Commuting - Very long commute club: week 23

Last week, I couldn't find my sungalsses for a couple of days and rode without them. Not only did I look much less cool, I got a lot more crap in my eyes, especially in the city. When I'm riding my recumbent, my face is turned slightly upward vs the downward tilt when riding my roadie. So, when it's raining or snowing, some sort of eye protection is critical. However, when riding in rain, sun, dusk, etc. it's tough to find eye protection that fits all these situation. Plus, there is the issue of fogging up, usually at the poiont where you need them the most.

My solution to these problems is to wear Smith Sliders. They have dark, amber, and yellow lenses. I use "Cat Crap" to keep them from fogging up. This system is not too bad, but I would like some ideas for improving it. What do you folks do for eye prostection and how do you handle the varying conditions found in a VLC?

I always wear eyewear also, seems that within five minutes without I have something in my eye.

Because I am rough on sunglasses in general (leave them, sit on them, etc) I use protective eyewear from the hardware store. They usually come in grey, amber or clear and look earily simiar to the eyewear in the bike shops. They are all-plastic wrap arounds, with "full orbit coverage" meaning that no matter what wierd angle I have my head I am not looking at a frame. $6.95 at the hardware store - $69.95 at the bike shop. Call me cheap. Here is a picture of my latest pair.

165 miles in the last seven days! That is a PR for me I am pretty sure.

Mars- Thanks for your bent comments. You make a very compelling case, especially if nothing is lost on speed. I'll have to start making the hints around the household as my BD is six months off. Maybe some moonlighting is in my future:eek:

As for eye protection, I've had these Bolle specs with prescription insert and multiple interchangeable shades. Great for different light qualities and activities, i.e. biking, skiing, living...
___


I'm hoping to get off to a good week tomorrow- bad luck and off the road due to flats last week. I hope the weather holds for a while. I'll be trying my new NiteRider Trail Rat for my 18mi commute tomorrow night. Late night, early dark here in NE.

A good safe ride to all

Mars:

I use Tifosi Fototec sunglasses with the light night properties. Cost was $60

http://www.tifosioptics.com/fototec.html

from Tifosi:
For the past year, Tifosi Fototec lenses have allowed cycling enthusiasts the freedom of riding for an entire day without ever changing lenses. In keeping with a strong reputation for staying on the cutting edge of technology, Tifosi Optics has added three Polarized Fototec lenses to the 2007 product line.

Fototec lenses are blended with microscopic photochromes that change tint when exposed to UV rays while still providing 100 percent UVA/UVB protection. Polarized Fototec lenses combine the versatility of polycarbonate Fototec lenses with the glare eliminating properties of polarized lenses.

Mars- Thanks for your bent comments. You make a very compelling case, especially if nothing is lost on speed. I'll have to start making the hints around the household as my BD is six months off. Maybe some moonlighting is in my future:eek:



If you buy a lowracer or a highracer, I am pretty sure that you will see a significant INCREASE in speed. It does take a while to really get going on them, though. They feel weird to ride at first, plus you have to develop your "recumbent muscles" before you are really going to see their full potential.

It also feels funny to be riding so low in traffic, and you have to get your head around a slightly different riding style because of that. In the end, though, I believe that I am slightly less visible, but more noticalble, if you know what I mean. Drivers will look right at a upright cyclist and not see them. We've all experienced that. But with the bent, they are not sure what they are looking at and do a double take all the time. Because they are not sure what they are dealing with, they give me a wider margin on the bent than the roadie as well, one driver said she thought I was a handicapped guy going down the road on some sort of motorized sled. LOL!

Mars:

I use Tifosi Fototec sunglasses with the light night properties. Cost was $60

http://www.tifosioptics.com/fototec.html

from Tifosi:
For the past year, Tifosi Fototec lenses have allowed cycling enthusiasts the freedom of riding for an entire day without ever changing lenses. In keeping with a strong reputation for staying on the cutting edge of technology, Tifosi Optics has added three Polarized Fototec lenses to the 2007 product line.

Fototec lenses are blended with microscopic photochromes that change tint when exposed to UV rays while still providing 100 percent UVA/UVB protection. Polarized Fototec lenses combine the versatility of polycarbonate Fototec lenses with the glare eliminating properties of polarized lenses.

Leave it to you to have the coolest stuff! I am pretty interested in those, but I have a huge head (my wife says I don't have a forehead, I have a fivehead) are the frames pretty big?

