I commuted to the college on bike. I was planning on going to my evening meetings on bike, but I think I'll take the subway. I didn't get cold, but in order to stay warm, I was super bundled and not very comfortable. Enough for me today.

Aw, who fixed the thread title? After six months I had learned to love it

Wow! Even properly hyphenated.

Tom, do you ever go to studded tires for the NY commute? I have used them in the winter for many years. That was a waste much of the time but occasionally water had gone across the road and frozen overnight. Then it could be a serious problem so I put them on in October and take them off according to the weather in N W Misery. I enjoy being the first in the snow some mornings. Once someone asked me if it was my tracks in town. It had snowed and they picked up an employee in town for work. I almost was a wise guy but it wouldn't have been helpful for me. One must be a sheepdog and not a sheep in my lifestyle and job. Be Well, Bluesfrog.

I'm a big fan of studded tires for MN winter commuting (also Top Contact Winter tire). I've use studded tires on a few bikes, currently I'm riding the overkill set up - 45NRTH Dillingers on my drop-bar fatbike. One of the joys of not having a daily commute, I can ride something kinda silly. OTOH, I'm taking that bike to ride 6 miles to my dentist's office in a few minutes ... this is part of my winter route to the dentist's office :thumb:

It's very rare to have a coating of ice on the surface here. My studded tires were a wasted purchase, but I'm keeping them around in case I should ever need them. I tried them in snow, and they didn't help a bit, not surprisingly.

But, But ,But, if there are tire tracks and the snow is still hard, not slush, I find studs to keep me upright! Those tracks from cars can get you dumped on the ground. If it is a packed roadway in its entirety you may be OK. But tracks with snow in between is bad luck for me. I've rolled around a bit on the snow covered pavement. It was probably funny to those not in the snow. Take care Tom, and Be Well, Bluesfrog.

10 year, 4 season commuter, 59, and my personal rule is I ride unless I need a vehicle. The longer I do this the less I need a vehicle. My commute is 22 miles mostly on MUP's.
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​​​​​After a brutal November with snow, ice, and lower than normal temps I bought an ebike kit for my studded winter bike. Haters start your hating but it's re energized (pun intended) my commuting. I surely don't miss getting sweaty in 20 degree weather. My rule for the ebike is to only use it under 30 but I've regularly violated that one with no guilt.

​​​​​Like [MENTION=195860]Steely Dan[/MENTION]'s signature says if you're riding a bike and not having fun you're doing it wrong!

I just did similar: ebike with studs for winter slogging. I too am a purist about having fun while riding.

Same here, year around commuter with winter ebike conversion. I went with the Hilltopper 250w kit. I started with studs about 5yrs ago,big difference not having to worry about refreeze and black ice. With the kit it's made the ride fun and look forward to the commute.

Arsprod haters can go create another vacuum on a crack pipe. Do whatever it takes to get that childlike joy of riding a bike. As we get older we need an occasional boost. Keep on keepin' on. Be Well, Bluesfrog.

this is so true. I drove most of last week due to family commitments but by Thursday i missed commuting by bike something fierce. I was really looking forward to it this week but this week has 3 days with 75% or more chance of rain. So I am driving again. :(

If I don't bike because it MIGHT! rain I will sell my bike. The local weather man misses about 65% of his predictions on precipitation alone. Hang your head RidingMathew.. Shame on ya. ;-) Be Well, Bluesfrog.

Ha

thanks it rained and rained and rained. it has rained on the way in today and will rain on the way home. :twitchy:

I hope you are one of those mutant superhumans with waterproof skin. I hate it when I get rained on and my skin falls off.

I rode for 12 years and drove maybe six times in that period. Yes it rained, snowed, sleeted, and ice pelted me sometimes. The one time I got really soaked I was going home so it didn't matter. I did get wet enough once that it didn't dry for awhile. I kept a uniform for the case of my getting maced. I could change into it if I needed to at work. Locker rooms are nice. A locker tall enough to hang a uniform on a hanger would be even nicer. Ah yes, life working in a prison. I guess you have to have a mental toughness to do the commute all year long. Just sell your bike. You will be much happier than getting all bent about "MAYBE it will rain" Be Well, Bluesfrog..

A different subject. If you wear too much, don't you sweat then the cold sinks in worse? I used to run six miles a day and sometimes a sixer both AM and PM. I was keeping a weather diary then and learned what to wear for each from of weather. But I learned quickly not to wear too much riding in the cold in Misery. North of Kansas City it is a wet cold much of the time. I also learned I could , for a cold, bundle up too much for the current conditions and ride or run hard, sort of burning off the cold. My health immediately got better. Really it got gone fast. I also took 500 MG of vitamin C twice daily at those times. Be Well, Bluesfrog

Hating rain is a good excuse to buy better rain gear.

Living in San Diego is a good excuse to have only one piece of rain gear: an Ikea-brand poncho.

Actually, my primary piece of rain gear is a car.

Hating rain is a good excuse to take the subway. My better rain gear got used for a week in Seattle where it rained on and off every day and my reason for being there was to ride. Here in NYC I would never bother.

That! There's no bad weather just bad gear.

I either bike or walk to work everyday. It takes about 20 min (one way) by bike about twice that to walk. When the weather is good I have an alternate route that takes closer to 30 min one way.

I don't bike in freezing rain or heavy snowfall.

I commute about all year long, but not everyday.
I usually don't take the bike when it is raining in the morning (but I have no problem coming back home if it is raining in the evening after work), or when the ground is frozen.
I begun two years ago.
About 4000 km per year. 17 km each way.
I commute with my daily clothes (office job), so this is why i opted for a city ebike, but I plan to use my vintage racing bike during summer too (only by good weather).

I can not take the bike everyday for many reasons, but everytime I take it I feel better.
Morning ride is often difficult, difficult to find motivation, but evening ride is always a pure joy associated with a fantastic feeling of liberty.

Plowing through 1/2 inch of snow this morning definitely added some oomph (and about 10 mins) to the morning ride. There's a short hill that I thought I might have to get out and push, but I just kept the rear tire spinning, and kept my momentum going.

Mornings like this, I'm really glad I have 3 wheels!

I'm in my 20th year of bike commuting, riding to a train station, about five miles by the direct route. If the weather is particularly nasty I just don't go to work. That happens maybe five times in a year.

So for sure I have an easier commute than many here.

But since I started commuting by bike, I haven't driven to the station once. My only other way of getting to the station is to have my wife drive me. I think that's happened about twice, I'm not sure because I can't remember why I couldn't ride. It was something unusual, though, like recuperating from hernia surgery.