How was the commute today? Continued.
#6726
Belt drive!
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,614
Likes: 0
From: Burlington, Vermont
Bikes: 2011 Trek Soho DLX
Everything seems back to normal. No flats today. Very damp, and 54F. No wind. Shorts and short-sleeves. It's humid enough that I got pretty warm riding in. It's funny how 54 seems balmy compared with the high 30s / low 40s the last several days. Supposed to be a nice warm day today and tomorrow.
#6727
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 275
Likes: 0
From: Southern Wisconsin US
Bikes: Schwinn DBX, Trek 820
Briefly toyed with the idea of keeping my 3 week bike commute streak going through the inland hurricane type weather Today but I wimped out and drove 5 miles to carpool. Stayed warm and dry but I missed my bike commute...I kept watching for other bikers on the 20 mile ride to work but didn't see any. Once I got to work, I commiserated with another bike commuter who also chose to drive...We made the right choice but we're struggling with it. Doesn't look too good for the rest of the week....40+ mph winds are forecast for the next couple days...
#6728
You gonna eat that?
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,917
Likes: 543
From: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty
Bikes: 1966 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist, 1973 Schwinn Varsity, 1983 Raleigh Marathon, 1994 Nishiki Sport XRS
I usually have a tailwind in the morning and a headwind in the evening. This morning it was a 10 mph headwind with gusts to 18, so it took about 10 minutes longer to get to work. But..... I should have a nice tailwind this afternoon. 
This may be my last commute with rechargeable lights. I picked up my dynamo lights on the way home yesterday. They're all set electrically but I need to fab some little brackets to mount them. If I can get the metal to make brackets on my way home, I can probably make the brackets tonight or tomorrow.

This may be my last commute with rechargeable lights. I picked up my dynamo lights on the way home yesterday. They're all set electrically but I need to fab some little brackets to mount them. If I can get the metal to make brackets on my way home, I can probably make the brackets tonight or tomorrow.
#6729
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,896
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh, NC
Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia
I left late for work today so I could get in my commute, plus I'm only about 25 miles shy of 3,000 commuting for the year. When I got up, the radar showed a big line of storms approaching from the SW, and it was pouring at the time I normally leave for work. Fortunately I can do some of my work from home, and have a lot of comp time built up, so I left about 90 minutes later than usual. It was nice riding to work in daylight for a change, and it was very warm (upper 60s) despite the wet roads. After weeks of very dry weather, the forecasters are calling for rain just about every day this week.
#6730
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Bikes: Trek 830 Mountain Track Drop bar conversion
Since the old tires were getting pretty worn, I got new tires a few weeks ago and have been very happlly riding flat-free since then.
#6731
-5C/23F. Hands and toes got a little cold, despite putting on warmer gloves and socks. Sucks having to figure out how to dress for cold weather all over again. The streets were mainly dry; thankfully yesterday's snow didn't leave much ice on the road. Still, listening to the radio before I left home, I heard reports of several accidents.
There was a cop car with lights flashing parked on the MUT today, near a truck that had somehow crossed the MUT and went into the bushes on the other side backwards. This MUT runs parallel to a road, with maybe 10 feet separating them. If the truck had been going much faster, it could have slid down the bank into the river.
There was a cop car with lights flashing parked on the MUT today, near a truck that had somehow crossed the MUT and went into the bushes on the other side backwards. This MUT runs parallel to a road, with maybe 10 feet separating them. If the truck had been going much faster, it could have slid down the bank into the river.
#6732
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
From: Burnaby BC, Canada
Bikes: Velosport Appalache 15
Yesterday was a windy and wet ride home! I even got to use my new bell on the MUP! Still not as effective as calling out "On your left!" but at least I'm legal now. 
This morning the winds and rains had died down. It was an uneventful ride in to work on the long route. I'll probably swing by MEC on the way home tonight as my wife insists I replace my backpack with a pannier.
She finally got tired of the smell!

This morning the winds and rains had died down. It was an uneventful ride in to work on the long route. I'll probably swing by MEC on the way home tonight as my wife insists I replace my backpack with a pannier.
She finally got tired of the smell!
