Bike To Work Day 2014

Bike To Work Day 2013

I usually try and make it to the Bethesda pit stop but this year I made it to Silver Spring while taking my daughter to school.

We were running late and the guy with the camera caught me off guard so I did a good amount of blathering.


Meanwhile, three years earlier...

It's crazy to see how much my girl has grown. I think I must be doing ok in the father department if can watch her growth and development (as well as the graying of my facial hair) in the pro-bike culture movies she's... HOLY SHIT! Am I wearing the same god damned clothes!?  Jesus.

As usual it was a great event not matter the pit stop. Props to the sponsors and everyone involved.

Bike To Work Day Blues

I bike to work every day, all year long. There's one day, however, that I particularly enjoy biking to work is (you guessed it) BTWD. I love BTWD and everything it stands for; it’s a day where like-minded folks can get together and geek out commuter style. It's also a day where people who are skittish about riding to work can learn the ropes, get advice, and join the protection of a convoy to get used to the road. It's a great thing.

On this lovely Bike To Work Day I fell victim to the DC pollen and was benched on my favorite day of the year to ride to work. This pissed me off. Then my alarm went off and the first voice I heard was that of Rivendell's Grant Petersen being interviewed on NPR. This really pissed me off.

The worst thing about cycling culture or any other culture for that matter is the large number of judgmental shitholes who get off on telling everyone else that they're "doing it" wrong. This behavior is usually reserved for elitist road or mountain bikers touting the latest unobtainium. This morning however we learned there is a new douche bag in town, the elitist commuter. 

I had to listen to the full interview online...

"Wear the clothes that you're going to wear at work," he says. "Don't dress up like an American Bike Geek just to ride a bicycle to work."

"If your commute is reasonable — say, 10 miles or under — no problem," Petersen adds. "Dress the way you're going to dress for the weather, or the day." 

"Bicycle riding doesn't make a lot of demands on your body, your upper body is still when you're riding and your legs are just turning around in small little circles."

Grant Petersen, who's shop is in Walnut Creek, CA just outside of Berkley, (that place with the best weather in the entire country), wants you to bike to work in the clothes you are planning to wear to work. Anyone who's ridden a bike in DC (or most other parts of the country) knows this is bullshit and would only work a few days out of the year. Grant goes on to say we shouldn't dress like and "American Bike Geek", which I'm guessing means we're not aloud to wear cycling jerseys and shorts. I just want to point out that most European countries, where bike commuting is more mainstream, never have a DC summer.

I'm going to stop here because he said too many stupid things to comment on without getting angry. After this, I'm sure the internet will be full of colorful Grant Petersen critiques. More than anything this interview makes me sad. I think Grant's point was that you don't have to buy the latest high tech race gear to commute to work, which would be a good point had it not been lost in the douche bag delivery. The irony is that in saying don't go hi-tech Grant joined the ranks or all the elitists on the other end of the spectrum.

There was a good opportunity here to inform and encourage novice commuters but Grant dropped the ball.

If you want to know how you should dress while bike commuting, don't listen to Grant Petersen, unless you live in Berkley. If you are new to bike commuting and don't know what to wear, get some advice from local commuters and shop employees who have been riding in the same conditions and roads that you plan to. Consider their advice and then do what makes you happy. Finding the right clothes for your commute can take a lot of trial and error and there is no right fit for everybody.

The bottom line is that if you are comfy wearing shorts in the winter, great; if you like the feel of wool and wearing it all year round is your thing, awesome. If you find what works for you, go for it, just don't let some douche bag, whether they're wearing lycra or tweed, tell you you're doing it wrong.

Bike To Work Day 2012

Bike To Work Day is next Friday! Commuter Connections and WABA have done a great job organizing this event in the past and this year will be no different.

Historically BTWD has had it's share of crappy weather but that shouldn't be the case this year as the Ultra-Super-Accurate 10 day forecast from weather.com says it will be 78 and sunny.

Register Here.

Join a convoy or go it alone.

Save $10 on a WABA membership

Get a T-shirt.

Justify those feelings of superiority over your co-workers.

Blowing My Cover: USA TODAY Spot

It's no secret I'm a big fan of the Bike To Work Day message. I usually take the day off and ride to the Bethesda pit stop with my daughter. This BTWD was no different except for one small detail. I had Mia Shimabuku of USA TODAY show up at my house at 6:30 am to film my morning process for a spot they were doing on the lifestyle of bike commuting.

I like that this piece focuses on the positive effects bike commuting has on your lifestyle and not just about how much everyone else sucks.



I am impressed with the editing of this piece. Mia had what seemed like an hour of footage of me blathering like an idiot and yelling to my daughter to stay out of traffic.

Worried that I wasn't giving Mia anything useful I hooked her up with Jo Doyle, a car free cyclist also in Silver Spring who I had met the previous week. Being car free in Silver Spring seemed like something in need of national recognition to me.

To me the real highlight of the piece is my daughter's unquestionable high-five and fist bumping abilities. Let there be no doubt of her mastery of these two vital skill sets.

Lastly, I'm very proud that I got my LHT (yeah you know me) it's 15 seconds. Give it up Surly people.



UPDATE:
A quick thanks to everyone who posted this video.
Gwadzilla
EcoVelo
TheWashCycle
Rat Trap Press
BikeCommuters.com
Bikes and the City
Bike Blog NYC


And tweets from: dont_be_scurred, bjsmith, Area45, DealerOn

Bike To Work Day 2010: It Actually Works!

