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@mstone 121022 wrote:

How does a footbridge take 18 months?

They take it one step at a time. Ba-dum pshhhhh.

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@GovernorSilver 120993 wrote:

I got the REI 70% off announcement too and was going to start a thread about gloves…. Are any of these gloves suitable for cold-weather riding?

http://www.rei.com/outlet/s/outlet-deals-70-percent-off?ir=collection%3Aoutlet-deals-70-percent-off&outlet=true&r=category%3Amens-clothing|mens-clothing-accessories|mens-gloves-and-mittens&page=1&rank=rank_outlet

With Bar Mitts, all gloves are winter gloves!

But really, if you’re thinking of doing BAFS or just riding when its below 20, Bar Mitts, Moose Mitts, Pogies etc. That is what you really want.

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baby heads, because some people don’t know about cantaloupes?

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Sparse lights. Because I have issues.

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My opinion on clipless and commuting is based on my commute. I recognize that there are many other distances and types of surfaces ridden on. The point was not that clipless pedals and commuting are a stupid combination. It was to point out why I don’t use them on my route and hit a few major reasons you see on the internet as to why everyone and their mother should ride clipless.

I will still say that I still don’t “get it”. I don’t have knee, ankle or foot pain etc. I know that others have these things. That doesn’t mean I understand it. I don’t “get” having a long distance time wise. I live where I live specifically to have a short commute. I understand that these options exist and they make sense to people, but I clearly don’t buy into them otherwise I’d be riding clipless. Do whatever makes you ride more.

There is no answer to the question. Both are great ways to enjoy a bicycle. But whenever I get to try and convince a clipless person to try platforms I’m all in.

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I have these platforms and they are lovely.

I’m not sure I entirely get the whole clippless pedal thing as a commuter. Even as a commuter who rides for a workout and rides fast I don’t get them. I have 15 stop lights and 6 stop signs in my six mile ride. You can go plenty fast (Just #3 in avg speed on the BAFS 2015 board is all. Of course it means nothing, but let me hold onto my glory.) and know that you can comfortably and easily stop whenever the laws, regulations and safety dictate. And don’t tell me that people don’t use being clipped in as a reason to not stop because there was a topic on this forum about it recently.

What I do like about clipless pedals/shoes is the accessories available. Your options for warm/waterproof coverings is huge meanwhile no such products seemingly exist for platform pedal users because they don’t take cycling seriously? Or aren’t willing to spend money on accessories? I don’t know why, but I guess the market isn’t there for companies.

So you just end up using waterproof socks and or plastic bags and calling it a day. And wet shoes. You’ll have those too.

*Edited to better clarify –

My opinion on clipless and commuting is based on my commute. I recognize that there are many other distances and types of surfaces ridden on. The point was not that clipless pedals and commuting are a stupid combination. It was to point out why I don’t use them on my route and hit a few major reasons you see on the internet as to why everyone and their mother should ride clipless.

I will still say that I still don’t “get it”. I don’t have knee, ankle or foot pain etc. I know that others have these things. That doesn’t mean I understand it. I don’t “get” having a long distance time wise. I live where I live specifically to have a short commute. I understand that these options exist and they make sense to people, but I clearly don’t buy into them otherwise I’d be riding clipless. Do whatever makes you ride more.

There is no answer to the question. Both are great ways to enjoy a bicycle. But whenever I get to try and convince a clipless person to try platforms I’m all in.

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Anyone hear of details of the crash there yesterday? I saw that struckinDC tweeted it out but I never found an article, presumably because it was a non serious thing?

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Surely that is the warmest morning of the year

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@dkel 120200 wrote:

How am I supposed to see this walk signal??

I would either have to be three feet tall, or stand in the street. In other news, the Wiehle and “topographical” trail route worked well this morning. It’s about double my typical commuting elevation, though.

