[ian74]

Pause for a picture down in G-town by the water on my morning commute to work, rocking my silly rack and bag.

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[ian74]

Ok, returning to my original topic, I’ve made some changes and they’ve helped. The first one was really just a mindset change. I don’t have to commute every day and I don’t need to compare myself with the other people on my Strava feed. I just want the miles, and I want to enjoy my commute (Not going to edit the thread title but I appreciate the correction). Second I’ve slowed my pace down. Especially for the first few miles on my way in so I’m not already wiped by the time I get to the CCT, and also on my way home even though it is mostly downhill. I’ve also dropped and set a 3x a week goal. This is very manageable and I get a rest day every other day.

Finally, I ditched the heavy (and often smelly) backpack and bought a seatpost rack and trunk bag. It is making for a more pleasant commute. My position on the bike is better and I stay much cooler.

These were all suggestions made in here and they have helped a lot. So thank you.

[ian74]

Wait!!!! Turkeys can fly???????

[ian74]

Sweet ride, I really like the wheels, and the color. I wish I had the confidence to ride a bike with only one gear. Also, what does the second brake lever do? I see no cable and no rear brake.

[ian74]

@rcannon100 122818 wrote:

If it comes up as this guy…. FLAG IT! I know him. He’s a total poseur.

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There goes our Freezing Saddles ringer…

[ian74]

Last month posted a thread about my inability to commute everyday. One of the suggestions was to ditch the backpack full of clothes and get a rack. Well, I did just that. I took it for a test ride today, with a little skepticism. I’ve heard some not-so-great things about these seat post mounted racks, however when you have a bike without any rack mounts, the options are kind of limited.

I bought the Ibera pak-rak and matching bag that clicks into place (See here if curious: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005G8BRRG?psc=1). The reviews were pretty good, and it was a bit cheaper than the Topeak version/system. One thing that makes it different than the Topeak setup is that it’s not a quick release attachment to the seat post. It uses a large aluminum allen bolt. It comes with a couple of different thickness rubber shims to secure it to the seatpost. Capacity wise it looks big but it’s deceptive. For my test it held jeans, polo shirt, socks, unmentionables and a pair of sneakers. Probably enough room to cram a small lunch in there too. So it should fit the bill for my daily commute.

After a 15 mile ride today it was still exactly as it was when I left. It didn’t swing or move. A nice surprise, however it does make the bike handle in a way I’m not used to at all. It’s manageable though and should work out for the time being. I did notice that after my hour ride I felt much better than my usual back pack ride. I had a better posture on the bike and didn’t slouch.

The other downside, aside from the handling, is HOW FREAKING RIDICULOUS IT LOOKS. How many of the Rules am I violating here?? Hindsight is 20/20, I guess if I knew when I went out bike shopping, that a commuter bike, or at least a bike I could attach a rack to, would have been such a better for me than a “race” bike (as if a salesman, or anyone could have convinced me otherwise at the time). Now I’m looking at steel frames online, but seem unable to convince the lovely Carolyn that I need another bike.

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[ian74]

All I want is a handmade Italian steel bicycle with chromed lugs, a fancy paint job and a full Campy groupset. I priced one together at Wrenchscience for the pictured bike and it was almost 7K with full Chorus. My wife is adamantly opposed and I will likely never get a new one. She says that if I’m buying an Italian handmade bike, we also need enough money to fly us both over to Italy to pick it up. I keep hoping a miracle happens on ebay (with her blessing of course)

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[ian74]

@CaseyKane50 120046 wrote:

Alexandria will be repaving a portion of the Mount Vernon Trail from First Street to Pendleton Street this week (weather permitting).

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It’s sorely needed in that spot. I would love if more of the MVT would be resurfaced, especially southbound as you get towards Mt. Vernon. Those tree roots are tearing up the trail.

[ian74]

@dasgeh 120012 wrote:

You’ve gotten a lot of good advice, but one question: why are you doing this?

Depending on your answer, one solution may be an ebike. Some here call those of us who use ebikes “cheaters”, but we’re still out there in the fresh air, not in a car/on the Metro, with the vast majority of the benefits that everyone without a motor has. It’s just a bit easier.

I do it because I enjoy my riding, and its probably the only type of exercise I seem to be able to enjoy on a routine basis. Mostly for my health. If I don’t exercise, I tend to gain weight pretty fast (which says probably too much about my eating habits)

With the new baby I don’t have lots of time in the evening and weekends for those long leisure rides so my commute is (for the near future) my outlet for riding. An ebike would be nice of course, but budgetary restrictions are in full effect at home these days.

