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How was the commute today? Continued.

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Old 11-25-10 | 05:33 PM
  #7176  
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From: Seattle

Bikes: Surly crosscheck ssfg, Custom vintage french racing bike, Bruce Gordon Rock & Road

Lower 70s today for a commute to eat some turkey. Lots of wind though.

Tried out a greenway I hadn't been on before, it was really nice, such an easy and pleasant ride. Glad I rode to start working off all that food!
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Old 11-26-10 | 07:53 AM
  #7177  
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From: Toronto, ON, Canada
0C/32F and freezing rain.

Studded tires definitely useful today. I had to go over a pedestrian overpass with 7% climb and 10% descent. Managed to even use some front brake on the twisty descent.

Though I had one small mishap in my hurry to get out the door I put on my boots on the wrong feet. I wondered why they weren't fitting well but I thought it was because I had inserted the insulation part wrong... Switched my boots around 2 minutes into my ride.
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Old 11-26-10 | 10:13 AM
  #7178  
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From: Edmonton, AB
A tolerable commute today. The temperature was nice at -7C/19F, but the roads and trails weren't in very good condition, at least not where I was riding. Honestly, I think my days of regular cycle-commuting are nearing an end for the year.

Originally Posted by bijan
Though I had one small mishap in my hurry to get out the door I put on my boots on the wrong feet.
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Old 11-26-10 | 11:35 AM
  #7179  
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From: NOWHERE

Bikes: noyb

Originally Posted by jdgesus
that avalon hill is so annoying, dry, wet, or snow. it seems to go on FOREVER :X
Yes, that is true! Since I go south I don't have to ride it much unless I need to get to Alki Bike. Or, Fairmount Canyon is a good option, but it's steeper; however more pleasant in the summer with less traffic and a scenic ride.
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Old 11-26-10 | 12:53 PM
  #7180  
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From: Overland Park, KS

Bikes: 1999 Giant TCR 2T 2009 Giant Cypress DX 2015 Giant Anyroad 1

I was one of few, not in the retail industry, that is working today. Commute, while a bit chilly at 21°, was uneventful. Not too much traffic.
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Old 11-26-10 | 03:59 PM
  #7181  
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From: Canada

Bikes: 2009 Trek 520

First bike commute since last Wednesday. -13C in the morning, would have been a really nice ride had my glasses not kept fogging up. Lots of loose snow around which make riding a bit sketchy. Rode the MUP for a bit until I realized I can't see in the dark, through fogged glasses.

For the ride home it was -7C and the roads were absolutely nasty. Loose mushy snow everywhere making me wobble a lot. Ended up riding on the sidewalk until I got to the MUP.

Last night I did a little recon ride and saw the entrance to the MUP near my house wasn't cleared. So I took my car back and shoveled it off, which took about an hour and a half last night. I shoveled from the start of the path to the other side of the bridge. I supposed I could have cleared just enough room to bike instead of the whole width of the path, but where's the challenge.

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Old 11-26-10 | 04:11 PM
  #7182  
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From: YEG

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Looks like it is gonna be a nice week for riding as we've warmed up to nearly freezing and the temperatures are more normal for November... there's a lot of brown sugar on the roads and some icy patches but with wide knobby tyres and 104 studs up front I have no worries.
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Old 11-26-10 | 09:01 PM
  #7183  
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From: Edmonton, AB
Originally Posted by Sixty Fiver
... there's a lot of brown sugar on the roads and some icy patches but with wide knobby tyres and 104 studs up front I have no worries.
Not a big fan of the brown sugar. I am impressed with how stable my bike is, and how well it stays upright, even when getting jerked around by the soft-packed snow and brown sugar, but it's still disconcerting to feel the bike go sideways.
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Old 11-26-10 | 09:21 PM
  #7184  
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From: Northern Colorado

Bikes: Rampar R-One

Beautiful commuted today. Had to work at 6 am, and it was about 30 degrees with a very slight north wind on a straight south ride. No snow and very little traffic despite it being black Friday.

