[Dickie]

@KelOnWheels 94651 wrote:

There are a great deal of tourists out and about in DC at 10:30 AM. WHO KNEW?

There were some Super Secret Special Police Guys out at 15th & Penn blocking up the block. I inquired if I might take the cycletrack through and they were very nice in explaining that they had been instructed to keep all vehicles out so they couldn’t give preference to bicycles.

I forgot my work shoes.

I remembered I hate riding with a backpack.

It’s a beautiful day!

I miss your posts…. they always make me happy. Post more!

[Dickie]

Since I was the lightening rod in this second iteration on this thread I will put in my last few cents and leave this in the unresolved column. First off, I am thankful for all of you that added to the dialogue. Although these sorts of topics can get heated it is the respect we all show each other that keeps me coming back to this forum. No matter where we stand on the topic I know in reality we all have each other’s back and that makes me feel happier and safer on the bike. To nsfnsfdave, welcome to the forum and thank you for sticking around a heated debate when many newcomers would have bailed. I appreciate your willingness to stick your neck out and speak your mind. I may not agree with all your points but I certainly am glad you continued to participate. I think we can all agree that there are specific laws that address this issue with just enough gray area to debate. I think the reference to the Idaho stop is an interesting one. I often employ this method at a stop sign (hangs head in shame), but I do so completely understanding and accepting not only the risks to myself, but also how it effects those around me. When people employ the same logic while running in a bike lane, (understanding how their decisions affect mine and acting accordingly) then I have little issue with the law being broken. My initial rant was inspired by a runner doing all the wrong things at the wrong time with no regard for his fellow citizens. To quote Dirt “you all rock and we should go for a bike ride”.

[Dickie]

@dasgeh 94539 wrote:

Have you reported this to Arlington County Police? Non emergency number is 703-558-2222. They claim to be data driven, so knowing that there’s a particularly dangerous situation (both with that infrastructure and with joggers) should help.

I never thought to, but thanks for suggesting it, I will call in the morning.

[Dickie]

@creadinger 94493 wrote:

I’ve been monitoring this thread with an open mind for strong arguments for or against. However, nothing presented here has persuaded me that running in the bike lane is a bad idea.

Well, that’s disheartening coming from a fellow rider. I guess my experience can be chalked up to…. what exactly? bad Luck? Had I have crashed, which is surprising that I didn’t, the results would have been very bad. Am I to blame somehow here? If you have ever ridden with me you would know how annoyingly legal and polite of a rider I am. The only cause of my near miss was a runner in my lane not thinking how his actions would effect others. If my incident alone has done nothing to persuade you than I wish you the best of luck when faced with a similar situation as it seems luck is all we are supposed to count on.

[Dickie]

VA Code 46.2-928 is the one most often stated:

Pedestrians shall not use the roadways for travel, except when necessary to do so because of the absence of sidewalks which are reasonably suitable and passable for their use. If they walk on the hard surface, or the main travelled portion of the roadway, they shall keep to the extreme left side or edge thereof, or where the shoulders of the highway are of sufficient width to permit, they may walk on either shoulder thereof.

Since in my case there was a very suitable sidewalk directly next to the runner I believe the law was being broken. However, I certainly do not condone verbally abusing runners who occupy bike lanes, but I always find it laughable that the most commonly sited excuse a runner provides for being in the bike lane is that the sidewalk is uneven or has cracks in it….. trust me, a head on collision with a cyclist moving at 30mph would be far more catastrophic than a possible fall. It may be more convenient to run in the street, just understand that your convenience in endangering the lives of others.

[Dickie]

Last night I was riding home in the bike lane coming down the hill near Sushi Rock on Clarendon Blvd. If you’re not familiar with this route, it’s a newly paved road and bike lane with a curved descent towards Rosslyn. I was moving at a good clip when I spotted a runner coming towards me (up the hill) in the bike lane closing VERY quickly… being on a curve I didn’t see him until it was nearly too late. Having very little time to react and fully aware that the rush hour traffic was moving with me on my left I managed to squeeze between him and the mirror of the pick-up truck that was passing me… we were moving at about 25-30 mph. To make matters worse, the runner had blocked a pedestrians view of me in the bike lane and my view of her. She had stepped into the bike lane to take advantage of a gap in the traffic directly behind me…. I guess getting to Pier One was of great importance. We were lucky, I managed to lock up my rear wheel and skid towards the curb narrowly avoiding her. Luckily she froze in place but If she had panicked and stepped back towards the curb it would have been a real mess. I didn’t have time to say anything to the runner or the pedestrian and probably for the best. When I got home I noticed the massive flat spot on my brand new tire and threads showing. I’ve heard folks on this forum say that runners in bike lanes are just an inconvenience and nothing to get bent out of shape over, well I for one disagree. If not for some luck my life could have taken a very serious turn last night simply because a selfish runner decided it was more convenient to run in a bike lane at rush hour up a hill against the flow of traffic on a curve. BTW, there was an 8ft wide brand new sidewalk directly to his left.

[Dickie]

My original commute was 24 miles round trip which would take about 1-1/2 hours out of my day…. pretty reasonable. Now I’m adding miles and pretty much commuting 32 miles, 7 days a week. As with Subby and TwoWheelsDC, the miles are fine but the time spent is becoming a problem. I think if you’re commuting/riding more than 2 hours every day, that’s a long commute.

[Dickie]

@sjclaeys 94404 wrote:

On a different topic, FCC#2 seems to be starting earlier. It used to start at 7:30 and now it is starting around 7:15. I guess that there is nothing wrong with that, but I heard a regular say that it is getting harder to get in before the rush when we arrive.

