Commuting - I've attained a new level onf dorkiness!

I got to ride outside this weekend, the first time since the winter began. I rode over to my girlfriend's house, and right after she quit laughing she told me I've managed to dress even dorkier than before. I wasn't dressed that differently than usual, I was wearing my helmet with my Fenix on top, a thin balaclava, clear safety glasses (that was the part that made me look dorkier to her), a high viz vest, two blue baselayers, and black tights. She just kind of rolled her eyes when I told her I had a high viz jacket with me in case the weather got worse, and wondered how long I'd been out in front of her place cooling off before I came inside. I hope the rest of the riding season is this good!

Sounds like you were outfitted practically and comfortably.

I got to ride outside this weekend, the first time since the winter began. I rode over to my girlfriend's house, and right after she quit laughing she told me I've managed to dress even dorkier than before. I wasn't dressed that differently than usual, I was wearing my helmet with my Fenix on top, a thin balaclava, clear safety glasses (that was the part that made me look dorkier to her), a high viz vest, two blue baselayers, and black tights. She just kind of rolled her eyes when I told her I had a high viz jacket with me in case the weather got worse, and wondered how long I'd been out in front of her place cooling off before I came inside. I hope the rest of the riding season is this good!

Apparently she felt lower viz might be an improvement.

Don't feel bad. I'm not allowed to ride within 1/2 mile of my kids' school.

Sounds like you were outfitted practically and comfortably.

Definitely. Last year I went way to far on my first ride and was hurting by the time I got home. I didn't go as far, and felt great by the time I got home in the light mist that would have been snow if the temperature was 10 degrees less.

Don't feel bad. I'm not allowed to ride within 1/2 mile of my kids' school.
That's hilarious. I take great pride in my dorky, hi-viz Fredness. But I look into my 21-month old daughter's big, innocent eyes and think, "Before too long I'm going to be the biggest embarrassment in your life."

I got told that I take crazy to a new level on Saturday. Here's why.

PhD students, by definition, are crazy. They have to be, because no sane person would put themselves through that much schooling or endure that much abuse. But apparently, you need to be even more crazy to ride a bicycle in 38 degree F weather. Mind you, I was rode to the library to get some studying done; its a little over 12 miles one way.

Oh well, God loves crazy people; he makes a lot of us.

d

you need to be even more crazy to ride a bicycle in 38 degree F weather.

Remember, you're posting in the commuting forum here.

Nice warm day like that, you're crazy not to ride. Crazy people are those who think the weather determines if they can ride a bike.

Remember, you're posting in the commuting forum here.

Nice warm day like that, you're crazy not to ride. Crazy people are those who think the weather determines if they can ride a bike.

I particularly like your last sentence!

Tell her you are auditioning for Cirque de Solei

you need to be even more crazy to ride a bicycle in 38 degree F weather.
You just lost any credibility. 38 is perfect weather :)!

BTW, I rode to work yesterday and someone still told me I was crazy to ride (when it was 45). This was after she told me she went on an 8-mile jog.

I got to ride outside this weekend, the first time since the winter began. I rode over to my girlfriend's house, and right after she quit laughing she told me I've managed to dress even dorkier than before. I wasn't dressed that differently than usual, I was wearing my helmet with my Fenix on top, a thin balaclava, clear safety glasses (that was the part that made me look dorkier to her), a high viz vest, two blue baselayers, and black tights. She just kind of rolled her eyes when I told her I had a high viz jacket with me in case the weather got worse, and wondered how long I'd been out in front of her place cooling off before I came inside. I hope the rest of the riding season is this good!

I thought we weren't supposed to dress like that until after marriage.

Crazy people are those who think the weather determines if they can ride a bike.

Yes. Weather determines what type of clothing you will wear. ;)

38F? Or do you mean 18F?

A.

