2016! how was your commute today?
04-21-16 | 12:13 PM
#951
Let's Ride!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,588
Likes: 42
From: Lexington, VA USA
Bikes: --2010 Jamis 650b1-- 2016 Cervelo R2-- 2018 Salsa Journeyman 650B
That looks very similar to this.. I do need another jersey.
04-21-16 | 01:45 PM
#952
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,965
Likes: 6
From: Falls City, OR
Bikes: 2012 Salsa Fargo 2, Rocky Mountain Fusion, circa '93
Quite a headwind yesterday on the way home. I just went slow.
04-21-16 | 08:45 PM
#953
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 217
Likes: 2
From: Sacramento
Bikes: Trek 7.2 FX, Co-Motion Supremo
Broke 50 miles this week for the first time in decades. Rode Tuesday and Thursday 13 miles each way for a total of 52 miles. I can feel the effects but I don't think anything is irreparably damaged.
04-22-16 | 04:53 AM
#954
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,655
Likes: 1,500
From: Merrimac , MA
Another nice uneventful commute to work today with the temp at 58f degrees. Gotta love the difference between yesterday's 34 f degrees and today's 58f degrees.
04-22-16 | 05:52 AM
#955
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 665
Likes: 6
From: Kansas City, KS
Over dressed this morning. When it's hovering around 50 depending on the wind can feel like 40 or 60! I'll be surprised if I ride home. Had a flat yesterday and the main cause was staple but also found a metal shrad and glass working their way in. Alot of glass this morning. Time for some liners but not sure if that'll even help!
04-22-16 | 06:04 AM
#956
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 22
From: Mooresville, NC (Charlotte suburb)
Bikes: Cannondale Synapse, Trek 5000 TCT, Giant OCR
Wimped out on the rain this morning. I normally leave at 7, and it started lightly raining at about 6:40. By 7 it was coming down pretty good so I woke my wife up. I put my bike in the car with hopes to ride home this evening. It wouldn't have been horrible, but I would have been pretty soaked had I ridden. My biggest problem is not really having a place to put soaked clothes.
And now at 8am it has pretty much stopped outside. So it basically rained for the one hour that I would have been out there.
Whatever - IT'S FRIDAY!
And now at 8am it has pretty much stopped outside. So it basically rained for the one hour that I would have been out there.
Whatever - IT'S FRIDAY!
04-22-16 | 06:45 AM
#957
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,509
Likes: 2
From: SW Ohio
Bikes: 3 good used ones
Wimped out on the rain this morning. I normally leave at 7, and it started lightly raining at about 6:40. By 7 it was coming down pretty good so I woke my wife up. I put my bike in the car with hopes to ride home this evening. It wouldn't have been horrible, but I would have been pretty soaked had I ridden. My biggest problem is not really having a place to put soaked clothes.
And now at 8am it has pretty much stopped outside. So it basically rained for the one hour that I would have been out there.
Whatever - IT'S FRIDAY!
And now at 8am it has pretty much stopped outside. So it basically rained for the one hour that I would have been out there.
Whatever - IT'S FRIDAY!
Because I too have issues with wet clothes at work, my rule is not to ride if it's raining at the house. However, since a little rain never killed anyone and since I can at least hang my wet stuff out in the shop if needed, I will ride if it looks threatening or if the weather radar and other reports show rain is coming. As long as I do not hear rain actually falling on our roof while I am getting ready, I'll ride.
Sometimes this works really well. Sometimes not. Today it worked out well. All indications were that rain is coming. I could smell it when I walked my dogs, the radar showed a big mass of rain about an hour South of us, and the little indicator on my phone said, "Rain to begin in 78 minutes." All of the forecasting was very negative. The reality though was that no rain was falling. So, I rode. And, it was a good call. No actual rain fell during my ride, just a few sprinkles. Perfect!
04-22-16 | 07:28 AM
#958
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 15,278
Likes: 342
From: Alpharetta, GA
Bikes: Nashbar Road
Our forecast was rain now, and heavier rain all day. It's really a mental thing, and I avoid all that by simply not making a decision. Rain jacket, shoe covers, plastic bags and go, I don't think about the car. This morning was like that but it turned out to be pretty pleasant.
04-22-16 | 07:30 AM
#959
Let's Ride!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,588
Likes: 42
From: Lexington, VA USA
Bikes: --2010 Jamis 650b1-- 2016 Cervelo R2-- 2018 Salsa Journeyman 650B
calling for rain but i rode anyway I think i am addicted
Today is the 5th day this week I have ridden and I just got to work before the rain started. The roads were wet so it must have rained as I was riding in but just a few drops started to fall. #notTOObad I hope that this evening works out to be the same. I have ridden a metric century in the rain so what is 11 miles... as long as I am not dealing with a thunderstorm. right? 
plus today is Friday! Tonight is pizza and movie night with the family.
