BikeDC

Biking Around Town Vol. 11 – Ride to a Hike

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo by joshuadnadas

Biking around Town is written by Josh Nadas (@dcliterate), a daily bike commuter & avid rider who works for the National Park Service, and lives in Mount Pleasant. Josh previously wrote about Beach Drive.

Ride to a hike.

I was trying to think about a fun weekend activity for this installment of riding around town, and I settled on the idea of riding to a hike. Naturally, Teddy Roosevelt Island came to mind as an urban destination, so I pumped up my tires and was on my way. for this ride I made sure to wear regular shoes because you can’t ride the island – you have to hike it.

I started the route at Washington Circle, because that is a convenient location for accessing the trail that I want to take. Head south on New Hampshire Avenue, and enter the traffic circle. Continue riding towards the Kennedy Center on 25th street, and get onto the sidewalk the first chance you get. It’s okay – it’s a bike route. You’ll follow the sidewalk all the way around the center. There is a small access path that is paved, but ignore it, because the path you are on will deliver you to the parking lot for Teddy Roosevelt Island. Also, be advised that this bike route is more or less exactly the width of two bikes, so there is room to ride two abreast or opposed, but use good communication and slow down when passing. Every commuter that I encountered was really courteous. (more…)

MPD: MBT Security Approach and Proactive Response to Last Night’s Assault

By Prince Of Petworth

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From MPD:

Fifth Police District Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department are aggressively investigating the aggravated assault of an adult male that occurred along the Bike Trail, 300 R St NE within Patrol Service Area 502.

On June 11, 2013 at approximately 5:35 PM, Fifth District Patrol Officers responded to the Metropolitan Branch Trail just east of the 300 block of R Street NE for the report of an aggravated assault. On the scene, they met with the complainant, who advised that he was biking along the path when he was struck multiple times by a male suspect, who then fled southbound on the trail with a large group of juvenile subjects. Nothing was requested or taken from our complainant and we do not believe that Robbery was a motive.

Fifth Police District Detectives are relentlessly following up on all leads and evidence in this unprovoked attack and ask that anyone who believes they know the identity of the male suspect involved or members of the group of young people he was with to contact the Metropolitan Police Department on 202-727-9099 immediately.

Based upon this offense, we have received a number of questions concerning the MBT. Allow us to address your concerns here.

1) MPD has continuously patrolled the MBT on foot, mountain bike and on Segway’s.

2) The majority of folks who utilize the MBT have felt comfortable on the Trail and in/around the neighborhoods leading to the Trail and we encourage users to continue to use it. It is safe.

3) This was an unprovoked assault by a lone individual and not a pattern connected to other criminal offenses that were reported to MPD

4) We are committed to exploring every investigative lead in bring this offender(s) to justice

Reader Reports Cyclist Assaulted on Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) around 5:45pm

By Prince Of Petworth

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A reader writes around 6:15pm:

Lots of cops swarming the area from the NoMa metro to the dc schools building at 3rd and R St NE. Apparently three people jumped a cyclist and beat him. When I walked by I could see a fair amount of blood and the victim had obvious head wounds. They just took the victim to the hospital by ambulance.

Ed. Note: We last talked about a cyclist assaulted on the MBT trail in Feb. 2013.

Cyclist Struck by Bus at 4th and Massachusets Ave, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

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A reader sends the photo above reporting “a bicyclist was struck this morning by a Keller bus at Mass Ave. and 4th St NW.”

@DCPoliceDept tweeted around 8:30am:

“Accident reported @ 4th & Massachusetts Ave NW. Approach w/caution and expect delays. MPD is en route.”

And as of 9:15am:

“Accident Pedestrian Update @ 4th & Massachusetts Ave NW is clear and all lanes are open.”

No word on the condition of the cyclist.

Wired Cycling Coming to Eckington

By Prince Of Petworth

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Thanks to ‏@mstharrington for tweeting the word and photo last night:

“this just went up on a property at the corner of 4th & V St NE.”

Learn about “Borg’s Rate of Perceived Exertion” and lots more – Wired Cycling’s Website says:

The Wired Cycling™ program draws on new research and science opinion to teach instructors how to improve cycling performance. Participants of the Wired Cycling™ program will learn a wide-range of skills, current knowledge, and best practices in cycling training and instruction.

The WiredCycling™ Program©™ Overview

1. Training Elements
a. Frequency
b. Intensity
c. Duration

2. Variables that Influence Performance
a. Aerobic Capacity
b. Efficiency
c. High Speed Capacity
d. Gender – Specific
e. Age- Specific
f. Nutrition

3. Training Strategies & Techniques

4. a. Intervals

Sub-threshold
Threshold
VO2 Max

b. Endurance
c. Strength

5. Understanding Physiological Skills
a. Critical threshold power
b. Functional threshold power
c. Anaerobic threshold power
d. Lactate threshold power

6. Motivation, Perception & Attitude
a. Intrinsic vs. extrinsic
b. Perception vs. reality
c. States of mind

7. Training Tools
a. Power Meters
b. Heart Rate Monitors
c. Borg’s Rate of Perceived Exertion

8. Positioning & Alignment
a. Seat post height
b. Handlebar height
c. Cycling postures-basic, seated upright, seated climbs, and standing climbs

9. Indoor Class Formats
a. Music Strategies
b. Transitions
c. Tone and Volume
d. What Works
e. Safety

10. The Physical Realities of Cycling
a. Neuromuscular Condition
b. Training vs. Overtraining
c. Injury Prevention

Stolen – Vintage Blue Bianchi

By Prince Of Petworth

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Dear PoPville,

My vintage blue bianchi road bike (picture above for reference) was stolen from my garage on 17th and Euclid. It was my only mode of transport. It was also very special to me, as my parents bought matching bikes when they married and passed down this one to me.

It would mean a tremendous amount to me if this bike was recovered and found.

Bikeshare Continuing to Kick Ass (When You Can Get a Bike)

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo by PoPville flickr user AWard Tour

From DDOT:

Today Capital Bikeshare released two new reports that provide detailed information on how members are utilizing the system, the types of trips they make and the overall impact of the program on the members’ health. The reports analyze two surveys that were administered in the fall of 2012 and received over 6,800 responses combined.

The 2013 Capital Bikeshare Member Survey Report focuses on travel behavior patterns; including types of trips made, reasons for joining, demographic information, driving miles reduced and the effect on patronage of local businesses.

The second report, Health Implications of the Capital Bikeshare Program focuses on how Capital Bikeshare affects the health of members.

The full reports can be found here.

Some of the highlights of the reports include:

Capital Bikeshare members saved an average of about $800 annually on travel
80 percent of respondents said they are more likely to patronize a bikeshare accessible establishment
50 percent said they drive a car less often since joining Capital Bikeshare
31.5 percent reported reduced stress as a result of using Capital Bikeshare
20.6 percent reported increased aerobic capacity

MPD Reports Cyclist Killed at 11th and U St, NW on Thursday

By Prince Of Petworth


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From MPD:

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Major Crash Unit are investigating a traffic fatality which occurred in the intersection of 11th and U Streets, NW.

On Thursday, May 16, 2013 at approximately 10:05 am, a Nissan Altima was traveling east bound on U Street in the center lane towards 11th Street. Upon entering the intersection at 11th Street he struck a bicycle that had entered the intersection traveling south bound on 11th Street. The bicyclist was not wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.

The bicyclist, 50-year-old Andre Brands was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The driver of the Nissan Altima did not sustain any injuries.

This case is currently under investigation.

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