[GreyBear]

Just don’t put the red blinkie on the front–I see this way too often. I usually tell such people that the red light belongs on the back, but nobody listens to me.

[GreyBear]

I’m almost 5’4″, but with short arms/legs. In the usual men’s bikes, I ride a 48cm. I have a Trek Madone WSD (women’s specific design), which is a 50cm because of the shorter top tube. I know the Madone also comes in a 47cm, which just might work for 5’1″ because of its shorter top tube. Some of Trek’s other bikes go even smaller in the WSD.
I’ve been riding a long long time, so I’ve been through the evolution of bike design for women, some of which has been really strange. Trek got it right. Everything has been made a bit more compact, but not dramatically. The brake levers are a bit closer and the handlebars have a shallow drop, which means for the first time I’m actually comfortable riding in the drops. Also, I have no problem fitting two regular sized bike bottles on the bike. Toe overlap with front wheel when tight turning is always a problem with a small bike. But I’ve always been short, so after decades of riding I know to avoid attempting tight U turns.
Specialized and Cannondale also make bikes in a women’s geometry. At 5’1″ she’s probably going to need a women’s geometry. It seems most manufacturers are using 700c even on the smaller bikes. I’ve seen some 26″ wheel road bikes, but I don’t think the big manufacturers are doing it that way. The only thing I didn’t like about a 26″ wheel bike was that it made me look even smaller on the road.

[GreyBear]

I do the one at a time thing too. If I’m already in the tunnel and someone comes through in the other direction, I stop and glare, which of course has no affect on the other person’s behavior. The shorter tunnel into Crystal city is wider, but for some reason, people can’t seem to stay on their side.

[GreyBear]

@DismalScientist 6842 wrote:

While we are on the subject of the intersection of the Mount Vernon trail and Roosevelt bridge, has anyone investigated putting in directional signs? Just last week I had to give directions to some confused cyclist trying to stay on the MV trail.

One time I had just crossed Roosevelt Bridge into Virginia when I encountered a Park Police car driving up the bike/ped ramp. I have no idea where the officer thought she was going, clearly a car cannot fit in the bike/ped lane over that bridge.

Regarding the wooden boardwalks, they are slippery. It seems to be a constant thing with people going down at the turns. Most of us learn pretty quickly to slow down so that you don’t have to be leaning into your turn when its wet or frosty, but I guess new people are always coming along. Also, in colder weather the boardwalks frost over long before the roads do. Its seems the Park Service has tried to address the situation, they painted the boardwalk near Washington Marina with some sort of gray/white paint. I think it did make it a little less slippery.

[GreyBear]

I’d suggest removing the crosswalk so that unsuspecting tourists from places like California, Boulder, CO, England, etc., where drivers actually stop on striped crosswalks, are not lulled into thinking that its a safe place to cross. If motorists aren’t supposed to stop at that crosswalk, then what exactly does the crosswalk signify?

[GreyBear]

@CCrew 7329 wrote:

Latest was a cyclist that spit on the hood of a car just because it was partially into the crosswalk at Wiehle and the W&OD.

It annoys me when drivers encroach on the crosswalk or bike lane, but it wasn’t me, I can’t spit very well.

However, on a daily basis, I get more annoyed by other cyclists than by drivers. I commute through Old Town Alexandria and the way people bike is beyond absurd. Never, ever will I understand why anybody would go full speed through a stop sign or red light. So many times I’ve been at a 4 way stop waiting for my turn, when suddenly someone else on a bike comes full speed through. A recently increasing behavior is to go through the stop sign on the wrong side of the street, continue down the wrong side until they suddenly decide to swing over into the proper lane (usually right in from of me).

As its been said many times on this board, we’re preaching to the choir. I’ve pretty much given up on telling people that they are wrong because I got tired of being cursed at. Except, I will still tell people who are riding against traffic that they are going the wrong way. That’s because a few years ago I had a bike destroyed when I was struck head on by a cyclist coming down the wrong side of the road in the dark with no lights or reflectors. I get cursed at, but I still tell them they’re on the wrong side.

[GreyBear]

Hope the Mrs. is feeling better and back on the bike soon.