It is all good. I have 150 miles so far this week! I can't do it every week, wife asked me, not to but that has been some serious mileage for the week.
plus today is Friday! Tonight is pizza and movie night with the family.
It is all good. I have 150 miles so far this week! I can't do it every week, wife asked me, not to but that has been some serious mileage for the week.
04-22-16 | 08:00 AM
#960
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,943
Likes: 23
From: Thornton, CO
Bikes: 2003 Orbea Orca, 2003 Bianchi Imola, ? Waterford
Nice easy ride in today. Rain schmain. No problem getting a little wet. Am a little tired with semi crappy sleep the last two nights. Will recover on the weekend. Heard that it might go as high as 80F this afternoon but with chance of showers.
04-22-16 | 08:43 AM
#961
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,745
Likes: 82
From: Edmonton, AB
Cool and breezy this morning, and I'm a bit sore after a tough game of floor hockey last night, so I was slow. I instinctively grabbed my fixie, but between the wind and fatigue, I soon wished I had taken a geared bike instead.
04-22-16 | 09:01 AM
#962
aka Tom Reingold
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,231
Likes: 6,489
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
Fantastic commute. I wrote about it on my ride blog here.
Bike commuting update, April 2016
I often say I ride to work and back two days a week and take the subway three days a week, but I probably really average riding fewer than two days a week. I hope to increase the average, maybe to three, maybe more.
Today, I reached my short term goal, though I've done four rides between work and home over the course of three days. Monday, I rode home on the bike I had left at work last week, my Bianchi Volpe. Wednesday, I rode to work on my Viscount fixed gear bike and rode home on my Raleigh Super Course which had been sitting in my office for months. I left the Viscount at the office because I like to keep a spare bike there. So on four rides, I rode four separate bikes.
This morning (Friday), I rode my Lemond, which I hadn't ridden in months. I've been thinking I ought to sell this bike because I don't ride it often and it's a bit too small for me. This morning's ride changed that thinking. I had a lot of fun and not a whole lot of discomfort. I like to think that the weight of a bike isn't a big factor in the speed at which you travel, but this bike proves that to be wrong. Besides being more energy efficient, some bikes position me in such a way that encourages me to pedal harder. I made it to work in record time, less than an hour. The distance was 13.8 miles, and my average speed was 15.6, which is much higher than normal for me. It helped that there is virtually no wind today. I normally face a stiff headwind in the morning. The wind was so light that I thought I had a tail wind, but actually, there really isn't any wind, which is pretty unusual for the Hudson River.
If you want to see the path I took and an excess of statistics my smartphone app took, see them here.
Anyway, I had a blast. Here are pictures I shot along the way. You can click on them for the full size images.
I often say I ride to work and back two days a week and take the subway three days a week, but I probably really average riding fewer than two days a week. I hope to increase the average, maybe to three, maybe more.
Today, I reached my short term goal, though I've done four rides between work and home over the course of three days. Monday, I rode home on the bike I had left at work last week, my Bianchi Volpe. Wednesday, I rode to work on my Viscount fixed gear bike and rode home on my Raleigh Super Course which had been sitting in my office for months. I left the Viscount at the office because I like to keep a spare bike there. So on four rides, I rode four separate bikes.
This morning (Friday), I rode my Lemond, which I hadn't ridden in months. I've been thinking I ought to sell this bike because I don't ride it often and it's a bit too small for me. This morning's ride changed that thinking. I had a lot of fun and not a whole lot of discomfort. I like to think that the weight of a bike isn't a big factor in the speed at which you travel, but this bike proves that to be wrong. Besides being more energy efficient, some bikes position me in such a way that encourages me to pedal harder. I made it to work in record time, less than an hour. The distance was 13.8 miles, and my average speed was 15.6, which is much higher than normal for me. It helped that there is virtually no wind today. I normally face a stiff headwind in the morning. The wind was so light that I thought I had a tail wind, but actually, there really isn't any wind, which is pretty unusual for the Hudson River.
If you want to see the path I took and an excess of statistics my smartphone app took, see them here.
Anyway, I had a blast. Here are pictures I shot along the way. You can click on them for the full size images.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
04-22-16 | 09:36 AM
#963
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 22,676
Likes: 2,642
From: CID
Bikes: 1991 Bianchi Eros, 1964 Armstrong, 1988 Diamondback Ascent, 1988 Bianchi Premio, 1987 Bianchi Sport SX, 1980s Raleigh mixte (hers), All-City Space Horse (hers)
Overcast and headwindy this morning. I don't usually mind headwinds, but I had been hoping to use today for low-intensity riding and that wasn't going to happen without taking twice as long to get anywhere. Plus, I didn't have anything in the tank so it felt that much harder. Whine-whine-whine... 
