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-   -   2016! how was your commute today? (https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/1043477-2016-how-your-commute-today.html)

kim43235 10-25-16 01:50 PM


Originally Posted by kellichou (Post 19147219)
Seeing other posters' comments about speed and mileage make me want a cycle computer! I imagine I am quite slow, but it would be awesome to know what my top speed currently is, and to track progress over time.

This morning was 55F! So warm! I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I sometimes get antsy that the ride is so uneventful, but I should be happy about that fact.

I did see two pairs of eyes as two young raccoons scuttled across the MUP this morning. They were pretty far away, but I tried to turn my light downward, away from their sensitive little eyes. Always warms my heart to see them paired up like that. Probably littermates exploring the world? Raccoons are adorable and smart.

I do have a cheap cyclo computer but I use Strava via smartphone lately to log my data. There are some fancy cyclo computer that syncs with Strava but I just use my phone. Start an app and put it in bike pocket and go. There is a challenge each month and it's fun to my number goes up. I guess it's another motivation.

kim43235 10-25-16 01:51 PM


Originally Posted by amplificus (Post 19147138)
I recently moved for my new job and it is a 3.5 mile bike ride from work. Rode to work for the first time yesterday in uber-rare southern california rain and again this morning. I am extremely happy that I am fortunate enough to be able to commute this way and get to riding my bike again!

I recently started a bike commute as well. Enjoy your ride!

Darth Lefty 10-25-16 01:54 PM


Originally Posted by Tundra_Man (Post 19147310)
Either you or Albert Hammond are lying.

She hates California, it's cold and it's damp (sang the guy from NJ)

amplificus 10-25-16 03:01 PM


Originally Posted by Darth Lefty (Post 19147377)
She hates California, it's cold and it's damp (sang the guy from NJ)

You are right, it is. Horrible place...don't move here! :D

baldilocks 10-26-16 04:10 AM

32 degrees yesterday. Hands and ears were cold. It's suppose to rain all day today. I'm driving. PS Have off sit training this week but have my gloves and hat ready for next week.

essiemyra 10-26-16 04:43 AM

A chilly 34f degrees on the commute this morning. Though the commute itself was a very nice uneventful ride.

Phil_gretz 10-26-16 05:17 AM

Mid 30s in my little fishing village this morning. I dressed right and felt fine on the ride in. Do I have the right combination of clothes for the ride home? I'm not sure...

mgw4jc 10-26-16 06:34 AM


Originally Posted by tarwheel (Post 19146541)
The good news is that I plan to retire at the end of January after working for 40+ years and bike commuting the past 10 years. My cycling mileage will probably decline after I retire and no longer bike commute, but I will still do plenty of riding for recreation and travel.

Congrats! You will be missed around these forums. But not having to commute at all is a good thing. For now, I can only think about retiring when I change a flat (ha! get it?).


Originally Posted by rhm (Post 19146740)
My afternoon commutes have been plagued by gnats lately, especially (but not only) along the half mile of canal towpath. Sometimes clouds of them, bouncing off my face like snowflakes, getting in my eyes, tangled in my arm hair, stuck in my clothes. Ugh. Maybe it's cold enough to keep the little buggers down now....

Ditto for the past few days.


Originally Posted by kellichou (Post 19147219)
Seeing other posters' comments about speed and mileage make me want a cycle computer! I imagine I am quite slow, but it would be awesome to know what my top speed currently is, and to track progress over time.

As someone else mentioned, if you have a smart phone with GPS, just use that. Strava, Map My Ride, Endomondo, Runkeeper and many other tracking apps are free. Most will track other activities such as running too.

jrickards 10-26-16 06:48 AM

Coldest morning yet, -7C/19F, with a bit of a breeze from the north. I was comfortably dressed, actually a bit sweaty but my hands were, for the most part, comfortable. My toes, however, could have used a bit more protection from the cold. I have some toe covers that I'll have to get out for the rest of this season.

mgw4jc 10-26-16 06:53 AM

The coldest morning since winter today at 41F. I still felt fine in shorts though. A little cold at first, but one good hill later I was fine.

I used my phone to record my ride home yesterday and then condensed the 48 minute ride into 6 minutes. Nothing crazy happens, but I've found it interesting to see what other people's rides look like so I'll post it here. The quality isn't great either. I was using a "Fast Motion" mode which basically tries to do a time-lapse type of video, so it's not exactly a fast-forwarded video.


arsprod 10-26-16 07:26 AM

48F with a bit of a headwind. A friend gave me a fancy Castelli jersey (something I'd never buy) which he swears is the best piece of gear ever. I think I'm just not a fancy gear guy... going back to my merino shirt and jacket.

baron von trail 10-26-16 08:34 AM

10-15 mph wind at my back on the way in this morning. I hardly had to pedal. Not going to be so lucky heading home tonight though.

Wolfhaven 10-26-16 09:33 AM

Took a few vacation days and then wasn't able to ride yesterday due to after work commitments. Back on the bike finally this morning. a cool 41 riding into steady headwinds from the ENE. At least no rain yet. Supposed to hit this morning sometime and rain most the day. Pretty sure I'll be getting wet for the ride home. On the plus side the winds are supposed to pick up and stay out of the ENE so I should get a good push.

Darth Lefty 10-26-16 09:34 AM

4 weeks, less a day, since my little surgery. Wanted to ride so very badly! Not quite ready, gotta give it another week or two.

PatrickGSR94 10-26-16 10:00 AM


Originally Posted by mgw4jc (Post 19148747)
The coldest morning since winter today at 41F. I still felt fine in shorts though. A little cold at first, but one good hill later I was fine.

