2016! how was your commute today?
#1301
Another nice commute this morning. My bare arms felt a bit chilled at first (8C/46F) but I warmed up soon enough. Pushed myself a little too hard, perhaps.
#1302
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,172
Likes: 6,404
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
Until this morning, it had been over a week since I rode to work. I was giving my foot a rest, and I got sick in the middle, too. (I'm fine now.) I've been wiggling my toes with each step when I walk and with each pedal stroke when I ride. It seems to help a great deal. I rode hard. The weather is splendid. I had a great ride.
__________________
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.
#1303
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 498
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Bikes: Trek Fuel EX8, Caad10, Marin BearValley, WTP BMX, Norco Tandem
amazing weather here. It's pretty dry, so they are worried about water supply through the summer--but it makes for great biking now!
The routes are getting busier by the day. It's bike to work week next week here, so I'm expecting streams of cyclists if the weather holds up. I'd be OK with a few good drenchings though.
The routes are getting busier by the day. It's bike to work week next week here, so I'm expecting streams of cyclists if the weather holds up. I'd be OK with a few good drenchings though.
#1304
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,649
Likes: 1,469
From: Merrimac , MA
A very nice uneventful commute this morning with the temp at 58f degrees. It is pleasant riding conditions.
#1305
Zip tie Karen
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 7,005
Likes: 1,546
From: Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Bikes: '13 Motobecane Fantom29 HT, '16 Motobecane Turino Pro Disc, '18 Velobuild VB-R-022, '21 Tsunami SNM-100
Consecutive days on the fixed gear have made me a bit more tired. I'm feeling it in the quads, glutes and ITBs. It was a pretty 62 this morning. And the sun is brightening the sky as I leave for work. Yay.
#1306
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 22
From: Mooresville, NC (Charlotte suburb)
Bikes: Cannondale Synapse, Trek 5000 TCT, Giant OCR
A little warmer today at 60F and just enough cloud cover to block the sun. Beautiful morning #4 .
Although I didn't quite enjoy the aftertaste of milk that lingered in my mouth for most of the ride - despite having brushed my teeth.
Due to our office needing some cover on Memorial Day Monday, I am off work tomorrow and working on Monday. So today is my Friday.
Although I didn't quite enjoy the aftertaste of milk that lingered in my mouth for most of the ride - despite having brushed my teeth.
Due to our office needing some cover on Memorial Day Monday, I am off work tomorrow and working on Monday. So today is my Friday.
#1307
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
Cycling Week here in town.
It has been dry all week (so far) which has been nice. I figured out why my legs just don't have enough power these days. I have ridden 131 miles as of Wednesday evening. Beautiful ride this morning 62F
Today on the way in to work I saw the BMC Cycling team car. Lots of racing happening this weekend. That is pretty cool! I am not sure I will be able to watch any though.
Cycling week this week: newspaper writing articles about bicycling, racing all through the weekend, and bikes everywhere. It is pretty cool week for riding in my hometown.
Today on the way in to work I saw the BMC Cycling team car. Lots of racing happening this weekend. That is pretty cool! I am not sure I will be able to watch any though.
Cycling week this week: newspaper writing articles about bicycling, racing all through the weekend, and bikes everywhere. It is pretty cool week for riding in my hometown.
#1308
What a difference a week makes. Last week, I'm wearing a jacket, toe covers and ear protection. Today, I'm sweating five minutes into the ride due to over 75% humidity. It's like someone flipped a switch.
Strong headwinds due to thunderstorms in the area made the ride a little tougher than usual. Slight sprinkle here and there made for a nice cool down. All in all, it was a good ride.
It's shaping up to be another 4-day commute week. And, that is awesome!
Strong headwinds due to thunderstorms in the area made the ride a little tougher than usual. Slight sprinkle here and there made for a nice cool down. All in all, it was a good ride.
It's shaping up to be another 4-day commute week. And, that is awesome!