04-22-16 | 09:43 AM
#964
multimodal commuter
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,810
Likes: 597
From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
I slept through my alarm! Or, more likely, I turned it off without quite waking up. I know lots of people do this, but it's only like the second time I've done it. I woke up 20 minutes later and realized, if I'm quick about things, I can still catch my train. Out the door in seven minutes, rode like I was doing interval training. I caught the train, but oh, man! was I drenched.
__________________
www.rhmsaddles.com.
www.rhmsaddles.com.
04-22-16 | 09:55 AM
#965
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 498
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Bikes: Trek Fuel EX8, Caad10, Marin BearValley, WTP BMX, Norco Tandem
My commuter (road bike) drivetrain has been making an intermittent crunching noise, no doubt due to being worn out and abused all winter.
The other day I took my steel beater MTB. Less than ½ way home and I ride over something sharp and hear the hissssssssss of air escaping.
I unclip and coast but don’t stop—hey, every yard I can coast is a bit less walking! (My patch kit etc are on a saddlebag on the road bike at home.)
The tire gets soft (~35psi) and the hissing stops. I limp it home, rip it off and discover it’s a slime-filled tube that had healed itself. The funny thing is, I don’t EVER recall buying a slime tube. There's a hole in the tire the size of a pencil.
Anyways, I need to spend some quality time on maintenance.
Weather has been amazing for riding.
The other day I took my steel beater MTB. Less than ½ way home and I ride over something sharp and hear the hissssssssss of air escaping.
I unclip and coast but don’t stop—hey, every yard I can coast is a bit less walking! (My patch kit etc are on a saddlebag on the road bike at home.)
The tire gets soft (~35psi) and the hissing stops. I limp it home, rip it off and discover it’s a slime-filled tube that had healed itself. The funny thing is, I don’t EVER recall buying a slime tube. There's a hole in the tire the size of a pencil.
Anyways, I need to spend some quality time on maintenance.
Weather has been amazing for riding.
04-22-16 | 11:47 AM
#966
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 223
Likes: 10
From: NW, WI
Bikes: Salsa Fargo, Surly Disc Trucker, Surly ECR, Cannondale Cujo, Rocky Mountain Blizzard
Set up my new bike with lights and bag for my first commute in a while. Doc told me to stop until an ortho eval. He told me to get back out riding. A cool 37f when I left the house with temps expected to rise in the upper 40's today. Forgot my phone at work last night so I had to add my mileage manually to Strava.
04-22-16 | 12:05 PM
#967
Member
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Westminster, CO
Bikes: 2014 Trek 8.5 DS
Had my first commute of the year today. Also got to ride my new bike, a 2015 BMC GF02 Disc. The bike is a joy to ride. Much different than my 8.5 DS, in the best ways possible. Ride was 15.8 miles and I did it in 1:22:23 of moving time. Not bad for not riding any bike since October. Can't wait to make this my 5 day a week workout!
04-22-16 | 12:30 PM
#968
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,692
Likes: 440
From: Sioux Falls, SD
Bikes: '81 Panasonic Sport, '02 Giant Boulder SE, '08 Felt S32, '10 Diamondback Insight RS, '10 Windsor Clockwork, '15 Kestrel Evoke 3.0, '19 Salsa Mukluk
This morning I rode to a dentist appointment. From there I rode to our company's office across town. At lunch I rode 8 miles back across town to a client's office, stopping on the way to run a couple of errands.
It's 55 degrees, sunny and best of all only a 4 mph wind (very rare in South Dakota.) It's simply a glorious day. I was kind of bummed when I reached the client that I had to go spend the afternoon inside.
It's 55 degrees, sunny and best of all only a 4 mph wind (very rare in South Dakota.) It's simply a glorious day. I was kind of bummed when I reached the client that I had to go spend the afternoon inside.
04-22-16 | 01:48 PM
#969
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 40,863
Likes: 3,116
From: Sacramento, California, USA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Once again asked a driver to please stop texting, put away the phone, and pay full attention to driving.
04-22-16 | 01:56 PM
#970
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 7,391
Likes: 13
From: Memphis TN area
Bikes: 2011 Felt Z85 (road/commuter), 2006 Marin Pine Mountain (utility/commuter E-bike), 1995 KHS Alite 1000 (gravel grinder)
I slept through my alarm! Or, more likely, I turned it off without quite waking up. I know lots of people do this, but it's only like the second time I've done it. I woke up 20 minutes later and realized, if I'm quick about things, I can still catch my train. Out the door in seven minutes, rode like I was doing interval training. I caught the train, but oh, man! was I drenched.
