[Phatboing]

I have Things To Say regarding chemical warmers (specifically, Grabber hand-warmers):

1. I realized that they need some time to ‘activate’ and become warm.

2. They seem to de-activate after a while – while putzing about with them on a particularly cold day in the office, I discovered that I need to keep ‘fluffing’ them to get them warm again. While riding with them under my shoe covers, I find them pretty cold by the time I get home – then I can fluff them and they warm up again.

3. I had most success with this: a couple of hours before I need to leave work, I open the packs and stuff them into my shoes – this gets my feet really nice and toasty before I leave. When I leave, I leave them in my shoes, and make it all the way home (7-8 miles, depending on route) on that ‘seed warmth’.

I do, however, worry about doing longer rides – I don’t think the ‘stuff it under your shoe covers’ approach is going to work with these. Are there other warmers I could try? Other techniques?

[Phatboing]

On the W&OD between Falls Church and Gallows, the hard-packed snow has come … unpacked. It’s powdery-slushy on top, with ice underneath, and caused my rear end to flail about more than once.

(then I discovered that my rear studly tire is on backwards)

If it does end up being as windy as they say it’s going to be tonight, the big ol’ icy fustercluck of doom ought to be upon us tomorrow morning.

Is there a prize for not altering your commute even when the trail’s trying to kill you? I’d like that, please.

[Phatboing]

@jopamora 75543 wrote:

Watch out when going through the Dalecarlia tunnel

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4540[/ATTACH]

For a moment, I thought you took this while on your side, after taking a spill. Then I thought “Priorities, yo. Stand up first.”

[Phatboing]

@vvill 75520 wrote:

Actually, one W&OD pic from yesterday afternoon. Would not ride without studded MTB tires (or perhaps a fatbike).

I managed to do fine on 2.4-inch tires last night – a lot of the W&OD between Gallows and EFC is packed quite nicely, except the intersections – those are icy. The Gallows intersection has the added bonus of big mounds of snow on either side. I took the opportunity last night to do a mini-jump in front of the cars stopped there, hopefully entertaining them.

It looked like it was more of that kinda stuff this morning, but my legs protested and I took the bus after riding 2 miles instead.

(fun fact – 2.4 inches is the upper limit for the bike racks on the buses)

[Phatboing]

@Phatboing 73380 wrote:

Why not.

174 as of 1/3/14. Target: Less than that.

This comes as a surprise to me, but 169 today. Must be all those calories I burned cursing at the ice.

[Phatboing]

Not surprisingly, the W&OD is a slog.

Between Falls Church and Shreve Rd, however, either through the natural stomping patterns of the Northern Virginian, or through the actions of a kind soul, there’s a hard-packed track on the trail, which is reasonably nice. The rest of it until Gallows isn’t as nice (admittedly, I avoided most of it).

After making my way through all that, the Virginia Ln climb nearly took me out. For the first time since I started biking in the area, I actually had to stop and catch my breath at the top.

[Phatboing]

The W&OD between EFC and Gallows has been torn up pretty well by footprints – that’s going to turn into a big icy fustercluck in the next couple of days. Today, not so good for the 37mm studded tires – I think I’d have been better off on my tubby-tired Troll.

I decided to bail at Shreve and take surface streets instead. The Gallows Road bike lane is not clear, but not horrible either.

[Phatboing]

@Brent 75259 wrote:

Getting corrosive de-icer on my bike is my biggest concern with winter cycling (I don’t have a good place to rinse it off) and why I’m currently trailing on Freezing Saddles (that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it!)

After talking to many people, I’ve come to learn that Arlington County uses non-corrosive chemicals (like beet juice or something) to de-ice the roads and sidewalks.

What about other jurisdictions? Or private entities? It seems like my apartment building is using old-fashioned salt.

I heard on Morning Edition this morning that some places are using brine and beet juice, and then salt and gravel on top. Which just raises the question of what the bleeding point was of using beet juice if you’re going to salt anyway.

A couple of the side streets I go through had grit, but no discernible salt. My guess is that was a private entity thing.

[Phatboing]

@dkel 75217 wrote:

That happened to me once, and then someone told me it’s good luck to get pooped on by a bird.

Maybe that person was just making fun of me, though…

Ha, no – that’s a pretty popular belief/balm in India. Bonus points if you get pooped on first thing out of your house, or something.

My take on it always was that being pooped on puts the rest of the day in perspective – someone’s shoving you on the train, but hey, you’re not being pooped on.

[Phatboing]

If you’re a cheapskate like me, the Frogg Toggs Ultra-lite is an option: http://www.froggtoggs.com/mens/mens-jackets-all-weather/the-frogg-toggsr-ultra-lite2tm.html

I recently got myself one of these, and while I haven’t yet tried them in a torrential downpour, they seem quite promising based on the few rain rides I’ve been in. The jacket’s essentially a tailored plastic bag – it seals you in pretty well. Keep away from errant corners, though – I managed to poke a hole in mine when it snagged on a shelf.

[Phatboing]

@ebubar 74088 wrote:

My commute is where my miles come in. My commute starts next week and mileage will increase and get Action News Team One up to (and hopefully above) our handicap!
Plus my bike’s been in the “shop” getting a pitchfork mount attached. It gets inconvenient having to carry it in hand everywhere. Let the bike hold the weight!

Hey, considering we’ve got one team member laid up with bronchitis, we’re Action Newsing it up quite well indeed.

[Phatboing]

@dasgeh 74116 wrote:

I came over to say that if I could really have my way, I’d get a sloping downtube (making it easier to ride in a skirt or just to get my leg over when I’m lazy).

I’m now fighting my natural human response to ramble on about my Salsa Fargo, with its slopey slopetacular top tube.

But in the interest of brevity, I’m going to summarise the reasons to get one thus:
1. It exists.

(Admittedly, I have not ridden it in a skirt)

[Phatboing]

Another option, if things aren’t muddled up already: An On-one Pompino, built up with an IGH.

I have mine set up with a 5-speed IGH and v-brakes, and I’m currently enjoying it as an everyday doer of everything.

[Phatboing]

@Steve O 73840 wrote:

If someone can help me with the data, I will add another prize.

Special recognition for anyone who rode while the temp was single digits. So essentially between about midnight last night and 10am this morning. If someone is able to compile a list, I can award each of them an ice cube at the pointless prizes happy hour.

Will we get our cubes dropped into drinks with pomp and appropriate ceremony?

[Phatboing]

For what it’s worth, I did also manage to convince Jan of Bikenetic to check out of they can get some of these things: http://www.slipnottraction.com/

Keep an eye on their Facebook page, or something.

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