[creadinger]

Are you a bit taller than average?

I have a commuter bike (2005ish Scott SUB 30 – this one I think: http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=2005&Brand=Scott&Model=Sub+30&Type=bike) that I’d be willing to part with for free if it’s going to a new commuter who could use some help. A chance to help out local cyclists is worth just as much to me as donating it to Bikes for the World or something like that, which is what I’ll probably end up doing.

Anyway, it is a large bike though. Most likely an “XL”. I’m 6’5″, but it is too small for me…. so maybe good for 6′? It needs a little bit of professional work and maybe a few new parts in the drive train. Otherwise, for a short commute like yours it would be great. It’s fully compatible with a rack and I got it some fenders and have a spare tire for it as well.

Even though it is unlikely that you are indeed tall enough for this bike, if you’re interested just let me know.

Otherwise – good luck making a purchase and I think you’re making an excellent decision to bike to work. You may want to check craigslist or ebay for used racks and panniers to save some $$.

[creadinger]

I second the SPDs. They’re the only pedals I’ve ever used though, so I can’t compare them to others. They’re really good for walking around off the bike because the cleat is usually recessed. You won’t see SPDs in a pro road race, but they’re functional and are pretty durable.

I was interested in trying out the Speedplay Frogs at one point, but I never got around to buying anything.

[creadinger]

@QuantFail 14743 wrote:

I’ll just put it up and first person to offer, I’ll sell it.

2 bits!

I’d be willing to go as high as 4 bits, but it better be an awesome bike for that.

[creadinger]

New bar and stem have been ordered and should come in around mid-week. I’m going to try to do the installation myself but I told the bike shop guy that I’ll bring it in if I royally screw it up. I’ll probably post some pictures to the FailBlog too if that happens. Haha.

The biggest problem I can foresee is doing the bar tape. That’s seems more like art than mere assembly/installation of parts. Of course I’m also expecting unforeseen problems as well, but I’ll have to work with those as they come up.

[creadinger]

If you encountered a fixie riding hipster today and wondered what the heck the point of it all was, then you may have an ally. One that you never would have expected.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW9kRgQO-XE

[creadinger]

It’s a Ritchey 26mm handlebar. Mine is a 2005. Yours must be newer. I wonder if the difference maker here is the 31.8 vs 26mm tube? Otherwise why would they have made them larger? I’m gonna have to go to my local shop to ask some questions and put my hands on some bars. I think a wider bar will make a nice difference too.

[creadinger]

@DismalScientist 14651 wrote:

(Or from the downtube, as God intended…)

Because the last time bikes were made with downtube shifters was during creation.

[creadinger]

@DaveK 13526 wrote:

I can’t even fathom that anyone would enjoy riding Metro so I’m leaving that out.

I think metro deserves a teeny bit of credit. My wife takes metro daily and gets an extra 90 mins of sleep everyday. That is something I would not recommend while driving or biking. The RAAM guys talk about falling asleep on the bike sometimes, but I think they also say it’s a very bad thing to do. I wouldn’t want to metro daily, but it’s not all bad.

Metro saved my ass during the commutapocalypse last January.

[creadinger]

@dcv 14318 wrote:

it was a century ride but i didn’t ride that particular one, although it it might be the same route? can anyone guess the century ride and tell me where the road is?

Civil War Tour? I’ve only been to Antietam once, and it looks like that, but it could also be parts of Gettysburg.

[creadinger]

Another warm-up hill people may want to try is Forsythe Ave between Bethesda and Silver Spring. If you’re riding up Jones Mill Road, it’s the last right turn before you go under the beltway. It’s not long, but it’s steep and the worst part is near the top.

Since moving to Arlington less than a year ago so far I’ve made it up 41st St each of the 5-6 times I’ve tried it on my steel touring bike, but that does NOT include the vertical little connector path. I don’t even ride down that! One thing I find is that I have to lean really far forward so I don’t ride up it doing a wheelie by accident.

[creadinger]

@PotomacCyclist 14110 wrote:

Like most bills, this one will probably change along the way. But I think it’s still useful to demonstrate support for bike/pedestrian infrastructure. It’s easy enough to do. The online form makes it very easy. Plug in your zip code and electronically sign the form letter/email. (Edit it if you want.) Then click Send. The email goes to your local representative, based on your zip code.

Thanks. Yeah, I did that after your initial comment. I got my wife too as well. Thanks for the post. I would not have seen it otherwise. We haven’t been in VA for a full year yet, but our Arlington reps seem to be very environment/cycling friendly so far.

I was just curious as to what the story behind the bill was and where it is on the scale of likelihood of passing.

[creadinger]

It sounds like an important bill, however I need to ask the question because I just don’t know:

Is this like some other bills that have come out of the house lately that have absolutely zero chance of passing? Where the teapartyers are just trying to make a point and then it gets quickly shot down by the Senate and is considered a complete waste of time?

[creadinger]

@CCrew 13671 wrote:

…but at 2:30 am I don’t have that issue much.

I still don’t understand how you survive your daily schedule and sustain your daily mileage. You are an enigma.

[creadinger]

@DaveK 13627 wrote:

(or use a quick link)

I had a very nice walk in to work this morning.

@#$%.

At least you could coast on downhills and ride scooter style on the flats? It happened to me once so I know it’s not a good way to start the day. At least once I got a flat halfway and had forgotten my pump or my patch kit at home. Man, I did a lot of stupid crap before finally learning the hard way.

[creadinger]

@Marcella 13595 wrote:

I’m pretty new to this forum but I’m getting the impression it’s really just for bike commuters, and that recreational cyclists are not welcome.

As a former bike commuter/current driver I feel the same way too at times. The commuters dominate the day-to-day discussion most of the time, but there are some really good threads in some of the other topics like “Group Rides” and other stuff. A lot of the general cycling issues are common to recreational riders and commuters alike too, so even though the stories are related to commuting, sometimes that part is incidental to the main issue at hand. For example the main topic of this thread.

[Author]

Posts