Where are you supposed to cross?? I see the light, I do not see a crosswalk. I see only the line designating where cars are supposed to stop but typically never do.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9085[/ATTACH]

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@vvill 120195 wrote:

I don’t think Forstemann’s any slower. The wattage numbers those guys generate = crazy.

O.. ’bout 700? Obligatory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4O5voOCqAQ

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@Amalitza 120159 wrote:

I will probably go to a yoga class this evening in old town alexandria. When I leave at 9:30pm, I will have a choice of riding on still-busy with relatively fast-moving car traffic Washington Street or a block or more over on one of the completely deserted side streets. For about a mile.

(1) I don’t believe a driver will pick out my lights as being distinctly “bike” and “slow-moving” until they are already running over me
(2)what with having to deal with the on-ramp/off-ramp lanes and high-speed traffic coming off/on the beltway
(3) example: the time I was waiting to cross the street to get to said pedestrian bridge and a guy on the other side of the street was waiting as if to cross to my side. Only when the light changed he didn’t cross. And after I did, and headed down the bridge, he turned around and followed behind me.

I think that very few people, regardless of gender, would make this trip by bike. Night time or not. Clearly, another route isn’t an option here. Better infrastructure gets us halfway to a solution. Individuals, regardless of gender could make the trip by day.

But bike lanes don’t make streets non-deserted and they don’t stop you from thinking about someone grabbing your handlebars at a light. When the 2nd half of the problem is “I can’t feel safe going out at night unless I lock myself in a metal cage” that is, to me, the real issue.

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@cvcalhoun 120097 wrote:

Some reasons why women bike less:

• Women are more concerned about biking after dark, due to safety concerns. This affects not only actual biking after dark, but biking during the day if the trip home might require biking after dark.
• Women get more harassment on the streets. This includes both obvious things like catcalls and even physical attacks, and less obvious things like male drivers1/ “explaining” that what they are doing is all wrong, even when it isn’t. The “explaining” often includes yelling and cursing, which tends to make the trip less pleasant.

1 – Is this after dark thing a trail usage issue? Dark/non populated trails? I’m trying to imagine how you would really be unsafe in the middle of the street moving along with traffic (I don’t understand the issue at all, so I apologize if this is offensively obvious). Perhaps a partial solution is a different route when it is dark?

2 – Its unfortunate that the cat-calling has a cycling equivalent. I was unaware.

I will continue to dream of the day I’m shoaled by a cargo bike on 29 in Fairfax.

Posted by a young white male just trying to understand. He has a wife too!

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@TwoWheelsDC 120071 wrote:

Apparently, cycling is HUGE in Eritrea. Say what you will about Patrick Seabase, but he went and rode there and got a huge welcome…and made an interesting mini-documentary (with a brief interview with Daniel Teklehaimanot).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSU_TJE58kk

If I’m honest, I ignored most of the riding (you told me to say what I will!). The Eritrea story is very interesting and the geography is beautiful.

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@jabberwocky 119899 wrote:

Its easy to get a… skewed… view of normal reading this forum.

This is a key takeaway. Remember that just being on this forum collects a lot of outliers. People who are passionate about cycling, cycling advocacy, riding in amazing weather, riding in completely horrendous weather, n+1,000, etc.

To the OP – I hope you don’t have my issue with not being able to dial it back. I tell myself twice a week to take it easy and not spin hard. I fail every week. But my commute is only like 13 miles round trip. I wake up a little sore and just do it again. Its too much fun to go fast and I’m on the street 100% of the way.

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@Oldtowner 119833 wrote:

Lady, seriously? I can’t go any faster than that truck and neither can you.

Not that it would have been safe to do so, but as a cyclist you can legally pass the truck in lane/gutter/sidewalk/via go go gadget bike jumper etc.

Bicyclists may pass another vehicle on the right or left, and they may stay in the same lane, change lanes, or ride off the road if necessary for safe passing.

VA Bike Law

So the Audi is stuck. You have options.

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