How was the commute today? 2011 Edition.
#2976
Stealing Spokes since 82'
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,875
Likes: 0
From: Boy-z, Ideeeho
Bikes: The always reliable kuwie
62f Felt very sluggish from a weekend of painting and remodeling which is what I'll be doing everyday this week after work so it should be a looong week
#2977
Car-free in the South
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 295
Likes: 2
From: SFCA
Bikes: Surly Pack Rat, Novara Trionfo retro-mod
This morning was awesome. I rode my new road bike in this morning mainly to test its handling while fully loaded, and I managed to cut 10 minutes off my commute. I didn't struggle near as hard on steeper hills, and the ability to get in the drops, which I did a lot, was a blessing to my wrists. I think i have found my new favorite fair-weather bike.
#2978
Last night I had prepped for riding my fair-weather road bike, but was awoken this morning by a thunderstorm that rolled over the city and drenched it. Shortly before the storm actually hit, the city was washed in an eerie, but spectacular orange light. By the time I got on my bike, the storm had mostly passed and it was just sprinkling a bit, so I didn't get very wet. Still took the rainy day bike due to the very wet streets. Sucks, because it's going to be a beautiful sunny day this afternoon that just screams out for a road bike.
#2979
carbureted legs
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: Auburn, AL
Bikes: 2003 Steel Fuji Finest
This morning I woke up very early - a blistering 7:00am (I'm more of a 9am kinda guy). Took the bike out w/ backpack (want a good pannier(s), short chainstays, want a new bike - different story). Decided to ride the long way - about 17 miles. It was really an awesome ride except for the beginning. I was waiting at the first stoplight in a bike lane when the lights turn green and the driver next to me decides to peel out excessively. Other than that great ride/drivers.
#2980
Friday I picked up a big staple in my rear tire. I got within a half mile of work so I just walked it in and decided to fix it before riding home. Unfortunately, my spare tube had a sizeable gash in it ( a new tube too!
) and my patch kit's rubber cement all leaked out! Had to call the wife to come pick me up
. This morning was comfortable with temps around 87f. This whole week is supposed to be HOT but that's okay. I'm just glad there's no rain forecast so that I can ride my road bike.
) and my patch kit's rubber cement all leaked out! Had to call the wife to come pick me up
. This morning was comfortable with temps around 87f. This whole week is supposed to be HOT but that's okay. I'm just glad there's no rain forecast so that I can ride my road bike.
#2982
GATC

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,839
Likes: 184
From: south Puget Sound
50F and pea soup fog. Had to go for long-sleeves, first time in a while. Had to wipe my glasses every couple miles, too. Managed to keep the pedals turning despite a weekend backpacking w/ a lot of my kids' stuff on my pack as well as collective family gear.
#2983
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,230
Likes: 1
From: Miami, FL
Bikes: 2007 Giant Cypress DX, Windsor Tourist 2011
I destroyed another shift cable and housing today. Stopped at the LBS and they gave me some amazing customer service. They replaced the cable and housing at cost while I waited.
I have to say that BD bikes have decent components, but the cables and housings they use are absolutely bottom of the barrel. Maybe it's just a fluke in my case, but the cables that my bike came with were incredibly easy to snap, and I mean just by shifting normally.
I have to say that BD bikes have decent components, but the cables and housings they use are absolutely bottom of the barrel. Maybe it's just a fluke in my case, but the cables that my bike came with were incredibly easy to snap, and I mean just by shifting normally.
#2984
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,965
Likes: 6
From: Falls City, OR
Bikes: 2012 Salsa Fargo 2, Rocky Mountain Fusion, circa '93
Are we enjoying summer yet???
#2986
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
From: Fremont, CA
Bikes: Trek 1200
Pretty awesome, made some changes to the seat per Sheldon Brown and switched speed tracking to cadence and got to work faster...Breathing a lot harder but a lot less leg fatigue, as of 4pm my legs feel just fine, instead of the usual soreness/cramps, guess I used to push too much. Clear weather, nice 70ish outside, light breeze, hopefully no 20mph headwind home today.
#2987
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
From: Grand Jct. CO.
Bikes: Kona Sutra , Seven Axiom
Commute was good, cool morning after a overnite rain, and was a 90 degree commute home. Only 1 incedent..... I ran ovet a metal strap that was on edge.............Conti Contacts are AWESOME, the straping was on edge when i hit it and it didn't even slice the tire..........I got lucky! This was on a tire i had just rotated to the front that had alot of wear on it. I thoughly inspected it when home and all is good.
#2990
Went down today
I went down today, on my way home. First time since I was a kid maybe 50 years ago.
Guy stopped at a stop sign, I was coming to the intersection with no stop my way, and then he pulled out in front of me. I hit the brakes, and I guess he finally saw me because he stopped halfway across. I had the brake levers in a death grip, and I now realize it is hard to modulate the brake pressure that way (if I even had the presence of mind to try that). I started to go over the handlebars, but ran out of steam about halfway there and just fell sideways to the pavement. I got up and, all adrenalized, barked at the guy (who got out of his mini-pickup) until I climbed back onto the bike and continued on.
I realized later, when replaying the incident the rest of my ride home, that he stopped for the stop sign, did not see me, started into the intersection but apparently saw me and stopped again, and in the end he did not hit me and even left a little room for me to go around the front of his vehicle if I coulda maintained control, so I felt a little bad for going off on him. And a lot lucky that I had no real damage to me or the bike.
Oh, and it was a hot day, mid-90s, so I had changed out of my work clothes and back into my shorts. Scraped my knee and hand but did not really even break the skin. Woulda ruined my work pants, I figure. Again, lucky, in a way.
Guy stopped at a stop sign, I was coming to the intersection with no stop my way, and then he pulled out in front of me. I hit the brakes, and I guess he finally saw me because he stopped halfway across. I had the brake levers in a death grip, and I now realize it is hard to modulate the brake pressure that way (if I even had the presence of mind to try that). I started to go over the handlebars, but ran out of steam about halfway there and just fell sideways to the pavement. I got up and, all adrenalized, barked at the guy (who got out of his mini-pickup) until I climbed back onto the bike and continued on.
I realized later, when replaying the incident the rest of my ride home, that he stopped for the stop sign, did not see me, started into the intersection but apparently saw me and stopped again, and in the end he did not hit me and even left a little room for me to go around the front of his vehicle if I coulda maintained control, so I felt a little bad for going off on him. And a lot lucky that I had no real damage to me or the bike.
Oh, and it was a hot day, mid-90s, so I had changed out of my work clothes and back into my shorts. Scraped my knee and hand but did not really even break the skin. Woulda ruined my work pants, I figure. Again, lucky, in a way.
#2992
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
Cold and clear (and dark!) this morning. I left early to stop and the Y for swimming and weightlifting. Then I went to work.
Rode my bike about a mile after lunch to go drop off a Brooks saddle I sold on Craigslist.
In another two hours, I'll be leaving work and riding to my massage therapy appointment. Yeah, life is hard.
Rode my bike about a mile after lunch to go drop off a Brooks saddle I sold on Craigslist.
In another two hours, I'll be leaving work and riding to my massage therapy appointment. Yeah, life is hard.

