@haraldkliems @rand @ai6yr @ascentale @gnomon @bobjonkman @bikenite please use lots of ventilation and no open flame. Vaporized wax fumes can ignite easily. #BikeNite

@ai6yr @scottsthoughts @MartyCormack @ascentale @bikenite ...I would be strongly tempted to do something to that guy. Like show up on my '80's prosumer sport bike and dust his carbon fiber, spandex wearing ass for a few miles.

Grumble grumble.

@gcvsa @ascentale @moira @bikenite If that budget doesn't get cut by the administration.

Feh.

@ascentale @ai6yr @bikenite

A7. The initial question of course is hub width and attachment type: QR vs thruaxle. Then rim vs disc brake.

For any given rim diameter, what's the maximum tire width that will fit the frame?

Finally, if rim brakes, will the rim line up with the brake pads?

Oh and don't forget: the hubs and rims need the same number of spoke holes!

@ascentale @scottsthoughts @bikenite A6. I have a very specific and odd one. In our @CyclingGuide mobile app we show permanently-installed bike parking facilities. The City of Kitchener has a wonderful bike valet service that they set up at various festivals and other events around the city. This year we’re working with the city to show those temporary facilities in our app, to making it even easier for people to cycle to events.

@ai6yr @ascentale @scottsthoughts @bikenite I really don’t understand the look down on others not like me crowd, I mean hey outside, what is bad about that? (There are certain cars/trucks that I do look down on, but we’re talking bikes here!) #BikeNite

@ai6yr @ascentale @gnomon @bobjonkman @bikenite I believe that you do want to make sure the chain gets up to the temperature of the wax. I believe for penetration into the chain. For my crockpot, it takes about 75 minutes, but I put the chain on top of the hard wax so the chain heats up with the wax, then it’s just a minute or so of agitation and done! #BikeNite

@ascentale @bikenite A1. Posting from Austin, Texas today. I work from home so my commute is getting down the stairs safely. I do it in the dark, so it’s not 100% safe. I do most of my shopping by bike. There are a variety of shopping options within a 2.5 mile radius of the house. If I keep it simple it’s maybe 10-15 mins to get there. If I decide to get some exercise, it’s longer. Walking would be 1.5-2 hours. Car ~ 30 mins if I include parking. Transit doesn’t work. It’s a mile walk to the bus or light rail. That makes biking my “go to” solution for shopping. There are lots of shortcuts available by bike that would take much longer by car. #bikenite

@ai6yr @ascentale @scottsthoughts @bikenite
#bikenite
One thing that can help your advocacy is when you can find folks that are BOTH spandex wearing road cyclists AND frequent bike commuters. Sometimes you'd be surprised by the number that do both. Within my Strava followers there are at least 5 or 6 and they post both their long road rides and their daily commutes in Strava. It helps to build community with those folks as they have feet in both camps.

@ascentale @ClintonAnderson @bikenite
#BikeNite A8:

I follow:

#wintercycling
#cycling
#BikeTooter
#30daysofbiking
#safestreets
#fedibike
#ebikes
#ElectricBikes
#bikenite
#Biketober
#bikeniteq
#bikestreak
#WorldBicycleDay
#CarsRuinEverything

#BikeTooter and #bikenite yield the most posts for me.

Are there any good ones I'm missing?

@ascentale @ClintonAnderson @bikenite

A8:

I just use #Bikes

@ascentale @gnomon @bobjonkman @bikenite A5: I *love* wax - hardly any maintenance. I've been using waxed chains for a year, using "Silca Super Secret Wax" (but my own pot, not theirs). Waxing, for me, is purely a benefit of reducing maintenance. I ride dirt/mtb/gravel, and I used to clean/relube my chain at least weekly. Its messy, the chain-grime is nearly permanent if it touches me or clothing.

Compare with waxing, I do zero maintenance outside of "put it in the wax pot" which I have done twice. When riding, the chain doesn't accumulate any grime, and I don't do any between-waxing upkeep.

Highly recommend it.

I've been tracking my chain and lube experience on this thread: https://hachyderm.io/@whack/112364144650572852

@ascentale @scottsthoughts @bikenite

A6. The bike advocacy win of note is very tiny but very helpful. There's an apartment complex that has its own entrances but also has a pedestrian cut-through at the end of a road. The pedestrian cut was very sketchy and unofficial looking.

I looked up city records to prove there was a sidewalk easement. That and a whole bunch of pressure from residents and neighbors got them to rebuild the cut-through, replace the fence + build new sidewalk.

@ascentale @PamelaSchure @bikenite

#BikeNite A1 Ann Arbor, MI.

About 15 minutes to downtown via bicycle or by car; the slightly slower pace by bike, but easier to park. 30 minutes on foot. 15 minutes + up to 15 wait for a bus.

when we were looking for a house the goal was to bicycle to campus. An e-bike now makes it easy.

There are a couple of short challenging bits by bicycle, but 80% of the way is bike lanes, and about 1/3 is curb separated.

@ascentale @PamelaSchure @bikenite

A1b. Forgot the safety bit.

Here, very safe all modes. Freaked me out at first when automobile and truck drivers kept stopping for me when I was in the crosswalk and they were turning. Absolutely not the case in Alabama or Oklahoma, even though yielding is the law in all 3 states.

In Huntsville, Alabama walking was semi-safe, bicycling was safer, automobile *felt* safest but was most dangerous for anyone paying attention. Bus was the safest.

@ai6yr @ascentale @scottsthoughts @bikenite

Advocating for bicycle commuters like me was why I stayed on as Secretary for our bicycle advocacy group for a decade, even though I was already burnt out by 2 years. Thankfully, when I left it had at least half bicycle commuters on it.

@ascentale @forth @bikenite A2. All the different geometries: road bike, step-through, mixte, tandem, folding, cargo…

For making emojos, I personally like The Noun Project: https://thenounproject.com/search/icon-collections/?q=bicycle (CC-licensable) There are icons for a surprising variety of things, and you can use Inkscape to colour them, add embellishments, etc.

@ascentale @ClintonAnderson @bikenite #BikeNite A8. I mostly use #BikeTooter #bicycle #cycling #bicycling and #ebike, all of which are specific, but I also frequently use #urbanism #disability #accessibility #pedestrian #transportation and #transit, in conjunction with anything about #bicycles, because these are all related and intersectional.

@ascentale @ai6yr @bikenite #BikeNite A7. It's not a "wheel" if it has no spokes or hub.

Make sure that whatever rim you decide to use, it's the right width for the tires you plan to use, and that the tires fit the frame.

Make sure you buy components built for MTB use, and make sure the numbers of spoke holes match.

My advice: wheelbuilding is a huge PITA. Unless you really want to learn it, hire it out.

@ascentale @scottsthoughts @bikenite #BikeNite A6. I ran for Representative Town Meeting member for my district this year and won a 3-year seat, coming in 9th place in the voting out of 26 candidates. I will definitely be advocating for better bicycle infrastructure in my town, which has effectively none. I am coming out of my fourth car-free Winter in New England.

Next: Fixing the improperly installed racks at the state office building in my town, newly installed last Autumn :facepalm: