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So far I’m feeling pretty prepared. I might need to check out those Windstopper socks. I’ve started to feel the toes getting a little cool by the time I reach work in the mornings.

I just picked up a reflective buff to wear when its cool (40s) and to wear overtop of a fleece neck gaiter I already own when it drops into the 30s/20s/please not too much in the teens. I wanted to make sure I was adding to my visibility. We will see how it performs.

Strange question. I read although I’m not sure where anymore. About the crotch area getting very cold for some people. I believe I even read a comment from someone who said he shoved a plastic bag in his pants to try and help the situations. Trying to ignore the unbelievable noise that would make, has anyone else experienced that issue?

Hands and feet look like the things I need to look around for. Also, anyone wear clear lenses or such to cut out the cold wind/debris from the eyes? I have some normal oakleys with dark lenses but think for the winter I might try and pick up a clear/super light set of lenses for them. I’m afraid of debris getting into my eyes or them drying out. I could also just be a woosie.

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@Brünø Moore 94496 wrote:

What. And what. Also, what.

Appreciate the links. Although two appear to be somewhat anecdotal stories (DC and a guy in Charlotte). With the Charlotte one even having dissenting views in it.

From 2007 to 2011, the number of cars purchased by people aged 18 to 34, fell almost 30%

Given the massive drop in vehicle sales between 2006-2008 and the cash for clunkers program driving many of the sales over that period, I can certainly think of good reasons why young American’s would have been unlikely to purchase a car during that period.

I could be wrong. Perhaps the trend from a deep recession in the market for a large durable good will persist. But if I had to bet on it, I’d doubt it. A good question would be what was the demographics of car purchases between 1979-1985. A fairly comparable drop and rise in overall auto sales.

@dbb 94520 wrote:

You seem to be looking at the LBS similar to the way many people view AAA – as something of an insurance policy. Fact is that AAA charges annual dues regardless of what you actually use. You might want to commit to the purchase of a portion of your annual cycling budget at the LBS as your annual dues. I’d hazard a guess that the incremental costs would be fairly modest. Unlike AAA, you will get stuff you can actually use from your LBS.

I’ve rewritten this section several times to try and not sound like a jerk.. but this is the best I’ve gotten to.

I worked for a large electronics retailer throughout my college days. It went bankrupt my Junior year. I have also sold cell phones and worked at a grocery story and done lots of lovely hourly work selling things to people while in a big box. I have perhaps a very different view than some involving retail.

Its just a store to me. Its no different than Coldstone. I’m not going to stop by Coldstone to pick up a gallon of ice cream just so that the one time a year my wife might want some it is there for her when we are in the Mosiac District (gotta get that birthday cake like it if you know what I mean). Youtube provides me with an endless supply of videos about bike care. Forums like this and many others provide me with even more in-depth information. I price match everything. They have never been cheaper and they have never been close enough to the price I could get elsewhere to warrant the convenience. That is a personal opinion for sure.

The question was posed, what would get “you” into a LBS? An emergency is about it for me. I think most people have pointed out in this thread what the true future of retail is. Its not about the products, its about the experience and service. That is a very tough thing to do. Getting people like me in the first time is really the hardest part. Perhaps my rim will explode tomorrow and they will have a chance to get me. Its not insurance. Its just a store that happens to be located near my commute route. My commute and my purchasing would be the exact same with or without the store there. I am entirely indifferent to its existence.

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@Steve O 94521 wrote:

Yes. Not for me, and maybe not for you. But Arlington is trying to make infrastructure that will encourage people of all abilities to use their bikes. Dickie and I may fly down the Clarendon Cannonball, but others may ride down at 10-15 mph. They will feel safer in the bike lane than in the travel lane. Even better would be if the bike lane were buffered–or if it were a protected cycletrack, but we have what we have. I, for one, appreciate that bike lane being there, whether or not I ride in it or out in the travel lane.

I should rephrase. Its a Monday and I’m crotchety.

Bike lanes in a 25 mph could very well be fine in some places. I think there is a lot of other stuff that is far more important and could benefit cyclists and increase the prevalence of cycling much more than bike lanes on roads with such low speed limits. I would prefer that time and effort be spent on making the larger thoroughfares more bike friendly.

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@creadinger 94519 wrote:

This daft person doesn’t waste his time enough to keep up with all of the stupid “rules” associated with cycling. What is Rule #1 again?

