Extreme Commute Club: Week 10
 

Here's to the first week of commuting in 2006!!

To those of you who have to work -- HaHa!! Just kidding. Cheer up -- don't think of it as having to work when others are still enjoying the holidays, think of it as getting a jump on your 2006 commuter miles.

Seems like a good time to post our New Year's resolutions. And like all good resolutions we promise not to check back to see who lived up to their bright eyed optimism of January 1st. So here are my resolutions for the new biking year:

• To surpass 4,000 commuting miles in 2006
• To spend less on bikes and bike accessories than it costs me to ride Metro into work
• To leave my studded tires on until I've made two passes over the MUP to confirm that it is ice free!
• Not to crash when I spot the first female jogger or rollerblader of spring!! Further to keep my eyes on the road when the first miniskirt sashays into view.
• To continue posting observations, complaints and embarassing stories to the Commuting thread

So what sort of resolutions have you two wheel maniacs made for the coming year? Lets see what you've got.

*4000 commute mile
*1000 miles in March
*15000 feet of climbing in April
*to spend more on my cycling than I do on my truck
*to send more than $25 in to BF
*to average 4 to 5 solid posts per day
*to learn more ways to enhance my posting
:fight:

Newbie: Spending money on bikes is fun an addictive, good luck on curbing your spending habits.

My goals for the year:

• ride more than 10,000 miles in 20006
• Only to buy a new set of race wheels
• Continue to post regularly on the VLC or ECC thread

Newbie: Did you get down to Hains Point? I did my 33 laps.

Tibike -- No I didn't make the Hains Point ride, plumbing issues kept me at home. With the weather and everything I'd have rather been riding!! I'm pretty sure I won't spend as much in '06 since I've already bought my bike and sturdier wheels, which were the two big ticket items in '05. I can barely invision 10,000 bike miles in a year -- I no longer think it impossible, but I would have to do some serious weekend riding to get anywhere near that level. I am hoping that I will break 5,000 between commuting and other riding, but we'll have to see how it goes.

Ken -- such loyalty to the BF will not be forgotten. Maybe Santa will put something extra in your stocking for Christmas '06.

I've got a little bike cleaning and maintenance planned for today to make sure everything is ready for the first commute of '06. Have a good ride everyone!

I love raingear in the springtime.
I love raingear in the fall.
I love raingear in the winter when it drizzles,
Don’t care about raingear in the summer when it sizzles.

You'll just have to imagine me crooning this butchered version of Cole Porter!

I think I'm loving my Red Ledge rain jacket, since it kept me dry and comfortable through a pretty persistent misting drizzle. Still some condensation inside, but much less than my other jackets. Pearl Izumi rainpants also kept me nice and dry.

After a week out of the saddle its nice to be back -- not at work but on the VLC! I noticed two large collections of what I assume were walnuts still in their large husks beside the trail. They were the color of tennis balls although about the size of grapefruit. I don't know if they fell over the Christmas holidays or if I just missed them before. Anyway quite an eye catching sight.

Did anyone else notice suicidal squirrels this morning? I must have crossed paths with a dozen of them darting across my path at the last minute. One was just inches from my front wheel. Maybe the warm weather has them confused and they think its spring. It's nice not to be riding on ice for a few days.

First ride of the new year!
It was nice. No rain, comfortable temperature, no flats, and I even saw a heron by a stream that I pass.

I added about 18 square inches of reflectors to my bike over the weekend. I got these old school Cateye front and rear reflectors that are HUGE off an early 80's bike.

Same new year's resolution as any cyclist; ride more.


P.S. Saw "40 Year Old Virgin" over the holiday weekend. I returned the DVD on my ride in today. Thought it was only fitting :D

Nice to see that people are back on the road again. It's been 2 weeks since my surgery. Four more weeks until I can ride again. :(

To pass the time, I have been toying with building a tailbox for my recumbent. A tailbox is fairing that attaches to the back of the bike to increase aerodynamic efficiency. Apparently, streamlining the rear of a recumbent like mine will produce more speed than fairing on the front. Have any of you seen a recumbent with a tailbox before? What did you think?

