vik 

I live in downtown Calgary and work in Okotoks. I stopped commuting in October and have been jonesing to start riding again. I have been watching the highway shoulders and they are starting to look decent - at least no snow and ice. So I got my road bike off the fluid trainer at work and I'm going to put it into my bike locker at the south end of the c-train line. I jump on the train for 25kms and then ride 25kms to work on highway 2. Once things warm up a bit more and I have a few KMs in my legs I'll skip the c-train and ride 50kms to work.

I would love to commute on my bike all year round, but the highway shoulder gets ugly in the deep of winter - maybe I just need to get tougher....lol...I know there are some hardy Calagry cyclists who commute all winter...

Anyone else getting psyched to ride again after the looooonnnngggg winter?...

marin1

have been riding most of the winter. only taking days off for appointments and the real thick snow last week. The spring wont seem so bad after riding all winter.

PsySal

I commuted all winter! It's really not so bad. But it's hell on your bike. Actually today I just spent about an hour and a half rebuilding my brakes and just variously cleaning things. It's snowing right now and knowing my bike is in fine shape, makes me want to ride, but knowing it's going to get a little bit wrecked, makes me not want to ride!

vik 

I hear ya. I was going to clean and tune up my R800 before I took it down to my bike locker at the c-train station, but then I thought why bother? I'll just do that in May when the weather is better and it will stay clean for a while. I'll get my first commute in next week. The highway shoulders still looks pretty crappy, but I am going to be optimistic and hope for the best....

0_emissions :=)

You've got brass ones my friend, that's for sure.
Is the highway safe? I mean, have you ever feared for your safety? I was actually thinking of buying out of town, maybe airdrie or cochrane, but the thought of motorists blazing down the highways at 120+( NO ONE does the speed limit, and if you do you're lying.) Do you run a lot of lights, reflective tape, etc.? You'll have to give us an update on your commutes.
good luck!

vik 

I had a dump truck and trailer t-bone a pick up crossing the highway right behind me, but other than that no excitement on hwy 2. The shoulder is 6'+ wide so you are totally safe. Sometimes in the spring I have to ride on the highway itself if there is a ton of gravel and sand in some stretches of the shoulder, but even then cars give me room.

vik 

I got my first bike commute of the year in...so much better than driving!