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With all the cycling-related news in recent weeks – the 15th Street contraflow lane; Mayor Adrian Fenty's police-escorted daytime training rides; Capitol Hill Bikes closing its doors; Tweed – we'd be remiss in not mentioning that the Bicycle Film Festival is coming to the District.
Started in 2001 and now in 39 cities around the world, the festival is making its first appearance here in Washington December 4-5 with a small run of feature films, documentaries and shorts at the U.S. Navy Memorial's Burke Theater (701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW). The festival kicks off Friday night with goldsprints at Asylum in Adams Morgan. Don't know what goldsprints are? Take two stationary bikes and two people and have them sprint their hearts out for 30 seconds. In a bar. That's pretty much it. The full program is here.
Leading into the film festival, a screening of "Adventures for the Cure" will be held at Bicycle Stations (2204 14th St NW) on Thursday, December 3 at 7 p.m. The documentary follows three locals who rode across the U.S. on single-speed bikes to raise money and awareness for diabetes.
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Damn cycling festival! I'll respect their festival when they start paying festival taxes. How many pedestrians are nearly killed every day by festivals who think they are above the law? Red lights aren't just for gay film festivals, ya know. Where is your HELMET, festival? That's what I want to know.
There. Hopefully, that'll get it started.
I swear to Bob, this place is becoming Bicycle-ist. How I long for the good old days of diapered crackhead alley escapade and lost yuppie dog stories.
Ask nicely and I'll write more about voting rights.
Oh my goodness, I do believe I've been Austermuhled. I feel all tingly, and slightly besmirched.
I hope there is a film discussing the hazards cyclists cause on the roads every day. By impeding the regular flow of traffic and running read lights, they cause accidents involving both cars and pedestrians. They are also just a general nuisance to society, both personality-wise (usually they are dorks) and aggression-wise (they tend to yell and try to pick fights with law-abiding drivers).
It's simple. If you want to use the road, get a car. Is it really that hard to find an auto dealership in the DC area?
I also hate it when they run "read" lights.
If you're looking to start a flame-war, at least be discrete about it.
Yeah, like me.
Move to Atlanta. You'll LOVE it.
[hides big blue furry head in shame after feeding the troll]
my bad
Since this is a bike thread that isn't (as of yet) full of sound and fury, I was wondering what type of bike are those single speed, big heavy looking bikes that have the cow-catcher looking thingie in front of the handlebars for holding boxes or groceries. Anyone know what kind of bike I'm describing? They are very plain looking, but possibly indestructable.
Depends. Omafiets and Opafiets often come with a very flat shelf rack on front that look indestructible, as do the bikes. Could be a portier, which has a flat indestructible rack, but the bikes themselves are quite nimble and typically have exposed derailleur gearing. Now the O-fiets (sometimes called dutch city bikes) aren't single speed, they have internal gearing and they're becoming quite trendy. I'm guessing that's what you've been seeing. They're tanks and last 4 generations.
Is this what you're talking about?
Sort of, but that's too fancy looking. This one was plain grey and didn't look like it had any paint on it even. The closest picture I've been able to find was something called a "Stokvis carrier", but that was in a history article. I saw a ton of them in Hong Kong, and recently saw one near K Street.
$1749.00 for a "Dutch Bike?"
Is the Bike Film Festival showing The Bicycle Thief?
Dutch city bikes are premium market, no question. But you have to consider these bicycles' intended purpose, maintenance and longevity. They aren't recreational toys that sit in a garage 350 days of the year. They're intended to be used daily as practical transportation instead of an automobile. With their completely protected drivetrain they need almost no maintenance for years on end, and are so sturdily built that they last for at least the lifespan of the rider. Are they worth 3 times the average bicycle? Arguably, yes. As long as you are insured from theft, it's arguably a sound investment.
That's a year and a half's worth of zipcars for me. Maybe I'll just get a beater beach cruiser and then weld a cow catcher on it. I really need to catch some cows.