BikeDC

Video by Rukasu1

Thanks to PoPville flickr users Rukasu1 and a digital cure for uploading this great video and these sweet photos.

Photo by a digital cure

Photos after the jump. (more…)

From an email:

“The 2010 Capital Criterium pro cycling race is happening this Sunday, July 11 in support of D.C.’s bid to host the opening stages of the Giro d’Italia in 2012. This is one of the city’s premiere pro cycling events and is a major effort in support of D.C.’s Giro bid. The race will be on and around Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th Street, NW.

Some of the event highlights include:

* GiroDC2012 Celeb Charity Ride, featuring Mayor Fenty, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Italian Ambassador Giulio Terzi and other noted city officials.
* CapCrit Lifestyle Expo which will feature a live performance by the Morrison Brothers Band
* CycleLife Kids’ Safety Races which is being staged to promote the importance of cycling safety for kids ages 3-11.

The pro-race starts at 1:15 pm., however, race-day activities begin as early as 8 a.m. when the Lifestyle Expo opens. There will be interview opportunities with Mayor Fenty, Mark Sommers who is the CapCrit Race Director and Chair of the US Stages Working Group, and other key supporters of the Giro bid.”

I still feel that these mini bikes are a scourge on our neighborhoods. Nevertheless a reader sends in the following from the Petworth Listserv:

“A red and white Honda micro-motorcycle appeared in the back yard of the unoccupied house next to me around 9 pm last night. The bike was brought in a back gate and hidden behind the garage so that it cannot be seen from the alley.

This house has apparently become a stash point for someone. Bicycles appear here, are left for several days, and then suddenly disappear, only to be replaced by another, different bike several days later. This is the first time for a motorcycle.

I spoke with the cop in my PSA, who took a look at the bike, but he said that since no theft report was associated with the VIN for the bike, and it was on private (though unoccupied) property, he couldn’t do anything but leave it where it is.”

If I had a photo of this house it would certainly warrant a Horse’s Ass Award.

Photo by PoPville flickr user DCin3MP

A resident writes on the MPD-1st District listserv:

“I guess I’m just naïve, but after my husband and I helped a poor man hit on his bicycle by a hit-and-run driver three weeks ago, we assumed that the driver would be found quickly because, although no one saw a complete license plate number, we got the state (DC), the last four digits, and the make and color of the car, as well as a pretty good description of the driver. Three weeks (and several unreturned phone calls) later, I just learned that nothing has been done because there are “a huge number” of DC plates with the same last four digits, and apparently no one is willing to cross check for a black Volvo. Is it really that hard to run a partial license plate? From my uninformed perspective, it just seems like there isn’t any interest in following up. But I’m happy to be corrected by an expert.”

MPD responds:

“I’m not sure who you called but we do have a hit and run investigator here at 1D that has closed numerous cases. Sometimes we get partials and when we run them they don’t match the description of the car- and this is a time consuming process.

If you have further questions please email our coordinator at [email protected] if you have the report numbers that would be beneficial to address this specific crash, if not the date/time and location should provide her with the information to assist you. However, any information regarding specific progress, identity of the driver etc will generally not be provided to non-involved parties until after any arrests (and that’s if an identification is needed from independent witnesses it will not taint that identification).”

“Dear PoP,

We do basic maintenance such as patching flat tires, adjust gears and brakes, and fitting/adjusting the bike to the rider. We also give advice on riding in the area, safety, basic repair, and locking up. We are strictly volunteer run, with no shop affiliations, and completely free.”

If anyone would like to volunteer you can email Gil at [email protected]

Back in the beginning of May a reader asked if Smartbike was going to expand into more neighborhoods. Readers had lots of good suggestions for new sites to host stations. Well, now DDOT has launched a new Web site survey where you can suggest a new location. So for those who were suggesting new locations be sure to also input your requests here.

Photo by PoPville flickr user Dave Kleinschmidt

“Dear PoP,

I’ve recently gotten back into cycling and have noticed a lot of bike riders cruising around on bikes with a fixed gear, meaning that there are no shifters, derailleurs, etc. Aside from the looking kind of cool, I am wondering if there are non-aesthetic advantages of removing the gearing from a bicycle. Don’t hills present a problem? And why not just buy a bike with multiple gears and never change the shift position? And from what I have seen at local bike shops, fixies are no cheaper than a bike with 10+ gears. I’ve been told that the indefinable “hipsters” often ride them, but I don’t want to see the discussion devolve into another discussion of the “h-word”. Rather, simply why ride a bike with only one gear?”

I don’t know if this is going to be possible without discussing the “h-word”, I hope I’m wrong – but for those who like to ride fixed gear bikes – can you explain the appeal?

Photo by PoPville flickr user Tyrannous

The Examiner shares this disturbing news:

“A trio of thieves brazenly made off with two mountain bikes from the Fenty family garage in the Crestwood neighborhood while the mayor’s around-the-clock security detail guarded the family home a few yards away, internal police documents show.

The thefts occurred on June 3 around 7:40 p.m., while officers were on the grounds of the Fenty home, records show.”