Windy and 24 F (-4 C), with a windchill of 15 F ( -9 C). Yes, wind has been the story in this area for several weeks. Yesterday, as I was leaving, the guard at the front door told me that during the day, the wind picked my bike up out of the rack and slammed it to the ground 3 ft in front of the rack. I don't usually lock my bike, as it is a secure complex, and dealing with my cable lock on cold mornings after cold rides isn't worth the time standing out there with no gloves on my hands. Very minor damage, a plastic holder for one of my lights snapped off. The MTB got its bell rung, and it is not the first time.

Uneventful but cold, as usual, although it wasn't as windy as yesterday, it felt colder-maybe I wasn't working quite as hard. I didn't sleep well and struggled a little bit but, it wasn't a bad ride. Tomorrow I'm going on a lunch time ride with a couple of guys in the building, we'll just do a few laps around Haine's, that should be fun.

A pleasant 8 mile ride to metro this morning; temps in the high 20s or low 30s, sunny, and most of my MUP was clear. Made decent time, and dressed perfectly, I think, except that my balaclava continues to be overkill (except that it was awfully nice for the infrequent but powerful wind blasts). My gloves were also a little sweaty.

There's a sign at the metro station encouraging bicyclists to use U-locks, because of a recent increase in bicycle thefts involving cutting cable locks. Yes, this is the station where my previous baby was taken from me! Where was that sign 3 months ago?

Today’s 14 mile commute was at 19* F at 6:30 AM with a 20 mph head/crosswind. Hands and fingers warm, and face warm with mask pulled off nose and no fogging of eyeglasses and goggles. I started to notice toes cold at mile 7, but tolerable to the end. Today (Tuesday) was D+1 after the big 20 inch snowstorm of Sunday to Monday and the main streets I took were pretty clear with some slush and snow along the curb, and I was comfortable with my Marathon Winters. To my dismay, I did miss the challenge of riding yesterday during the storm because I was out of town.

The main peculiarity of today’s commute was that I am on also vacation today. I’m an early riser and can come into work and have some things to do for a couple of hours. I’m also a very destination-oriented cyclist and I wouldn’t just go for a pleasure ride on a day like today, but a 14 mile commute was desirable, especially after the all festive celebrating over the Christmas week-end.

Also of note, I was riding along and a deliveryman was pushing his handcart across the street in a cross-walk, and looking away from me. I yelled “Heads-up” as I usually do to pedestrians. Usually I get a “Sorry” if they are in my path. He however righteously shouted I was oncoming traffic and he was in a cross walk, and I was an “expletive deleted.” As I rode on a few yards I knew he was right, and my attitude was more like that of a self-consumed roadie. So I doubled back and apologized and told him he was right; he replied with a curt “Thank you.”

The tailwind I'd hoped for last night was more of a crosswind most of the way, so that kinda sucked. Also sucked when my chain broke a couple miles from home. Removed the offending link and its neighbor and got back underway. Last night saw a complete chain cleaning and lube (taken off bike, soaked in Simple Green, scrubbed w/ brush and more Simple Green, dried, lubed) and some other regular maintenance items. Everything felt that little bit better this morning (chain in good shape, tires topped off for air, wonky bottom bracket retightened), so the ride was really nice. Wind was not as bad as yesterday, though it still blew pretty hard at times. It's supposed to continue to abate this afternoon, so I'm looking forward to a calmer ride home tonight (and hopefully one free of mechanical issues as well, knock on wood).

One more commuting day left for 2010. The commuting rides tomorrow will put me at just shy of 3150 commuting miles this year with 206 days commuted. Pretty pleased with that. Now to get in more non-commuting miles next year, while keeping up the commuter miles total, of course!

Jim, you are indeed impressive. I headed out for a half hour just to try the snow. Even with a front studded tire, I couldn't get great traction. Put some zip ties on the rear wheel and that helped a bit. maybe I need the Marathon Winters...

Good on you! Way to take the high road.

Gonna be wet on the way home.

Cold and somewhere around 30 ( -1 C). However no wind today, and it felt good to actually get some speed. It is good to see the mid-atlantic
folks in here on a slow week. Some of us didn't get any snow, but the wind sure played allot of havoc.

Howdy everyone! Nice to be back on my bike for my 5-mile commute. Almost a week of gluttony and driving around Chicago and its suburbs has taken a toll. I salute those of you who braved those winds, seems like the wind is everywhere always these days.

I'm overdressing for sure, hard to figure out what's appropriate.

Thanks for your reply. I guess it might be a cyclists version of the Golden Rule, "Do unto pedestrians as you would have the cagers do unto you."

Balmy! 25F / -4C. Something is falling from the sky. It's leaving a crunchy texture on untreated surfaces, which is good for my studded tires. The snow on the MUP is now quite hard and easy (but rough) to ride over. I still took roads most of the way. Don't want to rattle myself apart. I might take the MUP all the way home though, as I won't be in a hurry.