[GreyBear]

@RESTONTODC 5213 wrote:

Alright, I’m making up a list of threats. Here are some of them.

Water bottle from high rise
Sink hole on Custis trail
Passing without calling
Cyclist drafting from behind (this doesn’t bother me unless it’s dark.
4 year old kid runs out of nowhere

more?

Several years ago, I was biking across Roosevelt Bridge, where there is a very narrow bike/ped section, I was almost on the Virgina side, when suddenly, a runner climbs over the side of the bridge (from the water side) and jumps onto the bike/ped section, nearly colliding with me. I was just shocked. I have no idea where he came from or how he managed to be on the outside of the bridge. I just rode as fast I could to get away from him.

[GreyBear]

I have very strong feelings on the subject of uninvited “drafting” by strangers: it’s rude, it’s annoying, and its dangerous. When done by a man to a woman he does not know, its also harassment. I don’t tolerate it, on the road, on the trail, at night, during the day, I simply don’t tolerate it.

You guys may not believe this, but for every one wheel sucker that you get, women get 20 (per my informal survey and daily comparisons with my husband’s experience). I’ve been riding for decades, but I didn’t have a recurring problem with this until I began commuting on the MVT. I can get several (99.99 percent of which are men) in one commuting leg–and I am no Sophia Vergara! The girl on the hybrid that Tim Kelley encountered may have had this same experience and was fed up when he innocently ended up in back of her.

When I first attempted to deal with this issue, being a direct type of person, I would turn around and say, “please get off of my wheel.” That direct method was often met with explosive, angry reactions. Clearly, there are A LOT of people in the D.C. area that do not know what proper social behavior is. Or, among the responses, is “you’re OK, I’m just drafting,” or, from somebody who has been on my wheel for a mile or more, “I’m just waiting to pass.” And then they just stay there. But I’ve also had, “I’m just enjoying the view,” and “I am not harassing you!” when I haven’t said anything about “harassing.”

As a result, I now take a more passive approach, which is totally against my personality, but it works. It doesn’t involve brake testing, or spitting, or expelling anything from one’s nose. If there are any women out there that are having the same problem, I’ll be happy to share my techniques with you.

Did I say I have strong feelings about this?

[GreyBear]

I don’t like the plan either. It appears from the map that S. Royal Street will be closed off between the school and the bridge, paved over, and recycling bins placed in what was the roadway.

[GreyBear]

In answer to your question: no, not on a Monday. In fact, ever since I passed the last decade mark of life, the legs ALWAYS hurt.

[GreyBear]

I think the answer is similar to the answer to the question, why don’t drivers use turn signals? Why wouldn’t you? Once in the 30 some years that I’ve been cycling, I’ve had a runner say F*** you when I said passing on the left. Besides him, I think most people appreciate a warning. A lot of people even thank me for warning them. I use a bell on my commuter bike. It took me a long time to realize that a bell is the best warning device–most people recognize the signal as a bike passing them, I don’t have to announce that I’m female, I don’t have to wear my voice out yelling, and I don’t have to deal with the people who don’t know left from right.
But people just don’t give a warning or they do so when they’re right next to you (OK, I can see you once you’re right there).

[GreyBear]

TeamEstrogen.com guarantees Terry saddles, you can return it within 90 days if you don’t like it.

[GreyBear]

Saddle comfort is so individual. I’m loving my Terry FLX on my road bike. But its not for everybody or every body I should say. Its relatively small (both short and narrow saddle) and firm. Terry has a good selection of women’s saddles and I believe they guarantee them (like it or return it).

[GreyBear]

@brendan 3917 wrote:

On the topic of cyclist-on-cyclist conflict, I’m smarting a bit after being yelled at by another cyclist, in Italian (which made it somewhat funny), for stopping at a stop sign on Tuesday night in East Potomac Park / Hains Point. Though, it is the de facto Velodrome for DC…

Brendan

Actually, that is pretty funny! Was he Italian, or was he the lead character in breaking away? Or maybe he was fantasizing that he was Alessandro Petacchi going for the stage win the Giro and you dared to get in the way of his fantasy.

[Author]

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