The way back was even better. Clear skies, no wind at all, and a balmy 42 or so degrees. Couldn't have asked for a better day back after a three day hiatus.
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Old 11-26-10 | 10:49 PM
  #7185  
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From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Bikes: KHS Town and Country 100 & Jamis Durango Femme 1.0

Freezing! It was -1 Celsius but felt colder once the sun went down and the wind whipped up. At least the weekend's weather looks warmer.
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Old 11-29-10 | 03:02 AM
  #7186  
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From: LONDON UK

Bikes: Marin Sausalito

London Frost

Another beautiful but cold London commute today. One of the coldest Novembers for thirty years today. -3 C this morning. But the sun was shining the frost was crisp on the ground and hey we're alive and well.
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Old 11-29-10 | 05:58 AM
  #7187  
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From: Columbia, Maryland

Bikes: Trek 820 mtb, A no name red steel pipe bike, my commuter

Cold and dark at 24 F (-4 C). I stopped to mail a letter, took off the glasses and forgot to wipe the the inside before heading back out, so the last couple miles were with the glasses
pulled down. Tuesday and Wed are supposed to be all about rain, but at least it is not the white stuff.
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Old 11-29-10 | 06:21 AM
  #7188  
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From: West Philly

Bikes: Brompton S2L, Trek Belleville, Kona Ute, Raleigh Twenty (1971 folder, 1969 non-folder)

It was cold this morning (32F), the first morning that I didn't overheat wearing 3 layers. I went through a huge cloud of smoke on the way in. The skyline looked hazy as I left my house, and sure enough as I headed eastbound I could smell and see smoke, and saw helicopters over the Powelton Village neighborhood. I really hope nobody got hurt, and that it wasn't one of the gorgeous Victorian mansions that burned. For a while there I wondered if I would be able to continue biking, the smoke was so thick.
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Old 11-29-10 | 07:01 AM
  #7189  
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From: Distrito de Columbia

Bikes: BF Pocket Crusoe; B Tikit; dust-gathering MTB

Beautiful, crisp morning at around 30f here in DC/MD. With no wind, this is perfect commuting weather for me. I seem to find a good layering combo at around 30: sweatpants on bottom with wool socks; long-sleeve wool-blend jersey with a fleece vest and light reflective windbreaker with vents open. Thin beanie under the helmet to cover the ears; glove liners and light-midweight gloves to complete the ensemble. Little sweat, no frozen bits. I wish it would stay 30 and windless all winter!
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Old 11-29-10 | 07:30 AM
  #7190  
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From: Burlington, Vermont

Bikes: 2011 Trek Soho DLX

28F / -2C and calm. Clear skies with the sun coming up during the last couple miles of the ride. On Saturday I noticed my front derailleur cable was fraying. Yesterday I installed a replacement.

This week, I will pass 10,000 miles on my Liquid. Still leaning toward a Soho as a replacement.
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Old 11-29-10 | 07:56 AM
  #7191  
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From: Toronto, ON, Canada
1C/34F calm clear skies. Was in a hurry to get out so still wore my warm jacket, and was a little too warm by the time I got to work.

Also it was the first time in forever that there was absolutely no wind.
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Old 11-29-10 | 08:04 AM
  #7192  
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From: Monson, MA

Bikes: Catrike Trail Recumbent trike

Decent commute at 27F and sunny with no winds. First time using panniers that I picked up last week, and they are awesome. About 5 mins into my commute, my RD froze up and quit shifting. It was like that for about 3/4 of the ride. It was stuck to where I was easily spinning out on the flats in the big chain ring. Usually my FD is the one that freezes, so I lubed the cable very well last night. I've never had an issue with the rear till today. Looks like I'm gonna be busy when I get home lubing the rear cable.
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Old 11-29-10 | 08:43 AM
  #7193  
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From: Raleigh, NC

Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia

Coldest commute since last spring w/ temps in the upper 20s F. Interesting that it's colder this morning in NC than Montreal, Canada. I like commuting in the cold, and much prefer it to 90+ summer heat and humidity. My only gripe is my glasses fogging up at traffic lights. I'm also not too crazy about wide swings in temperature from morning to afternoon as it's hard to dress for. I would rather it just stay cold.
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Old 11-29-10 | 08:53 AM
  #7194  
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From: Kanagawa JP

Bikes: Soma ES

Muggy.
Also, finally flatted one of my Armadillos
Until that happened, I was actually making really good time and wasn't running late like I usually am.
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Old 11-29-10 | 09:13 AM
  #7195  
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From: Fairfax, VA commuting to Washington DC

Bikes: 2010 Kona Dew Drop (the daily driver),'07 Specialized Roubaix (the sports car), '99 ish Kona NuNu MTB (the SUV), Schwinn High Plains (circa 1992?) (the beater)

Cool. Very cool. Actually, I think cold is more accurate. At or slightly below freezing at the beginning (30f), and I thought about wearing the balaclava and warm gloves, but decided I'd overheat if I did. Rode through ice for the first time on the bridge over the Potomac -- I presume that's pretty normal, but it was quite disconcerting for this first time winter commuter.

I also could have used another layer, I think, though again, once I was warmed up I was glad I didn't have it, except when I stopped or had good speed. Winter is not going to be much fun.

Oh, and last Friday, I rode all the way home from work (20 miles). It was pretty enjoyable, but it took a long time. I'll probably save it for special occasions.

Last edited by CptjohnC; 11-29-10 at 09:15 AM. Reason: afterthought
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Old 11-29-10 | 09:38 AM
  #7196  
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From: Burnaby BC, Canada

Bikes: Velosport Appalache 15

2C/36F this morning. I dug out my facemask from all my snowboard gear this morning, but it was just too hard to breathe through it and it wasn't necessary to keep me warm this morning. The Brunette river trail was all hard snow except for 2 tire tracks from some of the maintenance vehicles that had been in there. The snow really reaches out and pulls you in if you get too close to it. I ended up overdressed for this morning. Maybe one less shirt if it's above 0 in the mornings.
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Old 11-29-10 | 09:58 AM
  #7197  
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From: Baltimore

Bikes: 2019 Synapse Ultegra SE; 2016 Cervelo R3

Cold

Cold in Baltimore. Frost on the ground. But beautiful all the same.
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Old 11-29-10 | 10:24 AM
  #7198  
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From: south Puget Sound
37F and gray. Nice and dry. I was overdressed. Funny thing, after dressing up to last week's high of 25F, spent a long Saturday at ~38F hanging on a friend's deck and F-ROZE. So today was overcompensating I guess.
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Old 11-29-10 | 11:33 AM
  #7199  
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From: Vancouver, Canada

Bikes: Brodie Force w/ Xtracycle, Dahon Helios, Merida Folding, Pacific Carryme, Softride Classic

2C this morning when I headed out the door. Roads wet but clear. Its been two weeks since I last commuted due to snow and family obligations. Felt terrible on the bike today. Did not feel strong and winded easily. For the first time,I actually stopped on a green light going up hill to catch my breath LOL. Anyways, I made the 20 km into the office. The receptionist was impressed I cycled in this weather. I was not impressed at my performance. Oh yeah, my gloves don`t cut the mustard. My hands are cold with the normal gloves I`m using.

Today was entirely a triumph of the will over the body.
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Old 11-29-10 | 11:35 AM
  #7200  
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From: Boy-z, Ideeeho

Bikes: The always reliable kuwie

8f this morning everything is still frozen solid, the new studded front tire is still holding up still very glad i have, most the ride this morning was over some good ole fashioned glare ice. The ride seemed to take wayyyyy longer than normal though thats probably due to the fact i had a 5day weekend
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