[eminva]

Not limited to this article or this topic, I think the online comment format tends to invite people to say things that are provocative and that they wouldn’t say to another person face to face, and indeed, may be a wild exaggeration of their own beliefs. I would hope that journalists reading the comments would take this into account and take inflammatory rhetoric with a grain of salt. For this reason, I am in favor of respected publications/news sources requiring subscribers to use their real names for comments (e.g., The Wall Street Journal’s website).

I also send my condolences to the family.

Liz

[eminva]

I saw RESTONTODC last night, but I would have had to make him stop to take a photo. I don’t have Dirt’s talent.

Liz

[eminva]

How old do you have to be to take this class? Thanks.

Liz

[eminva]

Oops, two more things:

Greenbelt’s post made me realize I’ve changed, too, since I got the bike. I had major surgery which in some ways limits my range of motion in my chest and back(I’m still working on that with other exercises).

And Ann, congrats on the new bike. I suggest Phidippides. If he’d just had a bike, maybe he wouldn’t have died.

Liz

[eminva]

So far, I’ve subscribed to the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” school of thought on bike fitting. I ride 100-150 miles per week on my road bike, feel comfortable, but at times I have my share of aches and pains. Usually I chalk them up to some non-bike related stupid thing (like lifting a laundry basket full of books, which led to several days of back pain) or plain old age. However, now you’ve got me wondering . . . could something about my bike be a contributing factor? If so, it is certainly not something I’m conscious of.

I could afford a bike fitting, but a new bike is not something I’ve budgeted for at the moment. I dread hearing the fitter say “Your bike is three sizes too big!” I realize this is not a good reason to avoid it, but what would be a good reason to go ahead and have one?

By the way, I’ve had the bike for just over three years and have maintained it routinely. I rarely tamper with saddle position or other variables.

Thanks.

Liz

[eminva]

@rcannon100 19166 wrote:

I am asking. I am reading. I am not figuring out.

In total, team Federal Cyclists Commission is over 300 points. But as far as I can tell, only my points are showing up on the Leaderboard. Does anyone have any clue what could be wrong.

I set up the team. The members joined because I invited them through the software. The team is set for the national challenge. Multiple members have logged miles in June.

Have looked on the site. Have asked on their social network part. Have asked support.

Thank you if you have a clue (and even for the clueless)

I just looked you up; you have 611 points now, which is reflected on the National Leaderboard and you are in 67th place. On the Communities leaderboard, it looks like you have fewer points. This would be due to team members not entering their zip codes when they registered or entering a zip code outside of our “community.” We have this issue with my team — a couple of members live outside the immediate area and their miles don’t count toward our standings on the Communities leaderboard (even so, we are in fifth place in DC-NoVa-MD).

Liz

[eminva]

@GuyContinental 19128 wrote:

Report your miles guys! Only 6/9 have numbers on the board! CCrew indicated that you’ll only be able to report miles until Monday of the following week.

I regret to say that due to a confluence of personal issues and mechanical issues, I haven’t been up to my usual bike commuting percentage this month so far, but the good news is that I am back to the bike commute today, and see no reason I can’t bike in for the remainder of the days I am working this month. Go Loopies!

Liz

[eminva]

This is great news — I will not be able to be there; I will probably still be on my way in after accompanying my son and his friend to school by bike that day.

By the way, a number of Fairfax County Public Schools are participating in Bike to School Day. You can check at the link to see if your school is participating, and if not, you can register it yourself. The following week (May 14-18), Vienna area elementary schools will be holding the Vienna Walk and Bike to School Challenge. Each school will tally the number of students walking and biking each day that week and the results will be published in the Vienna Patch.

Be sure to join the fun if you have a youngster in Fairfax County and Vienna, specifically.

Liz

EDIT: Bike to School Day is a national event — you don’t have to be in Fairfax County to participate. I just don’t know what other jurisdictions are doing to promote the event.

[eminva]

@KLizotte 18952 wrote:

I dread to think of what will occur if we start seeing 500+ CaBis at a time descending on those areas this summer.

@Arlingtonrider 18962 wrote:

One small saving grace is that out of shape tourists on fat tire CaBi’s might not want to attempt that hill. My concern is that those who do may want to stop in the middle of the 14th Street bridge to snap photos, chat with friends etc. But I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it, so to speak . . .

Welcome to commuting on the Key Bridge . . . :p

Liz

[eminva]

It sounds like you are doing everything right; moving hand positions, taking breaks, adjusting the saddle, etc. Since the bike is new, I’d say it is still a matter of adjusting to the new equipment and riding position. Also, some of the most difficult advice to give and to receive: add mileage gradually, to avoid injury.

I have noticed that there are certain foot issues that only show up when I am doing a rare long ride but that don’t seem to bother me doing 28 miles a day. But I use clipless pedals so it usually means the cleat has shifted or something.

Good luck.

Liz

[eminva]

What type of tandem trailer cycle is that? The rack attachment looks similar to the Burley Piccolo, which we made great use of with our son.

Looks like a good time was had by all. The weather was beautiful. Here’s to many more miles of family riding!

Liz

[eminva]

So, this morning I took CaBi on a little trip to Petworth. Along the way, I decided to revisit the site of prior doom, the infamous Meridian Hill of 15th Street (see above).

It didn’t seem as steep or as long as I remembered it. Hmm . . . funny how memory distorts those things. Still, it was pretty bad . . . as bad as anything the Custis dishes out.

And, I made it! See photographic evidence.

I concede it is not nearly as impressive as jrenaut’s trek over the same route with kids and groceries.

I can’t remember if there were bike lanes there back in the day, but they are a nice addition now.

Liz

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[eminva]

Oh my gosh, I’ve never done 41st Street, but both jrenaut and PotomacCyclist refer to hills that have humiliated me.

Jrenaut, I rode up that hill on the way home the very first day I bicycle commuted (after five years of inactivity). I had to pull over to the curb and rest, I didn’t even walk my bike, I just paused there to catch my breath. Another cyclist came along and asked me if I was okay. Oh, just fine, never mind that cardiac arrest or anything. I got smart after that and rode up 14th Street where the approach is slightly more gradual. I never attempted 15th Street again. Tomorrow I have to go up that way on bikeshare — perhaps I should attempt my old nemesis on CaBi? If I get stuck, it wouldn’t be the first time.

The Glencarlyn sidepath — that one looked good on paper. I had business at a medical office near there this spring and that looked like the easiest way off the trail. I was totally unprepared for the ascent so I just got off and walked the bike for that last bit. I was thinking of trying it again when I happen to pass near there on my mountain bike, which is geared lower, to see if that would be better.

Liz

[eminva]

@DaveK 18775 wrote:

I keep bringing up the CaBi time trial series… I wonder why no one is more interested?

Why? The one time I forgot I was on a CaBi, and tried to pass an accelerating bus, my legs were spinning and spinning for dear life and I was only going about 1/4 as fast as I would on any normal bike. I suspect all of us who have ridden a CaBi know all too well the limits of our endurance for the equipment.

But if others want to do it, I’d love to come watch for the entertainment value.

Liz

[eminva]

I would add that I’m not all that crazy about #5, either. I’m okay with someone drafting me in broad daylight, but I think the first message I posted on this forum was after getting totally freaked out by another cyclist riding right behind me without announcement for several miles of the W&OD on a dark winter night. Just be polite and say hello if you are going to do that so I know it’s not about to turn into a scene from a horror movie.

Liz

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