Commuting - Extreme commute club: week 22

I am going to the inlaws for Easter so may not have access to a computer tomorrow. :mad: So I thought I would start this thread a day early and hope it doen't get burried in the second page. XCCers, if you read this, please post something to keep it in the front page!

The mighty members of our elite club are pretty dedicated cyclists :p and I think it must show in the wild. I really don't see that many other cyclists on either my XCC or Very Long Commute, but if I do I am always faster than they are. Of course, I have never encountered a paceline going the same directio as I was. :eek: In the years I have ridden these commutes I have never been passed by another cyclist. How about you folks, what is your proportion of passing/getting passed by other cyclists?

My pass / get passed ratio is about 95 / 5

I've been passed once this year by a guy on a MTB at about mile 16 of my 19 mile commute home. He was flying and dropped me like a hot rock at a hot rock dropping contest. It wasn't even close to being a chase situation. :o

Despite this, I posted one of my better early season commute times with an average speed of 21 mph.

I was riding my 1972 Falcon touring bike (pic below) loaded with 25 lbs of laptop, books & clothes in the panniers. (Yes, this is my feeble way of dealing with the humiliation of getting passed by a guy on a MTB ;) )

I'm probably 50/50 on my ride. I'm not real fast, just consistent day in/day out. I used to worry about it, but lately I've been taking Lem's advice and just riding the ride for the enjoyment and exercise. I will probably get back to a semi training routine later in the spring.

It snowed this AM around here. Not much, but quite a strange Easter greeting. I struggled home Friday night and collapsed with the worst cold I have ever had. I had grand plans for a century ride tomorrow, but now I can't walk 100 ft forget about ride 100 miles. Hopefully, I'll be able to get in one later this month.

I'm probably 50/50 on my ride. I'm not real fast, just consistent day in/day out. I used to worry about it, but lately I've been taking Lem's advice and just riding the ride for the enjoyment and exercise. I will probably get back to a semi training routine later in the spring.


There are no commuters on my ride but I think I would fare pretty well
if I poured on the mega-watts. I really dont worry about making time though......http://forum.liberaldebatt.com/images/smilies/sleep.gif
I shoot for a 4 minute mile, thats all. If someone were to pass me Im OK with that :D
My ride is straight through though, so I think that makes some difference from a
workout perspective. In the morning I never have to stop once. In the afternoon
only once, so the workout is fairly continuois and I spin fast the whole way !!
I think that would make a difference if someone wanted to get into a long 'race'.
I actually would like an opportunity to see how I would fare against a seasoned rider....
Well, maybe not :p
I gave notice at my job last week and took a few days off to use my accumulated
time so I missed a few days. Going back monday will hurt a little but not much, I
believe due to that 'baseline' stuff I hear real cyclists talk about.
Nothing can build up a baseline tolerance to snow in April, however.........

I usually get past by everyone else. I like a slow pace, I get to enjoy the scenery and avoid the stinking sweaty back when showing up to work.

Ricardo

I only get passed. But I'm still new to this commuting thing! At least all of my commutes (both of them!) have been "extreme", cold and long.

Actually I did pass one guy but he was in no hurry to get to work. (~5mph)

I am definitely a 99/1 (pass/passed by). I love riding my bike fast, and in Hamilton, ON the traffic is pretty quick, so going faster keeps me safer. Also, I just feel comfortable spinning at speed (I ride fixed).

Whenever I see a cyclist on the road ahead of me, I floor it. I have caught or passed every person on my commute since there have been people out commuting this season. Also, I like to hunt down racers training when I have the time on my commutes, though that hasn't really happened much this season yet...but I think I will have some good challenges.

There are no commuters on my ride but I think I would fare pretty well
if I poured on the mega-watts. I really dont worry about making time though......http://forum.liberaldebatt.com/images/smilies/sleep.gif
I shoot for a 4 minute mile, thats all. If someone were to pass me Im OK with that :D
My ride is straight through though, so I think that makes some difference from a
workout perspective. In the morning I never have to stop once. In the afternoon
only once, so the workout is fairly continuois and I spin fast the whole way !!
I think that would make a difference if someone wanted to get into a long 'race'.
I actually would like an opportunity to see how I would fare against a seasoned rider....
Well, maybe not :p
I gave notice at my job last week and took a few days off to use my accumulated
time so I missed a few days. Going back monday will hurt a little but not much, I
believe due to that 'baseline' stuff I hear real cyclists talk about.
Nothing can build up a baseline tolerance to snow in April, however.........
I hear you are leaving Vt, Lem. :cry:
When are you going and where are you going?