I use safety glasses from the hardware stie - cheap. They're available in clear and tinted, with uv protection. I like the fact that they're designed to withstand impact as I've been hit on the lense by small stones a number of times, hate to think what it twould have done to my eyeballs.

I wear my regular glasses. I used to bike in contacts/sunglasses, but I don't see the computer screen as well with my contacts (I sit in front of a computer all day) so I have gone almost entirely to glasses.

I just got back from a vacation where I rode a mountain bike exclusively. I rode very few miles off pavement, most were on the road (my wife likes road more than MTB). I had a good time on that MTB. Since we weren't in a hurry, the somewhat slower cruising speed didn't bother me at all. The flat bar setup does tend to hurt my wrists after an hour or so.

It was SO WEIRD to get back on my fixie road bike this morning. The riding position is more leaned over, and the road bars felt so different. The bike itself was so much more maneuverable and twitchy feeling (although I never would have called it twitchy previously). Man did it cruise quickly, with little effort. I had an absolutely BLAST riding it in.

It really was odd. I do think I like both setups. I am going to build up a fat tire flat bar bike at some point, just to change. It's kinda nice being lazy and soft sometimes :D

Mars:

Tifosi has a number of different frames for different size heads. I have been really happy with the glasses.

No commute for me as I did a hard century yesterday with two friends at an average speed of 19.7 mph. Would have broken the five hour barrier, but the women who was riding with us could not power over the hills. Such is life.....

On Saturday I had the final fit for my new commuter, which should be here in Juanury 2007.

Hope everyone has a great week.

Let's face it, TIbike is the Batman of biking gear. I like to think he has an extra large cavern under his house, full of high tech gear, tools, training equipment and testing gear all neatly labeled and gleaming.

As for eyewear I find it necessary to fight my excessively cool persona with suitable fashion statements. So I wear my regular eyeglasses and a pair of polarized clip on sungalsses picked up at Wallyworld or wherever for about $10. The sunglasses are cheap so I never mind losing them or breaking a pair -- and the nerdy chicks are all over it.

That setup works well most of the year, although for winter there is still too much cold air flowing over my eyes. Tearing up isn't so bad, but then when it freezes to your cheek things turn ugly. I think I'm going to order some of those Visorgog lab goggle things that will fit over my glasses while shielding my eyes from the wind. Every post about them seems to say they work well so I think I'll try it. Besides wearing goggles while biking in winter should raise my nerd sex appeal quotient to the stratosphere!!

Of course it rained lightly and sporadically this morning since I went to the trouble to thoroughly clean and lube my whole bike. The cassette sparkles and the chain is almost as shiny as a new one -- or at least it was until riding through the wet and mud. Oh well I always love the feel of how the bike shifts and rides after a thorough lube job. Ride safe everybody.

a bit rainy today, another pair of wet shoes. I don't wear glasses in the rain. I am always impressed by riders that have to wear glasses. Rain and glasses blind me. I usually wear inexpensive glasses from perfomance with interchangleable lenses. They work but low end for sure. Gotta put the fan on the wet shoes, later Charlie

Let's face it, TIbike is the Batman of biking gear. I like to think he has an extra large cavern under his house, full of high tech gear, tools, training equipment and testing gear all neatly labeled and gleaming.

Batman here:

Newbie, I just try to find gear that makes my life easier. Since I wear contacts I have to wear glasses. The fototec lenses allow me to only have to carry one pair of galsses and do not have to change the lenses. I have found that if I minimize the small stuff, it makes being a busy parent just that little bit easier.

I get my gloves and safty glasses at the hardware store also. There are the same as the bike shop, but cost less.

I always wear glasses, as I only have one good eye and would hate to lose the other one! I wear either an old pair of glasses with rainX or my wrap-around prescription shades. I can't afford to sideswipe a branch and injure my good eye.

Good commute today. Fast. I like the cooler weather.

It was commute from hell day for me. I had to be in early, so I was up at 3:45 and out the door at 5:00. At the office at 6:00 only to find that the gym was closed for the day. Washed up as best I could in the bathroom and spent and extra-long day feeling a little too funky to be sitting in the meetings I was in. Finally out the door at 8:00pm only to have my batteries die on me 1/2 way home. Had to slow to a crawl on the MUP - lots on turns and on-coming headlights on the parallel road.

I have to do the same tomorrow - can't wait to get me generator hub up and running, at least I wont' have to worry about batteries.

On- and it still beats driving!

I wear these http://mi.oakley.com/site/media/cache/4202b80358b42.jpg_242_0_0.jpg

They're prescription.