#1309
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
Another mild day (huh, I used to call 2C/36F mild a month ago, now I'm calling 13C/55F mild, how things change) but a strong headwind. I was going to take the 20km route this morning until I realized that not only was I riding towards the wall of rain in the distance, the wind was blowing that wall towards me at the same time.
I decided to leave the wet ride until this afternoon.
I decided to leave the wet ride until this afternoon.
#1310
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,896
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh, NC
Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia
Very warm and humid this morning with temps in the mid-60s. No need for a jacket or vest for a change, but I covered my knees. I rode my Bob Jackson touring bike for the first time in a while after getting it serviced at the bike shop with the dynamo wheelset reinstalled and some fatter tires. It feels a little slower with the fat tires but rides so nice that I plan to leave them on that bike. The tires are Vittoria Voyager Hyper 32s but they measure 35 mm wide on my Dyad rims and roll very nicely for a wider tire. I ride this bike a lot on the local greenways and the wider tires are much better for that.
The wheel swap was also prompted by needing some wheels for my "new" old commuter bike that's being built up at my bike shop. It's and early 80s Specialized Sequoia sport touring bike and I'm going retro on it with old style "non-aero" brake levers, single pivot calipers, square tape bottom bracket, and MKS touring pedals and toe clips. Not sure if I'll keep using the old style pedals and toe clips but thought it might be fun to use for a while, having started out cycling with them back in the 1970s.
The wheel swap was also prompted by needing some wheels for my "new" old commuter bike that's being built up at my bike shop. It's and early 80s Specialized Sequoia sport touring bike and I'm going retro on it with old style "non-aero" brake levers, single pivot calipers, square tape bottom bracket, and MKS touring pedals and toe clips. Not sure if I'll keep using the old style pedals and toe clips but thought it might be fun to use for a while, having started out cycling with them back in the 1970s.
#1311
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
Been a wet week with a couple inches of rain. Rode Tuesday in the morning ahead of the rain, then it rained hard all day clearing off for my ride home. Perfect. This morning it was heavy fog and 43f with no wind. Fog was thick enough to coat everything in water, had to keep wiping my glasses off to see. Wore a pair of ankle high, waterproof hiking shoes and some warmer clothes. Forgot the skull cap and good gloves so my head and hands were cold, otherwise I stayed warm and dry. Wind is supposed to shift and clear things up for the ride home. See if the big lake cooperates, usually it doesn't and we will be fogged in all day and it won't get out of the 40s. The weather terrorists are predicting upper 60's and some sunshine with scattered showers. I'm thinking the lake wins this one.
#1312
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,043
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis
Bikes: Fairdale Weekender Drop, Motobecane 29LTD, Cannondale H400, Basso Coral
The transition from lots of clothing to just shirt and shorts is most noticeable when I get to work and only have a couple things to hang up. I like it!
#1313
I was off the bike for four days due to a big move here at the office, I'm now in temp space for three months as they redo our seating. Lot's of changes coming like the loss of my office to open seating. There are definitely implications for my daily commute as I figure out how to get changed showered etc with minimal trips up and down stairs (I used to store everything in my office closet). But I'll figure it out!
#1314
My first time commuting to work on a bike. 2 miles, uphill. About 72F. HUMID. Had to walk most of the way. Thighs were burning. Have any suggestions? Have been jogging a mile everyday, but I was not ready for biking. Should be a lot more fun on the way home... all downhill. lol.
#1315
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,688
Likes: 428
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
My first time commuting to work on a bike. 2 miles, uphill. About 72F. HUMID. Had to walk most of the way. Thighs were burning. Have any suggestions? Have been jogging a mile everyday, but I was not ready for biking. Should be a lot more fun on the way home... all downhill. lol. 

I've lived on top of a huge hill for over three years now. I keep thinking that some day that hill will become easy. It doesn't, but I haven't had to walk it in a long, long time. The old adage in cycling is that, "It never gets easier, you just get faster."