I got to ride outside this weekend, the first time since the winter began. I rode over to my girlfriend's house, and right after she quit laughing she told me I've managed to dress even dorkier than before. I wasn't dressed that differently than usual, I was wearing my helmet with my Fenix on top, a thin balaclava, clear safety glasses (that was the part that made me look dorkier to her), a high viz vest, two blue baselayers, and black tights. She just kind of rolled her eyes when I told her I had a high viz jacket with me in case the weather got worse, and wondered how long I'd been out in front of her place cooling off before I came inside. I hope the rest of the riding season is this good!

What is sad is that this sort of "dorkiness" is because we as cyclists we are trying to do everything we can to be safe in a car-centric world... such "dorkiness" doesn't exist in places like Copenhagen or China, where folks wear regular clothing while riding their bikes from point A to point B.

What is sad is that this sort of "dorkiness" is because we as cyclists we are trying to do everything we can to be safe in a car-centric world... such "dorkiness" doesn't exist in places like Copenhagen or China, where folks wear regular clothing while riding their bikes from point A to point B.

I'd say there's different types of cycling dorkiness and a lot of it is not safety related. For example, there's roadie dorkiness, fred dorkiness, and hipster dorkiness. The beauty in that is that we look dorky to each other too. A devout roadie isn't going to wear tight jeans and carry a U-lock in his back pocket. A hipster, if he wears a helmet at all is very unlikely to have a camera or light mounted to it. A fred isn't going to shave his legs. Well, probably not.

There are plenty of people in the U.S. who wear regular clothes at least part of the time, myself included. For me the decision to wear regular clothes or not depends largely on distance traveled and weather. Safety is considered only indirectly. I have a jacket I wear that's a light color and has reflective stripes. I tend to use it even if I'm wearing regular clothes, not for the reflective stripes but because it works and because it's hanging by the door.

What if one is roadie during the day and Fred at night???

What if one is roadie during the day and Fred at night???

You mean like a werewolf?

What if one is roadie during the day and Fred at night???

Just like there are universal blood donors (type O), there are people who can be dorks to anyone.

I thought we weren't supposed to dress like that until after marriage.

Hah, it's after marriage for both of us. I think it's pretty appropriate that I can't find out how to correct the typo on the thread title after using the new and imporved search function. I'd say I'm just going to leave it like that because it looks dorkier too, but I can't change it anyway.

What if one is roadie during the day and Fred at night???

That's a fairly typical situation for me. 3 days a week I meet some buddies for a pre-work training ride. I'm in the official Roadie kit for that. Then I ride to the office and go to work. In the evening, I'll usually just slap on the reflective ankle bands and blinkies.

What if one is roadie during the day and Fred at night???


You mean like a werewolf?

Maybe it's more like a superhero. Mild mannered commuter holding up traffic at 20 mph slips into a bike locker, rips off jeans and dayglo jacket to reveal skintight roadie kit underneath, returns to the road to hold up traffic at 25 mph.

Maybe it's more like a superhero. Mild mannered commuter holding up traffic at 20 mph slips into a bike locker, rips off jeans and dayglo jacket to reveal skintight roadie kit underneath, returns to the road to hold up traffic at 25 mph.

LOL

actually this whole thread cracks me up...top to bottom.

I embrace being as dorky as possible, its all about how much you own it. True Freds love the fact that they're dorks. :-)

I'm pretty sure that, in this town at least, any adult riding a bicycle is a dork regardless of what they ride and what they wear.

Dork, or DUI waiting to get their license/car back.

What if one is roadie during the day and Fred at night???


I think that makes you a Frodo...and you have to shave your feet, not your legs

LOL

actually this whole thread cracks me up...top to bottom.

I embrace being as dorky as possible, its all about how much you own it. True Freds love the fact that they're dorks. :-)


I draw the line at dork discs. Other than that i agree.

I just got my clear protecive glasses and they work wonderfully over my regular glasses.
It's nice not riding down the road with tears streaming down my face.

