How was the commute today? 2011 Edition.
#2501
Car-free in the South
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 295
Likes: 2
From: SFCA
Bikes: Surly Pack Rat, Novara Trionfo retro-mod
If I hadn't worn my usual "hot" morning clothes (extremely thin shorts and t-shirt) it would have been pretty nice. I am just really happy the temps here have calmed down, as it has been 96F+ for weeks on end, and it was getting quite old.
#2502
12C, grey, tailwind for parts. Supposed to be wet this afternoon, but I came prepared(ish). Left quad is still sore when pedaling, a week and a half after my 400 km ride, so maybe I'll take tomorrow off the bike again.
Good luck! You'll do fine.
Good luck! You'll do fine.
#2503
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
Set a record fast commute time this morning due to cool temperatures, low humidity and a nice tailwind. However, I caught nearly every red light on my route, so I could have done much better with a little bit of luck.
#2504
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 4,599
Likes: 158
From: Santa Fe, NM
Bikes: Vassago Moosknuckle Ti 29+ XTR, 90's Merckx Corsa-01 9sp Record, PROJECT: 1954 Frejus SuperCorsa
I'm in the opposite mode now, where I'm coming from a cold, wet/snowy Spring, so above 60 is t-shirt and running shorts weather. It's all relative
#2505
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
It was a long cold spring and I'm definitely not heat acclimated. Pretty much soaked in sweat when I arrived this morning.
#2507
sniffin' glue
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,177
Likes: 0
From: Seattle
Bikes: Surly crosscheck ssfg, Custom vintage french racing bike, Bruce Gordon Rock & Road
Every morning I pass by this woman walking her dog. Every morning the dog goes absolutely ballistic barking and yanking her around. Sometimes she picks up the dog, trying to calm it down, this doesn't work. This morning she had a different tactic. Since she had her umbrella she tried to block the dog's view so it couldn't see me. This method still did not work, and the dog was going nuts trying to poke it's head around the umbrella, barking like mad. All of this made me break out into a roaring laughter, this is a daily occurrence and I still find it hilarious. I wonder why the dog hates bicycles so much?
#2509
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
From: I live in Montgomery, Alabama.
Bikes: Cervelo RS; Marin 29er; Masi; Gary Fisher MB
It is hot in Montgomery, Alabama. My commute is just a little over a mile and a half (1.6). My commuter is a 29er that is a pure mountain bike, so it doesn't roll very fast even on my table top flat ride. I pedal very slowly and average between 10 and 12 mph. I arrive at work without breaking a sweat. My route is a wide single lane with a center turning lane. So, cars generally give me plenty of room. On my way home for lunch, I saw a young lady who had run into a telephone pole. The police were doing their report. The car was damaged to the point that it was not driveable. It is hard to understand how a driver could run into a telephone poll on a wide, straight and level road. I don't know for sure, but I bet what you are thinking is what I am thinking (cell phone or texting).
#2511
The Drive Side is Within


Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,344
Likes: 47
From: New Haven, CT, USA
Bikes: Road, Cargo, Tandem, Etc.
Nice day. 80F and a slight tailwind. I skipped the train and passed and dropped two separate guys on modern road bikes with my fendered folder on the 17 mile ride home. Rar commuters!
__________________
The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley
The bicycle, the bicycle surely, should always be the vehicle of novelists and poets. Christopher Morley
#2512
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 145
Likes: 5
From: Burlington, ON
Bikes: 2017 Breezer Radar Expert, 2016 Kona Wo, 1973 Schwinn Sports Tourer Single Speed
Yesterday I had a great commute. I extended my 7.5 KM route to just over 40 KM. Felt great. I came across another rider out in the country and she was moving quite fast. I paced her until she broke off. At a stop sign she said, "Wow, you're fast. Imagine what you could do on a road bike - I mean what the heck...." I liked that. I was riding a flat bar road bike that is pretty optimized so it isn't at all far from a road bike - it just looked odd as I had my rear rack, pannier and trunk bag.
Today's commute was just nice as usual....
Today's commute was just nice as usual....
#2513
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 250
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta, GA
Bikes: '95 Specialized Hard Rock, '03 (?) Fuji Finest
My afternoon commute yesterday took me by the set for The Walking Dead in downtown Atlanta. Saw a bunch of zombies on the sidewalk. Today I had my camera, but no zombies. Boo.
#2514
got a few extra miles in because it was nice. had to deal with a couple of cyclists that didn't understand lane positioning (or holding their lines), but that's par for the course around here.
__________________
Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),1990 Concorde Aquila(hit by car while riding), others in build queue "when I get the time"
Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),
#2515
On a Mission from God
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,009
Likes: 5
From: Thibodaux, LA
Bikes: '10 Surly LHT, Rat-rod Klunker, '82 Peugeot PH12 Centennial
I also had a barking dog, and the owner was yelling at the dumb little thing. The dog was still barking and snapping at me, while I sat at the edge of the highway waiting for a break in traffic. After a minute (the man was still yelling) I turned and said loudly, "Yelling at the dog isn't working, man. You need to hook him up!" and I rode off, with the little mutt still going nuts and the man hadn't moved an inch.
Oh yeah, got some Airzound vengeance on a pair of yapping Chihuahuas... I can't tell you how satisfying it was to hear the little rats yelping and running for cover when I hit that sucker for a few seconds.
Oh yeah, got some Airzound vengeance on a pair of yapping Chihuahuas... I can't tell you how satisfying it was to hear the little rats yelping and running for cover when I hit that sucker for a few seconds.
#2516
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
The Manhattan Bridge was a continuous line of bikes today in both directions. I have never seen it so crowded. I had one hipster jerk decide to pass me near the very end then cut me off. Then at the light he stops dead right in front of me when I had the light in my direction. I should have hit him.
#2517
Guest
Posts: n/a
Great other than the usual headwind in both directions. Oh there was some young kid(teenager) riding against traffic in the bike lane.. i kindly told him he was on the wrong side of the road. Stopped by the am/pm for a couple beers and some lady absolutely trashed went in, turned around and walked right into the locked door(only one side open). She then sat in her car for 10 minutes.. I waited around until she left. I didn't want her barreling into me.. I wish I had the non-emergency number for the cops
Google helped me find the numbers..
Google helped me find the numbers..
Last edited by sharrn; 06-16-11 at 04:32 AM. Reason: Google helps a lot.
#2520
Belt drive!
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,614
Likes: 0
From: Burlington, Vermont
Bikes: 2011 Trek Soho DLX
Another nice ride in today. 60f/15c with a light headwind.
Now I know some of you frown on this behavior, but I scared the bejesus out of a zombie pedestrian on the MUP. I've never seen her before, so she's new at this complicated "keep right" concept. Walking dead in the center of the trail. Back facing me. Phone to her ear. I dinged my bell. No reaction. Dinged it again, loudly. No reaction, but then she kind of wakes up and slowly turns her head rightward to see what all that dinging is. I'm passing on her left (MUP is wide so we've got 3 or 4 feet between us) as she realizes what's going on, and she let out a startled gasp.
I pointed right.
#2525
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Bikes: Trek 830 Mountain Track Drop bar conversion
Rained overnight/early AM so the roads were still a little wet this AM, but it was a nice ride in. Winds flipped around to the south today so I had a morning tailwind today as opposed to the headwind of the first three days of the week. Of course that'll mean a headwind this afternoon in addition to predicted possible thunderstorms... at least it's not 100!