I thought we were the regulars

[Dickie]

I am having a hard time answering this but that might be because I am not a typical buyer. Having worked in a bike shop most of my youth I am much happier doing all the maintenance on my own bikes, which usually means I order the parts when I need them and have them shipped directly to my workshop. I generally do not bother calling around all the stores to find out they don’t stock the esoteric parts I need to then have to order them anyway. This has slowly progressed to accessories and apparel as I now know my sizes in most manufactures and the selection on-line is just so much better. However I feel more and more guilty not supporting a LBS. I have tried on occasion to only end up disappointed. Either I walk into a shop and know more than the pimple faced kid behind the counter, or I’m not elite enough to warrant someone’s attention. This changed lately when I went into Bikenetic to drop off a six-pack and say hello. I decided to ask Dirt for some help….before I knew it parts were ordered and the cost difference was marginal, plus I got to hang out with cool folks, drink a beer, and go back in a few days to pick up my gear. I think Bikenetic gets it, although I am not sure how this translates to being a profitable and healthy business.

The bike shop I worked at as a kid emphasized integrity and quality, regardless of price tier. My boss went to great lengths to stock only items he believed in and could stand behind…. which he did. He hired and trained good folks who were personable and friendly. He also sent us to training and seminars… we did our homework and knew our stuff. It didn’t matter if you were buying a custom built Zunow from Japan or a Schwinn commuter, we took care of you the same, that was our policy from day one. We did really well for a while but once competition grew and cheaper shops of the Nashbar variety popped up we were done. A year after I went off to Grad school the store closed. Bikenetic and Proteus are as close to this model as I have found, I only hope they find a better way to deal with the competition and continue to draw me away from the web.

[Dickie]

@rcannon100 94364 wrote:

For someone to organize another happy hour there.

I organized the last one there and it wasn’t all that great, besides the 100º heat, they made no effort to provide us any specials and the food was way over priced…. so was the beer actually. I got the impression it would be a bust if I tried it again…. hell…I wouldn’t even come back a second time.

[Dickie]

This makes me sick to my stomach… ughh, sorry Dave, I’ll keep a look out!

[Dickie]

Shaving your legs as a commuter only makes sense if you like the way it feels or looks. I started shaving my legs during my racing days and have simply continued to do so, but I don’t expect any advantage from it. I have used the “massage” and “road rash” answers to explain my habit, but if I was to be honest it’s simply vanity and what feels good at this point. I once joked with my wife that I spend all year sculpting my legs, why would I then hide them beneath a carpet? The sad part is my legs were more likely sculpted by Picasso rather than Michelangelo.

[Dickie]

@dkel 94087 wrote:

The bad news: two kids were traveling along the W&OD, one riding his bike in the grass with a bare rear rim.
The good news: the other kid (on his skateboard) had the tire and spare tube for that bare rim.
The bad news: neither one knew how to get the tire and tube on the rim.
The good news: I stopped to help them!
The bad news: once I got the tire and tube on, I couldn’t get my pump to go on the schrader valve.
The good news: another cyclist stopped to admire my Straggler on the side of the trail (not kidding!) and he had a CO2 cartridge.
The bad news: he couldn’t get his CO2 to work on the tube either.
The good news: just kidding! He totally got the tire pumped up!
The bad news: after he pumped up the tire, he left.
The good news: after he left, culimerc stopped by to say hello!
The bad news: culimerc also left.
The good news: I got the wheel back on the bike in no time.
The bad news: once I got the wheel back on the bike, I noticed that front brake was so corroded that it wouldn’t release after being actuated.
The good news: the kid said he never uses the front brake anyway. (!)
The bad news: I also notice that the bead on either the tire or the rim has given out, such that the new tube is starting to come out the side of the tire.
The good news: I reduced the pressure to a minimum, and they only had a half mile to get home.
The bad news: all of this is because that bike has probably never seen maintenance before today, and though the kids had enough money to get a new tube, they didn’t have enough to get the shop to put it on for them.
The good news: I think they were really grateful for some help, and I got to help some nice kids and talk to some other cyclists.

best post ever!

[Dickie]

On my commute last night I was tired, frustrated by the slight wind, and generally just wanted to be home… that was until I caught up to a gentleman on his recumbent. He was a really polite rider calling all his passes and being very careful not to pass at dangerous times. But what made my ride more fun was trying to guess what the very large object was protruding from him right pannier. My first guess was a box of long stemmed roses but thought it too romantic. I then guessed a 1/12th scale model of the USS Alabama which seemed pretty absurd. I finally settled on a really big box of dog treats. Turns out Ken was heading to orchestra practice with a viola…I’m still gonna guess it was a tommy gun in disguise though. Before I knew it I was home… thanks Ken!

[Dickie]

@Terpfan 93974 wrote:

My morning commute sucked–I had to drive in today. Boo.

Slowly getting into the grove of clipless and road bike. Previously I had been hybrid-based. It’s quite the difference and I’m still trying to figure out the optimal cleat positioning. That and I moved my saddle up from what the bike store had it at. Felt way too low. So the saddle height feels right, but now it’s getting the damn cleats adjusted right to avoid a little bit of pain in the middle right side of my foot. Any suggestions from the knowledgeable group here? They’re spl cannondale for whatever difference it makes along with canondale shoes.

I’ve always used Steve Hogg’s advice for fitting. Although this article is pretty long and detailed, I followed it and no more knee pain.

[Author]

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