I've never seen one in the wild (in fact I see very few 'bents on my ride) but I've seen at least a couple of websites where people had built fairings, boxes, etc for their 'bents. How they look all depends upon the quality of construction and to some degree the materials used. Some of the pics I've seen show well made boxes that are nicely finished off. I'm sure by now you've already Googled some of these builders.

I think you should go with wood built into the graceful curves you see in Shaker boxes. You could build up layers of veneer or use some 1/8" plywood that could be bent to shape. Maybe you could inlay your initials or family crest into the lid. Seal the whole thing with 2-3 coats of clear epoxy and then 3-4 or more coats or exterior varnish and you will have a real work of art attached to your 'bent.

While nobody will know your name, everyone will remember your bike. Heck you may even be invited to park such an artistic bike inside at fine restaurants, galleries and other establishments. Good luck with your project and post a few pics so we can live vicariously.

Good to hear that you're on the road to recovery. yeah, I've seen a few 'bents with tailboxes, I've seen some really ordinary homemade jobs that I wouldn't bother with and some really nice ones too, if you don't do it right you could actually create more drag so if you're going to do it, do it right.

I would talk to someone that knows composites and someone who knows aerodynamics, I would definitely aim to produce an aerodynamically efficient carbonfiber fairing. Yes, fairing the rear gives proportionately much greater efficiency gains than fairing the front, it's all about leaving the air behind you as undisturbed and eddy-free as possible. While you're at it, why not do both ends?

My new year's resolutions are...

*To stay alive
*To become a better climber by improving my strength/weight ratio, and endurance
*To top 15,000km on the bike for the year
*To be such a good boy that santa brings me one of these next christmas....
http://www.supernova-lights.com/en/products/p99d/

Cyclaholic -- I love your idea on the other thread for the first thread on an inner tube sub-forum!! I'd join just for the satire.

Composites -- bah humbug! I'm still holding out for Mars to go old school. If he doesn't go with wood, then he should start with the most traditional of tailboxes -- the stolen milk crate. If for aesthetics or aerodynamic purposes a fairing is needed I'm thinking wood grain plastic laminate. It will create the two wheeled version of the old style woody station wagon. Everybody has composite or injection molded parts these days, but how many cyclists have a beautifully crafted wooden tail box or the totally retro woodgrain station wagon look? I say dare to be different, dare to be unique!!

Is anyone else noticing more cycle-commuters on their routes this week? I noticed quite a few new faces on my route today, and the weather was pretty questionable. I think it's probably a bunch of New Year's Resolutionists. Good for them! :D

Nop, sorry...haven't seen a single one. Every once in a while I see a sidewalk cyclist but that is about it. Around here, people who ride bikes are considered daft; and that is in the summer. In the winter they just think your crazy. It is really too bad because in my mind Regina is the perfect cyclist commuter city. I have seen a bunch of runners out in the morning, so that is all good.

Have a great day!

There do seem to be more commuters, so old faces and a few new ones. I'm writing it off to two weeks of pretty good weather in these parts. Temps in the 40s and no snow or ice on the trails seem to bring out the fair weather riders. I'm guessing snow showers on Friday and again the middle of next week will thin things out.

Seen a fair few churned out by Bike Fix particularly on the likes of their rat catcher and rat racer.

That's about all I have to add this week unless I finally get snow tomorrow.

On Sunday I move from London to Toronto and then all I need is a job to be back into commuting, hopefully a little extreme.

Maryland, you have got me thinking, a curvey wooden tailbox would be sweet! I don't know that I have the ability though. I have worked on wooded boats a bit, so maybe. Do you have link to those shaker boxes you mentioned?

Cyclaholic: I know totally what you mean! Some of the things on the web are monstrosities. The bent rider looks even MORE geeky with those crappy things tied to the ack of their bikes!

Saskcyclist: I lived in Regina and I'm curious to know why you think it is an ideal cyclist city. I dno't disagree, I'd just like to hear why you think so. By the way, are you still on track for your t shirt?

