Consularrider

How much is time a factor? I vote for longer fewer hills, especially since you are on a standard road bike. Maybe you can make up difference by a higher MPH?

BengeBoy 

Good idea for a thread!

Did my 32nd or 33rd commute of the year today. 20 mile round trip into downtown Seattle.

We had unusually warm weather for most of the first quarter, but in late March and early April we've got a return of winter storm patterns -- windy, cold, rain, snow in the mountains.

Still, this has been a good commuting week for me this week -- back into my winter clothing, and only got wet a few times.

Today's weather leaving home: 39 degrees, light rain.

cranky old dude

A cold, wet, and windy 9.66 round trip commute today.

Pre-dawn ride in was in 42*F temp. with a 12 mph headwind with rain for the first two miles. It was windy enough that I was dry when I arrived at work. The ride home was a bit colder at 39*F with winds of 19 mph gusting to 27 mph (crosswinds and tailwinds ) and SNOW mixed with rain!

Quite a weather change from the warmth of March. Thank goodness for having a job. If it weren't for the commute I never would have ridden today, in fact this is the first ride since I rode home from work last Monday morning!

Before my bride left on her trip she had turned off the furnace, now it's my goal to see how long I can leave it off. It's 55*F in here right now!


21 consecutive commutes...23 commutes for the year

Bud Bent

After not riding to work Monday or Tuesday, I did it the last three days. It was a chilly morning again this morning, 38 degrees, then almost 40 degrees warmer for the ride home.

tsl

I was out in that tonight too. I didn't work, but I had to go downtown to Central Branch for a union meeting, so it was a headwind for me. I didn't get rain with snow, I got snow pellets--sort of like hail, but made of snow. Hard enough to bounce off my helmet, but soft enough to crush under the tires without crunching. And boy do they sting!

60 commutes to date, BTW.

cranky old dude

I think the official term is Groppel. Yes, that is what I had too...mixed with rain.

It was very tempting to drive in to work today. As I walked out to the garage at 04:00 this morning to fetch "Little Blue Bike", the wind sounded like radial tires on a nearby highway!!

Alas, stubborn me...I rode the bike in anyway.

Now it is patiently waiting for me out at the rack in anticipation of a much more enjoyable ride home this evening!



EDIT: Todays commute was 11.58 miles round trip, (Bikejournal site is down but as I remember it was around 35*F with a about a 12 mph west headwind this morning). The ride home was Sunny, 57*F with a 12 mph tailwind.

22 consecutive commutes, 24 for the season out of a possible 52

cranky old dude

Yes I did. Last night I worked a different part of the plant and had a slightly shorter commute, only 7.6 miles round trip. Sunny and 60* on the ride in...the pre-dawn ride home was 39*.

23 consecutive commutes, season total of 25 out of a possible 53

Bud Bent

Today was my 40th ride to work this year. It was 55 degrees with scattered fog this morning, 81 degrees with a stiff south wind to fight on the way home.

cruzMOKS

I commuted today and added extra miles on the way home. Ended up with 20 miles. It was a great day for a ride.

Jan-4
Feb-5
Mar-20
April so far 8
Total 37 days.

cranky old dude

Yes indeed! Ride in was pleasant @ 52* with a 9mph tailwind and the ride home this morning was a sunny 43* with a 1mph tailwind. Does 1mph even qualify as wind?

24 consecutive commutes, 26 out of a possible 54 this year

cruzMOKS

Today I rode to the dentist, then to work. From work I went to my Mom's for supper. Then I rode home. Ended up with 33 miles. There was a strong south southwest wind all day today. Which is what I headed into until 7 PM when I headed home. Then wind was a lot calmer on the way home. It was a good day for riding. Low 60's in the morning and about 80 in the afternoon.

robtown

It was cold, dark, and wet. I took my cross bike, rain pass jacket, and cycled to work. Commuting is most of the cycling I get to do - and I've done very little since October. I hope to start back up and ride some of those bikes I've built and upgraded over the winter.

Doohickie

No. As I left the house I noticed the flat on my rear tire. Details here. I did, however, switch over to new Schwalbe Marathons, so hopefully no more flats!

Bob/FLA

I started commuting last week...26 miles round trip. I had several rides up to 24 miles on the tandem previously, but that is my longest day total miles to date. Rode 2 consecutive days, 1 day off, rode again today and will again tomorrow. That will rack up some miles pretty quickly! I start out qt 4.45 am and make the 13 miles at a pace of 15mph. Not too bad for a beginner.

Thanks for the inspiration and help!
Best to all
Bob

cruzMOKS

After 2 long days of riding I rode the minimum today to work. 8 miles. What a beautiful day for riding.

