

This came on twice during our nightly TV watching and laundry folding time (toddlers). So who is that?

The clearly-a-bike-dude-because-beard at 20s doesn’t look too familiar. But hey, he got to work way before that driver did.

B

[brendan]

@guga31bb 84641 wrote:

I saw PeteD on Custis on my way to work — he’s everywhere!

That’s due to the HeisenDirt Uncertainty Principle.

B

[brendan]

When did trumpets become the de rigueur cycling accessory?

B

[brendan]

@bobco85 84559 wrote:

I don’t want to pile on the injured considering I don’t know the full facts, but as I said in the other post, it was a sobering reminder both that group riding does have its risks and that it is important to be alert of those around you and communicate/signal effectively.

My experiences with pacelining in the past pretty much assured me that I’m probably a danger to those around me in a group. I tend to drift up and down on the wheel in front of me (pretty sure it’s me), I’m staring through the wheel/crank at the ground hoping not to see road/debris while white knuckling it in the middle of the line and, when I lead, I can’t reliably hold to a steady pace. And I have to keep telling myself not to grab the brakes.

Also, I always take the curb-side of pack riding because I just feel safer over to the right where there are less things going on. Actually, I strongly prefer single file…but the shop rides usually end up being more clumpy.

When I’m with less familiar riders (well, actually, with any riders) I’ll typically tell them to feel free to call out any pacing issues, esp. if I’m in front. But that really only addresses one of the problems.

That said, I’ve had a few small friends-only paceline training rides that felt pretty good.

Maybe it’s also a trust (self/others) issue?

It’s hard to train for this stuff except when you’re doing it a lot, I suppose. And when I’m doing it untrained, I don’t think I’m all that safe.

B

[brendan]

@Bilsko 84519 wrote:

Evidently she knew how to commit the perfect crime

Listened to that podcast this weekend. A bit sobering.

B

[brendan]

@Steve 84481 wrote:

Not sure your size, but I’ve got a 54cm Disc Trucker that you’re welcome to ride. Just to note, that size makes it 26″ wheels. If you need a different size, I’d see if Spokes has any in stock. They usually have some LHTs if not the disc, which pretty much gives you the idea.

An additional data point: Erin told me that the 26″ Trucker rides very different than the 700c trucker and hence, when she’s been told the differences between the cross-check and the long-haul or disc truckers, she’s usually hearing about the differences between the 700s of both. She found that most of the concerns raised by others based on the comparisons of the 700 lht/dt didn’t really apply to the 26″ one (she test-rode both sizes of lht/dt and the cross-check which is always a 700c).

Wheel size definitely interacts with the geometry.

B

[Author]

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