Continued Neglect

So I wrote a post a little while back about how I've changed my bike punishing ways. Oozing with hubris; the post was all about how enlightened I've become and that I see the value of preventative bike maintenance. This morning I must call "Bullshit" on myself.

After completing my morning rituals I went to grab the LHT (yeah you know me) and head for the door. I noticed my back wheel wasn't spinning when I lifted it off the stand. First thought was that the pads were rubbing but that wasn't the case. In all my "hot shitness" I neglected to pay any attention to my bearings which had failed and were crushing into each other under the pressure of the skewer.

Rightfully feeling like a complete dickhead I yanked my Bianchi EV3 out of obscurity and got it ready to ride. I hadn't ridden my road bike in over a year, (a different type of neglect) and had grown very comfortable on the LHT. The first few miles of the commute felt like I was ridding in on a broom handle. Once we got reacquainted, the Bianchi and I were cranking and I got to work faster than I had in a while.

Just to show how enlightened I am, I'll post anything that ends in (Death Metal Version) here is a little joy via (AHTBM)

Small Talk Paradox: "How Was Your Commute?"

Office small talk; it's something we all take part in whether we like it or not. Being a bike commuter makes you an easy target in these sometimes awkward moments. When you're in the elevator or at the water cooler or any other pocket of the office where you are forced to be in the company of others, the silence can be deafening. You and your unintended companion are left glancing around grasping for an icebreaker of some kind. It's in this moment when you, the bike commuter are most vulnerable.

"Weren't you freezing out there?"
"Weren't you burning up out there?"
"How far do you ride again?"
"What time of year do you stop riding?"
"Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" (ok I made that one up)

Most of the time coworkers take the path of least resistance and go for the simple "So! How was the ride?", followed by "You're crazy man!" after my response. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice gesture and I do appreciate the thought. This person wants to hear how cool my commute was, and that's cool. However, the question is asked of me so often I started giving it right back to the source.

"My ride was awesome! How was your drive in?"

This is met with a wide spectrum of responses; anywhere from detailed counter traffic strategies, "Well this morning they were stacked up all they way to the blah blah so I took the parkway to the blah blah..." to head shaking and guttural noises, "nnnmmmuuurrrph."

Most of the time though the question is met with a slight grimace as if to say "You know it sucked, why the hell would you ask me that? It's cruel to fuck with me this early in the morning?"

This led me to ponder the trend... it seems to be a common assumption that being a bike commuter, my daily ride in is always great and that any commute by car is always shitty. If that assumption is both true and common why aren't people more open minded about bike commuting?

The same person who complains about the traffic every day gets to work with two assumptions, that my ride in was awesome and that I'm crazy for doing it.

My assumption is that a good percentage of these people live an easily rideable distance from the office.

I apologize, that was way too many assumptions for one post.

PSA: If you or anyone you know in the DC area has a coworker like this direct them to this website immediately.

It's gonna be a humpalicious Wednseday, enjoy!

Urban Downhill: Chilean Bad Ass

This came via The Pedal Pushers Club. DC has neither the hills or the hipness to pull something like this off.



This one is even more insane,

Pedal Pushers Bike Swap on Capital Hill

Bike swap season approaches. If you know me or have followed this blog for a while you may be familiar with how I feel about local bike swaps. They are the heart of local bike scenes and must be supported. 

The Pedal Pushers Club is throwing what looks looks to be a pretty good one on the hill. It's gotta be good, they've got a poster and everything!

Mark your calendar....

Wednesday Morning On The Capital Crescent Trail

The trail is looking a lot better than it did a few days ago but there are still rough patches. This is video of the stretch between Jones Mill Rd. and Connecticut Ave.



This was the roughest part of the trail north of Bethesda. Aside from a few icy patches the rest of the trail is ready to ride.

Capital Crescent Trail Conditions And CLIF Bar Love

If you commuters out there are wondering how the Capital Crescent is doing and if it's ok to ride again; here are today's conditions.



The Montgomery County Parks Department needs to invest in a zamboni. The trail is still mostly covered in very hard bumpy ice. The ice tires help a lot on the LHT but dammit I wish they were fatter. I'm tempted to ride my mountain bike to cushion the ride.

Hope this helps.

I got a care package yesterday from Lisa over at Clif Bar. I'm trying not to be such a whore but I love the crap out of their bars and am looking forward to trying out all the other crap they make.

Feel free to share your experiences with anything pictured above.



Friday, you magnificent bastard...

Product Review: Snow Tires and LHTs -or- The LHT On Ice!

Last Wednesday morning I installed some Innova Tundra Wolf studded snow tires on the LHT(yeah you know me). I did this just in time as Wednesday night became one of the worst DC traffic snarls in recent history. Most everyone I know had stories of anywhere from 5 to 11 hour commutes home. I on the other hand was delighted to be one of the very few people in the DC area who was moving, partly due to my new studded snow tires.

So far they have performed admirably. The studs offer quite a grip and allow for a quick recovery when my tires slide out. Besides the expected noise they do just fine on the 2 miles of pavement I ride each way. I know this will wear them out prematurely but it is what it is. They aren't the top of the line but they perform well and are half the price of most competitors.

I took a video this morning of the Innovas in action.



This is hard packed ices frozen in the shape of thousands of footsteps. The steel frame of the LHT was getting a good rogering as was my skeletal system. It took almost twice as long to get to work but I got there dammit.

Funny thing is, last night I dropped my hat on the trail. I didn't realize it was missing until I rode past it this morning. You can see it come up on the right at the very end of the video. The Great Trail Cycle continues.

Bottom line: Highly Recommended. In DC, might not need them all the time but for at least several weeks a year they're a life saver.
Buy Them If you brag about commuting all year long and you live above the Mason-Dixon Line.
Don't Buy Them If You need an excuse not to ride in the snow.