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Nice, are we putting in song requests now?

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@GuyContinental 25919 wrote:

And to add perspective- a Strava day on Le Tour:

http://app.strava.com/runs/13899917

819w… wow

Yeah it’s amazing that even on my best day I couldn’t hit 50% of what the pros do. I’d have to somehow weigh half as much, or double my power output. Well, maybe not that amazing.

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I love having cadence. That was one of my first big steps in getting “better” with my cycling. It made me realise I used to ride around 50-60 a lot.

I saw two other commuters with orange (or maybe just worn out/dirty yellow) bags on their back this morning, going down the Custis. One of them was doing a ridiculous speed bombing downhill around blind corners and dodging between peds even though he had a bell on each end of his drops. By Georgetown he was behind me but then swiftly overtook me on M St. by dodging between a taxi and a bus in front of me. C’mon, Darwin award! 😡

I’m a bit concerned about the weather on the way home today too, so I drove part of my commute.

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It’s one of my favourite features on Strava that if you happen to ride with/close to someone else who also uses Strava it shows up. Mostly useful for group rides, I suppose.

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The Charge Tap is an interesting commuter since it’s steel, comes with full fenders and an internally geared hub (IGH), so it’s the most different of your choices. It’s also more unusual/less generic (and a prettier bike imo). The more traditional level top tube could make it a touch harder for riding with non-bike clothes. I’d guess it’s a touch heavier than the others since both frame and fork are steel, and the hub will also be heavy.

The other choices are much of a muchness: entry level aluminum fitness-hybrids with wider tires and wide gearing and it comes down to your preference really. Any of them would be worthy casual/around-town bikes with some zip. It looks like they all have standard stems/handlebars so you can change the stem in future if you need.

The Fuji and GT both have carbon forks so may ride a little more comfortably. Keep in mind that when you test ride a bike it probably won’t be set up ideally for you. You might want to ask them to adjust, at the very least, the saddle height for you before you test ride. The GT has a bit of a smaller wheelbase so the handling may be a teeny bit racier/sharper/less stable. The Fuji has the cables runs over the top of the top tube which makes it easier for shouldering if you need to carry it up stairs, etc.

Btw here are the links to most of those bikes for anyone else:
Fuji 2.0
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1118664_-1___400316
Charge
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1108607_-1___400319
DB
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1117668_-1___400316
GT
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1114671_-1___400316

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@creadinger 25854 wrote:

Why does Strava say that on July 13th, Dirt joined me on my commute home? Did I have a very inconspicuous drafter behind me?

If you click through his name from the “Ridden by XYZ and 1 other” link you’ll be able to see their ride and where they overlapped.

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@cephas 25861 wrote:

I’m confused why anybody would use such low pressure as it recommends. I like my wheels full of air, and this chart recommends not quite as much. The bike handles better, and moves quicker with higher inflation.

Lower tire pressure => more comfortable ride, smoother over bumps. I doubt higher pressure actually makes the bike move faster beyond a certain pressure, especially for imperfect surfaces such as a everyday riding roads.

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@GuyContinental 25772 wrote:

identical complaint- lots of surging.

I have that issue too with the trailer. The attachment is basically fixed straight to the chainstay, and if you’ve ever drafted close behind someone who starts to stand up and pedal out of the saddle you’ll know that it means surging. It’s not really a fault of the trailer per se, but I’m sure there are some designs which can damp the oscillations better.

For helmets, I also just got whatever was around at Toys R Us – Bell, I think.
I waited until almost 12 months (good neck control) before attempting either kid on the bike. Both my kids were 90+ %iles for height/weight when they were younger (my daughter is still big for her age), so a little before 12 months was okay.

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Added to calendar. I may be able to make this – I’ll RSVP if I’m confirmed.

Update: I’m in!

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Generally weekends are pretty busy for me but with some planning I could probably make one.

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Would you miss having your GT set up as a road bike (for say, faster group or weekend rides)? If not, and if the frame can take wider tires and racks then I’d just add those. You could also get a different angled stem for a more upright riding position.

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@Bilsko 25649 wrote:

Hey there’s nothing wrong with hanging a bike on the wall!

I think I have the same hanger (used for tires/tubes/wheels) in my laundry.

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@consularrider 25493 wrote:

Bikenetic is the one closest to my house and I have been taking my bikes there for work since they opened this year.

Same here – it’s the closest, close to a trail, and bikeable from my house. I’ve been very happy with them so far (although I have two bikes that I bought from Performance that I still take there for basic free services). I have also used Bike Pro Shop in Alexandria once and they were fine (although a bit pricey).

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Just on child carriers in general, I’ve used both a chain-stay attached trailer (cheap Nashbar one) and a top-tube mounted one, the “WeeRide Kangaroo carrier” (WeeRide is an ok name if you’re Scottish, otherwise it might as well be called “WhizzRide”).

They both have their pros and cons, although I would say the trailer is definitely the less enjoyable to take around. Heavier, more time consuming to attach and detach, and the kid can’t see that much out of it. Probably a bumpier ride for the kid too, being on smaller wheels and closer to the ground. A nicer trailer may alleviate some of those “cons”.

I do agree there is a different sort of risk with the Kangaroo carrier being mounted directly on the bike (if you tip over for example), it’s also easier to navigate and you don’t have to worry about a car not seeing your trailer. The Kangaroo trailer gives your child has a great view of the ride and wind in their face, and they also feel very secure between your arms. The bolts on the bar of the Kangaroo do stick out sideways a bit and end up rubbing on the inside of my thighs which is annoying. By age 3 or 4 though it is too small so it’s only for littlest kids.

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@jabberwocky 25624 wrote:

All the bikes you listed are department store bikes with extremely cheap components. And as department store bikes, they likely only come in one size and after-sale support will be non-existent. For someone in your price range, I’d recommend hitting your nearest Performance Bikes and seeing what they have. They do carry hybrids in that price range, and as a real bike shop they offer free tuneups and such for a period of time after the sale. Just as an example, this would probably be a good fit for you: http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1093540_-1___400322

I wouldn’t say anything under 300 dollars is a waste, just know that a lot of compromises have to be made in the parts to get the bike down to that price level. Also know that department store bikes are essentially disposable.

Welcome to the forum.

^ This!

My hybrid was £300 and has 1600mi on it, and still has all original components other than stem, handlebar, pedal and tires.

Performance actually give you lifetime basic maintenance last I heard. A couple years ago I actually took my rusty MTB back for a free service (I’d bought it maybe 4 years ago) and they didn’t flinch or even ask for proof of purchase.

If you can stretch your budget to <$400 you could get something quite nice enough for basic riding:
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1117668_-1___400316

[Author]

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