[TwoWheelsDC]

You’re absolutely right about the differences between the original and adjustable Incredibells. The original is absolutely fantastic and should come stock on all new bikes, like reflectors. I had to move to an adjustable one when I got a road bike and it really is inferior…better than nothing, but inferior nonetheless. If you get an adjustable version, I recommend placing a rubber strip underneath it if you mount it on an exposed section of your bars, as the adjustable band is just plain plastic and isn’t grippy, so it slips when it’s wet. Several times in the rain I’ve gone to ding, only to have the bell slip, which is uh, sub-optimal.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@jrenaut 21845 wrote:

Am I correct in assuming that the downside of loosening the tension to make it easier to clip/unclip is that your foot isn’t held in quite as tight? It took about 4 miles of total riding to start noticing that my left foot is locked in more tightly. That’s the foot I keep locked in all the time, so I think the guy at the shop left it tighter.

I’ve never come unclipped, even when I first started out and had the tension cranked almost all the way down. However, when I got a new bike, I had the shop put a new set of pedals on it, thus leaving the old pedals on the old bike. I rode the new bike for a while, without readjusting the pedal tension, before using the old bike again and couldn’t believe how un-secure I felt on the old pedals. I barely had to move my foot to unclip. It was then that I realized that I much prefer a tighter clip-in/clip-out. With the new SPD-SLs that I got, the tension seems pretty low and I barely have to press my foot down to clip in once I have my foot in the correct spot…definitely need to crank up the tension.

[TwoWheelsDC]

I got a later start than usual (645, probably early for most people I suppose) and thinking back on the ride in, I am surprised at how few riders I saw, particularly between 14th St. Bridge up the MVT and riding up the Custis. I think I saw about 3 cyclists on Military, but then I probably went 4 more miles without seeing another bike.

[TwoWheelsDC]

Looks like it was a good time and I was sad to miss it…stupid social obligations. I did get a whole 1.5 miles in riding to Harris Teeter for brunch supplies, though, so the day wasn’t a total loss.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@jrenaut 21698 wrote:

I just bought shoes and SPDs yesterday. It took me 5 minutes on the trainer at the shop to get one foot clipped in, even with guidance from the staff. I’m going out this afternoon during kid nap time to do circles around the parking lot by my house and practice. It remains to be seen whether I commute in the shoes on Monday. The pedals have flat backs, so I have options.

Funny, I just switched to SPD-SLs on my road bike and was having a hell of a time getting clipped in because it’s a bit different than the SPDs I’m so used to. With SPDs, it is so intuitive to me that I just put ut my foot down and I’m clipped without the slightest effort. But it did take me a few days to get used to the SPDs initially, so I’m sure it’ll be the same for the SLs, and I’m sure you’ll be used to it in no time.

Which pedals did you get? I just pulled the Shimano A530s off my road bike…I also have a set on my commuter and I may just keep running both systems since SPDs are so much more walkable.

[TwoWheelsDC]

[TwoWheelsDC]

[TwoWheelsDC]

Of course the safest crossing is no crossing at all, but I suspect the historical review board would go apesh*t if the plans called for a direct access ramp from Memorial Bridge to the MVT. A ramp wouldn’t solve the Washington Blvd. problem, but I wonder if the elevation is high enough there that a ped underpass would be feasible without flooding issues. Would definitely prevent this:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=20003&hl=en&ll=38.8858,-77.059287&spn=0.000992,0.002064&sll=38.785393,-76.22332&sspn=0.063292,0.132093&t=h&gl=us&hnear=Washington,+District+of+Columbia+20003&z=20&layer=c&cbll=38.885703,-77.059339&panoid=f6tc-YKBi1EK1_sK_Nxgcg&cbp=12,175.13,,0,25.13

[TwoWheelsDC]

Although my points total is decent enough, I’ve been a worthless teammate this week. I’m just having one of those weeks where I have pretty much zero desire to get on my bike. Could be wedding planning now compounded by dog sitting for a friend whose dog is much more energetic and high strung than my own dog…it’s exhausting.

[TwoWheelsDC]

I’ve only been into to watching competitive cycling for about a year, so this will be my first time attending an I’m pretty excited. I don’t remember seeing anything about a bike valet. But maybe if I get out there early enough it won’t be an issue.

[TwoWheelsDC]

Can WABA work with local lawmakers and just outlaw coastal flooding? North Carolina seems to think it can work.

[TwoWheelsDC]

Maybe sorta threadjacking here…I have reversible SPD pedals on my commuter and put the same ones on my road bike for simplicity…but now I’m thinking of putting proper road pedals on the road bike (probably spd-sl, as that system seems to do a serviceable job of acting like a platform pedal for the times I ride without my cycling shoes).

The real question for me is whether I just buy two sets so I can put a set on my commuter as well, or just change up the road bike. Changing both bikes would keep me from having to have two pairs of shoes laying around and would expand my shoe options, but I do like the walkability of my MTB shoes. Anyone commute with spd-sl cleats and like/dislike it?

[TwoWheelsDC]

According to Brooks, cyclists and pedestrians are “required to stop and make sure the roadway is clear before crossing” the section of parkway where today’s accident occurred.

Christ….the article actually makes it sound like this was on the Washington Blvd section and not the parkway proper. Either way, the sight lines for both these intersections are such that a ped in the crosswalk is easily visible (not so much if they are standing under the ped crossing sign, oddly enough) from quite a distance….meaning that either the cyclist misjudged the distance of the car and/or its speed and entered the intersection at a point where the driver couldn’t stop in time, or the driver simply wasn’t paying attention. I’ll assume the latter until shown otherwise.

Also, if a ped IN the crosswalk has the right of way, and a car hits said ped IN the crosswalk, how the eff is the driver not getting a ticket?

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Dirt 21381 wrote:

The best thing to upgrade on pretty much ANY bike is the wheels. That is where you’ll feel the most difference in an upgrade. It is also where most road bikes under $2000 save money, in my view. Come to think of it, the ones over $2000 tend to do it too. If century-type rides are in your goals, a set of wheels that is a bit lighter and a bit more aerodynamic will be a big improvement.

With that in mind, I’d say that upgrading the current bike will more expensive than you are anticipating. Projects like this usually are.

Is there something that the current bike isn’t doing that specifically makes you want to upgrade? If nothing is really wrong with the bike you’re riding, I’d probably suggest either keep riding it, or put it up on CL and buy the new bike. Dropping a lot into the current bike will make improvements, but likely will not get you something that works better, but you’ll likely be coming back for more, or a new bike in the near future.

To me the only real options are 1) Do nothing and enjoy your bike pretty much as is… maybe new tires, saddle and cables and housing to make it work its best, if you haven’t already done that; or b) Put it on Craig’s List and buy the new bike.

Does that help?

Pete

Of course it helps!

There isn’t anything wrong with the bike at all, but new parts are shiny Really, I’m just thinking that the older components are starting to show their age and my ability to upgrade piecemeal is limited, so I’d need to upgrade most of the drivetrain all at once, which is spendy. New wheels/tires are also on the list, but again, spendy.

So I’m leaning on holding off on any major upgrades for the next couple of months, so long as nothing breaks. Then I’ll start doing some test rides and see if that helps make the decision easier. But I’m still eager to hear what others think!

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Tim Kelley 21357 wrote:

We could set up a voting poll thread to let the forum decide what you should do! Interested?

Yes! I will rely on the collective wisdom of #bikeDC!

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