It took many years and many professional bike fits for their extremely valuable #bikeFit tips to finally sink in. :blobfox0_0:
It took me following a hunch over several months to get to the general area where my saddle and handlebars should be for their tips to finally make sense and complete the picture in my mind. (My saddle was way too low for a long time because my first bike fitter was trying to work with my horrible technique early on, which caused me to tear a quad in one leg. :blobfoxscared: )
I put 95lbs / 43kg or so on the back of the cargo trailer pushing down on it (using a scale for value) and there really wasn’t much if any torsion on the hitch after that - obviously the actual stress there is much less because of leverage, but I was putting the weight where the cargo goes and that’s what you want
this combined with a complete dampening block on top between the securement plate and the cargo bin floor resulted in much less noise! it’s still loud but no longer comedically so
First lesson: the farmer's market here has no bicycle racks, and the folks in charge have ZERO idea what to do with them, despite the "NO BIKES" sign. They clarified and said bikes are fine, as long as you walk them. "NO ONE HAS ASKED US THAT BEFORE" is what they told me. They ended up letting me stash my bike next to their info booth while I walked around. #BikeTooter#Transportation
Second #BikeTooter badge checked off, also took a bicycle on a city bus. The bus driver was less than amused at my attempts to cram two folded and worn dollar bills into the fare collector and said "gimme those, I'll do it!" LOL He also seemed to be trying to whip around corners and hit pot holes, LOL (the bike did not go anywhere it shouldn't have, the racks work). #bus#transportation
Bonus another car in our demonstration bicycle lane. A car had eirher nudged a post out of place, or a driver moved one, or something here... #BikeTooter#ThousandOaks
Other lessons: I combined bus + bike to get there, and because it would be another 30 min for the return bus, decided to cycle back.
Don't cycle back LOL.
Google says it's 15 min of cycling, it was, in fact, 45 min.
One of the sections of bicycle lane (did not stop to take a picture, as I was hoping not to get squished like a bug) had been taken over by semis parked overlapping the bicycle lane on the right, and on the left there was fast traffic. I aborted that route and cut into a neighborhood. Not a good route at ALL.
7-8 miles with hills and vegetables plus a backpack with fruit in it... was pushing it. Next time (if I do this again) it will be bus->bike only. #BikeTooter
Is there a calculator to let people calculate actual cost per mile to drive a given car, accounting for actual purchase price, insurance, gas prices, parking costs, and length of time one has owned car? Trying to see just how much I’m saving with an ebike. #bike#cycling#biketooter#ebike#seabikes#cars@TheWarOnCars@seabikeblog
Boston Python is apparently well represented on this train to #PyConUS, I just ran into one member while stretching my legs, and they let me know of a third!
One of the perks of taking the train to PyCon US is that I got to stop over in NYC to see a dear friend who lives there (and who I see shamefully infrequently considering how close we are on the rail!)
He was kind enough to put together a short "doing the city" itinerary yesterday that included a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Got to see the fantastic new(ish) bike lane. An entire lane of what used to be inbound car traffic serving (LOTS OF) bicycles in both directions.
Hmm, wonder if I have enough time for a combined city bus + bicycle ride to the farmer's market today. 🤔 (and checking off "take bicycle on the city bus" #BikeTooter achievement badge)
Call for questions: it is #BikeNite this Friday at 4pm Pacific time!
Reply with questions you'd like me to add to the discussion on Friday! You can add the BikeNitePQ hashtag so it's easier to find a Proposed Question. There are only a couple in the queue right now.
(BikeNite is a Q&A type discussion on the Fediverse.)
Metrolink (Los Angeles) BIKE WEEK is coming! Want to try a new trail? Or perhaps a more eco-friendly commute? Ride Metrolink FREE when you board with your bike, May 13-17. #BikeTooter
Thousand Oaks Transit: 🚲🚍Ventura County transit operators are celebrating Bike to Work Day by offering free rides to anyone boarding with a bike on May 17! Seamlessly connect your bike route by riding any bus within Ventura County for free. http://goventura.org/free
Join my Cascade Bicycle Club free group ride, SeaTac Airport Loop, this Saturday, May 18 at 10 am!
This 20 mile loop starts from North SeaTac Park and explores SeaTac, Des Moines, & new segments of the Lake to Sound Trail. Afterwards, join me for lunch at Spice Bridge in Tukwila.
There’s a bike policy ride this Saturday in #Beaverton where you can hear and ask questions about #Biking infrastructure projects to reduce car dependence in the city.