What is doing about the alert shirts back in the xcc? Any news? Me and Cyclo should wear them on the Sydney-Gong ride if we can organise them. Still no go on the 'mine's longer/harder/gnarlier than yours' Velo?

It was commute from hell day for me. I had to be in early, so I was up at 3:45 and out the door at 5:00.

What are you doing, primping your hair?? :D

JK

After previously marking last week as the last week of the summer commuting season (before it gets dark too early to ride home) I decided to give it one more go today. After all, sunset is 7:15pm, and that's the time I roll up to my house, and it isn't *really* that dark yet.

So today marks 12th "weekly" commute of the season for me. Two previous years I only managed 10 each summer.

A beautiful crisp (55 degree) morning, exactly perfect for my 35mph downhill (a little chilly in short sleeves) and no sweating rolling into work. Should be nice for the PM 32-miler, 70 degree high and a not-too-terrible wind. College season is back on, which means more interesting people-watching on the MUP (Kelly Drive in Philly).

Had a great day riding in this morning. Took my son to school on his new bike. I don't know if it was the excitement of a new bike or if it really is a faster bike, but we made great time. So far we've only done short rides but he seems to be taking to a small frame Trek 820 very well.

It was cool enough this morning to wear a jacket for the first few miles. A pleasant change from summer heat!

You know I was thinking this morning about a way to encourage bike commuting. Traffic was heavy on the MUP this morning but really moving and I pondered what a bicycle traffic report might sound like. Then it occurred to me that maybe the traffic reports on TV and radio should include mention of biking conditions. If on a daily basis people heard about how fast and/or smoothly bike commuting was going maybe they would begin to reconsider their commuting options. Just a thought brought about by the endorphin rush of bike commuting.

Have a good ride everybody.

Newbie:

Glad to hear that your son likes his new bike. Be careful or he will ride you into the ground :D

Mars:

Did you get the pedals and did I send you a left and a right?

Great commute this morning, my commuting partner and I did the extended loop into work, which tacks on an additional 4 miles.

What is doing about the alert shirts back in the xcc? Any news? Me and Cyclo should wear them on the Sydney-Gong ride if we can organise them. Still no go on the 'mine's longer/harder/gnarlier than yours' Velo?

It's not the distance, it's how you ride!

First commute with tights. I don't like cold legs. Great ride this morning. Saw some police/EMS activity at the pier in Old Town, looked like somebody may have ended up in the river. Quite sad.

Newbie:

Glad to hear that your son likes his new bike. Be careful or he will ride you into the ground :D

Mars:

Did you get the pedals and did I send you a left and a right?

Great commute this morning, my commuting partner and I did the extended loop into work, which tacks on an additional 4 miles.


Just cami in this morning! Had time to put them on and take my bent to work. As far as I can tell, they are a pair. WOOHOO!

Thanks, man, that was great. How much do I owe you?

A nice ride this morning although there were the occasional raindrops just to keep things intersting. I do love riding in the cooler temps.

My son definitely loves the new bike and I really do think he is faster. I'm sure that even before he had reached the maximum height on the seat and bars he was too big for the frame of his old bike and it may have restrained his riding. My wife is seriously concerned that he will now out ride her on family rides. I don't think that is the case in the near future, but I'm betting we'll be able to increase our average speed without working too much harder. I'm still working with him on how to use the gears to best advantage -- he still tends to ride all the time in the tall gears. Fortunately, last night after soccer practice and riding home his legs hurt so it may have driven the point home.

A strange problem occured last night when he was running in the 5th gear on the casette. The chain bounces like it is trying to shift up or down. This happened when he was riding it last night as well as when I put it up on the work stand. Oddly enough the bike shifts smoothly to every other gear and runs smoothly in 6th and 7th gears. So I don't think it is a function of the limit screws, but I don't see anything else wrong with the casette. I'll run it over to the LBS tonight if I get home in time and see what they can find. I'm hoping its something easily addressed.

Hello friends,

last evening I concluded my 2006 commuting season with a beautiful evening commute, 32 miles of crisp fall bliss, arriving home exactly at sunset 7:15pm.

This was my 32nd "weekly" commute over the past 3 seasons, the 12th of this season.

Although I didn't meet my goal of 15 commutes (including at least one week of two commutes), I did exceed the previous two years' 10 commutes each by 2, so that's not bad. And I've now saved 1700 miles of driving since each train AM / bike PM commute saves a 53-mile round-trip drive.

Looking forward to the fall weekend rides and Very Long Commute Club 2007 Week 1!

