[Dirt]

@DaveK 6153 wrote:

Today’s heat – brain damage. If you catch someone riding around singing Winter Wonderland that’ll be me.

I used Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer this morning. I felt very comfy and cool in my own personal dream world.

[Dirt]

The difficult part is getting from the Mount Vernon Trail onto memorial bridge. To do so, you must cross GW Parkway at a cross-walk where the speed limit is 45(?) and traffic is usually going 55+mph and an access ramp where traffic is merging and dealing with a crosswalk while going much faster than they should. That was part of my daily commute for years and I finally switched routes. It is just too dangerous. The WORST thing drivers can do is to stop to let people cross. No-one is expecting it and everyone behaves erratically.

Other than that, it is great.

[Dirt]

@brendan 5257 wrote:

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

I love the term “Salmoning”. Makes me hungry.

[Dirt]

@ronwalf 6148 wrote:

If you watched that without sound, you’re missing out.

Yes. The flag thwacking off the bottom of the bleachers is worth the price of admission.

[Dirt]

@baiskeli 6139 wrote:

I was dripping sweat all over Martha Custis this morning. Oh yeaaah.

Pervert.

[Dirt]

Great reply, Will. I bought a recumbent trike last year when my shoulder was out of commission for 6+ weeks. I enjoyed riding it and can definitely see the appeal of it.

Here’s the most AWESOME reason to ride a recumbent during tourist season. You get your own personal bike lane on the National Mall: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pedrogringo/4517120317/in/set-72157623845504494

[Dirt]

@RESTONTODC 6131 wrote:

Hey, don’t forget to enforce jogger, especially the one with headset. May be dogs, cats, and deers as well

The recent GW accident was involved jogger, not cyclist. As well as my recent witness accident on WOD, the jogger jumped on the road.

Good point. It was an oversight on my part. Enforcement should be done on all. Will it happen? No. It would require a lot of manpower increase and effort and might not produce much in the way of results. It’ll have to remain part of my personal “I have a dream” dream sequence.

[Dirt]

I’m on the mountain bike this weekend preparing for Costa Rica. I’ve got a long ride planned for Saturday… It’ll be a minimum of 80 miles, probably more than that if I can keep hydrated. Sunday I’m heading for a bit more challenging terrain to see if I still remember how to climb in rocky, challenging terrain.

Sorry to keep wimping out and not being there to fuel your workouts. Things will settle back down soon.

[Dirt]

@ronwalf 6125 wrote:

This is true, as long as you take ‘require’ to mean ‘under penalty of law.’

I’d love to see what some real enforcement for bikes and cars would do for safety.

[Dirt]

Okay, I finally have a few minutes to give this thread a bit more of an answer.

@Mark Blacknell 6088 wrote:

Yes, the nose of a saddle is definitely a control point on a bike.

I will not be making any comments about how Mr. Blacknell uses his crotch as a source of guidance.

Oh wait. I was going to say something useful. Sorry.

There are obviously many different kinds of cyclists. I was reminded of that when I saw a photo of a friend’s bike yesterday. Those of us who are more performance oriented, tend to ride with the handlebars set quite low… often many inches lower than our saddles. This kind of riding cannot be done with a noseless saddle. As Mark stated, the nose of the saddle is actually one of the main contact points with the bike that is used to guide and control the bike. A noseless saddle, or even a wider saddle not only reduces that control, but the also do not allow the rider to fully extend their legs, thus causing knee, hip and ankle issues and reducing power.

We’re not all performance riders, however. For more casual riders that sit upright, a wider saddle, and maybe even a noseless saddle might be the best choice. The upright positioning requires a different saddle because the vast majority of the rider’s weight is supported by the saddle. The racer-types have a lot of weight on the pedals and handlebars, thus reducing the amount of weight on the saddle. More casual riders need to better support themselves. That’s where a noseless saddle or just a wider saddle can be a real source of riding comfort.

Hope that adds a bit of clarity to the issues around saddles.

Love,

Pete

[Dirt]

@Tim Kelley 6045 wrote:

With cyclists, it’s always a race! Even when there is nothing to win…

Wasn’t it you that said that he feeds his workouts on the tears of his competitors?

[Dirt]

@KLizotte 6089 wrote:

Where on the trail does Hobo hang out? Would like to keep an eye out for him when I do go that way.

Hobo usually hangs out about half a mile west of Columbia Pike.

[Dirt]

@Mark Blacknell 6088 wrote:

I’d never ride a noseless saddle in any conditions beyond 8mph on a boardwalk .

I’ve been riding a faceless saddle for a while though.

[Dirt]

Sorry. I’ll try and be more creative when digging up old content.

[Dirt]

Best wishes to heal after your back surgery.

My next lighting project involves a generator hub: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/schmidt-sl.asp

[Author]

Replies