#6733
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Bikes: Trek 830 Mountain Track Drop bar conversion
Good ride in this AM. Warm and humid for sure, but at least I had a tailwind! :-)
I recently got a new phone (LG Rumor Touch), which has built-in GPS, and I tried mapmytracks generic Java version to track my commute in. Sadly it stopped tracking after just 1.2 miles of a 7 mile commute. Hope I can get it working... The bit it did record yielded all the cool data one expects from a GPS tracker - speed, elevation, where I stopped, etc., so I was excided about that. Time to troubleshoot.
Looking forward to the return of cooler temps this weekend. It's the end of October. It shouldn't be anywhere near 80F in the daytime or 65 at night.
I recently got a new phone (LG Rumor Touch), which has built-in GPS, and I tried mapmytracks generic Java version to track my commute in. Sadly it stopped tracking after just 1.2 miles of a 7 mile commute. Hope I can get it working... The bit it did record yielded all the cool data one expects from a GPS tracker - speed, elevation, where I stopped, etc., so I was excided about that. Time to troubleshoot.
Looking forward to the return of cooler temps this weekend. It's the end of October. It shouldn't be anywhere near 80F in the daytime or 65 at night.
#6734
couldn't believe how warm it was this morning (60 before the sun came up). I've gotten so used to layering up these past two weeks that I had to strip of some layers before I left the driveway.
Only had to yell at one driver this morning who thought staying in his lane was optional.
Only had to yell at one driver this morning who thought staying in his lane was optional.
#6735
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Kentucky
Bikes: Nishiki Olympic (ret. 2010), Jamis Coda
Got up early to change the rear tube that had flatted. Breakfast, coffee. Then off on a nice day with a nice breeze.... a loud pop, a walk home and a drive to work where I dug a nail out of the tire that had gone in head first. Off to the LBS for a new tire.
#6736
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,575
Likes: 223
From: Canada
Bikes: 2009 Trek 520
0C, windy and wet snow (hasn't started accumulating yet). Rode in slowly with my new studded tires (slowest average speed ever on this bike, 21km/h). I wanted to take it easy during the tire break-in, also trying not to overheat. I just needed a poly baselayer and a rain jacket to break the wind.
We are supposed to get 5cm of snow today, in the afternoon the wind is against me and is supposed to be 50km/h gusting to 70. I'll probably ride home, but I can always take the bus instead.
From the look of the forecast I could be back on slicks by the weekend.
We are supposed to get 5cm of snow today, in the afternoon the wind is against me and is supposed to be 50km/h gusting to 70. I'll probably ride home, but I can always take the bus instead.
From the look of the forecast I could be back on slicks by the weekend.
#6737
GATC

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,839
Likes: 184
From: south Puget Sound
40F and raining.
Time to be wearing tights, even if I keep lying to myself that it's not that cold, they do keep a lot of road spatter off my legs...
Time to be wearing tights, even if I keep lying to myself that it's not that cold, they do keep a lot of road spatter off my legs...
#6738
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 40,863
Likes: 3,115
From: Sacramento, California, USA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
46F, calm, cool, brilliant blue sky. You could not ask for a more beautiful morning.
#6739
Road in with a nice 20 mph tailwind, I'm hoping the forcasts hold and the winds die down this afternoon.
#6740
Still raining. Staying at the in-laws' place this week which is >800ft up a hill. Just a little wheelslip last night going up the steep bits on my knobbies!
#6741
sɹɐʇsɟoןןnɟsʇıbɟɯo
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,986
Likes: 0
From: seattle, too many links
Bikes: fixed gear recumbent trike
much better then the ride home last night.
excited for tomorrow
bad news, saw on 12th right by the exit of the I-90 trail, a bike down, a limping biker, and a car pulled to the side.
i tried to go talk to them, but they were busy on their cell phones. hope everyone was OK.
his front wheel was bent
#6742
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 250
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta, GA
Bikes: '95 Specialized Hard Rock, '03 (?) Fuji Finest
Yesterday thunderstorms in the morning robbed me of my commute. Also, wtf 70 F at 7am? That's just wrong. And muggy. Took me some time to figure out what to wear. Decided on jeans and a t-shirt and stuck shorts and my rain jacket in my pannier. It spit on me most of the way in with about a minute or so of rain while I was at a light. Almost pulled out my jacket, but would have been really hot in it. Looks like I'm going to be dodging rain the next couple of days. Rain is fine. Storms, not so much.