It was drizzly on my commute, too. Just enough to cover my glasses and dampen my shirt. Wonder if RainX would work? :)

My bike looks nasty right now, it needs a wash BADLY. And some fenders.

A reminder to those folks riding in pants now: rubber band, velcro wrap, peg, do whatever to the leg near your chainring. I shredded a nice (tho cheap) pair of Old Navy windpants this morning. Forgot to secure them. Almost made it to work and WHAM. That's an eye-opener.

hey folks: Almost broke out the long sleeve today. I was able to warm up after the first uphill(2 miles into the ride). A little rain to spice things up as well.
MD new: Probably a cable adjustment, it's nice that your son rides to school. I tried and failed with my kids, tho' they did walk and not drive until senior year.
Juggler: It's nice you could ride this summer. 53 miles is a long drive/ride. My commute is 60 miles RT but I do squeeze a train in between bikes. I drove yeasterday to meet an old college friend in from the west and hated every single stinking mile. I-95 south onto the DC beltway SUCKS so badly I want to scream!!!!!!

Why are you quitting for the season, JugglerDave?

Why are you quitting for the season, JugglerDave?

Primarily because it is getting dark earlier. I hit the road at around 4:55pm, which is pretty much the earliest I can do it, and my 32 miles takes me until 7:15pm with one quick water stop and one rest stop. Yesterday, sunset happened to be exactly 7:15pm. I could probably squeeze one more week but days are getting shorter quickly.

Now, I don't have lights. I could presumably invest in decent lighting, much more reflective clothing, and continue to commute.

What are you doing, primping your hair?? :D

JK

I wish I had enough hair to "primp" No, I am just not a true morning person, so I have to spend an hour reading the paper and drinking coffee before I can manage to get on the bike and get out the door. No matter what time I have to leave I get up at least an hour before. On second thought, since I don't need an alarm to do this, so maybe I am a true morning person after all.:)


Today was my first day on the trail with my new generator hub wheel. Very little drag, really no more than a good rear wheel has. Plenty of power - I have kind of hot-wired into an old halogen cat-eye I have and it was plenty bright. Turns out it puts out AC power so I have to build a rectifier circut to convert it to DC for it to run my LED light (for you non-geeks, since an LED is a diode it only allows electricty to flow in one direction. AC "goes both ways" so hooking up my LED headlight to an AC Dynamo just gives me a really bright blinkie)

I understand that someone builds a circuit for this, but I figure it will be a good project to build it into a little light bar (like the Minoura "Swing grip" from Nashbar) and also take off enough power to run my GPS and MP3 player. It puts out a very consistant 7+ volts (consistant power over a varity of speeds is why they designed to be AC, but that is an even more geeky explanation)

Anyway - very happy with it so far.

What is doing about the alert shirts back in the xcc? Any news? Me and Cyclo should wear them on the Sydney-Gong ride if we can organise them. Still no go on the 'mine's longer/harder/gnarlier than yours' Velo?

Gus, you're not going to be very happy with me but I have a wedding on the 5th of December :( so I can't make it to the syd-gong ride this year :mad:

I was really looking forward to it too since they opened that new stretch of coastal road down south. Let me know if you want to do a training ride down that way before the event, even if its just the good bits - thru the nat.park, climb out from audley weir and the coastal road, then we can turn around and do it again in reverse:D ..... awww, hang on, my bike doesn't have reverse :p

I was really looking forward to it too since they opened that new stretch of coastal road down south. Let me know if you want to do a training ride down that way before the event, even if its just the good bits - thru the nat.park, climb out from audley weir and the coastal road, then we can turn around and do it again in reverse:D ..... awww, hang on, my bike doesn't have reverse :p

And my bike doesn't have climb, so we're SOL :D

You mean 5th November for the wedding yeah? On a Sunday?

Did i see you this week around earlwood mate?

And my bike doesn't have climb, so we're SOL :D

You mean 5th November for the wedding yeah? On a Sunday?

Did i see you this week around earlwood mate?

Ahhhhh, yeah, November, thats what I meant. :o

Earlwood? nah, wasn't me. How'd you go with the rain? I scored a pair of neoprene booties for dad's day and they came in real handy last week :eek:

Well I wimped out today, as I was just not in the mood to ride through 20 miles of rain. Back on the bike tomorrow.

Primarily because it is getting dark earlier. I hit the road at around 4:55pm, which is pretty much the earliest I can do it, and my 32 miles takes me until 7:15pm with one quick water stop and one rest stop. Yesterday, sunset happened to be exactly 7:15pm. I could probably squeeze one more week but days are getting shorter quickly.