I've learned to embrace my inner dork.

I also discovered safety goggles for $5 at Home Depot this year. I won't ride without them any more. I plan to wear them in the summer at night and sunglasses in the day. All of us should be protecting our eyes.

Don't feel bad. I'm not allowed to ride within 1/2 mile of my kids' school.
This is very funny. I always look like a dork while I am riding especially when I am going to swim practice.

Don't feel bad. I'm not allowed to ride within 1/2 mile of my kids' school.

Are you a registered sex offender?

Just like there are universal blood donors (type O), there are people who can be dorks to anyone.
Hey!... I resemble that remark!

Hey OP, as long as she doesn't mind laughing at you, and you can take it, sounds like you have a good relationship going.

As for hi-vis clothing.....



" Why do i dress like a clown?" "Cause y'all drive like one!"

Next time you can just ride over in style while maintaining "high-viz":


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC6DOg4Hsv4

All apologies :D

OMG!!!

I can't make my mind up whether to laugh myself sick....



Or just be sick!

That's a man, baby!

Well at least she is doing something to burn some calories.

LOL

actually this whole thread cracks me up...top to bottom.

I embrace being as dorky as possible, its all about how much you own it. True Freds love the fact that they're dorks. :-)

+1. Embrace the Fredness. Feel the force strengthen as you embarrass your children! Ahhhh! Fred is good!

i have high vis pearl izumi barrier jacket and take a pretty good ration of grief for it, when i stop at the lbs to chat with the blokes...or when anyone i know sees me wearing it in public.

id rather be fred, than dead.

Suited up for a ride to work on a cold day, I look (so says my wife) like a bug character from a Disney cartoon.

Funny, I'm one of the people laughing...

Usually I'm the joker riding around wearing all black - usually just comfortable sweats and a normal t-shirt. During the day the dark colors are actually MORE visible than most high-vis because naturally there are very few things that dark... Besides, it's daylight, if they can't see you...

When it gets dark, Instead of lighting me up, I light up my ride.

I've got 3x Cree Q5's in the front.
http://battletech.hopto.org/builds/BikeLight/light_1_frontview_thumb.jpg
Click for Larger View (http://battletech.hopto.org/builds/BikeLight/light_1_frontview.jpg)

http://battletech.hopto.org/builds/BikeLight/light_1_sideview_thumb.jpg
Click for Larger View (http://battletech.hopto.org/builds/BikeLight/light_1_sideview.jpg)

Made the housing myself out of a $1.50 radio shack flashlight - it's got about $50 in electronics inside it though with copper heat sinks. You can't see it from the pics but the copper is exposed out the bottom for airflow over it's fins - sealed in with a high-temp silicone.

Don't have pictures of my current rear light, but it's a $1.50 trailer light housing that fits perfect under the seat, which I put 1x Q5 into.

The power cords are recycled computer power cables - I figure if they can handle 500 watts at 120 volts, they can handle what a quartet of 18650 batteries recycled from laptops deliver. (though I also have a 7.2 volt RC car battery I use too since I chose that as my connector type)

The battery box:
http://battletech.hopto.org/builds/BikeLight/light_2_batteryBox_thumb.jpg
Click for Larger View (http://battletech.hopto.org/builds/BikeLight/light_2_batteryBox.jpg)
Is a 50 cent tackle box from walmart with a weatherproof switch.

Internally it's not as pretty since I flooded it with hot-glue as my weatherproofing seal for the cables...
http://battletech.hopto.org/builds/BikeLight/light_2_batteryBoxInsides_thumb.jpg
Click for Larger View (http://battletech.hopto.org/builds/BikeLight/light_2_batteryBoxInsides.jpg)

I'm adding light up as you pedal pedals to it with the new cranks, (since I often ride barefoot mid-summer I go for soft rubber toy pedals anyhow), and am considering adding some form of spokepov or other rim lighting.

