Today was my best chance for a bike commute between wimping out of cold rides the first part of the week, and then again starting tomorrow morning. Looks like I can get some weekend rides in, and then it warms up and starts raining next week. At least I can get some warm (50F) rides in then.


Not quite stir crazy, but headed that way. I picked up some pecans in the back yard Monday, but it was too cold to stay out more than 15 minutes at a time. Still got close to 20 pounds, I'm just about ready to let the tree rats (AKA squirrels) have the rest.

Cold.

Rear tire was flat when I got to my bike locker yesterday evening! It had sat for a couple weeks, so I didn't know how fast it was leaking, so I pumped it up and risked it. Had to pump a couple more times on the way... no big deal. Turns out the tube was defective; it was opening up at a thin spot. I patched it anyway

Also, my tail light had stopped working. I turned on the spare tail light for riding home, and checked it out when I was fixing the tire. Turns out the soldered connections on the wire had corroded away; the wire was completely gone in one spot, and when I touched it it crumbled at three other spots. Hiding wires under the fenders makes sense from an aesthetic point of view, but it exposes them to pretty harsh conditions, including concentrated salt water. Ugh.

Mine was all right. Warmed up to about 12ş this morning in Chicago, which was pretty tolerable after so many days around 0. But the salt is pretty annoying, and once I get home I'll have to wash my bike.

Makes me wish I had a cheap, beat-up old single speed to ride in the winter so I wouldn't have to worry.

First commute of the year! I had a follow up appointment at my Doc's office that added 14 miles to my usual 25 mile commute. Eating breakfast before my ride is weird to me. I usually have something easily prepared at work, but I didn't know how long I would be at my appointment. I am glad I remembered my super thin back pack and I had a front rack for my lunch time grocery shopping. I scored a mini lock with a super duper chain lasoo for half off at the BX. Did not set any records on the way home.

A weird thing yesterday... on a rather fast and somewhat blind section of dark MUP, a rock (?) fell down from a bluff right in front of me. Gremlins, kids, chance? I didn't stop to find out or investigate what fell.

On three of my last four rides my Strava has cut out for the first third or half of the ride. I should have rebooted my phone after the first one.

Low 20s this morning. I still dressed as I had for the past couple of days which were in the low teens. I got warm. I rode my normal 13 mile route though instead of short-cutting like I did the past couple of days. Others have mentioned riding slowly lately. My average speed is definitely down too, probably just because of the extra clothing bulk.

Happy commuting to you all. And specially those commuting in the cold, frigid temps. I am too chicken for that.

I can hardly wait for the weather to improve so that I can get started on my commutes this year. Last year was my first and it was a total blast.

Last night before I went to bed it said the temp was supposed to be -8F for this morning's commute. Woke up and my thermometer said 1F. Pleasant surprise!

Ride home yesterday at 32F was much more pleasant than the morning at 18F. No incidents at all yesterday, and I hit nearly all the green lights!

I started out from the office with my balaclava pulled down below my chin, but it was too painful on my nose and mouth. So I stopped to adjust it up to just under my nose, which helped keep both my mouth and nose warm from my breathing. Worked out just fine.

I contemplated riding again this morning, but decided against it. This afternoon will be colder than yesterday. Tomorrow should be a carbon copy of Wednesday but with less wind, so I'll try to ride again tomorrow.

It was -2°F and a fluffy fresh 2'' of powder on my path into work today. Light wind (6 mph) at my back. Wind is supposed to shift this afternoon, so a North wind should push home. Love it when that happens!

I geared up too much, and was a bit sweaty by the time I got to work. Nice, fun fat tire bike ride this morning.