[ian74]

@TwoWheelsDC 119949 wrote:

I’ll offer an (semi well-informed) alternate view…unless you’re doing some pretty serious endurance training, or simply aren’t eating well enough, you should be getting all the electrolytes you need through your normal diet. And normal exercise will cause your electrolytes to concentrate, since you sweat out more water than salt. So on a commute or fun weekend ride, your main priority is fluid replenishment, not electrolytes. You may need to replenish electrolytes after a few hours of hard riding in the heat, but again, you’ll generally get these through your food if you stop and snack. For most people, anything other than water is just empty calories.

I was going under the same assumption, that my normal eating would have me covered for electrolytes. I’ll try the gatorade, the reason it might be an issue is because I sweat A LOT. I mean, I leave white salt crust on my backpack straps and jerseys. I drink a lot of water during the day and sometimes I find myself a bit headachey late in the day before I leave work.

Yes, the amount of sleep I’ve gotten has greatly decreased too. The child really has not been sleeping for more than 2 or 3 hours at a time, coupled with added stress of some health conditions he has, my wife post-partum I can’t say I’ve had much luck “relaxing” in the past 3 months.

What else, my shape isn’t the greatest. Got some extra weight, take meds for BP and cholesterol, maybe I just can’t push myself like I used too.

Also, will look into faster tires hozn, I do stand by my gatorskins though. Me and changing flats don’t get along.

[ian74]

Fellow forum dwellers, you all give great advice. I think almost all of you made great points. Some things I realize, yes I hammer it in and especially home since I’ve already got the downhill momentum. I think it’s using fitness apps that’s messing with me. Strava and Endomondo. Always looking for little trophies, always looking for a faster speed in and out. I want to keep track of my total riding miles but maybe I should step away from the apps. Strava especially, I follow some heavy duty commuters and they really just go and go.

I think I will try to keep alternating, which I had been doing before, I just pushed myself hard during Freezing Saddles, and am still trying to cling to that mileage. I had several weeks over 200 miles. I also like weekend rides too, but since our baby came in early April I had to take a break from some of those. Family time…

I also think the hot weather has been doing a number on me. Even those 70 something degree mornings, if the humidity is really high I show up at work and I have drenched my clothes with sweat. Like I can wring out liquid from my jerseys. I’m also probably not taking in enough electrolytes, since I was able to ride more often during the colder months.

So many things are probably just adding up.

[ian74]

@worktheweb 118957 wrote:

My morning commute was beautiful and quite pleasant, until I got onto the 14th Street Bridge. I was going along at a comfortable pace and rang my bell to pass a pedestrian well in advance of my pass. As I was moving left to complete the pass I came inches from a collision with a guy who was racing along the left side silently. I yelled that he needs to call his passes, but he made no acknowledgement. Thinking that perhaps he didn’t hear me I chased him down having to get to over 22mph to do so. He continued to ignore me, even when a 115 dB horn was used to get his attention … and of course his bib shorts had the letters “KOM” emblazoned on the leg. I have a feeling I’ll find out who he is later on today via Strava’s fly-by …

Is it so hard to call your passes? If you see someone about to overtake someone else, is it so difficult to slow down a little and allow them to do so safely before you try to overtake them both? The person being overtaken always has the right of way, and perhaps an enclosed space with nowhere to escape isn’t the best place for you to act like you’re on the Tour.

This happens all too often, the failure to call passes has always driven me up a wall, and I always make sure I call. Its practically constant on the MVT both on my way in and out. I even say “Thank you!” after I pass or even “Good morning!.” Yesterday I passed pedestrians on the CCT, said “Bike passing on your left, thank you” and Good morning to them. One of the gentlemen walking said I was the most courteous cyclist that’s passed them all morning.

I just continue muttering “call your pass douchenozzle!” as they speed by me. I also find myself constantly checking over my shoulder before I make any move out there on the paths.

[ian74]

@Powerful Pete 118607 wrote:

Jamis Renegade

Hey…do you think those wheels are tubeless?

Kidding aside, I like the looks of the Jamis.

[ian74]

Like that bike!!!! Funny, someone I work with bought one that looks just like that.

[ian74]

I don’t think it is such a black and white issue. There’s more than two types. For that matter, why even feel the need to segregate? I commute 17 miles each way to work most days. I don’t want to ride a cruiser, since I need to get to work within a reasonable time, and I wear my spandex because they’re full of go fast and keep my tush from looking like someone hit it with a bag of hot nickels.

Everyone just ride, go to any bike shop and you’ll see they don’t stock just road bikes. They don’t dismiss someone looking at a cruiser or hybrid. Can’t we just be “cyclists?” (one word, one family)

Anecdote. When I started commuting or was considering it I wasn’t intimidated by the bike, or the culture, or the clothes. I was intimidated by the traffic, the distance and my lack of fitness. I started on a hybrid with gym shorts, and it took me just a couple of rides around DC to realize I needed something that was more comfortable to wear. Now I get lumped in with Cyclists???? But I’m just a commuter who rides a bike with no fenders and drop bars in some nice slimming man spanx!

I think I had a point but I lost it.

[Author]

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