[Steve]

Seems like he should just get a saw and steal it back. What’s the thief going to do, report the stolen bike? By the very nature of this thread, it seems like he could remove the other person’s lock pretty quickly.

[Steve]

I saw this interesting analysis by Cervelo on 650c vs. 700c wheels. I thought in light of this thread that some might enjoy the data:

http://www.cervelo.com/en/engineering/ask-the-engineers/what-is-your-opinion-on-650c-vs-700c-for-smaller-cyclists-.html

[Steve]

I’ve started noticing that the morning commute is getting darker and darker at the start. Winter is en route.

[Steve]

I would think the biggest advantage of a trailer is that you can unhook it and have a regular bike, no?

[Steve]

@jabberwocky 92252 wrote:

I’m not arguing that running that stop sign is by default unsafe (I don’t really care if people do), but the case in the OP absolutely was. KLizotte clearly had right of way. There is absolutely zero excuse for almost hitting her, and its frigging indefensible for people to swear at her while doing so. I’d be ashamed to be part of that group and be associated with asshat behavior like that.

If that group of cyclists was a car who did the same thing (ran a stop sign to pass a cyclist who had a legal right of way, almost hitting them) would people be defending them here?

I think you are right that this instance is indefensible. And your last sentence is a totally fair point, and I’m sure correct.

I think I’m just reacting to the Lance wannabee comment. I know KLizotte is reasonable, so I imagine they were pretty out of line. Just sometimes I feel like people really hate cycling for sport, always calling them ELITE, Lance, etc. There is something to be said about this as a great sport.

[Steve]

@mstone 92249 wrote:

Driving in a group is called a parade,

Parades typically happen on closed roads. Group rides do not.

[Steve]

@mstone 92248 wrote:

Well, most sports are played in the appropriate venue. A public road simply isn’t a place to be riding as though one is on a closed course. Maybe there should be a venue, maybe you can get the rules changed to close HP to other uses, maybe the sport cyclists need to pass the hat and buy a venue, whatever–the lack of appropriate facilities doesn’t justify being asshats to other people using public spaces as designed.

That’s constructive. How does one buy a venue for pack riding on streets? Our only closed road event as cyclists got cancelled this year. So where do you think packs of people should ride?

I don’t even ride in these training rides, so I’m not sure why I’m defending it. I suppose that I would like to see sport cycling grow in the US. Part of that is training rides that happen on, oh my god, public roads. I’m not saying that they can do whatever they want, or cross the line all the way, but I think some consideration should be given that they are trying to use this public (basically park) space to train. Running that stop sign for a right turn is, albiet illegal, a fairly safe circumstance. Many people do it, peleton or not. There is only one lane of vehichles that could enter that lane other than they cyclists, and they are coming from straight ahead. This gives LONG sightlines as to whether or not there will be a conflict. These training rides happen OFTEN on HP, and I don’t hear very much bad that comes of them, and have never personally thought there was anything wrong.

[Steve]

@bobco85 92227 wrote:

That said, it needs to be ORGANIZED. I think this has worked really well for other large weekly rides like the Freshbikes rides.

If it’s organized, people will then have to pay for police to escort the peleton on roads that they are already allowed to ride.

Riding in a group requires a permit. Driving in one is called traffic.

[Steve]

Yea, Arlington Blvd leading down to Iwa Jima (not Rt. 50, Arl Blvd above it) was milled for about a week it seems before repaving.

I was also very surprised yesterday when moving with a decent amount of speed down Wilson Blvd and all the sudden hit the spot where it was milled up in Clarendon. Were there any warnings about this? Due to the other milling, I had been riding a different way for most of the week, so perhaps I missed it.

[Steve]

@Dirt 92212 wrote:

Feeding the bats on the way home from the Best Buddies Training Ride

…..no actual moths were hurt during the filming of this scene…..

[Steve]

I’m wtih Arlingtonrider on this. I know it can be irritating and the groups can perhaps step over the line at times, but there aren’t many places in the city that a cyclist could really train for that kind of riding.

Cycling isn’t JUST transportation for everyone. I know this forum tends to be pretty transportational cyclist focused, but cycling is also a sport. Just becasue people want to participate in the sport aspect of it, doesn’t mean they are Lance wannabees, any more than people playing basketball at the gym are Lebron wannabees. They are just people trying to compete at a sport. There’s nothing wrong with that. And, unfortunately, there aren’t really any/many facilities in and around the city that folks can participate in the sport. HP has become one of those places.

Again, not all behavior is excused, and perhaps this particular ride was over the line, but I do think HP should be a place where people can train and pacelines have a little bit of freedom.

[Steve]

I’ve wanted to start a thread like this for a while, just haven’t for some reason. Mine was more about finding out who your “Bobs” are. You know, people you see every day on your ride, and just wondering if they are a forum member or a friend of one, because it’s nice to see people out.

I get passed on the 14th street bridge in the afternoon by a gent on a ss/fg that is maroon, and has these awesome finned marroon fenders that I covet. Like the middle line of the fenders is raised and looks like a shark fin. I wonder who he is. I like his bike.

I also OFTEN see the Rod Smith look alike. He rides a purplish bridgeston (I think) with some type of mustache handlebar. He rides south on MVT in the late afternoon in the 430-5pm timeframe. I usually see him around Ros. Island or the ramp leading up to Rosslyn. He has a great beard.

[Steve]

@dplasters 92085 wrote:

But then you wouldn’t have a handle bar for the bike you just stole, and assuming you locked the bike to something throwing it into a van would seem difficult… so i’m confused.

My guess is he didn’t actually watch the video, just read the description, and assumed it was like a lock-out type function, or that the handlebar locked back onto the bike, not realizing that it is actual an integrated/removeable u-lock.

I’ve always thought that the fork/stem should lock in a turned position, much like a scooter does, but again, you’d still have to u-lock it to something.

I’d also probably like lockable quick releases on the wheels, if possible, or, as I’ve often thought, some sort of bridge type lock (as part of the frame) that could swing thru the wheel when locked, making it no longer removeable.

[Steve]

Improve/create links between North and South Arlington, whether that be by way of Washington Blvd Trail, George Mason, Glebe…..

[Steve]

@KayakCyndi 92023 wrote:

Actually pictures of pro-cyclists usually just make think I need to stop eating and ride insane distances.

So my brother is a pretty good runner and xc coach, and he once told me that at the elite levels of running, the general thought is that you should be about 2lbs for every inch of height. I think the last time I had those proportions was sometime before grade school.

[Author]

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