[CPTJohnC]

Are we still taking new ‘pointless prizes’? Is this thread the comprehensive compendium of what’s being offered?

I have an idea for one but I certainly don’t want to duplicate…

[CPTJohnC]

@Fast Friendly Guy 74471 wrote:

In my opinion there no shame in a sleaze ride. They’re all are good! They represent a commitment to ride each day AND they contribute valuable points to your BAFS team (which in this case is ours) So I say you should have pride that you consciously made to effort to get out there! Way to go!

There might be more than a little self interest in your encouragement but I will keep up the sleazy riding when necessity requires it.

[CPTJohnC]

Was it sleazy when I grabbed a CaBi today at lunch time because it wasn’t raining at that moment, and I rode just about 2 miles for the sole purpose of getting in my daily ride? I sure think so. But I’m not proud. I’m sleazy.

[CPTJohnC]

I remain willing to do something within my modest skills and time available. If someone has an idea that seems to fit my uniquely untalented self, let me know.

[CPTJohnC]

This morning was actually pretty pleasant, which is good since it is the last commute for me for 2013. I encountered a total of 25 bikes along the 19 miles of my commute. 7 of them were headed my way, and the rest were oncoming. I got to play with one biking related Christmas present – a new camera mount — and the other was firmly attached (a new lock).

[CPTJohnC]

Because I rode in the Hains Point 100 yesterday (though I did not do the full 100) and because it was supposed to rain, and I am a mostly committed fair-weather cyclist, I took metro this morning. But, as fate would have it, I arrived at the office to find out that a work emergency dictated getting to the other side of the Capitol. Most efficient means? CaBi. Maybe I should have just ridden to work.

[CPTJohnC]

Today was a heavily multi-modal day, so my only biking involved a CaBi. But I think I might be forming an inordinate attachment to today’s CaBi mount; I’ve now ridden three separate trips on the old girl. (yes, definitely the same one…)

I’m about to head out on trip #4 — I wonder if she’ll be waiting?

[CPTJohnC]

@Jason B 72257 wrote:

Icier than you may think today. Took a nice fall on my face around a simple turn. Don’t worry, it was the left side of my face, non-drive side, so all is good.

The ice got me too. Custis trail, on a part I thought was in sun (I had already identified that shady areas and bridges were icy). I took it on the right buttock, and the only real damage is that my front wheel broke a spoke, so is now out of true. Thanks for being so flexible, Disk brakes.

[CPTJohnC]

@Geoff 71159 wrote:

My wife recently told me she passed a bike with a blinking light while driving, and found it very annoying / distracting. She asked me to never set my light on “blink”.

Was she sitting behind it for a long time? I imagine that if she was, she was stopped? If not, I’m curious to know more about the situation, as I find it hard to believe there are many circumstances in which motorists could be significantly impacted (as in actually distracted — I don’t really have much concern about their ‘annoyance’ – esp. when most of them find our very existence on ‘their’ roads to be ‘annoying’) given that most of them pass most of us in a matter of seconds. It is NOT like being another cyclist following a blinkie on a trail where the overtaking might take 30 seconds or more.

I’m sure that your wife is cyclist conscious and friendly, so can you dig into this a little? I’m not about to limit use of blinkies on roads without knowing a lot more, as I find it takes a certain amount of ‘annoying’ to be noticed, and even the brightest rear bike light is not much of a presence on steady, in the sea of automobile tail and brake lights. I will note that ‘blink’ is nearly synonymous with ‘hazard’ which is why emergency vehicles, tow trucks, school buses and other similarly situated ‘special cases’ use them. I consider bikes to be in at least as much jeopardy as a 45 foot long, 16 ton plus school bus.

[CPTJohnC]

I’m glad they’re upgrading this crossing, as I use it frequently. Do we imagine that it will reduce the number of people crossing further down towards the actual bridge, at the ‘informal’ crossing site? It makes me cringe everytime I see a runner or cyclist trotting down the hill and crossing where there’s no proper crossing. (and I laugh every year when the Park Service starts putting up temporary fencing to prevent it. The section of fence ‘preventing’ the informal crossing is almost always AWOL the next time I ride by, usually that same evening.

[CPTJohnC]

Registration submitted! Hopefully this will motivate me to ride more this winter than I have this fall!

[CPTJohnC]

@MattAune 69693 wrote:

Some of the Hills are definitely not rideable with slicks, the grass wasn’t even wet this morning. Also, the run ups are nice and smooth with no stairs, no shouldering necessary. Cindy is displaying the perfect technique in her picture.

So I guess this means that I should not try a hot lap on a CaBi? I’m guessing the video makes it look much easier than it really is, but I will plan to bring out one of my MTBs with knobby tires, rather than my commuter (Panaracer Pasela 32s) when I finally take the plunge (hopefully not to my death…)

[CPTJohnC]

@GuyContinental 69670 wrote:

This would be a great choice- non-technical and very representative of an actual CX course BUT expect to walk/run/scamper up some of the hills (which is part of CX). For bike choice, most important would be tires- it’s just no fun with slicks (right Matt?). Might want to try the MTB with knobbies first.

Thanks! MTB it would be, then (besides, I don’t know how many times I’d want to shoulder 37 lbs of commuter hybrid plus accessories)

[CPTJohnC]

Not trying to hijack this thread, but I’m curious: If someone were interested in trying out cyclocross for the first time, would this be an appropriate venue? if not, any suggestions?

Also: Bike choice: drop bar commuter hybrid with disc brakes, (complete w/ Rack, fenders, and other accessories – Kona Dew Drop) or MTB (a couple of options, both w/ front suspension)?

[CPTJohnC]

@cyclingfool 68298 wrote:

I’ve currently got the same type of light as my main headlight, AND I have one of the diffusing lenses, which I picked up for $5 on eBay, shipping included. I just put the diffusing lens on at the end of last week, which means I haven’t ridden it in the dark dark yet, just but with this weekend’s time change, the evening commute today should be a good test.

Generally, these certainly are more in the spotlight category than the floodlight category. I can report back to what extent the lens helps with that. A couple customer-posted comparison pics on Amazon, though photographing lights can be deceiving, and the Amazon customer didn’t specify that they kept the aperture and shutter settings the same for both pictures, so…

I have one of the diffuser lenses on my clone and it distinctly alters the beam pattern, making it a wide, flat beam instead of a round spot. It still bleeds some light up, but far less than the original spot. I like it for general use in the dark, so it is on my bars. I have a more ‘spot’ like (Fenix BT20) on my helmet, which is supposed to have a ‘dual hot spot’ pattern (bright up close, and a second bright area further out) which I like for directing at potential hazards, uncertain terrain, etc… Also for cars that don’t appear to see me…

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