#6743
it cant rain all the time

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 119
Likes: 1
From: Hythe, Kent, England
Bikes: 2 MTB's and 1 commuter bike
allmost ran down a child today when there football went into the road and he followed, not looking!
#6744
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,575
Likes: 223
From: Canada
Bikes: 2009 Trek 520
Sigh, my commuting streak is at an end, 31 consecutive school days. I rode home against a 60 gusting to 80km/h windy, -1C, ice pellets and slush / snow on the roads. Same sort of wind tomorrow, only colder so I'm taking the bus. Average speed on the way back 14.5km/h, 64 minutes for 15.5km (exactly twice as long as my fastest time for the route). By the end the v-brakes were pretty gummed up with ice, so going fast wouldn't have been advisable anyway.
There was some drifting snow and ruts that got me wobbling pretty good along with a few 70km/h crosswind gusts. Other than some deep / wet dense snow, the studded tires were great. I took the MUP for a while to avoid cars, but the snow got very deep in a few areas so I gave up on it. Once I was back on the road the cars weren't bad for the most part. Except a few that insisted on following the ruts in the road even though they intersected my path in the curb lane.
On the plus side I seemed to nail the clothing selection for today. Other than my cheeks I wasn't cold at all, nor sweating much. I need to find a better balaclava.
My bike computer says I only burned 167 Cal, after all that work I can't even treat myself to icecream
I should be back biking Thursday / Friday.
There was some drifting snow and ruts that got me wobbling pretty good along with a few 70km/h crosswind gusts. Other than some deep / wet dense snow, the studded tires were great. I took the MUP for a while to avoid cars, but the snow got very deep in a few areas so I gave up on it. Once I was back on the road the cars weren't bad for the most part. Except a few that insisted on following the ruts in the road even though they intersected my path in the curb lane.
On the plus side I seemed to nail the clothing selection for today. Other than my cheeks I wasn't cold at all, nor sweating much. I need to find a better balaclava.
My bike computer says I only burned 167 Cal, after all that work I can't even treat myself to icecream
I should be back biking Thursday / Friday.
#6745
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,162
Likes: 647
From: Brooklyn NY
Bikes: Kuota Kredo/Chorus, Trek 7000 commuter, Trek 8000 MTB and a few others
65 and sunny this morning, here in balmy NYC. The problem is that I was running too late to ride in. Took the subway instead. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow.
#6746
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 542
Likes: 1
From: California
Bikes: Trek 7.2 FX, Custom Vintage FG
45F, sunny. I started out a dressed a bit warm, first year commuting, I lived on campus last year. I think I'll do without the long sleeve shirt over my base layer. Supposed to be 40 tomorrow, I think I'll try a poly t-shirt on top rather than the long sleeve cotton.
#6747
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 899
Likes: 7
From: Coupeville, WA
Bikes: 84 Raleigh Technium- 89 Shogun Mt. Bike-96 Miyata 914
Rode home in the dark. 45 degrees f, light breeze.
14 miles, mostly rural, very little traffic.
More deer than cars on this one. Oh the things you see when you don't have a shotgun.
14 miles, mostly rural, very little traffic.
More deer than cars on this one. Oh the things you see when you don't have a shotgun.
#6748
About to set out for home... the temps have been hovering around freezing and I expect a little ice on the bridge but after this the temperature is supposed to come back up to seasonal norms.
#6749
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Nottinghamsire, Uk
Bikes: Reynolds Assault Carbon Road Bike
Commute home last night ... my New (1 week old) Garmin fell off the mount (not on properly) and a car ran over it ................ I am gutted
and I fell off....
and my lights failed....
and my front brake jammed
and I fell off....
and my lights failed....
and my front brake jammed
Last edited by RedPanther; 10-27-10 at 04:09 AM. Reason: fat fingers
#6750
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 766
Likes: 0
From: Columbia, Maryland
Bikes: Trek 820 mtb, A no name red steel pipe bike, my commuter
Steady to heavy rain, but the temp is wonderful 62 F (16 C). I didn't mind being wet until I walked into the building, then I had a strong urge to walk out again as it feels better outside than it does in. This is the last warm day of the week, now we begin the seasonal slide down again.





