first commute: learning by doing
 

Ok so I've only gone to work and still have to make the trek home. But anyhoo, I learned a couple of things pretty quick:

1) I need to get pedal cages. I worked only the quads and not the hamstrings. I knew this before but it has been confirmed!
2) I should have brought gloves. It wasn't really cold out but once I started going my knuckles were white with cold. I took out my socks from my backpack and used them as makeshift sock puppet mittens. This seemed to work well.
3) My nose was leaky. I had to do a "farmer blow" about three times. Instructions: Bend over or lean to side of bike, cover opposite nostril that needs to be emptied, blow, change sides, and repeat. I should have brought kleenex.
4) The usefullness of fenders came into question. I guess on mild days one questions the practicality of fenders but I imagine this will change should the weather ever take a turn for the worse.
5) People passing me look pretty smug. (focussed?)
6) When in doubt follow other cyclists. They all seemed to know the best routes to take.
7) It felt great to get out there and get some exercise! :)

That is so disgusting. Suck it in or wipe it on your sock mitten. Why should i have to ride by and look at your snot rocket on the ground?
IMHO, that's no different than taking a leak on the side of the road.
I know tons of people do it, but it's just repulsive and disrespectful to others.

I agree pretty gross display, I do the occasional spit but I don't get into snot rockets.
I think the way it was typed made it sound worse than it actually was.

Good for you flipflop! Depending on the amount of leakage, a lot of cycling gloves have terry cloth on the thumb for wiping. Then you throw them in the wash. Fenders are highly underrated. Get a set with solid supports so they don't rattle. Don't let the smugness get you down. Remember, you're happier then they are.

Keep on riding!! :)

Clips won't help you "work the hamstrings" since you never under normal circumstances pull with net upward force on the backstroke. Over time, you will develope a smoother, circular stroke.This has been proven by science.

This is the bane of my cold-weather riding. I feel embarrassed to ride with people when its too cool.

Enjoy your ride home!

Yeah, I have a little routine when I am packing up for a ride. I always have a handkerchief and a cellphone in the back pockets of the jersey :D.

I commute 23 miles round trip daily using platform pedals. I know some people like pedal clips or clipless, but I find them too much of a hassle to get in and out of.

You are so funny. So what you're saying is that it is soooo much less disgusting to wear gloves covered with snot? :rolleyes:

C'mon... lighten up. I ride all year long in Georgia, and during the prime allergy season the hayfever and congestion gets brutal. I need to clear my breathing passages, and I'm darn sure not going to stop every 5 minutes to dig out a handkerchief. On the other hand, I wouldn't do a nose-clear in front of another rider... I'd be considerate.

There are so many things that are actually gross and inappropriate... this doesn't even register on my "gross scale".

I rode with platforms for about a year. I switched to toe clips after one day when it was raining fairly hard, and twice in that day I found myself at the front of the line at a stop light, and when it turned green, I started to accelerate and my feet slipped off the pedals, with a pickup behind me each time having to stand on the brakes to not hit me.

I decided that keeping my feet on the pedals was a #1 priority. Once you're used to it, it's not a hassle, you don't even thing about it with SPD anyway. Toe clips work very well too and I wouldn't spring for SPD again if doing it over, but toe clips do require a little fiddling to get into every time.

I do still ride with platforms in the winter, but with boots with lots of tread, and wellgo pedals that have spikes so it's hard to slip out of them. I tried PowerGrips but they're nearly impossible to get into while wearing hunting boots at -25*F.

When I used to run, I typically rubbed the snot on the shoulder sleeve of my tshirt ... but I had the option of changing. It never crossed my mind that it might happen while biking.

Still waiting on my first commute to work. So thanks for the stuff you noticed.

You watch the road for snot? That's weirder/grosser, than farmer's blows.

I agree on the gloves. I ride in full finger gloves the majority of the year.

As for the nose... you're certainly not the only one. I've had varying degrees of nasal congestion for the entire of 2008, but it's always been an issue when riding. I know I'm not alone either.

Wow...I've never found it the least bit offensive to see someone blow a snot rocket on the side of the road. I'll do it if I have to. I don't even think it's bad to take a leak on the side of the road as long as you're not in full view. If my bodily fluids give someone the vapors, guess I'll just have to find a way to live with it

I ride with someone who goes through tissues like mad and some days constantly stops to use them. I joke that they really need to just let it go. When I'm alone on my commute I sometimes just let it run and build a nice little snot mustache and then just blow it off. My gloves can only carry so much afterall.

And if you are worried about others snot rockets just use fenders all year round so it doesn't get flung up at ya.

I'm too busy trying to keep myself from being roadkill to look for snot on the road. And when you gotta blow, you gotta blow...I just look behind me first. I spit too. Besides, we're in a drought and any moisture helps.:)

I spit, cough, and blow snot rockets. It is truly a blast to follow me. Not to mention sitting at stop lights in front of cars.
Do I care.... not one bit.

lighten up!

100% agreed

But maybe this person rides on streets so clean you could eat off of them. Maybe people do eat off the streets. Then I could understand...

Speaking from my recent rainy commute experience: fenders are very useful (I don't have them yet, and the spray from my front wheel was so bad I had to wear my sunglasses to protect my eyes).

Aim the snot rocket as far to the side as you can, no worries there, IMHO.

so that's what the fenders are for ;) I guess I didn't mention that I did use some discretion...i.e. making sure no one is around, not doing it right on the road/path. Haha "snot rocket" ...never heard that one before :beer:

Man you must be *really* mad when a pigeon poops on a park bench.

[QUOTE=envane;6664274]Clips won't help you "work the hamstrings" since you never under normal circumstances pull with net upward force on the backstroke. Over time, you will develope a smoother, circular stroke.This has been proven by science.

Thanks, man. I guess I have to do some more research on this. A spinning instructor told me to engage the hamstring and lift on the backstroke. I'll search around for some more threads on this topic...

I bet you're all for the banning of dihydrogen-monoxide because it kills people too, aren't you?

[QUOTE=flipflop563;6665043]toe clips DO help with your pedaling and they also help keep your foot on the pedal... I think they are great for commuting because you can use "normal" shoes.

Lighten up and just worry about yourself. Jeez, some people around here are such prudes!

Let's focus on welcoming our new commuters and not scaring them away with nasty messages!

Have to agree that snot rockets really aren't that big a deal. Hell, I see drivers flicking cigarette butts out their car windows every day. Those things'll be there for 10 years. Snot'll be dried-up and gone (or washed away by rain) by the time you ride home. I'm pretty sure snot is biodegradeable. Just do it when no one else has to see it.