PS – Don’t bother. I really don’t care what the rule is. I just wanted you to know who you’re calling daft.

Rule 1 was the numbered line right before 2.. where we talked about general rules about not getting hit by a vehicle of any kind as a pedestrian… it really doesn’t have anything to do with cycling. It has everything to do with taking on the books pedestrian traffic laws as they pertain to motor vehicle roads and applying them to bike lanes. Which seems pretty common sense seeing as how bike lanes are on roads.

But I appreciate the general feedback that rule was the inappropriate term. I’ll edit the post to say *see bullet point 1* because you don’t like getting hit by things.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PEOPLE, COUNTER TRAFFIC WHEN ON FOOT AND NOT ON THE SIDEWALK. There isn’t like a national conversation or dialog about this. It is flat out safer. We aren’t debating helmet or no helmet. Its just reality.

I still don’t know you…

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Unhappy Monday afternoon numbered posting.

1.) Its only legal to run/walk in the street counter-traffic assuming the sidewalk is unsafe or non-existent. If someone is biking next to your SO and telling them they are unsafe, they better be a salmon or you better have a talk about road safety when on foot with them. At no time has it every been a good idea to walk with your back to faster moving vehicular traffic with no lights.

2.) If you are seriously going to be daft enough to run in the bike lane, use some common sense and at least apply bullet point #1 to it. Its still a really dumb idea. But hey at least you can see the accident you’re likely to create coming at you and you can swiftly slide back onto the sidewalk to avoid it.

3.) Bike lanes on 25 mph roads? Is that really necessary? We can’t successfully mingle with auto traffic in residential areas where many cyclists can actually break the speed limit. If the possibility of children playing, cars coming out of drive ways and car doors opening can’t save us, paint is nothing.

4.) I’m suppose to get out of the bike lane if I reach *near* motor vehicle traffic speeds? Why? Just because?

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So I wanted to revive this thread from the cold abyss.

Any new sweet things people are using for the cold/cooler weather? The 49 degree temp this morning in some of the outlying suburbs might be reminding people fall/winter is coming and I like to buy on sale before it is a NEED. I’ll be going into my first winter bike commute and have been trying to read about what the best things to wear are.

I was also expecting to look into new tires but then I read the REI cold weather cycling page and it actually advocated for regular tires if you are going to be on the road (I’m 100% on the road, no fancy paths for me). Any comments about that idea?

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I’m officially the forum pansy at 25 minutes and 6.4 miles…. stupid red lights.

But really I think anything over 30 minutes is annoyingly long. My decision to bike somewhere and back is basically can I get there in 30 minutes or less safely?

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@Brünø Moore 94453 wrote:

It’s the same panic automakers are facing—folks under 30 aren’t buying cars, don’t want to buy cars, don’t see why they should want to buy cars. There’s no new market coming into its own economically to replace the old one that’s no longer buying the product..

Say what? I mean, on semantics I’d agree. People don’t buy cars anymore, they lease them. Cause they are weird. But I don’t think that was your point.

I can’t say what would get me to shop at a LBS. I’ve never made a single purchase at one… Although the Freshbikes in Fairfax is pretty convenient to me and I know if I had an emergency I’d be going there.

I got into biking as transportation because of MMM. Basing your business model on trying to get my money is going to be hard.

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@culimerc 94252 wrote:

Maybe something like this

I’ve been thinking about one of those for my golf clubs…

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@baiskeli 94207 wrote:

Here’s a new hazard I discovered while attempting to avoid hazards.

I was on Vietch at Lee Highway, about to move from the bike lane to the special bike box at the front of the traffic lane:

Getting to a box like that is dangerous, though, when the front car is trying to turn right on red, or the light changes just as you’re moving in front of the car lane.

But it’s even more hazardous if a car, as I witnessed, starts moving forward while the light is still red, anticipating the green. (The car then turned right).

Luckily I hadn’t gotten close enough to take the box yet. Watch out for this hazard when you’re taking the lane in front, box or no box.

Hello, I am “Captain I don’t know anything about that intersection but I’ll put my stinking opinion out there anyway”. You’re allowed to turn right on red there? Given the angle that is required to look left, the pedestrian crosswalk waaaaay out in front of you, the bike box and that the left lane is allowed to be further forward this should be a no turn on red kind of world. I see a sign next to the right light but can’t make it out.