Well I'm off the bike again today since my son contracted the same illness that knocked me out. I'm not sure I'm up to riding today anyway, but its kind of sad. I should be able to get in some needed bike maintenance today, but otherwise it will be a day of rest.

I have a 99.9/.1 (pass/passed) ratio. I have had a guy pass me while I was cursing along at 24 mph. But then passed him after running him down at 29 mph. :lol: he was not happy at all that I passed him and let me know at the next stop light. So when the light changed I felt him behind... :eek:

Other then that one morning I was riding along at 26 mph and had two bike racers keeping up with me for 6 miles and then pass me as I stoped to look off the 3 mile bridge. I stoped to see some Bat Rays playing in the Bay.

Most of the time I try to make a 2.5 min mile. Which is 24 mph cursing speed. I can and have made the 3.5 mile work commute in 9.5 mins. That gives me a average ride speed of 22 mph.

In The Name Of The Xcc I Command Thee: Winter - Go Away!!!!!!!!!!

In The Name Of The Xcc I Command Thee: Winter - Go Away!!!!!!!!!!

I concur!!!! Go away cold and snow!

I hear you are leaving Vt, Lem. :cry:
When are you going and where are you going?

http://ninjashoes.net/forum/images/smilies/_storm__by_clairebearer.gif

Typical VT. commute at 5:00am.....500 mph wind with snow.
Typical VT. commute at 3:00pm.....500 mph wind with snow/sleet squall for about 2miles
for a little variety.

Yes MARS, we are leaving. My Wifes contract with the Rotland Skool Dist. runs
out in June so thats when we will be rolling out. :cry:
We are heading to the fourth worst state in the country.
I bet you'll get it in one guess ! :roflmao:

http://ninjashoes.net/forum/images/smilies/_storm__by_clairebearer.gif

Typical VT. commute at 5:00am.....500 mph wind with snow.
Typical VT. commute at 3:00pm.....500 mph wind with snow/sleet squall for about 2miles
for a little variety.

Yes MARS, we are leaving. My Wifes contract with the Rotland Skool Dist. runs
out in June so thats when we will be rolling out. :cry:
We are heading to the fourth worst state in the country.
I bet you'll get it in one guess ! :roflmao:
Ok....
worst state: Texas
2nd worst: Kansas
3rd: Missouri
4th... hmmm one of the Virginias? Georgia?

Nice day today. But tomorrow: :eek: ANOTHER freakin wnter storm coming! Up to 7 inches of snow! :cry:

Well Lem if you mean educationally I would add Mississippi, Louisianna and Arkansas to the list. If you mean worst in terms of cycling monotony then I would nominate North Dakota! Good luck wherever you wind up.

I'm getting very good at the Mr. Mom thing, but the kid is going to school tomorrow even if he has festering boils. Its just far too much time at home.

Hey Guys, I scored some Shimano RSX shifters off ebay. There NOS (new old stock) and have never been installed on a bike. Once I get them from Germany and installed I'll have to post a new Picture of the Bike.

It rain all day yesterday, but today it was nice and sunny around 80 deg. Wind was only around 5 mph at most. So I got in 56 miles today.

I'm disappointed - new fenders on my touring/road bike and the rain held off. Well, maybe lingering storms and thunderstorms tomorrow.
I've been very sluggish this week (a week feeding at the cruise line buffet will do that) but there are so few commuters out in this cold spell I wasn't passed. I'd say I 50% of the roadies pass me and I pass 99% of the remainder.

Robtown -- boy can I sympathize on the cruise ship food. Did that last summer and it took me a week or two to work off the extra calories and reduced activity. I have a feeling I'll be almost as rusty after a few days with the respiratory thing I've had.

Bump.

Dunno about the passing, i ride at random times. I do often pass cars down one of the major hills though - they don't seem to like that...

Well it has now been a week off the bike as I watch the plague work its way through our house. I think I'm going nuts!!!! I won't even be able to ride this weekend, since I have several other commitments and the weather is promising to be horrible. With luck I'll be able to ride on Monday when there may be wet, wind driven snow on the tail end of this storm. The perfect way to get back into riding after a week off the saddle. Well I did get a lot of bike maintenance done yesterday so the bike sits ready to ride.

