Not my problem, don't judge me! 🙂 Of course it was locked, I'm not *that* clueless! And please, what am I supposed to do, just leave it at home and stop commuting altogether? That’s basically been my life anyway 😁 The only reason I even dare to leave my bike here is because there are so many of them; tons of people cycle to work around here. Which reminds me, we talked about looking for some space in the garage—I really need to make a sign-up sheet, maybe I'll actually get somewhere with it (don't laugh, nobody ever listens to me, but whatever) I mean, we have receptionists watching the cameras, and the thief was even caught on film—we can see who it is (kind of a classic story, right?)—but yeah, he just waited for the rush. That’s why I tucked mine closer to the building, but more toward the middle, so it wouldn't be the first thing anyone spots. I still have a tarp over it at my mom's place, and I'm picking up another Master Lock today, so hopefully, someone won't swipe mine next.
So, I’m out at the bike rack by my building. It’s literally built specifically for bikes, right? We’ve even got cameras and the staff at the front desk can see everything, but apparently, all a thief needs is a few seconds of nobody looking. Some girl I talked to this morning said the front desk actually called a coworker because they saw someone walking off with his bike. Absolute lowlifes, honestly. They've got some nerve!
Finally biked to work 👋 , took the route through Oranica over to the Potomac area (basically downtown), then crossed the Golden Gate Bridge to get into New York City. Pretty breezy ride, though I won't say exactly how many minutes it took 🤣 Someone please give me a prayer so my bike doesn't get stolen 😁 , a coworker's bike got swiped just ten days ago. If mine survives the night, I guess I'll go grab another Master Lock or something... I have no clue what else works 😢
Andrew Wells58 said:See, I told you—you buy way too much gear and barely ride it. 🙂 Now you can't even go out because your bike is too expensive, so where does that leave you? 🙂 You’re basically like a guy chasing a Hollywood starlet in an old movie. Honestly, I'm gonna... yeah, I'm gonna get you... enough talk, let's see some action. 🙂
Look, we love having you hang out here, but until we get a report from a reliable source like unknown that they actually saw you out on a ride, we're just counting you as a "maybe."
What a liar! If nothing else, don't lie, it's just gross. And I'm only a "maybe" if you've actually seen me or not, haha, I know that much. I pedal maybe once or twice a week, which isn't much. But I gotta comment on stuff since I'm reading and picking up useful info anyway. My old bike is fine for commuting, and I don't want to part with this one, so the old one works perfectly for work. I'll figure things out with unknown soon enough. 😛 If we're getting all philosophical, then we're colleagues, except I finished my "work" a long time ago. 🙂 And hey, stop hounding me!
Duh, obviously. I just need to toss this bike over to my buddy's buddy's buddy for repairs first. 😁 Until then, I'm stuck with an afternoon stroll and some weekend cycling. 🙂 I actually have to head out to a Small rural town to swap out some tires for a friend. 🤣 Then she won't have any more excuses, haha!
Ugh, girl, if I actually rode regularly, you wouldn't even see me 😁 On the weekends, usually Saturdays—sometimes I'll head back Sunday afternoon on my bike if my folks aren't hogging it. Sometimes I'll do a quick loop after work, but it’s nothing consistent. Anyway, I'm just a 160lb mess on a navy blue Jamis MTB 😁, probably oblivious to everything around me, so you might have to yell if you don't see me 🙂
P.S. Yeah, yeah, I know this is the "bike to work" thread. I mean, I plan to, I just need to fix up my old beat-up rig first. I'm terrified someone will swipe my good one; we have "parking" outside the building, sure, but even if the receptionists are watching from inside, I don't really feel like leaving it at the mercy of street thieves for 8 hours. Mmm, new brakes, tires, chain, derailleurs... maybe I won't even need all that.
Ugh, don't even get me started on my fitness level. Just looking at a hill makes me want to pass out, seriously. My mileage is a total joke—it takes me like half an hour just to get from Mount Everest to my suburban neighborhood, which honestly feels like a win, haha! Last year, I could manage getting Downtown in maybe 20-25 minutes if I stuck to the sidewalk, because god forbid I try the actual road and get run over. I guess I'll stick to the shoulder on some of those backroads, but yeah, let's not pretend I'm prepping for the Tour de France. I really just need to tone up enough so I can do a round trip ride and ninety minutes of Vinyasa yoga in one day without feeling like my muscles are dying. Side planks and those weak-ass tricep dips are killing me... I can barely even type 😂 I definitely need to work on my arms and legs.
Honestly, huge props to the folks who put this guide together. But man, after I finish listing everything wrong with my current bike—as much as I love the thing and tried to buy exactly what my buddies suggested based on price and availability—I’ll probably just be kicking myself. Once I actually get some decent cardio under my belt, I'll dive back into this guide and compare it to my list of gripes 😁. Anyway, thanks a ton!
Hey, hey brightranger43 - honestly, I was mostly joking about going without gloves. My fingers would turn into ice cubes in like two seconds. I have fingerless ones, but... yeah, no comment. I'm ordering some different ones on eBay right now—found some from Ten... something in the USA, they aren't bad... I've got this ancient fleece from a flea market, probably like 10 years old 😁, and man, it's incredibly warm. It peeks out from under my cheap jacket from Target, but whatever... those layers aren't much anyway. It's fine, though; thin, has a hood, fleece lining, keeps me warm easily and doesn't trap sweat 🙂 Btw - my sewing machine just died on me... needs repairs. I'd totally borrow my mom's, but she watches me like a hawk every single time I use it 😁 (well, if she actually let me use it, I wouldn't complain). Whatever, at least it stays intact, haha. Oh, and regarding Walmart, okay, but Barnes & Noble has these gaiters for like $200-$100. Hmm, I doubt they'd survive serious mountain hiking, but they look sturdy and warm, maybe good for biking. Assuming you have decent sneakers, of course.
Ugh, finally. I honestly thought I was the only weirdo wearing socks over tights. In the summer, I just rock two DryFit tees, but they’re a bit baggy, so they don't really cut it for winter. I actually borrowed a sleeveless ski vest from a friend and it was killer, but I gave it back because, well... 😁 So, I've just got these basic leggings—nothing fancy, just whatever material's available—which I wear under tights, obviously. But by the time I get all those layers on, I'm already sweating. If I see anything decent at Walmart today, I'm grabbing it immediately; hopefully, it actually lasts. I have this windproof jacket from Mount Everest, but it sucks big time (meaning: it does absolutely nothing for my fingers, face, or legs), so finding some solid winter gloves is my top priority right now. I can probably just sew my own buffs and beanies or whatever. Oh, also, quick question—is there anything for the nose area that won't get soaking wet and start dripping from my breath after like thirty minutes? I'm super skeptical about those fleece buffs when it comes to that kind of thing.