Bob my bridge I go over may be having some repairs this summer. That will put me on a detour making more than 20 miles round trip. Listen to your body if you need more time off.

rnorris

I've been kind of a slacker this year as far as bike commuting goes.... improved bus service has made me lazier, and I've tended toward more recreational road riding and mountain biking recently. Going to do the 24 miles home tonight, though. I also crosstrain with running a few nights a week and generally don't do long rides on those days.

Wilbur Bud

I did. Number 45 for the year for me, 13 miles each way. January was great, February was bad, plus I travel a fair amount (just went to Oz for a couple weeks) and don't ride when I'm going to the airport. Half and half on the ride today, enjoying the fragrance of the lilac bushes planted here and there and feeling the speed of warmer lubricants and some new wheels, aggravated by all the masses out and about and in the road, salmon joggers, ninja bikers, once a year cyclists stopping spontaneously to talk or phone, and my favorite - -a local get fit class from the Y that runs like critical mass rides, always tons of obstacles the first few nice days, then they go away, they must leave their jobs early on the first few days, for the most part, so as to enjoy the weather, and then go back to their routine. Did get a high five on the way in this morning from some young man waiting for the school bus.

Pobble.808

Yep! Just like every other work day this year, except for one or two where heavy rain / after-work itinerary / spousal unit factors made it impracticable. Admittedly, this is not much of an achievement since the commute is 3 mi r/t and the weather is mild all year long. But if guys like me can't do this...

Have to admit that I don't formally keep track of the data. Reading comments by other posters makes me feel like I should, although I'm not sure why -- except for purposes of responding on threads like this one.

Lenny, how do you keep track of the wind speed? Do you have an anemometer on your bike? Hey wow, a whole new frontier of Fredness!!

akohekohe

Hmm, only able to do 10.4 mph on the 22.5 mile ride home. Was too windy to ride home the short way over the mountain because the pass has notoriously nasty cross winds so had to go the long way around Makapu'u but almost got blown over rounding the point anyway. Usually I at least have a tailwind once I get around Makapu'u but the wind was coming from an unusual direction and I was pretty much fighting the wind the entire 22.5 miles. Oh well, it is good training as I'm doing an extended tour up the Mississippi starting the second week in May and I'm sure I'll have some headwinds on that ride. btw, I've commuted in every day I had to go in this year. That is two to three days a week because I do a lot of my work from home.

bikegeek57

I commute everyday that I can which is usually 5 days/week. No lightening storms though (not many lately, thankfully). Average 10 mi into work 11 mi home (safer but longer ride home). Today I took a shortcut down one of the local highways at 5:30 am very low traffic and got to ride down a really long hill. Sweet! most of my ride is residential up and down hills so I get a great work out but today that long hill was fun. One bad thing don't forget your water bottle rushing out the door. Was a tad thirsty by the time I arrived at work. phew. I am not a fast rider 11-12 mph average over all but the hills just do me in. Elevation changes add up to about 1000 feet climbing but since I'm going down as much as up they equalize. (tell my legs that). I actually do look forward to the ride both ways. Weather report: 57 deg and overcast this morning. Now it's sunny and clear and climbing to 79 deg for the ride home.

cranky old dude

I record all of my rides on-line at https://www.bikejournal.com/

It nicely tracks my mileage monthly,annually, and from date of signing on or 'Life'. There is a link to local weather stats. which is where I get my weather data from. There are several fields fo each individual ride's pertinent data such as route, bike used, weather conditions. There's even a feature which tracks maintainance for each of your bikes.

There are two membership options: basic which is free, premier which only costs $20/year.

tsl

Four regular workdays, four commutes this week. And, I'm subbing at my old branch on Saturday, so I'll get an extra bonus day this week.

Currently at 64 through today.

BengeBoy 

Today was first day of the year without full-length tights -- I wore leg warmers instead; the lightest jacket I own; and fingerless gloves. It was about 44 degrees when I left home but supposed to be 60 on the way home. Roads are starting to fill with "spring" cyclists...

cranky old dude

After three and a half beautiful days off (lucky me as it was supposed to rain) and 120 recreational miles it's back to the old grind.

4:00 a.m., 4.5 miles into a 16-24mph head wind in 36* temps, but at least it's not raining!

Similar conditions on the ride home only five degrees warmer and with a tailwind!

9 miles round trip

25 consecutive commutes; 27 out of a possible 55 this year

cranky old dude

I drove in today for the first time since March 1st.

On the way home last night my legs felt like cement and I didn't sleep well overnight, so when the alarm went off at 03:30 this morning the decision to drive in to work was easy.

0 consecutive commutes, 27 out of a possible 56 this year