[brendan]

@Joe Chapline 5303 wrote:

A forum reader reports that there are trees down on the Custis Trail east of North Quinn Street that completely block the trail. You need to dismount and walk your bike on the grass approximately 20 feet.

I rode down there after the big storm on 7/3. The tree was all the way across the trail *and* lee highway. They had the chainsaws out working on the road. I decided trying to ride under the tree on the trail while they were actively sawing on the connected parts of it on the other side of the dividing wall would be completely suicidal, so I went back up the hill and took surface streets. On the way back home around 4:30am Monday, I walked the bike through the mess up the trail. Very difficult crossing (esp. with the big dummy).

Tried biking down there yesterday, but they had it all blocked off and were working on clearing the trail side (I suppose they couldn’t get it done on 7/4 for the obvious reason). Checking it out again this afternoon.

Brendan

[brendan]

Lets just say that the few days after the Total 200 made the article a timely find, for me at least.

Brendan

[brendan]

@OneEighth 5243 wrote:

I would strongly advise against riding on Washington Blvd below where Route 50 crosses. High speeds, lots of traffic, no escape route.

I concur. Night biked back home that way once (northbound). Shoulder was OK, if a bit debris laden. Traffic was going over 50mph mostly. Lots of exit ramps to get killed crossing. And…then the shoulder disappears for a while.

Pretty terrifying ride and I’m not usually phased. Not planning on doing that again.

Brendan

[brendan]

@Dirt 5251 wrote:

Heading home early today there was a section of Boardwalk with police and a hazmat crew making everyone walk their bikes. They’re cleaning up a spill of something that smelled really bad. If you can avoid teh area today, I would suggest doing so.

This leads to the question: what kind of vehicle would bring haz mat material onto the boardwalk – it’s not rated for motorized vehicle weight, is it? And to what purpose?

Brendan

[brendan]

@baiskeli 5239 wrote:

Wednesday: I was stopped at an intersection on Wilson Blvd. You were salmoning up the street to my right. Just before my light turned green, you turned in front of me and proceeded to salmon between the two lanes of traffic as it began to go through the light.

Just wanted to check to see if you’re still alive.

Yeah strange. Friday and Saturday nights are the official Salmoning nights on Wilson. Especially for cars… … well, really

[brendan]

@RESTONTODC 5213 wrote:

Alright, I’m making up a list of threats. Here are some of them.

Water bottle from high rise
Sink hole on Custis trail
Passing without calling
Cyclist drafting from behind (this doesn’t bother me unless it’s dark.
4 year old kid runs out of nowhere

more?

Gnats.

Brendan

[brendan]

@Joe Chapline 5191 wrote:

I think having a stranger pull up right behind me is creepy. Plus, rightly or wrongly, I worry that someone who’s behaving like they’re in race is probably going to ride up my back if I stop at a stop sign. Dirt’s approach would work, because if someone pulls in front, I can stop and wait until the crazy person is out of sight.

Of course, someone not familiar with drafting might think you were pulling some sort of primate dominance game.

I still think one should vocalize your intentions.

And there can be additional complications. Recall this thread? http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?369-Trail-Etiquette

Brendan

[brendan]

@Greenbelt 5183 wrote:

On a related topic of etiquette, is it considered OK to draft someone on a trail? Just don’t do it? Announce that you’re back there so the rider in front knows? I’ve pulled up and drafted fast riders occasionally on the (not crowded usually) MBT in headwinds or just for the heck of it. And I’ve had people do the same behind me. I don’t mind at all — it seems to make sense to help somebody up the trail. But I didn’t want to creep somebody out by following them either. And also, obviously, the drafter needs to be really alert for slowdowns…

Always ask permission. At a minimum, this ensures they’ll know you’re back there and will be calling changes/problems out.

On the eastern part of the W&OD, I wouldn’t do it with someone you don’t know. Too many path crossings, stop signs and, during the heavy season, people.

And never on the MVT, way too crowded to do it safely. I’ve seen two ambulances picking up cyclists on the MVT, and my gut feeling (due to the clothing of those waiting around) was that it was due to a paceline gone wrong.