I hope everyone else is having a better time than I am. Have a great weekend everybody.

http://www.thefreshzone.com/images/smilies/ill.gif
Hope your back on the road soon, MD-Newb !
That must be on serious bug if you got it. HAs anyone else found the
commute builds up immunity to colds ? My Wife works in a school and
brings home an assortment of virus's every year...In my job people
are sick throughout the winter but I never even got the sniffles
this whole year.
Its pouring rain here after a few inches of wet snow but I have the
day off. In some twisted way, I miss riding in.

http://www.thefreshzone.com/images/smilies/ill.gif
Hope your back on the road soon, MD-Newb !
That must be on serious bug if you got it. HAs anyone else found the
commute builds up immunity to colds ? My Wife works in a school and
brought home an assortment of different virus's every year...In my job
people are sick throughout the winter but I never got even the sniffles
this whole year.+1

Bewtween my wife and two kids, my household has had a least one person sick at any given time this winter. I keep waiting to get nailed but the worst I've had is a mild sinus cold. Didn't even miss a ride.

Get well, Newbie.

Jalopy

http://www.thefreshzone.com/images/smilies/ill.gif
Hope your back on the road soon, MD-Newb !
That must be on serious bug if you got it. HAs anyone else found the
commute builds up immunity to colds ? My Wife works in a school and
brings home an assortment of virus's every year...In my job people
are sick throughout the winter but I never even got the sniffles
this whole year.
Its pouring rain here after a few inches of wet snow but I have the
day off. In some twisted way, I miss riding in.
Yeah! I used to get bronchitis/pneumonia every winter. I haven't even had a significant cold in 3 years now, I guess.

The weatehr here is SUCKING big time. Yesterday on the ride home, there was 6" of saturated slush on the road. My cogs got so iced over I could only use the biggest gear and spin like mad. The whole cogset was encased in ice!. I got hosed down bigtime by passing cars, from the top of myhead to the tips of my toes. That slush is HEAVY and cold! It was running down my neck and hanging off my cheeks (both pairs!).

More on the way, too. They are predicitng a big storm over the weekend. http://planetsmilies.net/vomit-smiley-31.gif (http://planetsmilies.net)

Yesterday on the ride home, there was 6" of saturated slush on the road. My cogs got so iced over I could only use the biggest gear and spin like mad. The whole cogset was encased in ice

Fenders, Lights, a rack......a zillion maga-watts of cool factor, an NO cogs to get
slushed into oblivion !!

http://ratrodbikes.com/images/rats/rat23.jpg

You know you want it....http://ninjashoes.net/forum/images/smilies/yes.gif

:D

Lem -- you are too much!! While I always envision TiBike's basement as a treasure trove of precision instruments (regularly calibrated against the Nat. Bureau of Standards) stored in carefully fitted drawers, somehow I'm thinking your yard is filled with bike frames and parts from the 1950s onward in a never ending search for that perfect oddity.

I've been feeling fine for a couple of days now, but I've been home watching my son work through it. Generally, I have been sick less since I started riding. Not because of a heightened immune system, but rather biking avoids lots of sick people crammed into a Metro car going to and from work. This particular bug seems to be working through schools and offices all around here, so its a nasty sucker. I am more than ready to get on the saddle again!!

Fenders, Lights, a rack......a zillion maga-watts of cool factor, an NO cogs to get
slushed into oblivion !!

http://ratrodbikes.com/images/rats/rat23.jpg

You know you want it....http://ninjashoes.net/forum/images/smilies/yes.gif

:D
:eek: Is THAT your bike!?!?!?! That thing is AWESOME!!!!

Thats not mine, MARS, but very close to it !!
When you see a pic of it, you will still laff :D

I have one of these coming any day now :

<---------(avatar)--------------

Really.....E-Bay score :D
I have one more day of work to ride to on the 23rd so I will
post up what its like to ride a StingRay to work 12 miles through
the hills of Vermont ! I would say 'Extreme' stupidity would apply
more than anything else :roflmao:

Thats not mine, MARS, but very close to it !!
When you see a pic of it, you will still laff :D

I have one of these coming any day now :

<---------(avatar)--------------

Really.....E-Bay score :D
I have one more day of work to ride to on the 23rd so I will
post up what its like to ride a StingRay to work 12 miles through
the hills of Vermont ! I would say 'Extreme' stupidity would apply
more than anything else :roflmao:
Wow. That will be something all right! I hope you don't have to ride into a strong headwind! On the other hand, you will be able to "pop wheelies", as we said in the day, like crazy!

Lem -- you are too much!! While I always envision TiBike's basement as a treasure trove of precision instruments (regularly calibrated against the Nat. Bureau of Standards) stored in carefully fitted drawers, somehow I'm thinking your yard is filled with bike frames and parts from the 1950s onward in a never ending search for that perfect oddity...


Yeah, looks like Lem is out McGiver! :D

Lem -- Is it required that you stand up on the seat when coasting down the big hills?