See that thing to the left of my LHT (yeah you know me)? It's a coworkers bike, that he rode in on, on Bike to Work Day. After some pestering during the week I was still doubtful that  I would see him at the Bethesda pit stop.  As I was packing up to leave he showed up with a huge smile on his face. He was coming up from the Hill which was a longer commute that I do by 5 miles. He has now decided to make the trek across the mall and up the Georgetown Branch to Bethesda twice a week! That makes 3 bike commuters in the office after 3 years of me being the only "crazy" bike commuter.

Cheers to everyone who organized another great pit stop.

Bike To Work Day 2010: No Excuses

I've written before about the curse of Bike To Work Day where it's doomed to be soggy every year. Happily this doesn't seem to be the case for BTWD 2010. I've checked the forecast and everything looks good.

So there you have it, there are no good excuses for flaking out this Friday. Spread the word, pester the non-believers, and get your shit together before Saturday. 

Bike To Work Day 2010: Time To Annoy Your Co-Workers

Bike To Work Day is coming up next Friday the 21st. Time to annoy your co-workers, family, and friends about why they don't bike to work. I know, I know, that's EVERY DAY! I've been thinking of different marketing slogans for BTWD 2010. Something to really motivate my co-workers to bike in. Here's what I've come up with:

BTWD 2010 -  Make a commitment not to sucking!

BTWD 2010 -  Would Jesus sit in his car like a douche bag every morning if he had the choice?

BTWD 2010 -  Cyclists have amazing asses. See? 

BTWD 2010 -  You'll get a free t-shirt that will make people think you give a crap.

BTWD 2010 -  Meet the 2009 Bethesda Bike Spirit Award Winner.

BTWD 2010 -  Earn that burrito for once!

BTWD 2010 -  The one day a year where I won't be more awesome than you.

That's the best I could do over my lunch break. Please comment with any slogans you think might work. 

Bike To Work Day: Blowing My Cover

Not only was the Curse of BTWD broken (technically), but it went off swimmingly as usual. The turn out seemed to be only slightly better than last year's, possibly because the forecasters were calling for a week of non-stop hurricanes. 

I have to give a shout out to Brian from Craigslist for his generosity. After putting out a plea to borrow a child trailer (in the non-erotic bike section), he replied and offered his with no strings, not ID request, and no collateral required. He even dropped the trailer off at my house! So hat's off to you sir, karma has a piece of cake with your name on it.

With trailer and sweet little girl in tow, I went about my usual route to Bethesda. It was my daughter's first bike ride and she loved it. When arriving at the Bethesda pit stop I stowed the bike and grabbed the girl and headed for the registration tent to see if there was still time to win some shwag. I had another reason to check in. Earlier in the week I got an e-mail from Rachel from Bethesda Transportation Solutions who told me I had been chosen for the 2009 Bike Spirit Award. WOOT!

Luckily, my daughter and I always carry
our black rectangles with us... 

And now I would like to give props in the form of the Annual BTWD CJ Awards. It was tough this year but I do believe the cream has risen to the top. 

Most Peugeotiest Bicycle

Comfiest Accessory

Coolest Throwback Bike
Makes me want to get all tweeded out.

Coolest Bell

Best Hair to Bike Color Coordination
as well as
Bike with the Most Tourqe Couplings
Congrats Tamzin!

Building That Looks Most Like Miami
Threw Up In Downtown Bethesda

Best Actually Old Bike

Furriest Accessory

And finally the Best My Bike Award
Thanks again for the trailer Brian!

So there you have it, no rain and an award enabling me to be even more obnoxious towards my friends and coworkers. I would say that qualifies as another good BTWD.

Monday Out!

If They Were Easily Broken We Wouldn't Call Them Curses

Ok ok, so maybe it's going to rain, who cares! Wouldn't you rather be a little wet and kicking ass than dry and lame?
Think about it.

In honor of tomorrow being Bike to Work Day I made a time lapse video of my commute to Bethesda this morning. It's a little shaky but it's my first attempt.

Silver Spring to Bethesda
25 min boiled down to 1:55

On that subject, this morning Golden Triangle is giving away a bike and announcing the announcing the winner of their artistic bike rack design contest in honor of National Bike Month and Bike to Work Day. At the south entrance to the Dupont Circle metro Golden Triangle will unveil the winning artistic bike rack, designed by local architect Olivier Delacour at 10:30 which is right about now. Here is a photo of the winning design which seems to be leaning towards the flagrantly literal. Kudos to you Oliver Delacour.

Bike To Work Day, Breaking The Curse...

For the last two years the Bike to Work Day festivities have been somewhat soggy. As we all know, for many cyclist and non cyclist,  a few drops of rain may as well be the great flood. That's all it takes for many to opt to piling into their cars, buses and trains over having a good time, (because that is what biking in the rain is).  So the rain keeps the attendance at BTWD to a small gathering of the true believers. However, I have just received a weather report from the Cycle Jerk meteorological department and here's what they said.

(nbc4.com)

So there you have it. No excuses, no whining, just some clouds...  see you there!

Bike To Work Day - 2009

Historically, it will rain on Bike To Work Day as it has I believe for the last 3 years, but that's no reason not to participate.

Register @ WABA

Bike To Work Day - Bethesda 2008

Although it was raining there was a pretty good turnout in both Silver Spring and Bethesda this morning. In Silver Spring the festivities even included a group of local high school cheerleaders. I joined a group ride to Bethesda from the Discovery Channel HQ and was pleasantly surprised by the percentage of people on the ride who are new to bike commuting. And here I thought it was going to be a bunch of regular commuters who happened to be in the area. I guess that means the day was a success.

Lots of prizes and gifts were given out in Bethesda so I thought I would hand out a few CycleJerk Honorable Mentions:

Oldest "U" Lock

Most Industrious Chain Tensioner

Most Color Coordinated Fixie

Loudest Striped Girly Fixie in the Schwinn Category