I had Monday & Tuesday off, and drove yesterday, so today felt like the first real day of the year. 34F, slight breeze, dry.

east coast! did you ride in this morning? it's a special day - blizzard day!

i started a thread with my own experience, please post your own: My first snowy commute ride in this season! (as the NE gets pounded by blizzard)

....aaaand i'll probably take the bike on the subway on the ride back. winds are a lot higher after the early morning ride in and it was fairly unpleasant. i was seeking more of a "wintery floaty ethereal magical snowy ride" lol. instead the wind hit my face with snowflakes that were more like pellets - like a thousand bricks. ouch.

My thermometer said 12°. Strava says it was 9°. Whatever, it was cold. Could be worse.

I live on a pretty busy road. In fact it's a state highway. So looking out my window and seeing asphalt with cars moving at near normal speeds late yesterday, I got an unrealistic idea of road conditions. Doh! Even so, I got up early and left the house five minutes earlier than usual this morning.

Well, the roads went from adequately plowed to poorly plowed to not plowed at all. There were a few spots where I could not ride, had to walk it.

But miraculously the maintenance crew had done a great job shoveling out the bike lockers. That's a first.

It's brutal out there 12F/-11C. I rode on Tuesday, took yesterday off because the kids were home from school, and did my first run commute this morning. (Starting last year I try to mix up my running and biking.) For running I choose three routes from 6.7 miles four miles and two miles depending on where I get off the inbound metro. Needless to say, today I chose the two miler and even that was rough with the headwinds.

A pretty windy ride home yesterday. It helped me a bit for a couple of miles, then slowed me down for the last half. It was cold, but I stayed warm enough since I was working against it.

11F this morning for a pretty cold 14 miles. I was good except for my toes during the last 2 or 3 miles. High of 35F today which would be the warmest all week if it happens.

My coldest ride ever at 14°F for 15 miles. Started out with my balaclava and ski goggles again today, but I tried taping the bottom vents to help keep moisture out. Total failure, and it was even worse than last time. I stopped halfway to try to clean them out (not easy to do while leaving helmet on), but then they got frozen up even worse still so I had to take them off after 10 miles (just dangled around my neck), and switch to my glasses. My skin around the glasses was in absolute pain for most of the rest of the way into work. Toes weren't much better. Hands were okay after awhile. I used an extra pants layer and didn't have any problems there this time.

Remind me why we do this, again?

42F, raining

That will be us on Sunday into Monday. Sunny and 50's by middle of next week, bring it on!!

Wet and dark in the AM, wet and gloomy daytime, then wet and dark in the PM...

Left the office a little earlier on Friday so I had daylight for most of my ride home, which was nice. Warmer than the morning so I was a little overdressed up top. Toes still got a little chilled, though.

With the temp at 21F I figured it was a lot warmer than last week's low teens and under dressed just a bit. I rode 13+ miles in including a stop at the ATM. A much warmer week coming up, but chances of rain too.

A veritable heatwave, 34F! Unfortunately warmer temps came with freezing rain so lots of crunchy pavement. The only problem spot was the .5 mile that was never plowed from previous snow - what a slog! I'll take the ice with the warmer temps, the studly tires chew it up!

hallelujah it's 20F! and it's going as high as 30F today. i'm so happy i could fall over.

when i got to the bridge i had to peel off one fleece gaiter (i had three, a buff, the fleece gaiter and a thick wool gaiter) - i also took off 2 out of 3 hoods (kept fleece on, took off puffy hood, and shell hood).

i wore hestra gloves and it didn't feel like i was wearing paper on my hands! hooray. they felt downright warm, like my feet. i was so amazed.

i'll be so happy to bike home in 30F. thank goodness. we still have snow coming this week so the studded tires will stay on. it's still a mess on the roads too. but at least it will be in the 20-30F range. ugh. it was pretty ouchie this past wk.

40F, dryish, no real wind, nice sunrise

First commute in for the year!


"Warmed" up to melting and a little more, then the rain came. Luckily it was just a light shower, though if I'd waited another 20 minutes I might have made it in dry.


Boy, am I glad to be back on the bike!


Boy, are my legs ever stiff!