This morning, though, I got up on time. I left the car at work yesterday and rode home, with a little tail wind which helped. This morning I felt slow and lethargic, but I still made it.
04-24-16 | 10:06 AM
#971
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,509
Likes: 2
From: SW Ohio
Bikes: 3 good used ones
ughhh I do that wayy too often - missed and failed a college course final exam one time because of it, one that I would have aced. Just this past Tuesday morning I woke up at 6 instead of 5, despite 2 alarms at 4:55 and again at 5.
This morning, though, I got up on time. I left the car at work yesterday and rode home, with a little tail wind which helped. This morning I felt slow and lethargic, but I still made it.
This morning, though, I got up on time. I left the car at work yesterday and rode home, with a little tail wind which helped. This morning I felt slow and lethargic, but I still made it.
First thing I do, typically, is stretch my legs and back while I feed the dogs and brew a pot of coffee. Then I spend a few minutes reading and drinking a cup or two of the fresh coffee, half of each cup filled with cold water. By 5:40, I am in the shower. By 5:50, I'm out walking the dogs which serves as a nice warm-up and gives me a chance to gauge temperature. Before, I know it, it's 6:15 and time to ride. Add in a few minutes to clean the chain or add air, and I am off.
04-25-16 | 04:49 AM
#972
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,655
Likes: 1,500
From: Merrimac , MA
The commute in was nice with the temp at 43f degrees when I left the house. My odometer fell off going up a hill, since I was lucky enough to hear it I stopped and picked it up. I am not a fan of stopping on hills.
04-25-16 | 06:26 AM
#973
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,509
Likes: 2
From: SW Ohio
Bikes: 3 good used ones
Beautiful morning for a bike ride! I made good time, felt strong, pushing it a little more than I have been so far this year, and really appreciated the opportunity to start my week this way.
04-25-16 | 06:29 AM
#974
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 22
From: Mooresville, NC (Charlotte suburb)
Bikes: Cannondale Synapse, Trek 5000 TCT, Giant OCR
[MENTION=297321]essiemyra[/MENTION], The stopping part is okay, it's the restarting that hurts so much. 
Glad you didn't lose your odometer.
Nice morning for a ride. 48/50F felt very nice. It was warming as I went and on one stretch of road I was thinking how nice it would be if I could just keep going for an extra couple of hours like this.
Happy Monday all!
Glad you didn't lose your odometer.
Nice morning for a ride. 48/50F felt very nice. It was warming as I went and on one stretch of road I was thinking how nice it would be if I could just keep going for an extra couple of hours like this.
Happy Monday all!
04-25-16 | 07:19 AM
#975
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,647
Likes: 6
From: Sudbury, ON, CA
Bikes: 2012 Kona Sutra, 2002 Look AL 384, 2018 Moose Fat bike
Nice ride and blog [MENTION=152773]noglider[/MENTION]
Today's ride in was?? Yes, you guessed it, still in subfreezing temperatures, -3C/27F. I guess the nice morning temperatures 2 weeks ago was an aberration and it looks like morning rides will be in subfreezing temps for most of the next 2 weeks too (into May!!??!!??). However, at least it has been clear and sunny and dry for most of the mornings so far.
Finally, the city is sweeping the sand and dirt from the sides of the roads giving us cyclists the ability to move further away from traffic (but of course, traffic is going to nudge up to us anyway). Our local cycling advocacy group, Sudbury Cyclists Union, is organizing an activity where we measure the width of the sand/dirt that is left on the road from the winter (and cars have had no problem dealing with the narrowed lanes) and then approaching the city for painted bike-lane lines on some of the roads. We now have an Active Transportation Coordinator position with the City and that person should be able to help us improve cycling infrastructure in the city.
Today's ride in was?? Yes, you guessed it, still in subfreezing temperatures, -3C/27F. I guess the nice morning temperatures 2 weeks ago was an aberration and it looks like morning rides will be in subfreezing temps for most of the next 2 weeks too (into May!!??!!??). However, at least it has been clear and sunny and dry for most of the mornings so far.
Finally, the city is sweeping the sand and dirt from the sides of the roads giving us cyclists the ability to move further away from traffic (but of course, traffic is going to nudge up to us anyway). Our local cycling advocacy group, Sudbury Cyclists Union, is organizing an activity where we measure the width of the sand/dirt that is left on the road from the winter (and cars have had no problem dealing with the narrowed lanes) and then approaching the city for painted bike-lane lines on some of the roads. We now have an Active Transportation Coordinator position with the City and that person should be able to help us improve cycling infrastructure in the city.