[Tania]

I could totally pass for Jamaican.

[Tania]

@83(b) 124295 wrote:

I’ve been lusting after that model for awhile. And I’ve been granted a bike ticket next year! Did you give it a ride at Bikenetic?

I did! I rode a 55cm and even with it being a touch too big, I absolutely LOVED it. Took it out on the gravel on the side of the W&OD and just flew. (“Flew” is relative – but I went much faster than I thought I could).

[Tania]

Doh. Yes, a cassette.

(Sorry!)

[Tania]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9652[/ATTACH]

I am completely outclassed by this bike. But I rode one today and it made me want to try very stupid things on it.

[Tania]

I work pretty close to the WH so this has a big impact on me. My boss has already given us all permission to work from home (if our office doesn’t just close, which is likely).

I told him if he absolutely needed someone to physically be here, that I could come in – although I’m not changing into work clothes and I’m definitely going to be riding my bike in circles around the office since no one will be here.

This page has shaded maps which I found to be little easier to understand than the list of street closures.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/DC-Traffic-Heavily-Impacted-by-Pope-Francis-Visit-327448091.html

[Tania]

@bentbike33 124050 wrote:

I suppose the sight-lines could be straightened out by easing the curves on either side of the underpass.

…or people could just NOT ride like jerks.

[Tania]

@consularrider 122627 wrote:

I rode the 50 States the past seven years, four of them as a marshal. I believe there was at least a little rain on each and every one of those rides.

I’m blaming you, consularrider. And since I’m a marshal, it’s not like I can bail.

Saturday: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 7 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

[Tania]

Not so much those two fingers as the entire outside of my palm and down along the outside of my forearm up through the elbow. I suspect when I hit that hole and got jolted, I pinched something that was already angry. It’s better this am.

And so I’ve decided to just get a new gravel bike. My Cannondale is awesome for commuting but it’s a little short when I go into the drops for rocky descents and the brakes and I have never really meshed. I love it otherwise and it will be my daily commuter/road bike.

Let the gravel bike shopping begin. (Dirt is helping me!) 😎

[Tania]

@KLizotte 56059 wrote:

I have some moderately good news to report.

I’ve done 117 miles the past four days and my hands have felt much better in terms of numbness severity. I haven’t changed anything on the bike but have become obsessive about my upper body positioning. I have a tendency to bunch up my shoulders so now I’m constantly telling myself to relax and hang loose, change hand positions very frequently, keep pushing myself back in the saddle since I tend to scooch forward, hold the handlebars with the least amount of grip possible, etc. Hopefully this will all become unconscious habit soon. More core strength will help too.

The numbness in my left hand has disappeared (yeah!) but I still experience it in the right hand; unfortunately I get numbness in that hand off the bike (e.g., driving) so I think it is a lost cause. At least the numbness isn’t as severe as it was a few weeks ago. Unfortunately riding in the drops for any length of time causes the numbness to come back with a vengeance but I’m concentrating on the hoods for now.

I’m going to pick up some handlebar tape today that offers more vibration protection. I’m also going to see Clovis again for a checkup, probably at the end of the summer when he is less busy unless I can get some time off from work mid-week.

Yes I’m dragging up an old thread. And I think you’ve recently acquired another bike so this may all be moot.

My wrists ache like crazy and even now my entire right arm from elbow down is numb and tingling after a four hour gravel ride Monday during which I pretty much death gripped and/or rode my brakes the entire time (Ok, I’m exaggerating…maybe it was like 60% of the time). Anyway, I hurt. My wrists had been pretty achy going into the ride (from other activities) so the gravel ride either exacerbated a chronic thing OR because my wrists were sore I was in a wonky position and created a secondary issue. I didn’t have the numbness prior to Monday. I also hit a large pothole about mile 20 and that’s about when my wrist really started to get BAD.

I saw my PT this am and I’ve called Freshbikes the past two days to get a bike fit scheduled but no one has called me back yet (grrrrr…). If my arm is still this numb tomorrow I’m going to get it checked out further.

Did you find the tweaks you made above helped (after more than just a few days)?

[Tania]

I have a polar hrm and then the hrm that came with my garmin. Both register appx the same beats per minute but the algorithms they use to calculate calories burned (based on heart rate) are COMPLETELY different. So I never bother to wear it anymore.

I’ve noticed the estimated calories burned (based off time, distance and my size/weight) are pretty different even without the heart rate monitor. 36 miles yesterday – strava said 1273, garmin said 1761. Based on level of effort for that ride (gravel, hills of death) I’d say garmin was right. But for my normal commute in and home (strava says 350ish, garmin 500-600), I go with the lower number for ride in (mostly downhill) and an average of the two coming home (pretty much all uphill). For casual coffee rides I’ll take the lower number, for rides where I feel like I’m working, I’ll average the two. I do think for most rides — for me — strava is too low but garmin is too high. For mountain biking I’ll go with the higher number.

It’s highly scientific and I’m sure someone will chime in to tell me just how wrong I am. But my scale weight tells me I’m doing it right (staying steady while allowing me the occasional donut…or four) so this works for me.

Curious about the power meter. Maybe I’ll finally put that on my bike!

[Tania]

You rock Steve. I don’t care what Cannon says about you.

[Tania]

vern;123747 wrote:

i work in skyline one day per week so i know the issues well. I now take wod to columbia pike to jefferson. There is a light at rt. 7 and jefferson to get you across safely. There is little traffic on columbia pike at that time of morning in the direction you will be headed – most traffic is headed in the opposite direction. You can always bail to the sidewalk if the traffic becomes irksome.

thanks!!!!

[Tania]

All great advice and very much appreciated.

I’ll be down that way tonight so I’ll scope out some of the routes. I’m pretty comfortable on the road but that time of morning (just coming sunlight) and sleepy drivers means I might think twice. If I take Dinwiddie (Me: “Dinwiddie!” Co-worker: “What?” Me: “Nevermind…”) then I’m only on GM for half a mile or so.

Of course, when I’m coming back to the W&OD after my appointment it will be full-on rush hour.

[Tania]

As long as we’re not talking gravel hills, I’m good. I’m graveled out for now.

Are Carlin Springs and Columbia Pike ok on a bike? I drive that way a few times a week and…eeesh. Low speed limit but traffic can be aggressive.

[Tania]

Pretty sure I’ve watched this at least a dozen times.

http://www.bicycling.com/culture/news/video-sending-whistlers-line-cyclocross-bike

Pro mountain biker rides Whistler on cx bike (and kit). Be sure you listen too, he’s having so much fun!

Hozn – agreed on the Wakefield berms. Was there Saturday (on my Titus) and that whole section is a rutted, eroded mess.

[Author]

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