Now, I don't have lights. I could presumably invest in decent lighting, much more reflective clothing, and continue to commute.

GOTCHA! A good enough reason as any. My wife tried to commute via bike on Monday and turned back because it was just too dark to see (she has no light). I installed my light Tues :)

I wish I had enough hair to "primp" No, I am just not a true morning person, so I have to spend an hour reading the paper and drinking coffee before I can manage to get on the bike and get out the door. No matter what time I have to leave I get up at least an hour before. On second thought, since I don't need an alarm to do this, so maybe I am a true morning person after all.:)


I do think that qualifies you in the Morning Person club :)

I can't drink coffee before my commute. I'd have to stop to pee at least once on the way in. LOL. That stuff goes right through me.

I may try sipping it on the commute as the weather gets cooler, tho. Keep me warm.

Today was my first day on the trail with my new generator hub wheel. Very little drag, really no more than a good rear wheel has. Plenty of power - I have kind of hot-wired into an old halogen cat-eye I have and it was plenty bright. Turns out it puts out AC power so I have to build a rectifier circut to convert it to DC for it to run my LED light (for you non-geeks, since an LED is a diode it only allows electricty to flow in one direction. AC "goes both ways" so hooking up my LED headlight to an AC Dynamo just gives me a really bright blinkie)



Rainy morn, kinda sucked but the interstates were looking worse. PM commute looks worse!
X: How bright is your halogen, 10W? I need to get a new light this year, at least a new battery. I can't get 2 hours out of mine anymore. I'm looking at the new Cateye tripleshot. Long runtime and as bright or brighter than 20 W halogen. A bit pricey though. There are some inexpensive HIDs at batteryspace.com if folks are interested.
Ducati: They have some pretty nice thermos type mugs that fit nicely in a bottle holder, just don't down it thinking it's H2O:eek:
Charlie

Balto -- yeah the rain kinda sucked. It was weird to ride in rainpants for the first time in months. The best thing about the rain is it gets all the tourists off the MUP. No dog leashes, no joggers plugged into their Ipods, it was smooth riding.

Ducati -- I highly recommend coffee for winter rides. An insulated mug or a 12 oz. stainless steel thermos works well. I bought a Thermos at Target that fits nicely in the waterbottle cage. Just remember to either cool the coffee off a little bit before you put it in the thermos or sip very carefully.

Tibike -- I'm so ashamed of you! Put a little Rain-X on the Bat Bike and pedal your b**t into work. If you don't want to ride 20 miles in the rain, walk part of it!!! So ends my motivational moment.

My bike has so much accumulated crud from the last few rainy rides that she's looking really sad. The polished alu frame is getting a bit scratchy. I need to wash and wax her this weekend to get all the crudola off..!

I'll have to try the coffee in the bottle... Maybe drop a few icecubes in after I (nearly) fill the thermos?

Brutal commuting club for me this week. Yesterday, I left work a bit late and had to ride like a fiend to catcht the ferry. But it was raining hard with a real stiff headwind. I hit the afterburners and rode as hard as I could only to watch the ferry pulling away as I arrived. The next one was 2 (!) hours later. So, I had to go a sit in this crappy restaraunt, which was air conditioned and wait. I was soaked to the skin and nearly went hypothermic in there. Full on shakes and shivers. The waitress was real mean and unfriendly to the guy inthe funny bikers clothes too. Got home at 8:30 pm, totally wiped out.

Then today, I had to ride the Very Very Long Commute due to an unfortunatel convergence of variables. 35 miles one way. That's right, my round trip commute is 70 miles today. And these aren't easy miles either. Very hilly, busy, and scary roads. 1.5 foot shoulder with semis barreling by at 70 mph. Man.

And now it's raining out too!!!

Tibike -- be ashamed, be very ashamed!! After reading the tale of Mars commute I hope you are suitably chagrined!

Mars -- you seem to have caught all the bad breaks! Maybe its a sign that you will have fabulous rides tomorrow and over the weekend. I hate that situation where you have to go inside some air conditioned space still soaking wet from the rain. It's not so bad getting wet, but sitting there unable to change or dry off just sucks all around. It serves to remind me of how many ways bikers are 2nd class citizens when it comes to public amenities. I hope you have better luck on the way home.

only to watch the ferry pulling away as I arrived. The next one was 2 (!) hours later.

And now it's raining out too!!!