Brendan

[brendan]

Yeah: if I see kids, dogs, etc., I slow waaaay down.

The worst fright I had was on the C&O canal one day. Two adults were standing on the water side with a big rolly case next to them (we were relatively close to a parking area). I dinged my bell. They turned and waved and right as I passed…a toddler darted out from behind the case, right across my path.

Slammed on the breaks and semi-screamed, but missed her entirely.

Had to pull over a bit further down to calm down.

Similar things have happened with tiny dogs, hidden behind a couple walking the other way – they always seem to want to go after the fast moving bike!

-b

[brendan]

@StopMeansStop 5117 wrote:

As I said before, go cheap with bike #1. I predict the following:

You get a hybrid.
You end up hating bike commuting. Story ends here – Or you love bike commuting and you discover that a hybrid just doesn’t cut the mustard.
You end up buying a road bike.

So how to choose the hybrid? Getting a used one would be the cheapest, but since more of a pain in the neck as you have to find it. Go cheap, but get a good quality bike. Someone else suggested Giant, and I think that’s a great brand for the price.

Papillon Cycles on Columbia Pike carries them and the owner is old school.

SMS – Or maybe a hybrid is just fine for bike commuting? I did my first several centuries on a 2008 Gary Fisher Kaitai and the only two important changes I made were swapping out the hybrid tires for 28mm slicks and installing ergon grips – both of which I’d recommend for commuting with that bike as well. I’ve been told by multiple bike shops that lineage of kaitai is a surprisingly comfortable ride for both short and long rides, and it definitely “just goes!”, so perhaps it’s an outlier in hybrid expectations?

I’ve heard similar good recommendations about Giant bikes as well (solid, reliable and generally priced lower for the same level of frame & components as other brands).

Bailey is most definitely a lover of bikes. And John H is a walking encyclopedia of bike knowledge. Good folks at Papillon.

Brendan

[brendan]

Self supported? Oof. How many people?

I suppose y’all are more experienced with these kind of distances? But I think I only survived it because I could waterfall from faster pacelines/groups to more laid-back ones as the day went on.

A friend who fell off the back of the pacelines early and spent most of the day solo had a really hard day and finally volunteered to be swept about 2/3 of the way through the ride.

B

[brendan]

@Dirt 4997 wrote:

Did I forget to mention the lovely color?

Pretty. I bet you didn’t even need lights at night!

Brendan

[brendan]

Coffee -> nose.

Ow.

Also: AWESOME.

Brendan

[brendan]

@acc 4964 wrote:

Terrific! Thanks for posting. (Must obtain a hula hoop.) Nice edit job by the way.
ann

Just to clarify in case it’s not clear: this isn’t my edit/video, it was done by Edward Eastep (he was doing video work for WABA that night).

The fun part of the ride down to Bike Fest was: he can’t use the video stabilizer rig from a bike (or rather, he can’t steer a bike while using the equipment)…so he used a skateboard instead!

Brendan

[brendan]

@jrenaut 4950 wrote:

Have you ever done a ride with the Bike Rack? I’ve been wanting to and haven’t had a chance yet.

Yep. Aside from the sweeper (it’s a no-drop ride), there were no other employees this past Sunday, I assume due to the DC Tri going on Sunday morning.

The Sunday rides seem pretty low-peer-pressure, considering they are the longer road-ride they offer. It has pacelines, hill work and the nerve-wracking jockeying of/with cars on MacArthur Blvd (especially the curvy sections where drivers misjudge how much visibility to oncoming traffic they really have). The ride leaders enforce the stop and wait at stop lights rule. There are around four or five stop and catch-up points on the < 40 mile course. The ride time is 8:30, but it usually doesn't leave until 8:40-8:45 and gets back around 11:30 (breaking up in Rock Creek as people are often headed in directions other than the shop afterward). The Saturday ride is generally at a slower pace: still cardio not social – but less all out than Sunday (or so I hear). Brendan

[Author]

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