#1316
My first time commuting to work on a bike. 2 miles, uphill. About 72F. HUMID. Had to walk most of the way. Thighs were burning. Have any suggestions? Have been jogging a mile everyday, but I was not ready for biking. Should be a lot more fun on the way home... all downhill. lol. 

#1317
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 22
From: Mooresville, NC (Charlotte suburb)
Bikes: Cannondale Synapse, Trek 5000 TCT, Giant OCR
My first time commuting to work on a bike. 2 miles, uphill. About 72F. HUMID. Had to walk most of the way. Thighs were burning. Have any suggestions? Have been jogging a mile everyday, but I was not ready for biking. Should be a lot more fun on the way home... all downhill. lol. 

#1318
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,014
Likes: 0
From: Nanaimo, BC
Bikes: 1997 Kona Hahana Race Light, 2010 Surly LHT(deceased), 1999 Rocky Mountain Turbo
I really missed biking today. Traffic to work was horrible and it was my bus to work day.
I take a car share from home to the first bus route I use. I hop on the first bus, that was easy, I had it timed perfect. Just planning to make my second bus which is the last rush hour bus that detour to my industrial area. That was until we hit residual traffic five blocks later. I later found out the traffic was a result of a stalled semi on the bridge going the opposite direction, it took two hours to clear. Sigh, big sigh...traffic planning. No commercial trucks should be allowed during rush hour, 7-10 in the morning and 4-6 in the afternoon.
Anywho, get off to transfer. Wait, wait. A bus comes, not the one I was planning but it will work. I get on, double check with the driver of the route since he was fiddling with the sign. Both the sign and driver say it is the bus I want, someone else asks also. I get on we get going, well nowhere since traffic. The driver then has an ah-ha moment, he was wrong hes going the other way; he was nice, pleasant, and flustered from traffic and I couldn't be upset with him. I get dropped with a few others at the stop on the industrial island to wait for the bus I was originally waiting for. We wait in the wind and rain sprinkles, wait, a few busses we don't want come. Finally 40 minutes after making my first transfer the bus comes. But by that point he's on his day route, meaning a 5-700 meter walk instead of 70 meter. I find that the other bus broke down. I wait to cross the street, a semi decides to run the red to make a right turn, causing me to miss a whole light cycle. I finally hobble my way to work, thinking this is why I ride. 10 km commute in one hour 20 minutes. The good side, it never rained.
This was coupled with my attempt to bus home last night from school. I check and no car shares in a 700 m radius, weird. I decide to take the bus, it is a main route it should be every 8-12 minutes, max 15. A bunch of other busses did go by, they were off duty or only dropping off. The bus finally did come after 20+ minutes.
Okay I am done venting.
I take a car share from home to the first bus route I use. I hop on the first bus, that was easy, I had it timed perfect. Just planning to make my second bus which is the last rush hour bus that detour to my industrial area. That was until we hit residual traffic five blocks later. I later found out the traffic was a result of a stalled semi on the bridge going the opposite direction, it took two hours to clear. Sigh, big sigh...traffic planning. No commercial trucks should be allowed during rush hour, 7-10 in the morning and 4-6 in the afternoon.
Anywho, get off to transfer. Wait, wait. A bus comes, not the one I was planning but it will work. I get on, double check with the driver of the route since he was fiddling with the sign. Both the sign and driver say it is the bus I want, someone else asks also. I get on we get going, well nowhere since traffic. The driver then has an ah-ha moment, he was wrong hes going the other way; he was nice, pleasant, and flustered from traffic and I couldn't be upset with him. I get dropped with a few others at the stop on the industrial island to wait for the bus I was originally waiting for. We wait in the wind and rain sprinkles, wait, a few busses we don't want come. Finally 40 minutes after making my first transfer the bus comes. But by that point he's on his day route, meaning a 5-700 meter walk instead of 70 meter. I find that the other bus broke down. I wait to cross the street, a semi decides to run the red to make a right turn, causing me to miss a whole light cycle. I finally hobble my way to work, thinking this is why I ride. 10 km commute in one hour 20 minutes. The good side, it never rained.