The creeping car syndrome is crazy and is dangerous for everyone, cars included. I’ve watched cars slowly creep waaaaaaaay out into intersections. I don’t really understand what they are thinking. As some who drives a manual, I hate the creep game.

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What have I started? A spiral to Oblivion.

I’m a bit surprised so many share my backpacking love. But I will take it! Although I’m concerned about the idea of a 20 lbs backpack. What are you commuting with??? I have a massive lunch and my work clothes. So my bag weighs like 7 lbs? Dress shoes are left at the office. Same with all toiletries and towels. And what is with everyone dragging their laptops around for? Isn’t this the reason for things like Citrix remote access and Google Remote Desktop??

But the following just got added to my Christmas list (I’m a bit of an early list maker)
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@Crickey7 94150 wrote:

Me three. Backpack over rack.

How does that raincover work, anyways?

I will tell you in two/three weeks when it gets here… Free shipping from Hong Kong has its downsides… I’m concerned about water getting caught between my back and the backpack and having water get in that way, but that beats it coming in from every single way.

The TimBuk2 Phoenix bag is swanky. Any feedback on waterproof(ishness?) and toughness? I have a great backpack but its not cycling oriented and certainly doesn’t have some of the cool quick grab features that does. That thing is impressive. But I need a tank I can handle with no regard to its well being and still have it working and I’m clearly struggling with the waterproof side of things. While ziplock bags and such work, I’d like to have an additional safety net.

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@Phatboing 94125 wrote:

Uh oh. What went wrong?

Large part, personal preference. I ride a pretty (very) lightweight simple steel bike (two gears.. so its like twice as good as a SS!). I really hated the extra weight on the back of it whenever I had to move it around. I know that is ridiculous. But it made me love my bike less. I hated the way it made my bike look. I felt naked without a backpack on (I actually had the feeling of being less protected.. which is insane). So yes, one of the main factors was “I felt my bike was too heavy when I had to carry it up and down my 4 front steps”.

On to the actual product part:

The rack is actually pretty good. I really didn’t have any negatives with it. Although I disagree with the idea that I’d want to swap it back and forth alot. I found it took about 10-15 minutes to get it on and off which isn’t exactly speedy. It was secure and very sturdy. It got sent back mostly because of my love of the backpack / hate for added weight from above. I think it is actually a pretty slick product with a great design. I’ll deal with the weird shape of bananas in my backpack once or twice a week. Still don’t think eggs would be a good idea in either the backpack or trunk bag.

The trunk bag. Ugh the trunk bag. The effective storage size was much smaller than I expected. I was excited about the roll top design because it made it very weatherproof. Sadly this killed my ability to really carry very much. I wasn’t going full on panniers so the rack held less than I could toss in my backpack. The side zip pocket on it is hilarious. You can fit like a credit card in it. Max. The walls are reinforced with hard plastic. This makes it stand upright, but again limits what you can put in the bag. It is rugged as hell though. So if you want a waterproof box and you aren’t worried about putting tons of stuff in there it could fit the bill nicely.

So the bag gets a C- and the rack gets an A-. I get a W for wack-o.

Basically I added a rack and a trunk bag and would still have to carry a backpack for anything more than just my basic commute. The functionality just wasn’t there for me. Combined with my mental sillyness, it had to go. It didn’t allow me to carry enough extra stuff to justify the sight of it. I’d be happier picking up a kid trailer 2nd hand and using that as a trailer for grocery runs.

So why didn’t I just get a different trunk bag? ‘Cause of the top of this rambling no good off-topic review. It just felt more comfortable and more flexible for me to ride with whatever, in my backpack vs in a trunk bag on a rack.

TLDR : the products are actually great (though the bag is on the small side). I am weird and just prefer riding with a backpack vs throwing more weight over my back wheel.

As a fun addition – I have purchased this cover for my backpack to fight the problem of rain and what not. Because I’ll try just about any equipment for $4.

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@dplasters 92811 wrote:

thinking about picking up one of these and one of thesehttp://www.thule.com/en-us/us/products/luggage-and-bags/bike-bags-and-racks/pannier-bags/thule-pack-n-pedal-trunk-bag-_-pp_100055

Because I’m a silly person who rides a bike without eyelets and for some reason just really likes that rack despite the existence of p clamps.

You were both horrible and are being returned. Backpack forever.

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