cg1985

I'm really lucky, Tree Fort Bikes has their shop right near where I live and while they are limited in the brands they carry (Cannondale, Giant, ellsworth, Haro, a couple others), they are all very knowledgeable, stock good parts, and are generally good people. And they are open from 9 to 8 most days.

Not open early enough to get there on my commute in case of emergency, but at least they have later hours.

cyclezealot

Might happen 7 months of the year. Portland is temperate. Austin is over 110 much of the summer. When its 110, think I'd take the bus.

cg1985

Isn't Austin relatively Dry heat? I know at 110 its' not THAT much of a consolation, but I commuted her in michigan a number of times when it was 90+ degrees with High humidity. It sucks, but It's not undo-able.

jhc

I think this is changing. It's true that the high end customers drive the market, and bike companies are slow to change for new trends, but I'm seeing a lot more commuter-oriented hybrids this year. The Trek Portland is one example.

JeffS

If you know them, tell them to fix their website. They lost a $400 sale from me on Monday because their cart wasn't functioning. I thought about calling them, but decided I'd rather spend $10 more with someone who had a working site.

cyclezealot

I start getting lazy much over 88 with humidity in the 50-70 % range. So can I imagine myself in Austin. Sounds great in October. Wish them well with their infrastructure changes.

NobylSpoon

There is additional parking on Mo-Pac if you can't find a spot...

ok_commuter

Austin is humid, maybe a percent or two better than Houston but not much. But it's not 110. More like 102. In this humidity, that's quite a difference.

cyclezealot

I realize 110 is its extremes. But, the time I was near there, it was 105 plus. Close enough for me.

eAspenwood

ctoddrun

So is my oven!

gemini

The kind that stick. That's nasty.

cg1985

Hmm, the other day they did mention they were having some problems with the website. It's unfortunate that happened. I've never had to use their site since they are Nearby.

They really are good guys.

Rex G

Bike lanes only work if the public is educated, and the local gendarmes enforce the "bike" part. When in Houston, I see bike lanes, but the city attorney has decreed that Houston police will not ticket cars that park in bike lanes, unless there are signs indicating that no parking is allowed, so the public sees many bike lanes as nifty parking places. The bike lanes that are clear of parked cars are often occupied by pedestrians walking abreast, or joggers/runners, and they DON'T want to make room. Really, educating the public that bicycles ARE vehicles, and that cyclists ARE traffic, is the ideal goal, though it may take a couple of generations for the realization of the ideal.

Regarding Austin heat and humidity, when I leave the Houston area, and drive to Austin, I notice a dramatic difference in the comfort level when I step out into the heat. Austin heat feels wonderful compared to coastal damp heat.

I won't get into LA's personal problems or ethics; I am just grateful that he helped make riding bicycles on paved roads somewhat socially acceptable in Texas. Before the Lance Armstrong era, a motorist would expect a cyclist to totally leave the pavement, if necessary, to allow the motorist to maintain his course and speed.

MMACH 5

Give me 110° over 10° (or even 30° or 40°) any day of the week.
I love the heat; anything 80° or higher is my happy place.

LittleBigMan

I very much like the fact that Mr. Armstrong is championing bicycle commuting.

Thanks, Lance!

muzikchick

https://eastaustinite.com/2008/07/03/...bike-friendly/

eAspenwood

speaking of portland, just found this over in the ssfg forum:

https://blog.oregonlive.com/breakingn..._up_on_th.html

what a mess.

Industrial

+1

I used to live in the desert in California. 110 is hot but doable. Now that I live in NH, it's extremely difficult to commute 5 months of the year with the snow, cold, salt and road conditions that come with the extra long winters here. I don't even mind the snow, cold or salt...the plow trucks dump the snow right on the shoulder and bike paths on my commute so already narrow roads become suicidal when there is snow on the ground. On those really hot days in California you just dress cool, drink lots of water and take it easy...