Cold but with less wind (thankfully) this morning. I felt pretty sluggish and, the legs never really loosened up. In addition, I was somewhat wobbly on the bike-just couldn't get it together. Oh well, that happens from time to time. I hope I feel better by our lunchtime ride. The temps are on the way up, finally...

A couple of inches of fresh on the ground, and still coming down. Forecast is for a few more inches today, but at 11F/-12C it should be light enough to blast through and maybe have a little fun too. Mostly I'm stoked to be back up in double digit temps!

If I were to make the MUP my pulpit, this is what I would preach.

Good riding these days. Nice ride home last night, and this morning's ride was good, too. Winds are calming down and today is the warmest day in quite a while. I was able to go back to my regular cotton socks for a change (i.e., no wool socks today), and my feet were still quite comfy. Supposed to get up to around 45 this afternoon. Might have to pack the fleece in a pannier for the ride home and go with just wicking base layer and long sleeve tee over that.

Today is the last commuting day of 2010 for me. It's been a good year cycling-wise. 3143 commuting miles will be in the books by the time I get home tonight. With warmer weather on tap over the holiday weekend, I'm hoping to get in a good fun ride, something of the 30-40+ mile variety, but I'd settle for something shorter, too. It'll be nice to get out, though, and just ride. I haven't been doing nearly enough of that.

2011 promises to be a good year for cycling. I plan to buy and build up a Surly LHT frame in the next couple months. That after two years of making do and improving bit by bit the components on my BSO (bike shaped object) from Target. Current frame is too small, so I'm excited to pick up a better fitting frame, and a much higher quality one, too. I also hope to finally get in some touring experience, even if it is just a couple overnights or long weekends. But that's for the touring forum.

Anyway, here's wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a great 2011! See you on the flip side of the New Year!

1C/34F this morning with snow all the way up the mountain! Great day to try out my new Christmas presents, a MagicShine 900 and a new set of winter gloves. The light was amazing and the gloves were toasty warm. The snow was a nice treat on the ride up even nicer because the plows aren't running today as the university is closed.

I was stupid this morning (even stupider than normal!) Discovery Park has been flooded for a week or two but the water's been coming down so I decided to go thru the water.

My feet got totally soaked. Fortunately, during rainy season last year I brought a spare pair of shoes and socks.

I'm taking the long way home! Wet feet suck.

It totally dumped last night, but no rain on the ride in. Hopefully, we'll get a little sunshine this afternoon.

I'm off of work this week. I'm really missing my riding so I needed to send a card to my daughter for her birthday so I jumped on my bike and cruised up to the post office... the one downtown Minneapolis. I got in 22 miles. It was great, mild temps and sunshine. The only bummer is that as we wrap up the year it looks like I'm not going to break 4000 miles this year (I'm a little over three hundred miles short). The first time in over 28 years. Anyway, Happy New Year everyone.

Thanks to being able to leave really early, I did a multi-multi mode commute this morning: Bike to metro, Metro part way, and then bike the rest of the way to work -- just under 12 riding miles. Had a lot of trouble deciding how to dress, though, and the 10 minutes on the train didn't help, as I felt overheated. It fooled me into thinking it was really warm, instead of just warmer, so I took off my Balaclava. I stopped a few minutes later to put it back on, as my ears were COLD!

I stuck to the thin gloves, though. As others have mentioned, it should be in the 40s for the ride home, so I think I'll ditch the fleece layer. Getting in early means leaving early, so riding the whole 20 home, if all goes according to plan.

Not sure if what riding I'll do tomorrow, but either way, I've had a good first calendar year of 'serious' bike commuting, and look forward to biking a lot more in 2011.

awesome its in the 50s today in colordo and the sun rise was amzing!

sh•tty
rear derailleur threw itself into the rear spokes, bending the dropout wide open.
good thing i was only 5min from home and "drug" the bike back and rode the fixed gear

Hilarity! I took the MUP all the way. ~5 miles of rough & packed (from pedestrians) snow. I dropped my front tire pressure way down and it made the ride a little easier.

Eventually it started getting dark so I threw on the Light & Motion 13W halogen and pointed it downward to I could see the best track in the snow.

So this dude... He walks out onto the trail about a quarter mile ahead of me and stands there. Right dead center in the hardest & easiest to ride packed track, and he's not moving. As I get closer I see he's messing with his cell phone. He still wasn't moving so I said, "Please don't stand in my track, dude!" He looks up and he says, "Oh man I was calling the police! I thought you were a snowmobile on the bike path!"
A really REALLY quiet (and very slow) snowmobile, I guess.

So we had a good laugh. He said my light is really bright, and I even had it pointed downward. Good to know I guess.

6 mile round-trip unicycle commute today, with temps around freezing. The MUP was clear except for a bridge where it was covered with refrozen slush.

Quiet ride home until this total moron pulls a u-turn from the curb mere inches in front of me. I was no more than 30 seconds from my building, close call but thankfully no collision.