Mars, glad your surgery went well.

I saw two racoons crossing the street this morning on a section of road that goes right by the Willamette River. Otherwise, no new cyclists. A good spike in the price of gas might help bring folks out.

This morning was the first ride of the new year after two weeks off for "Winter Break." Being a school teacher has its perks. The above freezing temperatures sure help keep the legs from seizing up!

Hang in there Mars!! An injury one year ago forced me off the bike for about 2 months. In that time the loathing of driving to work became rather salient. Having to put up with being one car in a sea of cagers helped maintain movtivation for complying with the physical therapy program. Knowing that the sweet sense of self-propulsion was on the horizon... I could go on, but it's time to get back to work.

Mars -- I sent you a PM with stuff on shaker boxes to inspire your tailbox creation.

Pctpaul -- I've yet to see racoons on my trip, although I'm sure they must be around. My coolest sighting so far was a fox just before Christmas.

Seldomkill -- good luck with the move.

Sydney has been a madhouse the last two days. I swear i have 5 cars a day decide to take me down. Good thing Sydneysiders can't drive for ****...

Maybe its just my part though, Cyclo?

Mars - get well mate, can't have you off the road for too long, we're missing stories from the other side of bentness.

yeh Gus, it's been a bit on the wild side out here too. About a dozen of us went out for a ride to the local yum-cha for my birthday the other day and 3 of us got hit by a woman in a nice shiny new hatchback. We were stopped at a red light up the front of the que and had the middle lane, cars parked down the left lane, she was in the right lane. The light changes and as we moved off she swerved into us for no apparent reason. I got bounced off a parked car and landed back on her doorpanel - cleat first (several times ;) ) My mate went down and was so peed off when he got back up that he went ape-poo on her tailgate & tail lights. The woman freaked right out and just stopped in the middle of the road, she looked like she was off her face stoned. We couldn't be bothered waiting for the cops and lose the reservation at the restaurant... plus there was the question of the 'modified' panels and tail lights ;) , so we left.

On the way to/from work traffic has been real light but that means that it's like double or triple the average speed compared to the usual crawl, and the friggin Sunday drivers!!! people that usually commute by bus/train that have no idea how to handle traffic flow, they're on holidays and they're out on the road.... and they haven't a clue.... don't get me started :mad:

Whew, two days of commuting in a row and I'm wiped out. Not havin' ridden very much between Thanksgiving and now really did a number on me.

Cylaholic - That story is pretty cool. Sucks you and your friends got hit but hitting back is awesome!

Wonderful ride today. There are ALOT of bike commuters, and not just on the Mount Vernon Trail. I rarely see commuters in Northeast DC, but I saw about 4 today...and tens along the mall and a bunch on the MVT.

I also saw a bald eagle in a tree by the river. That was quite fantastic. I'll try to post a picture later, when I figure out how to get the picture off my phone--it's a nice shot of part of my commute.

EDIT, and oh, since I cleaned my bike, it works much better. I should try that more often!

Well I rode in tights for the first time today. I haven't been in tights since a grade school production of "Hansel & Gretl". First let me say they were comfortable and warm enough for 40+ degrees.

On the down side I found it called for an adaptation in attitude. Normally I would like to think that as I sweep around curves on unsuspecting peds, "The Ride of the Valkyries" is playing just like that scene from "Apocalypse Now". On my more fantasy driven days maybe its George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone" (you know the days when a young woman looks at you with something other than "that creepy old guy on a bike look"). On my worst days the theme is more like "The Volga Boatmen". Wearing tights, however, I could not get the "March of the Sugar Plum Fairies" out of my head. After several miles of that disconcerting soundtrack I finally found a substitute. "We're Men, We're Men in Tights" from Mel Brooks' "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" was at least more comically cheerful.

But now I am faced with all the problems of a rock star (without the adulation, money or groupies). Do you dress right or left? Do you carry an extra pair of bike socks strategically placed in the tights? So many questions to wrestle with in the morning! Anyway I had a great fast ride in this morning and the weather couldn't have been better.