I feel your pain. I too have miss the train in the past, wet to the bone due too a flat. I only had to wait 45 minutes for the next one. It's a bad feeling as you haul a$$ into the parking lot and hear the horn blow, engines roar, see the caboose.....
Another tough commute home. The drought seems so long ago

Ahhhhh, yeah, November, thats what I meant. :o

Earlwood? nah, wasn't me. How'd you go with the rain? I scored a pair of neoprene booties for dad's day and they came in real handy last week :eek:

Man, who gets married on a Sunday ;) ... Just like the wedding i'm supposed to go to on Grand FInal day... :D

There was a dude riding a nice giant roady with serious afterburners on, thought it mght be you.

And the rain, well i went through a heap of newspaper drying out the shoes, and i got real wet everywhere else. I did have to vary the route though, at least 3 roads i use were under serious water. The only thing i did really different was to wear my reflective vest and use my lights in the morning - i carried my charger.

Rainy morn, kinda sucked but the interstates were looking worse. PM commute looks worse!
X: How bright is your halogen, 10W? I need to get a new light this year, at least a new battery. I can't get 2 hours out of mine anymore. I'm looking at the new Cateye tripleshot. Long runtime and as bright or brighter than 20 W halogen. A bit pricey though. There are some inexpensive HIDs at batteryspace.com if folks are interested.
Ducati:

I think my halogen is only 5 W or less, it is a 10-yr old Cat-eye H-500 hat just never dies. Not really bright enough for fast riding on a curvy MUP, which is why I want to wire in my LEDs. I have an eight, LED light by Serfas (SL-400, $25) that puts out 700 candle power, (lights up about 4 x the area) and uses about 1/3 of the power of the Halogen. I plan to get at least one more of them becuase the MUP is so curvy that I often need to be looking 90-degrees off from where my wheel is pointing. I think a big part of the cost of things like the triple shot is the battery pack. I dropped $100 on the generator hub, but don't have to pay for the huge battery packs, or worry about charging.

Wet weather gear update. I bought neoprene booties hoping to keep my feet dry - but no luck. Not quite as soaked as last time, but nowhere close to dry (plenty warm though) I guess the next option is a set of electrical ski boot driers to dry them back out when I am at work . . .

Xroader -- I've got the neoprene socks and in light rain they keep the feet dry but in a real rain your feet are wet but warm. I'm putting an electric boot dryer on my Christmas list. Should make those winter commutes more comfortable.

Man, who gets married on a Sunday ;) ... Just like the wedding i'm supposed to go to on Grand FInal day... :D

There was a dude riding a nice giant roady with serious afterburners on, thought it mght be you.

And the rain, well i went through a heap of newspaper drying out the shoes, and i got real wet everywhere else. I did have to vary the route though, at least 3 roads i use were under serious water. The only thing i did really different was to wear my reflective vest and use my lights in the morning - i carried my charger.

Since I got the Giant I notice them everywhere, I think they're the roady equivalent of the Commodore :rolleyes:

I'm considering switching to platforms and waterproof hiking boots this winter. I had a real problem with cold feet last year before I "quit" for the winter. I don't want to quit this winter, so I need to figure something out.

In commuting news... My Light & Motion Solo died this morning. Wouldn't fire up. The odd thing is it worked fine yesterday, I stuck it on the charger last night before hitting the hay, and it just wouldn't fire this morning.

GRR. Hope its a bulb, as I bought it exactly one year and 10 days ago. Figures it would die just out of warranty.

Tibike -- be ashamed, be very ashamed!! After reading the tale of Mars commute I hope you are suitably chagrined!

Newbie:

I was just not in the mood to clean my bike again. It takes almost an hour everytime that I ride through the rain. I know when it is bad when my sons say "Dad are you cleaning your bike again!"

The ride in this morning was fine.

Ducati:

I am thinking of using this product during the winter. http://www.therm-ic.com/english/swf/index.htm

If I ride across the USA next June, I will have to be doing back to back centuries on the weekends during the winter.

Wonderful commute this AM, it was DRY
Ducati: Warm feet in winter. I usually wear low top all leather day hikers with thick wool socks. They work well except for the really frigid days, single digits or lower. If you block the wind then you will be that much warmer. I have used plastic bags....but I really look homeless on those days. They have wind socks (or something like that)
X: Neoprene, at lelast with wetsuits, keeps you warm but never dry. I gave up keeping my shoes dry. Multiple pairs and fans.
Mars: how did the 70 miles go?
Have a good weekend y'all, charlie