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I must admit, when reading this forum I always wondered how so many people were falling over in bad weather. I guess I deserved what happened tonight:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3FOAJdEKM0

(about 7 seconds in is when the fun happens; this is on the bridge approaching the TR island parking lot)

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Am I doing something wrong?

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@Dirt 75891 wrote:

Hahaha…. Awesome. Nice to see you. I had a feeling that this might show up here when I saw the camera out. Did I get my light covered quickly enough? It was a fun ride home.

JRenaut has a first Dirt siting this week too. The “I have never seen Dirt without a bicycle” look on his face was charming.

Even before you covered up, your light wasn’t especially bright…as long as it’s not bright, flashing, and pointed directly at my face, lights on trails don’t really bother me (but after reading the extensive arguments on this thread I made sure my own light is angled down pretty sharply and I never turn it up to full brightness).

And yes, having a helmet camera is fun for times like that

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@Subby 75892 wrote:

(don’t read the comments)

To be fair, the comments on arlnow are consistently negative about everything — it’s not confined to biking. For people who live in such an amazing place, they sure find a lot to complain about.

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My first-ever Dirt sighting last night on Custis: (at least, I think that was him; I tried to smile and then realized I was wearing a balaclava so it wasn’t very effective)

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I took Custis this morning and didn’t have much trouble (on 32″ knobby tires). Definitely took me longer than normal since I was being cautious but better than braving the streets (and getting salty again).

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If you’re too lazy to call Bikenetic, in my experience they are very responsive to email. They’re also super nice, offer free tuneups for life (the only shop like that in the DC area I’ve found), and usually aren’t super busy so I don’t feel guilty for stopping by.

Okay I’ll stop evangelizing now

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@KayakCyndi 75742 wrote:

You NEED to try a Viaje. Call Jan or Brian at Bikenetic or test ride mine. Super fun. Big rubber no problem. Disc brakes rock. Speedy enough for pavement yet super fun on trails. Only downside, you may need more than one wheelset …

If you go to Bikenetic (which I highly recommend; they are awesome), might as well try a Kona Jake the Snake while you’re at it . Disc brakes, fan fit fenders/racks, is pretty (subjective), and comfortable (also subjective).

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After reading all your reports, I was very happy to take Custis home for the first time since it snowed last week. The only dicey part was just west of the Glebe overpass, and even that wasn’t so bad. No more going down Lee Hwy — success!

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@dasgeh 75711 wrote:

Bike – free (if I’d stop shopping for bikes & bike stuff)

This hit close to home…

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@Steve 75690 wrote:

I wonder how different most people’s are. My roundtrip commutes are:

1. Bike – 90 min
2. Metro + Shuttle – 150 min
3. Drive – 50 min

I don’t have a car, so the biking choice is pretty easy.

For me (10mi round trip):

1. Bike – 45 min
2. Bus – 120 min
3. Drive – ??

Not sure about driving because (i) I’ve never tried it (ii) wife usually takes the car to work anyway (iii) I’d have to find a parking space in Georgetown for a whole day (iv) it would involve driving through M St and across Key Bridge during rush hour. Let’s call it effectively impossible.

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@Subby 75409 wrote:

That stretch of Lee might be my absolute least favorite road segment anywhere. Some times when I am feeling masochistic, I will take Lee from Key Bridge all the way up to Glebe. It always sucks.

This is exactly my alternative route for snowy days (such as this whole week), and it’s always pretty terrible. I can’t wait until Custis is useable again…

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I wasn’t brave enough for Custis today so I went down Lee Hwy, which was very well cleared. Key Bridge wasn’t bad, either.

Bar mitts are nice but bar mitts + cross wind gusts + bridge is a pretty harrowing experience.

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Thanks for the info — I passed by this yesterday afternoon and was wondering what all the commotion was about.

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