[vvill]

It’s cool, but my dream would be if the right lane of every multi-lane road was sharrowed by default. Then the funding for roads would benefit cyclists as well as other road users.

[vvill]

I use them as helmet lights when I ride in the dark. I have one on the back of my helmet, and the other mounted on my helmet visor. Batteries are still going fine.

[vvill]

Agree about the float, I totally forgot about that – I have bad knees too. Also agree that the surface area shouldn’t really impact your power transfer all that much.

[vvill]

I would pick somewhere along the Orange line as you have the W&OD/Custis bike network giving great access to DC, and the areas are generally nice without being hideously expensive (they are expensive though). I have a 9 mi one-way commute from just north of Arlington/Fairfax border in northern Virginia, to DC (19th + K St NW). I like where I live but I would be just as happy or possibly happier in Arlington itself – I like urban settings.

To keep it under 10 mi you probably won’t want to go much further out than Falls Church.

[vvill]

Sounds great – I think I should be able to make it.

[vvill]

I’ve only ever used SPDs and Crank Bros before. Both are fine but I prefer Crank Bros for the 4-sided entry which lets me clip in very fast. I have Crank Bros Candy pedals on 3 bikes.

[vvill]

Last time I was at Performance Bike in Tysons/Vienna they said they were short staffed. Sure did seem like it!

[vvill]

@dasgeh 14312 wrote:

vvill, we’re moving to Cherrydale in a few months, and I’ll have the option of going a bit out of the way to get on the trail at Nelson, or take Lee Hwy for a few blocks (from the old firehouse, to be exact) and getting on the trail at that horrible corner. Thoughts? (Oh, and I’m no Dirt on the hills — fewer / less steep hills = better)

Well, going towards DC that part of Lee Hwy does have a bike path and is a nice downhill but there’s also reasonably fast moving traffic and parked cars right next to the bike lane. Occasionally there’s a vehicle fully blocking the bike lane. When the bike lane disappears I believe the design/intention is for the rider to go up onto the sidewalk to the right and join the Custis before crossing the bridge over Lee and going down the S-curve of death. I prefer to stay on the sidewalk for an extra block and then cross as a pedestrian and yeah, then I join the trail at that horrible corner. You do really have to watch for [bike] traffic coming from your left as you merge onto the trail, and the runoff that RESTONTODC mentions often manifests itself on the sidewalk just before you join the trail (above the storm drain in the picture) – mostly gravel and dirt. I’ve had my tires slip there a few times. Also – I ride in pretty early, and I’d be riding there on Lee no later than 7:45am, so traffic might be a lot worse in true peak hours. I’ve never ridden the backstreets to Nelson but I imagine it’s safer, but slower.

Going westwards, I’ve only ridden back from DC on Lee once or twice, since it’s all uphill with traffic – I usually take Lorcom Ln home.

[vvill]

@Subby 14275 wrote:

Today was the day I was going to conquer 41st street. I did a nice slow pace over Chain Bridge to conserve my energy, making sure I didn’t beat the light at 123 and Glebe. Gathered myself and waited for the light change. Started slowly chugging up to the lot – man it gets steep quick. Shifted all the way into the highest (or is it lowest? christ I am such a newb) gear, stood up and methodically pedaled up…up…up. Made it past the initial incline, sweating like a 40 year-old fat guy on a hybrid commuter bike climbing a steep-ass hill.

Halfway there! Just staring at the road, focusing, cranking, focusing, cranking. Finally, make it to the end of 41st street – woooohooooo! SUCK IT, HILL.

Now I just have to make up the little connector path to the street above and victory will be mine. Feeling good. Pedaling…slower, slower…gravity…winning…OH GOD….FALLING OVER. ARRRGGGGGH.

FAIL.

Almost made it. Luckily I caught the metal rail with my left hand before I went all the way down. So. Very. Close.

You’ll make it soon! Took me 3 tries on my hybrid. Even these days when I ride up I still have a fear my legs/lungs will give out and I’ll start falling over while clipped in.

@dcv 14280 wrote:

I want to try too, is 41st similar to this hill? (photo by VVill, potomac st in georgetown)
Also, if you cross over from DC, do you ride C&O canal or Canal rd to get to chain bridge?

Not really, 41st is a fair bit steeper and longer than Potomac St. And the pavement isn’t that smooth, and the gradient changes as you go.

The only official route from DC is to take the C&O. You could ride on Canal Rd I suppose but it’s uphill, often with a fair bit of traffic.
The other option is to take the CCT until you are just above the Canal/Chain Br intersection and walk down an offroad path, and then cross Canal Rd with your bike, including stepping over the barrier. It’s ugly but if you don’t want to ride skinny tires on the C&O, it works okay.

[vvill]

@dcv 14250 wrote:

The second one is potomac st coming up off k st in georgetown, under the whitehurst. Right around corner from cycle life.

Correctamundo! I completely forgot it was so close to a bike store.

[vvill]

here? [ATTACH=CONFIG]703[/ATTACH]

that’s exactly where i get on the trail on the way to DC (I come down Lee Hwy, and then cross at the pedestrian light)

[vvill]

@JimF22003 14240 wrote:

How’s this for difficult? Hint the point of this pic was the sandbag that was placed the day before our mega windstorm last fall. I thought maybe the sandbag was to keep the “facilities” from blowing over…

Looks like a metro train after the floor carpeting has been stripped.

[vvill]

This is a fun thread!

An easy one, and one slightly less easy, perhaps.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]701[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]702[/ATTACH]

[vvill]

Sorry to hear about your crash + injury. Heal up.

I commute on 700x23s and while it’s not ideal, I’m yet to puncture – excepting the morning I crashed (also on the Custis) and broke my arm. (I’ve only had one other puncture on these tires in ~1400mi, around Leesburg on the W&OD when I carelessly went straight over a sharp rock.)

Actually after my crash a lot of thoughts went through my head about what I did wrong, how dangerous really is cycling?, etc For a time I was thinking that I should be commuting on a 26″ with Big Apples and disc brakes but now I have a lot more miles on my road bike I’m fine with it. I think I learned a lot from that crash.

I do wish I had a CX bike to commute on, since my road bike will only take 25s max, or possibly smaller 28s.

[vvill]

I don’t see any eye protection. Otherwise he seems well suited up.

[Author]

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