[secstate]

On recent visits to NYC, I’ve noticed a remarkable number of e-bikes — and not the pedal-assist kind — in spite of their being banned in the city. It definitely changed my perception of how popular they’re likely to become. Given how heavily they are being marketed, it doesn’t seem crazy to me that within a decade a large percentage (though perhaps not half) of bike sales will be electric or e-assist.

https://patch.com/new-york/new-york-city/illegal-electric-bikes-will-get-restaurants-slapped-fines

edit: Seems many of these bikes are for restaurant delivery

[secstate]

So. It’s been a few weeks now. Have people who have been using or following the dockless systems developed any loyalties, attachments, or aversions to particular systems yet? This could be due to the quality or comfort of the bikes, or due to good or bad corporate behavior.

It’d be nice to have a backup to CaBi, which I enjoy riding but often has no bikes available in Foggy Bottom by the time I want to get out of here in the evenings. Also, I’m 5’10”, with legs perhaps on the long side for that height, and I hear that fit is an issue.

Apart from Jump, they still all seem interchangeable to me. I know Judd thinks the Limebike people are unresponsive. Assuming I’m not going to sign up and install apps for, like, four separate systems, which should I pick and why?

[secstate]

@TwoWheelsDC 167052 wrote:

I can see this as a benefit to getting to your destination, but what about when it’s time to go somewhere else? Like, you don’t have a CaBi station near your house, so you take a DoBi…but then when you get up the next morning, the DoBi is gone and you’re back where you started. Maybe DoBi is a decent, albeit imperfect, solution to that problem, I dunno…but the lack of permanence of bike locations is something that would keep me from using it to get to an out-of-the-way spot.

A fair point. In practice, and IF dockless sticks around, I bet people will end up using a mix of systems, and will need to be a little flexible in their planning. That’s already the case with CaBi, since docks are frequently full or out of bikes around peak periods (though rarely here in Silver Spring, at least in my limited experience).

I don’t see myself giving up my personal bike, in part because many of my rides are longer than 30 minutes, and in part because I like the predictability of having a bike available without having to hunt for one. But, when I’m heading out for a night on the town, I like to carry as little as possible, and not having to worry about bringing a lock, lights, etc., makes that easier. I could see myself using a dockless bike from, say, Silver Spring to Columbia Heights or U Street — approx. a 25 minute ride, and with questionable dock availability. (I do this on CaBi sometimes as it is).

I really hope there proves to be room for both types of systems and that what we eventually see is an expanding bike pie.

[secstate]

Yes, I spotted one in Silver Spring this morning and wondered about this. The CaBi stations here aren’t terribly convenient, at least not for me, so the dockless might actually get used.

[secstate]

This is a new ride for me. I’m registered for the 52mi route and will try to start on the earlier end (around 0830). Always glad to have company.

[secstate]

@anomad 166815 wrote:

Begin ebike debate.

Hope everyone heals up ok.

More like “roadies on trails” debate, though who knows what happened in this case. Really a shame, and a reminder to all of us to be courteous and cautious on MUPs.

[secstate]

Thanks for posting this. It’s impossible to make everyone happy. But, I do wish more companies would allow deeper customization of feeds. I generally prefer a chronological feed, but at the same time there are “athletes” (e.g., my dad) I don’t want to miss. I feel sorry for the algorithm designer who has to accommodate my “chronological except dad.”

Being able to filter out certain activities (e.g., trainer rides, yoga) from the feed would be especially nice.

[secstate]

Seems like you’ve figured it out already. 11th and 14th are the ways to go.

Lots of good eats in that hood, too. I like El Chucho’s happy hour (all night) on Mondays — half price food, and it’s very good! The Union Drinkery and Small Fry on Georgia are also worth checking out.

[secstate]

@TwoWheelsDC 166550 wrote:

There’s no fee on the MD side regardless of how you enter.

There is! A friend got dinged when entering on his bike via MacArthur Blvd. I watched and laughed.

[secstate]

Sorry to hear that MARC was a hassle last weekend. Our train left almost exactly on time.

@ginacico 166380 wrote:

Wait, so MARC actually let you put bikes on the train with no bike car?

Yes, the conductor spotted David and me franticly looking for the bike car. He laughed at us (in a friendly way), said there was no bike car on that particular train, and to just do our best. I wouldn’t try this during the week.

[secstate]

Bikedavid, new friend Lu, and I spent a few hours poking around Baltimore yesterday. (We biked out and took the MARC back — the MARC didn’t have a special bike car like it was supposed to, but fortunately the train wasn’t crowded).

We found Baltimore’s longest cycletrack, on Maryland avenue. It almost-too-conveniently runs from near Penn Station to near Peabody Brewery. Don’t hesitate to put your bike on the MARC and explore Baltimore one weekend day — we had a really nice time biking around the city. There’s lots to do and see.

Sadly, it seems that some of Baltimore’s new bike infrastructure, including the Maryland Ave cycletrack, is at risk of demolition.

Advocates fear a rollback of bike infrastructure in Baltimore [Baltimore Sun 06-18-2017]

City plans to tear out protected bike lane on Potomac Street [Baltimore Sun 06-08-2017]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]15552[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15553[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]15554[/ATTACH]

[secstate]

@Crickey7 166326 wrote:

It’s also 2 lanes of enraged suburbanites trying to race out of downtown at the maximum possible speed, no shoulder and no parking lane. I got bumped at speed more than once.

I live near that awful intersection of 16th, Eastern, Colesville Rd, and North Portal. It is constant drama.

[secstate]

Perhaps it needs to be repositioned.

[secstate]

@Crickey7 166318 wrote:

Don’t ride 16th Street if you want to live. Drivers on that road are downright horrible.

I’m always surprised to see cyclists on 16th Street. Fourteenth is such an easy alternative, and the portion north of Columbia Heights is pretty chill.

At one point there was a proposal to make dedicated bike/bus lanes on 16th. That might change things. But, it is a very busy bus route and I have a hard time imagining that I would prefer it over 14th.

[secstate]

@Judd 166288 wrote:

I saw Le Ride earlier this year and thought it was really entertaining. It was humorous and did a good job of highlighting how brutal the 1928 Tour de France was. Would recommend.

Can confirm. Very good film.

[Author]

Posts