You make the bike visible, you don't have to dress like a dork... at least not for casual/commuter riding. Me, I'm more of a techno-geek than a dork.

LOL

actually this whole thread cracks me up...top to bottom.

I embrace being as dorky as possible, its all about how much you own it. True Freds love the fact that they're dorks. :-)

I embraced my inner dork a few decades ago.


I just got my clear protecive glasses and they work wonderfully over my regular glasses.
It's nice not riding down the road with tears streaming down my face.

I've learned to embrace my inner dork.

I wear gas permeable contacts, and need to keep the dust out of them. It really hurts when something gets caught in them.


Hey OP, as long as she doesn't mind laughing at you, and you can take it, sounds like you have a good relationship going.

Yep, we do!

OMG!!!

I can't make my mind up whether to laugh myself sick....



Or just be sick!

Yikes, not what I wanted to see at lunchtime.

Next time you can just ride over in style while maintaining "high-viz":


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC6DOg4Hsv4

All apologies :D

Chipcom's really let himself go since he graced the cover of playboy.

Next time you can just ride over in style while maintaining "high-viz":


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC6DOg4Hsv4

All apologies :D

Oh please, somebody gouge out my eyes!!! VERY cheeky.

If I'm not an embarrassment to my children, then I have fallen down on the job. Try dressing like that and singing out load in Walmart with your kids, it's great fun......My wife calls me evil (that's Dr. Evil).

What is sad is that this sort of "dorkiness" is because we as cyclists we are trying to do everything we can to be safe in a car-centric world... such "dorkiness" doesn't exist in places like Copenhagen or China, where folks wear regular clothing while riding their bikes from point A to point B.
Distances tend to be a lot shorter in old-world cities. Here urban planners like to sprawl out all over the place and connect these suburbs with fast-moving freeways. Actually, until about 20 years ago, downtown Copenhagen was like that. When you see photos of Danes pedalling along with the wind in their hair, note the lack of cars - they've been banned from the city's inner core.
When you only have 3-5 km to travel, it's no big deal to wear regular clothing. More than that and the inseams of pants start to wear out prematurely from friction with the saddle.

Ive just been informed by my adult daughters that ive reached super dorkdom,i bought a shiny new pair of sneakers with velcro straps instead of laces. I pointed out that there real leather,but didnt work,im Fred all the way now. Much better for me,at my age it hurts to stay bent over too long to do up laces,my story and sticking to it.

What if one is roadie during the day and Fred at night???

ROFLMAO! I had no idea this will spawn so many hilarious responses, ha ha ha!

You know what's funny is that the higher you go up the Roadie pyramid, the more you find little bits of Fredism. We have some current and recently retired professionals around here and you almost always see them on 32 spoke training wheels, with frame pumps, and bits of duct tape holding things together.

It's the weekend warrior/cafe peleton boys who worry about matching their kneewarmers to their armwarmers.

Ive just been informed by my adult daughters that ive reached super dorkdom,i bought a shiny new pair of sneakers with velcro straps instead of laces. I pointed out that there real leather,but didnt work,im Fred all the way now. Much better for me,at my age it hurts to stay bent over too long to do up laces,my story and sticking to it.

Fashion goes in circles, they'll be cool again in 10 years or so.


You know what's funny is that the higher you go up the Roadie pyramid, the more you find little bits of Fredism. We have some current and recently retired professionals around here and you almost always see them on 32 spoke training wheels, with frame pumps, and bits of duct tape holding things together.

It's the weekend warrior/cafe peleton boys who worry about matching their kneewarmers to their armwarmers.

Yeah, I noticed that, and rubber bands :D

Adam

Yeah, I noticed that, and rubber bands :D

Don't forget the epoxy just slathered in as a giant glob and allowed to drip down the frame as it hardened.... and zip-ties. ANYTHING can be fixed with zip-ties.

Do you live in the city and ride an IRO? If so, i think i saw you.