[Sunyata]

Ooh! I might actually be able to make this and finally meet some cyclists in the area!

[Sunyata]

It is interesting to see that so many people think it is a terrible idea to ride in sandals…

And while I (emphasis on the I) would never wear flip flops to ride in, I do often ride in stiffer soled sandals (mostly Chacos with a heel strap). And the reason I would never wear flip flops is because they offer zero support and if I do not have a stiff sole, the arch in my right foot cramps up horribly and then I fall over, and no one wants to see that. Haha.

I am really curious to know why people feel that riding in flip flops is so dangerous, though.

[Sunyata]

Congrats on getting rid of your car! I was at the TdF, but missed the reveal of the trade-in winner because I was distracted by (drooling over) the ELF near the other stage.

If you wanted to check out/test ride my Raleigh, feel free to let me know. I am in Alexandria, but can meet you in DC as long as I can bike there.

[Sunyata]

I recently purchased a new commuter bike and had a few requirements to narrow down the field of choices:

I wanted a bike that was virtually maintenance free. I have four other bikes (three mountain and one road) that require regular maintenance that can take up a lot of time. I did not want my daily commuter to have to take up extra time when I could be riding.

I wanted a bike that was fairly light (base model <26 pounds) since I would be loading it up with racks and lights.

I wanted a bike that had gears. I live near Shirlington and work in Clarendon… My commute to work is ALL up hill.

I wanted a bike that had flat bars and disc brakes. I am above all a mountain biker and feel much more comfortable on flat bars and with the stopping power of disc brakes, especially in less than ideal weather.

So, I opted for a belt drive with IGH, which narrowed my choices considerably. I looked at several (Spot Brand Ajax, BMC Urban Challenge, Scott Sub, Focus Urban, and Raleigh Misceo 4.0), but ultimately chose the Raleigh Misceo due to components and price.

And I must say, the Misceo has been my absolute favourite bike purchase ever. It is super fun to ride, requires only pumping the tires up on occasion as maintenance, and has made my commutes to and from work the best part of my day.

If the individual in question wants to test ride mine (it is a medium frame), I will be happy to let her. It really is a fun bike, super stable, and stealthily quiet!

[Sunyata]

I work in Clarendon, so Ballston is definitely do-able for a lunch/picnic ride!

[Sunyata]

My contingency plan was to bring an extra set of clothes and a towel with me to work this morning… Tomorrow is going to be miserable, but I have not missed a BTWD in 5 years, and since this is my first in the DC area, I will not let a little (LOT) of rain stop me! 😎

[Sunyata]

I just recently bought a Raleigh Misceo 4.0, carbon belt drive with the 11 speed IGH. It was pretty bare bones, and I have since added rear racks, a front light (Cygolite Metro 360) and a rear blinky (Planet Bike Superflash Turbo). The bike is practically maintenance free and is absolutely SILENT while riding. And I absolutely love it!

My commute is pretty short (about 25 minutes each way), so a full charge on the front light lasts all week (probably two weeks now since I am rarely using it in the afternoons now). The battery on the Superflash lasts months, and it is an easy replacement with AAA batteries (I think, it has been so long since I have had to change the batteries in one of those!).

I looked at the Spot Brand bikes, but felt they were just too expensive for what I wanted and I got an amazing deal on the Raleigh from a shop in my hometown.

[Sunyata]

I saw you guys out there, but you were discussing the counter with a group, so I just kept on (plus, I am still getting used to maneuvering around so many people!).

The counter is a pretty neat tool. I am quite curious to know how it works!

[Sunyata]

It sounds like a really interesting article and really got me thinking about why I stopped riding my bicycle in high school (I used to ride a lot to “escape” when I was younger, but stopped when I got to high school because of extracurricular activities). I would be interested in reading the whole article. Unfortunately, it does not seem to be in any of the databases that I have (free) access to.

[Sunyata]

Welcome! I am new-ish too, and new to the area. Glad to see so many happy cyclists around the area! 😎
-Casey

[Sunyata]

If you are really interested in doing some riding out that way, there is a century ride in May that is AMAZING. It starts in Lynchburg, going out some beautiful back roads in Bedford County, to the BRP up Thunder Ridge and back down to the Peaks of Otter, then through some nice rolling hills back to Lynchburg. It would be an excellent training ride for a 3-4 day Brew Ridge Trail ride later in the year.

Here is a link to the ride. It is extremely well supported and has some of the most amazing views of any century ride in Virginia.
http://stormingofthunderridge.org/

I lived in Lynchburg and rode the BRP for several years (I just moved to NOVA from there) and I can honestly say there is not much better riding that out that way. If you start near Devil’s Backbone in Roseland/Nellysford, then I highly recommend riding up towards Crab Tree Falls. It is quite beautiful and has some good climbing.

[Sunyata]

I am new to the area and am happy to see that people are already starting to think about National Bike Month. My previous (very small) city had a huge cycling community and had a ton of great events planned for the month and especially for Bike Week, so I am excited to see that I can continue the tradition here in the DC area as well.

Is there any type of resource that might go over the Bike Week plans for the Arlington area that anyone can share?

[Author]

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