[ShawnoftheDread]

@jopamora 22839 wrote:

I like the shorts from Race Face, Fox, and Zoic

Can no one make bike shorts for less than $40? Everyone mentions saving money by biking, but everything I see suggests many people spend more on gear than they previously spent on gas (yes, I’m exaggerating a bit).

[ShawnoftheDread]

@essigmw 22618 wrote:

Greetings,

My story is fairly similar to yours. I live in Fairfax off of Braddock Road, and I commute each day by bike to the NAVY Yard. I had ridden both ways about once a month for nearly a year before I took the plunge and gave up my car commute last March. When I stopped driving to work I originally commuted by VRE/CaBi. I rode my bike to the Burke Centre Station, locked it up, hopped on the commuter rail to L’Enfant, then picked up a CaBi bike to ride to the Navy Yard Metro station. This worked great since even in CaBi’s infancy there were plenty of bikes and docks, and if they were empty in the morning I would just stay on the train to Union Station and pick up a bike there. For the reverse trip I would check the CaBi tracker website to see where there were more docks and ride to that station. I would even ride over to crystal city for days where I wanted a little more exercise. On days that I would have to leave early I would ride to the Vienna Metro station and lock my bike there. I would still ride all the way in about every month for the fun of it.

When the federal employee commuter benefit was cut from $230 to $125 I switched over to the Metrobus. I ride my bike to one of 3 bus stops within a mile of my house that allows me to catch either the 17K, 17G, or 17H express bus (with this flexibility a bus is avaiable nearly every 10-15 minutes which is better than the 40 minutes between VRE trains). I load my bike on the front of the bus and take this bus to the pentagon, then with my bike ride the 5 miles from the Pentagon to the Navy Yard. Most days the entire trip door to door takes about 1:15-1:25 minutes depending on traffic. The nice thing about the bus is that I have a way to transport my bike back home without huffing it all the way up the Custis/W&OD, so I can ride my bike all the way in during the morning commute, and take the bus home in the afternoon (a necessity during the +90F degree days of July and August).

Annandale is tough, not much bike infrastructure. I can probably help with routes, if you have any questions.

Welcome to the addiction!

I also live off Braddock and do the 17 lines with my bike on days I don’t have to drive into Old Town first (my usual bike start) and then ride from the Pentagon to downtown. What route do you take on days you ride all the way in?

[ShawnoftheDread]

My six year old rode her trailer bike 13 miles to get there, and then rode in the parade. She loved it.

[ShawnoftheDread]

OneEighth Passed me on 15th ST heading home today. And then he vanished in traffic cruising through a red light. Elusive.

[ShawnoftheDread]

Is that a ’72 Olds in the frame on the right? Sweet.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@rsewell19 22355 wrote:

Nice…..I was the guy going so slow my Bianchi was 10 ft ahead of me, besides I don’t recall you having a cricket bat so it couldn’t have been you.

Yeah, that wasn’t me then. I always carry my cricket bat to deal with snippy pedestrians and zombies.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@GuyContinental 22338 wrote:

Awwwkward…

Could be worse, he could have been belly-aching about that large guy on the pink bike that sings and stops at crossings…

In my defense, I was wearing short socks. And I call my passes. Maybe it’s not me, but the creaking cranks and the route, and especially the wheezing, sound like me.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@rsewell19 22321 wrote:

Dear Chubs.

I do appreciate that your creaking cranks and sock-less feet are the uniform of a serious weekend warrior, and your wheezing lungs function as your warning sign when you approach from behind, but please let me know you are about to pass next time, especially when I am approaching two runners in the opposite lane. Oh yeah, and when you pass me please make sure you have enough left in those stubby little legs to make it over the airport over-pass (or in your case “L’Alpe d’Huez”) because having your arse crack in my face really wasn’t a pleasant way to end my ride. Cheers.

It sounds like you’re talking about me. Which guy were you?

[ShawnoftheDread]

@rcannon100 22299 wrote:

Dr. Gonzo: “As your attorney, I advise you to”… never provide your actual birthday to anyone anywhere ever …. unless necessary and required.

You can learn about the tour de fat without compromising your privacy here http://www.waba.org/blog/2012/06/a-complete-guide-to-dcs-1st-annual-tour-de-fat/

Or you could just make something up.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@acc 22257 wrote:

Rather than contaminate yet another sport, this needs to stop now. He needs to clear himself before taking on the triathlon world.

He won’t be able to clear himself. His accusers have never been able to prove their accusations, but the accusations just keep coming despite all the clean test results. He’s essentially being asked to prove his innocence without using the strongest evidence in his favor — years of clean tests.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@bernsteinl 22043 wrote:

Thanks for the warm welcome. I’ll follow up in another column toward the end of the summer and let you all know how it went.

Yesterday I tried the round trip for the first time (17 miles each way). Three words: Not. Ready. Yet.

Tomorrow I’m going to drive somewhere, probably the CCT, and round trip a shorter commute.

I’m sure this all old hat to you folks who have put in thousands of miles, but I’m having a good time.

Lenny

I do a half-commute, too. For both fitness and family reasons, I can’t do 18 miles each way from/to home, so I drive about halfway to take my daughter to school, and bike the rest. I’ve come from apprehension about the bike time, to mild enjoyment, to eager anticipation each day, in just six months.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@acc 22039 wrote:

[Bikes] don’t care if you rode ten miles this week or three hundred.

ann

Then why was mine mocking me as I climbed in the car this morning and left it in the carport?

[ShawnoftheDread]

@GuyContinental 22012 wrote:

Clearly I’m no expert- but if you want to try the balance bike thing why not just pull the pedals/crank/BB from her current bike?

I tried this with a 12″ bike for my youngest. It works somewhat, but the geometry isn’t as good for using her feet on the ground as her knock-off like-a-bike. The seat doesn’t go as low, for one thing.

[ShawnoftheDread]

I just started on a cheap, size-appropriate bike after the push bike (because I’m cheap and kids grow fast). I got my daughter an 18″ bike (though 16″ would have been better), and held onto the seat while she pedalled. I’d let go a little at a time without saying anything, increasing frequency and length as appropriate. It took several practice sessions, but she started to get the hang of it pretty quickly. But she does like her trail-a bike better than her own bike, so maybe that’s the way to go.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@5555624 21831 wrote:

Exactly. You’re on the road, you’re a vehicle. My afternoon commute is often a race to avoid the Never-ending Bus From Hell. (I’m sure there are more than 100 kids on it!) Most of the time, I’m about two minutes in front of it but I’ve literally been racing down the street trying to keep it from passing me, because if it makes the upcoming stop, I’ll be stuck for 5-6 minutes or more. (Yes, I’ve timed it.)

Why not dismount and walk on the sidewalk with the deboarding kids until you pass the bus?

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