BikeDC

Chrome Industries & Riide Bikes Launch Party Saturday

By Prince Of Petworth

chrome
1924 8th St, NW

From a press release:

“New neighbors San Francisco-based bike bag & apparel maker Chrome Industries and local DC electric bike manufacturer Riide will be joining forces for a large launch party & pre-party holiday bike ride on Saturday, December 19th. Both shops opened their doors in the last two months in Shaw’s new “The Shay” development.



Building on DC’s recent bike culture boom, these two brands hope to tap into and further expand the “people who bike” demographic, making cycling in the city more accessible for commuters and messengers alike.



Chrome industries just celebrated its 20th anniversary of building military-grade, waterproof, American-made backpacks and messenger bags – the Shaw location will be just their 9th brick-and-mortar retail hub in the US. Customers visiting the store can design a custom bag to be made onsite by their on-staff bag-maker, or shop pre-made bags, clothing, and footwear. Riide was founded just two years ago as a successful Kickstarter campaign, and is one of the lightest, most durable, most thoughtful electric bicycles on the market. Their lease-to-own “RiidePass” program has garnered a lot of attention so far, offering a bike, theft insurance and maintenance for less than a monthly metro pass.



Chrome has a longstanding, well-earned reputation  for throwing some of the wildest launch parties on the block. A pre-party “Slow Roll” ride will launch at 1pm from Chrome’s store at the intersection of U & 9th Street NW (1924 8th St NW #115), and cruise the city before ending at the launch party itself, hosted by Colony Club (3118 Georgia Ave NW). Attendees can expect ample adult beverages, Goldsprints (an adrenaline-pumping stationary bike racing game), live-painting of a Riide bike frame, bike speakers, and Chrome backpack, and exclusive prizes and giveaways. The ride and event are hosted in conjunction with One Love Massive, a local DC booking agency and event promotion company.



Event details:


Pre-party bike ride: 1:00-4:00pm, launching from Chrome Industries @ 1924 8th St NW, Suite #115.

Post-ride launch party: 4:00-10:00pm, at Colony Club cafe @ 3118 Georgia Ave NW.”

Free Coffee (and Raffle) for Bike Commuters Going Through Logan Circle Tomorrow Morning

By Prince Of Petworth

Free_coffee
14th and Q St, NW courtesy The Bike Rack

From The Bike Rack:

“The Bike Rack in partnership with Peregerine Espresso and Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats is offering Free HOT coffee & treats for bicycle commuters this Wednesday
from 7:30 am until approximately 9:30 am.

The Bike Rack will also be raffling off gift cards and merchandise! Stop by for coffee & treats and enter to win.

We will be at the corner of 14th and Q, NW handing out free cups of coffee as you make your way into work or wherever you are headed. Bring your own travel mug or grab one of our cups. Look for our banner, stop by and have a cup of joe on us!”

Riide Electric Bike’s Storefront Showroom Opening in Shaw on Saturday

By Prince Of Petworth

IMG_1552
1933 9th Street, NW looking north towards Florida Ave/U Street and the Warby Parker

Congrats to Riide who are opening up their first brick and mortar in Shaw on Saturday. They’re located right next to the Serve U Liquor on 9th just south of Florida/U St. Hours will be 11-7 daily and on Saturuday they’ll have free Compass Coffee all day!

“We engineered an electric bike you can count on. A beautifully simple design. If you know how to ride a bike, you know how to riide. Just get on, twist the throttle, and go.”

IMG_1555

IMG_1557

IMG_1560

IMG_1561

“My wife was in a fairly bad bike accident this morning. Thanks to the guys who helped her – Also were there any other witnesses?”

By Prince Of Petworth

map
via google maps

“Dear PoPville,

My wife was in a fairly bad bike accident this morning. Details to follow. I’m posting to thank the guys who helped her and ask if there were any other witnesses who may have seen the car involved.

She was biking to work this morning (Nov. 5, around 8:45 a.m.) and as she turned right from 12th St. NE onto I St. NE, a car pulled out from an illegal parking spot into her path without warning. She hit the brakes and her bike went out from under her. She landed on her left hand and right arm. A man in a white pick up truck asked if she was OK. At the time she thought she was just bruised and said and said yeah so he moved on. Two men helped her get her bike out of the street onto the sidewalk, which is when she started to think she had broken her left wrist. The car that caused the accident did not stop, it just proceeded to turn right on 12th St. NE heading south.

I Street Northeast is a one-way with a contraflow bike lane. The car had been parked on the left side of the street in a spot that is crossed out and not meant for cars to use. She believes the car was a gray Prius, but didn’t get the license plate number.

We filed a police report and went to the hospital in an ambulance. She has not only a broken wrist, but a fracture in the elbow on the other arm. We are looking for anyone who may have seen the accident itself, or a gray Prius-like car going south on 12th St. NE a little after 8:45 a.m. any witnesses to this accident this morning. If you did see anything, please reply to this e-mail. We also want to thank the people who helped her again. This could have been even worse.”

Frustration with Bikeshare Availability in U Street/Logan Circle – Fortunately Expansion Coming

By Prince Of Petworth

CSfH5HgWIAAvfL6

JP shares the map above and Bikeshare responds:

“Check out @DDOTDC’s plan for expansion – 99 new stations! Comments open til 11/15:

The draft Capital Bikeshare Development Plan for the District of Columbia is now available for public comment here. It includes all of the analyses, a complete explanation of the process as well as detailed expansion maps. The comment period will last for 45 days and will close on November 15, 2015.”

337999d6-894e-4eec-b5f5-ee50f0566c8b

“Attending church does not make you more entitled to public roads”

By Prince Of Petworth

church

At Large Council Candidate David Garber has a thoughtful response to the recent church/bike lane battle of 2015:

“-We have to treat the people, institutions, organizations, and businesses in the city equally. The government’s responsibility is to seek equality and opportunity for all, outside the context of specific beliefs and religions. I grew up in the church and understand that it’s an incredibly important part of the lives of many people in the District. That’s okay. But that doesn’t come with a get-out-of-the-rules-others-have-to-follow-free card. Attending church does not make you more entitled to public roads and sidewalks than the grocery shopper, weekend worker, neighborhood resident, or library user. If we give special passes to one group, we have to give those passes to others. Instead of offering passes at all, we should create a context and a rulebook that is enforceable, enforced, and fair across all people groups and belief groups. To do otherwise is not fair within a government and a city that encompasses so much diversity.”

You can read his full remarks here.

DC Tweed Ride is coming up Sunday

By Prince Of Petworth

tweed ride
photo by PoPville flickr user Pablo Raw

From an email:

“What: The 7th Annual DC Tweed Ride and Jazz-Age Jam

When: Sunday, October 25, 2015. Ride, 1-4 pm. Jazz-Age Jam, 5-9 pm.
Where: The ride’s meeting location is secret (sign up to get an email the day before). The party will be at Roofers Union in Adams Morgan.
Cost: The ride is free! The Jazz-Age Jam is $20, or $42.50 with food.
Ride registration and party tickets: Here.
Description: The 7th Annual DC Tweed Ride is October 25! Roll through the beautiful streets of DC with hundreds of dapper cyclists for a retro-styled fall celebration that has become a DC tradition since its 2009 debut. Following the ride, we’ll gather at Roofers Union for a jazz-age jam starring New York’s Dandy Wellington and His Band, with a special appearance by burlesque performer Pearls Daily. The ride is free (though pre-registration is required), and the post-ride party’s cover is $20, or $42.50 with food.”
View More Stories