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Absolutely no doubt:

Rolling Down Columbia Pike

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@dasgeh 96221 wrote:

I don’t understand the problem. Is he track standing and you don’t want him to? Is he resting his bum on the seat, with one foot on the ground? Why is that a problem?

@mstone 96223 wrote:

Yeah, if you can comfortably stop at a light without getting off the seat, the seat is probably too low (barring exotic designs). Some people really like it, though, and I have no idea how to change that. Or do you mean he’s track standing?

No, not trackstanding. I wouldn’t say comfortably, but he sits on the saddle with his tip toes on the ground. The saddle probably is too low — the bike is probably too small — but fine tuning this is one of the many problems with a kid who’s grown 5+ inches in a year (I should probably start a separate thread soliciting bike selection advice for the very tall).

@peterw_diy 96224 wrote:

Peer pressure?

The tried and true method for so many childhood rites of passage.

Liz

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With the popularity of balance bikes, many people skip the training wheels completely.

The way we teach adults in the WABA Learn to Ride Class would work for any age. We have terrific success so I would teach my kid using this method if I had it to do all over again.

Take the pedals off and lower the seat so the rider can put both feet flat on the ground. Have them sit on the seat and take “frog hops” — pushing off with both feet at once — and glide. Then have them push off alternating feet and then gliding. Once you see that they can glide for a while with good balance, give them one pedal. Teach them, while standing, to use their foot to put the pedal into the “power position” (about 2 o’clock), mount the bike while pushing off, and then glide. Once they can glide well taking one pedal stroke, give them the second pedal. They should be ready to pedal successfully at this point. Gradually raise the seat as they get comfortable with the balance thing.

Question: How do I break my son’s bad habit at age 13? He is capable of mounting and dismounting a bike from/to a standing position, however, he likes to balance on the seat if we are stopped at a traffic light or for any other reason when he knows he will be starting up again soon. I see adults doing this, too, and I don’t know if they realize they are doing it or if they don’t know how to start the bike from a standing position. I’ve mentioned this to my son but as a parent, you don’t want to be too preachy. Any advice welcome.

Liz

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Super sturdy rear mounted kickstand. Suitable for bikes for which you can’t mount a kickstand between the chain stays. $10 OBO

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6717[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]6716[/ATTACH]

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If you are the original owner, call the bike shop where you purchased it. They can contact Dahon and most likely get you a new frame. If the shop is out of area, they can probably arrange it so that the new frame comes to a local dealer for your warranty work.

Liz

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Banjo Brothers mini Seatpost bag, brand new with tag still attached, $10 OBO.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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More photos:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6702[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]6703[/ATTACH]

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2010 Jamis Eclipse Frame, Fork and Headset for sale
Size: 54cm
A beautiful TIG welded Reynolds 853 steel frame. The fork is carbon fiber. Everything they say about a steel frame is true, and this one is a great ride. This was my main commuter for about a year and I loved it. Alas, it was too big.
Full disclosure:
The paint on the frame is a pearlized white, which is attractive, but it has rubbed off in spots. See photos. (I found that the Jamis paint jobs don’t hold up very well, IMO)
There is rust in the on the bottom bracket shell (see photo).
I am asking $375. I really couldn’t figure out how to price it so if I am too high, I’m sure you will let me know and if I am too low, I guess it will sell quick.
If you want more photos or have questions, let me know.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6697[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]6698[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]6699[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]6700[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]6701[/ATTACH]

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That’s like going to the racetrack to ask if you should gamble some more, but YES! I think there is no reason you should not.

Good luck.

Liz

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@creadinger 95365 wrote:

Is the OMM rack still available? I may be interested in upgrading a crappy old rack we have.

Yep, PM sent!

Liz

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@Subby 95271 wrote:

Liz – I’ll take the $10 saddle if it is still available.

PM sent!

Liz

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More:

Richey Comp Seatpost 27.2/300: $15
[The saddles are all sold or have sales pending, I think]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6675[/ATTACH]

There will be more . . . haven’t even gotten to the frame and fork yet.

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Had some law enforcement action at the Intersection of Doom this morning. Saw a cop motioning a car over for failing to yield to . . . me!

Then rode behind a beautiful godzilla most of the way along my route in DC. It was such a breathtaking experience witnessing her cross all five lanes of Pennsylvania Avenue for the turn onto L, without regard to automotive traffic whizzing past. I wished I had my camera handy. I would say I hope she and her dozen yoga mats made it safely whereever they were going, but I’m sure they did.

Liz

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Hello again and thanks so much for all your input. Over the first few days of school, I tested various routes, keeping the rest of the commute the same (although there are variables I couldn’t control for, such as weather, fatigue, time spent waiting for the Gallows light, etc.). The key metric for me is elapsed time, because the whole point is to get to work on time. And the results are:

Pimmit/Idyl/Idylwood/Hurst/Virginia Lane/Trail: 1:38.57 elapsed time, 17.7 miles

Pimmit/Idyl/Idylwood/Barbour/Pinecastle/Trail: 1:35.25 elapsed time, 17.1 miles

Idylwood/Great Falls/Trail: 1:34.45 elapsed time, 16.6 miles

Route 7/Trail: 1:29 elapsed time (approx.; haven’t uploaded Garmin yet), 15.8 miles

So there you have it — the Route 7 route is both fastest and most direct. I didn’t find it all that bad. The worst part is closest to my son’s high school; there never really is a break in traffic. After Idylwood, I used a trick that Steve O taught me for Whitehurst. I just waited until the light changed and the break in traffic lasted until the next traffic light. By then you are in the Falls Church city area and traffic moves slowly anyway.

However, the Virginia Lane route is the least aggravating and the most miles so that would be good if I’m in no hurry.

Finally, when I was researching Route 7 on Google maps, I saw this, just south of the I-66 overpass:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6586[/ATTACH]

Now we can’t all be as ELITE as this young lady, but I want to try!

Liz

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@Steve O 93675 wrote:

From Marshall check this out:
Mohegan off the east side of the school
Through the (maybe) passage to Los Pueblos
Right on Pimmit
Left on Idyl
Left on Idylwood
Right on Barbour
Left on Venice (or left on Pinecastle)
Right on Pinecastle
Negotiate yourself back onto the trail

Good luck!

This is the route I take although as americancyclo points out, Mohegan is closed. I bolded the worst part above. That left is difficult; you are coming up a fairly steep hill so sight lines aren’t great, which doesn’t really matter because there is a long line of cars also trying to make that turn. Do you wait in line or ride up alongside of them and try to piggyback when a motorist gets a break and makes his turn? The problem with the latter is that you don’t really have a shoulder once you turn and you sort of have to figure out how to slot yourself into the traffic, if you turn simultaneously with a car.

Also, we figured out that riding through the townhouses is kind of a bad idea; there is a lot of spillover kiss and ride and students-who-drive-and park traffic through there. It is better just to just to ride on the Route 7 sidewalk to the school entrance. There aren’t any driveways there and very little foot traffic.

Thanks everyone, all the responses are helpful.

Liz

Edited to add: I agree with americancyclo on the need for a Providence cut through, or something along those lines. Don’t know the SRTS coordinator but I will try to find out. Andrew’s is the only bike at the racks so there may not be a huge groundswell for change, though.

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