#2994
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
A warm morning at 77 F ( 25C). Expecting hot weather the rest of the week, and I will take it one day at a time. It is always strange to come across a car sitting in a turn lane in the dark, with no lights on. At first I thought maybe it was broke down, but there was someone
in the front seat sitting up, and smoking. The mornings are noticeably more darker, and some of the lights that went out, are back on.
in the front seat sitting up, and smoking. The mornings are noticeably more darker, and some of the lights that went out, are back on.
#2995
Hot and steamy for sure!
I love the feeling of being at an intersection, having the right of way and seeing a car driver, head cocked way over to the left checking for cars so she can make a right....when directly in fromnt of her I gave a polite 'HEY!" She had a start and then acknowledged me.
I love the feeling of being at an intersection, having the right of way and seeing a car driver, head cocked way over to the left checking for cars so she can make a right....when directly in fromnt of her I gave a polite 'HEY!" She had a start and then acknowledged me.
#2996
Belt drive!
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,614
Likes: 0
From: Burlington, Vermont
Bikes: 2011 Trek Soho DLX
Zoom Zoom. 65F/18C, calm wind, and sunny. Kind of humid though. It was one of my faster commutes. If I were single, I might have invited a woman for a coffee. She and I got to an intersection at the same time. She wasn't hard on the eyes. Roadie with panniers. She waved me through. I smiled, said hi, and didn't see her again.
#2997
Stealing Spokes since 82'
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,875
Likes: 0
From: Boy-z, Ideeeho
Bikes: The always reliable kuwie
63f Even more tired than yesterday, this remodel is going to kill me, at least I'm gonna break it up some today and go to a BBQ, now I just need to get work out of the way
Been getting hot here finally, last week they weather guessers were saying they didn't think Boise would be hitting 100+ temps this year and that instead we would be seeing a lot of 80s-90s, with higher humidity, well the last two days have been in the high 90's damn near 100 so I call bulls*** on them
Been getting hot here finally, last week they weather guessers were saying they didn't think Boise would be hitting 100+ temps this year and that instead we would be seeing a lot of 80s-90s, with higher humidity, well the last two days have been in the high 90's damn near 100 so I call bulls*** on them
#2998
a.k.a., Point Five Dude
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 794
Likes: 0
From: Twin Cites, MN USA
Bikes: 1987 Trek Elance 400 T
97 degrees yesterday, heat index of 110. Full-tilt fiascoes.
First there was this flat tire, that I sweat about a quart of fluids fixing:

Still about 7 miles from home I was approaching a red, shifting to low in preparation for the light changing to green. My chain went off the top cog and into my spokes, locking up the wheel & busting two spokes, bending a third (Only now do I fully appreciate what that ugly plastic pie plate that goes between the freewheel and the spokes is for):

The rear wheel was so out of true that there was no way that I could continue.
Had to call the wife for a rescue.
First there was this flat tire, that I sweat about a quart of fluids fixing:

Still about 7 miles from home I was approaching a red, shifting to low in preparation for the light changing to green. My chain went off the top cog and into my spokes, locking up the wheel & busting two spokes, bending a third (Only now do I fully appreciate what that ugly plastic pie plate that goes between the freewheel and the spokes is for):

The rear wheel was so out of true that there was no way that I could continue.
Had to call the wife for a rescue.
#2999
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Bikes: Trek 830 Mountain Track Drop bar conversion
Took yesterday off (from work, not just commuting). Back at it today. Getting settled in for a hot week. Today's 96 degrees is supposed to be one of the cooler this week. 99 and 100 for temps by week's end.
Ride in this AM was good. Fellow commuter came alongside on them MUP, and after exchanging greetings, he pointed to the slow bumper to bumper traffic on the GW Pkwy, saying "This sure beats that." He couldn't have been more right. At 16 mph avg on the trail, I think I was making better time than the cars doing their stop and go thing.
All this heat just in time for my weekend overnighter. Gonna be a scorcher!
Ride in this AM was good. Fellow commuter came alongside on them MUP, and after exchanging greetings, he pointed to the slow bumper to bumper traffic on the GW Pkwy, saying "This sure beats that." He couldn't have been more right. At 16 mph avg on the trail, I think I was making better time than the cars doing their stop and go thing.
All this heat just in time for my weekend overnighter. Gonna be a scorcher!





