January Commuting Challenge
 

This is really for me, but feel free to participate if you like.

I have been commuting off/on for 2 years, but I've never put together a consecutive months worth of commuting. So this is the month.

Rules: If I go to work in the month of January, it will be by bicycle. I still plan to drive after work, but the to/from work is all pedal power.

Rewards...base miles with no extra effort, perhaps some degree of weight-loss (since I cannot get in my car and drive to Wendy's for lunch anymore).

Consequenses if I fail...I'll feel bad.

The plan: Pack the night before. I've got 2 bikes: one for dry roads and one for icy conditions. Both are ready to go, so depending on the forecast, I'll take the apropriate bike.

Wish me luck! I start tomorrow (I had today off work)

Good luck dogboy. I'm here to tell you it can be done, with my 3 1/2 years of consecutive bike commutes. You'll feel great when you accomplish this. :)


(And maybe you'll be ready to think about eliminating the car!)

How far is your commute?

Good luck!!! (I'll save the beer for when you've done it.)

Seeing as you're in Wisconsin, I hope you're prepared in case it gets real cold. Besides being dangerous, getting cold hands/feet/ears is a sure way to turn a commute into a real drag. Don't risk your life (or even a limb) - Be Prepared!

It can be done within reason, but it can get pretty ugly out there:eek: You might want to consider a safety hatch...like In the event of a storm, I'll ride the comparable miles on the next weekend or something. I'm sure you can think of a good 'out' that works for you.

You go DogBoy!

You need a safety rule. For example:

I won't ride if there is more than 5 inches of fresh snow on the ground or if the temperature is below 25 degrees F.

Don't compromise your safety for a challenge.

Nah. He can handle it. I sense that he has ball bearings of steel.

I agree...

Look at the bad weather, (Snow/Rain), as a Challenge~!
If you dress for it you can handle about anything.
3 things you want warm ~ HANDS ~ FEET ~ EARS.
The rest is easy to keep warm... GOOD LUCK!

100 % Commuter here!

1st morning is done...several to go. Next week or so looks fabulous for weather with morning temps near 30.

I am ready for bad weather. I've ridden to work in temps down to -5 F and have the clothing to deal with it. If I set my min temp at 25 F I wouldn't ride much. As for snow, unless I'm caught with a surprise snow storm, I'll take my 'winter' bike...its a hybrid with nokian studs. Both my bikes have fenders so wet isn't a problem either. Pretty much the only thing that will give me pause is deep snow, which is generally pretty rare. I'll keep you posted.

BTW, commute is 5-8 miles depending on my route. Usually its the 5 mile route.

25? Hell, I'd hardly ever ride. I don't even cover my face until 20. My safety rule is -10*F; at that point I start thinking about bailing, though it'll depend on the wind and other factors. 15 might be a good rule; if you don't have good shoes & socks, you might start to risk frostbite there.

Go Dogboy - I too have been commuting sporadically for the past couple of months and kicked it up to 4 days per week just before the holidays – on the 5th day I drive my clothing in. My commute is flat (Florida) and 15 miles each way. 5 miles marked bike lane, 5 miles residential cut through & 5 miles in traffic. I have not done any serious mileage in a long time but I am 45, heaviest I have ever been, borderline hypertension, and it’s time for a change.

Sorry, I missed the negative sign in that temp. I meant -25 degrees F. I wouldn't ride much in winter either if I quit when it was less than 25.

That makes much more sense ;) I was wondering just how much warmer it was in the Detroit area that you could set 25 F as a limiter. I figure if its -25, the only real problem I have is facial coverage. I still haven't mastered how to cover my nose and still see.

In Madison, Wisconsin thats a heat wave. A good safety rule is when the bike stops working its too cold. If you keep warm your good. Good luck!

Super Geek

My bike will have to rust out from beneath me before I'll stop. Ten-speeds rock.

I say the only safety rules are mountain biking and cyclocross race rules. If the snow gets too deep you can jump off and run or walk with it.

If the snow is too deep, he can cary it. But, hey Dog Boy could be in the tropical part of Wisconsin where it gets coolish, but nothing like Superior. Tell us your latitude, boy!

my safety rules are if I cant get the bike out the door cause its buried in snow, i walk haha. I bike in snow and ice and rain and cold, ive gone all the way down to -35 C.

steve

I've never thought of Madison as a 'Tropical' part of Wisconsin, but hey, compared to where I grew up (Near the great town of Frazee, MN), it is downright balmy.

Last night and this morning were wet, but warm. I think I over dressed. I rode the hybrid today since there is potential snow in the forecast...I figure that means ice on the road either way. I'm not too concerned about these first few days...I think I will really need some motivation about Wed or Thr of next week.

Oh, and if the snow is too deep, I guess I'll just take the day off :)

you can do it!! no problem. on the cold days, dress warm. snowy days, lower pressure and bike slower. leave earlier on slower days to beat auto traffic. buy cheap goggles on ebay. a 2 hole balaclava should keep nose covered.

i like your commitment! i think i'll join your challenge and bike everyday too. i've been consistent so far and biked almost everday this winter. ('cept when my bike was frozen one morning, and i had to take the bus). but i plan on biking everyday all winter.

great idea!! come on people!! jump on the bandwagon!!

jim

+1


I remember when Ten-Speeds came out..... oops did you mean 10 speed cassettes? HA HA HA

fresh powder is great to bike through if you've got skinnies on. The stuff that's already been driven over is impossible.

I want in :)


Today was my first commute in January... back from vacation.

ooop....
i had to bus to work this morning....
my bike is in the shop getting the bottom bracket redone... i've been having troubles with my derailleur and it turns out that when my BB was last overhauled they put an axel that was too wide and made the front rings ride too far from the frame... this made the derailleur stretch to it's maximum for the chain to reach... should make a big difference. i can't wait to try it out!!!
anywyas, i'm picking it up at lunch and will bike home after work... i'll do some cycling this wknd to make up for thsi morning..... does that count?

thanks!

Jim

Jim don't sweat it. Although I must ask...what about your other bikes? You DO have other bikes don't you? ;)

Week one is done, 3 weeks, 2 days to go. (okay, so I still have to get home today)

Nothing to special about this week. Weather was warm most days, but I did have some misting & fog and yesterday was pretty windy.

Looking forward to next week!

One week down. I started my car for the first time in over a week last night, took my son to scouts in town, a 10 mile round-trip. Besides commuting daily, I also thought up that if I can drive my car less in a month than I cycle in a week (100 miles) that'll be cool too.

I've been posting combined bike+car mileage stats of > 200 MPG to my livejournal, mainly to tweak my Prius-owning friends and their 60 MPG tales.

hehe what about those of us that ride to work AND own a Prius ;)

Hey Calgarians!!! The 2006 Commuter Challenge is now on!
http://spin.komex.com/commuterchallenge/sign_in.php

Week 2 begins with glare ice on much of my commute. Gotta love those nokians. Even with them I still had some slippery moments. I finally got to meet the SUV driver everyone else always complains about. I was in the right lane, ready to turn right (signaling) when the SUV pulls a right hook from the LEFT LANE!. Not only that, but went from the left lane of the street we were on to the RIGHT lane of the one we were turning onto. Had I not been slowing to turn I think I would have hit the side of her vehicle.

On a happier note, I finally got my clothing down such that I am not soaking wet when I get to work and I'm not cold after the first few minutes of pedaling.

Week 2 will be a short week also, since I'm on vacation next weekend and I'm taking Friday off.