This was coupled with my attempt to bus home last night from school. I check and no car shares in a 700 m radius, weird. I decide to take the bus, it is a main route it should be every 8-12 minutes, max 15. A bunch of other busses did go by, they were off duty or only dropping off. The bus finally did come after 20+ minutes.
Okay I am done venting.
#1319
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,014
Likes: 0
From: Nanaimo, BC
Bikes: 1997 Kona Hahana Race Light, 2010 Surly LHT(deceased), 1999 Rocky Mountain Turbo
My first time commuting to work on a bike. 2 miles, uphill. About 72F. HUMID. Had to walk most of the way. Thighs were burning. Have any suggestions? Have been jogging a mile everyday, but I was not ready for biking. Should be a lot more fun on the way home... all downhill. lol. 

Welcome to the club!
Biking is a whole different beast from running/jogging.
Time will make it easier, but as [MENTION=175954]Tundra_Man[/MENTION] said, hills never get easy. Nor do headwinds.
Just keep going with it and it will get easier.
#1320
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,649
Likes: 1,469
From: Merrimac , MA
It was a nice commute in, and the temp was 58f degrees with mostly overcast skies. The last few days I have had to take the direct route to work as I am trying to make up lost time at work.
#1321
Nice sunny, warm morning. But, I never really felt "it" today. Woke up groggy and not motivated. That changed a little when I walked the dogs, which woke me up to the point that riding seemed like a good idea after all. But, the ride was harder than usual.
Maybe I just didn't want to come into work today.
It felt like the wind was in always my face, but every time I glanced up at a flag, it just hung straight down. I know what riding in no wind feels like, and this was not it. Anyway, I made it. And, my time was pretty much dead-on my average.
Maybe I just didn't want to come into work today.

It felt like the wind was in always my face, but every time I glanced up at a flag, it just hung straight down. I know what riding in no wind feels like, and this was not it. Anyway, I made it. And, my time was pretty much dead-on my average.
#1322
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,896
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh, NC
Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia
My commute this morning was like a summer day, with temps in the upper 60s and high humidity. Rode without knee warmers for the first time in a while. The return of heat and humidity will take a little getting use to, and my ride home yesterday was much slower than usual with temps in the upper 80s and muggy air. This was my best week for commuting in May, riding 4 out of 5 days, but the month as a whole was a bust due to all of the rain and storms we had. Hopefully the weather in June will be more favorable for riding.
#1323
Got an early start because I had an early meeting. It rained last night, but the streets looked mainly dry when I looked out the window this morning, so I took a chance and rode my fixie (no fenders). There was a little bit of light precipitation at points along the commute, but it wasn't a big deal.
#1324
Junior Member
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Portsmouth, VA
Bikes: Giant Escape 3, Scott Speedster 50
Just started taking my 10 mile commute by bike a few weeks ago, started with one day a week, this week I've done three days in a row. Looking forward to the long weekend to give my legs some rest, hopefully they adapt and don't stay so sore over time. Its been nice being out in the fresh air and the weather is getting super nice here in VA especially in the morning before it gets warm out. Have a good day everyone!
#1325
Raining faster than it could drain off the streets. Good bit of the ride was in 2"+ deep water. The old 7100 handled it just fine, and I'm not sure it would have helped much to find the front fender and reinstall it.
Would have been a better ride if not for morons who can't drive in rain. Either plowing through foot-plus water in low spots or driving white knuckled at 5mph through 2", weaving around looking for shallower spots.
Would have been a better ride if not for morons who can't drive in rain. Either plowing through foot-plus water in low spots or driving white knuckled at 5mph through 2", weaving around looking for shallower spots.