I used my phone to record my ride home yesterday and then condensed the 48 minute ride into 6 minutes. Nothing crazy happens, but I've found it interesting to see what other people's rides look like so I'll post it here. The quality isn't great either. I was using a "Fast Motion" mode which basically tries to do a time-lapse type of video, so it's not exactly a fast-forwarded video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSUtmI6aWCQ

Dang, your phone had enough battery/storage to let it record video for almost an hour? Did you speed it up in post or set it to time lapse?

Decent ride yesterday, although I tried pushing hard on the way home and still arrived home later than I hoped. Taking Thursday and Friday off this week, so no commutes but I plan to do some rides. Going to take a more in-depth look at the new Big River Crossing that finally opened last weekend - a bike/ped path crossing the MS River on the side of the Harahan RR bridge. Memphis and Arkansas are now connected by more than just I-55 and I-40 interstate highways.

mgw4jc 10-26-16 12:16 PM


Originally Posted by PatrickGSR94 (Post 19149146)
Dang, your phone had enough battery/storage to let it record video for almost an hour? Did you speed it up in post or set it to time lapse?

I always charge my phone before leaving work, so it was at 100%. I didn't even look at storage, but I see now I'm down to 1GB. I move photos and videos off pretty regularly, so it usually has a decent amount available.

I used this "Fast Motion" mode on the video camera. Basically that means it is recording less frames per second (thus using less memory). Watching it in real time looks jerky like an old-time movie. And it is pretty shaky. The Fast Motion mode is intended to then speed it up. You can select the entire timeline or just sections of it and speed it up by 4x, 8x, 16x, or 32x. I just went with 8x for the entire length.

The original 47:37 video is 3.87gb at 1280x720. The condensed 05:56 video is 345.93mb.

tarwheel 10-26-16 01:41 PM


Originally Posted by mgw4jc (Post 19149581)
I used this "Fast Motion" mode on the video camera. Basically that means it is recording less frames per second (thus using less memory). Watching it in real time looks jerky like an old-time movie. And it is pretty shaky. The Fast Motion mode is intended to then speed it up. You can select the entire timeline or just sections of it and speed it up by 4x, 8x, 16x, or 32x. I just went with 8x for the entire length.

The original 47:37 video is 3.87gb at 1280x720. The condensed 05:56 video is 345.93mb.

And I thought you were just a really fast rider.

esmith2039 10-26-16 06:31 PM

Raining this morning but enjoyed it, absolutely no wind. On the way home was another story. Off the next 2 days... well not really putting a floor in.

Commuter_42 10-26-16 06:42 PM

Been looking at this bikeforums.net for a long time, finally signed up. One of the benefits of this, is that after reading many posts, I bought a Schwinn Tempo, great city bike. Light enough, good ride, and not to flashy. Ridden every day this week.

essiemyra 10-27-16 04:46 AM

Welcome Commuter 42

It was a very nice uneventful ride today with the temp at 28f degrees when I left the house. Though the skies were mostly clear and I got to ride by some moon light.

Johnny Mullet 10-27-16 05:27 AM

Been off the bike for 5 days now because of rain :(

mgw4jc 10-27-16 06:23 AM


Originally Posted by Commuter_42 (Post 19150519)
Been looking at this bikeforums.net for a long time, finally signed up. One of the benefits of this, is that after reading many posts, I bought a Schwinn Tempo, great city bike. Light enough, good ride, and not to flashy. Ridden every day this week.

Congrats on the purchase and rides this week. I hope this forum continues to encourage your new addiction.

Cloudy but only 10% chance of rain today. I left early enough to get an extra few miles for just under 17 total. I pushed the pace on a 1.75 mile stretch. I set it up in Strava as a segment for myself. I mostly likely set a PR there this morning but won't know for sure until I upload from my Garmin tonight.

After that I did a nice cool-down cruise through a neighborhood and around a shopping center.

Wolfhaven 10-27-16 06:31 AM

Forecasted 20mph tailwinds was a bust for the ride home yesterday. Slogged my way home in the rain. Didn't want to overheat with the rain gear so I took it easy. This morning was cool with no wind. Made a stop at the grocery store for some lunch supplies.

arsprod 10-27-16 06:45 AM


Originally Posted by Commuter_42 (Post 19150519)
Been looking at this bikeforums.net for a long time, finally signed up.

Welcome! Is 42 a reference to Hitchhiker's Guide?! 50F this morning with a wicked crosswind. It rained last night so piles of wet leaves in the dark this morning - zoiks!

ptempel 10-27-16 07:11 AM


Originally Posted by Johnny Mullet (Post 19150989)
Been off the bike for 5 days now because of rain :(

Ah just get out there and embrace the rain. Yeah its not as sexy as some folks make it out to be. But its not too bad if you're willing to get wet and do a little extra bike cleaning. Speaking of which it was 46F this morning and no rain yet. But I fully expect to get wet this afternoon. They predict up to 0.8 inches of rain in the NYC area. So it will be rainy all the way until tomorrow morning. No worries since I broke out the heavy duty rain jacket! :thumb:

https://www.rei.com/product/883098/n...ke-jacket-mens

https://www.rei.com/media/0091737e-a...d-7ccc1e95a8ae

Edit: Just avoid any "road jewlery": Manhole covers, metal grates, metal curb edges. The metal bridge joint expansion covers on the GWB deserve a special mention. I fell on them twice over the last three years. I got no serious injuries, but they can and do catch you off guard. Oh, and also avoid those bumpy sidewalk "pads" or whatever they're called. There's one on the NJ side of the south sidewalk before the GWB. It would be less slippery if they took it off and just left it bare concrete...


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