I'm curious about your trike. Presumably it would be wider than a 2-wheeler, do you find that cars give you more space, do you take the lane more, do you avoid rain sewers as much as bikes and take a wide route around them?

I'd like you to share some of your experiences, please.

Good news the wind is gone, bad news the cold is back. There is just no dressing for these near freezing mornings, I arrived at school with cold feet and my upper body drenched in sweat. I've been feeling stiff the past few days, but this morning keeping up my usual pace was bordering on cruel and usual punishment. I really could have used another 10+ km to loosen up.

It seemed like the drivers were out for me today.

In the morning I stopped at a light, saw a vehicle to the left was going to make a right turn. Push off, then check my mirror as I'm accelerating and see him closing in on me. Apparently the signal was not to indicate a turn, but to indicate he was going to proceed through the intersection in the turning lane.

One thing I've noticed recently at stop signs (yes I do occasionally stop at them). Drivers will take the 1/2 second pause as you lift your right foot to the pedal as an invitation to steal your right away. I'm heading home, approach a busy 4-way and put my foot down to make it unambiguously certain to the drivers that I am indeed stopped. So it my turn to go, and just as I kick off the cars at all other three entrances to the intersection all start to roll at once. My reaction was more disbelief than anything else, and just gave a grand wave to all three of them for their coordinated stupidity.

Last one of the day was something I've become very familiar with. While waiting at a stop sign to turn left at a sporadically busy 4 lane road, two different people stopped to wave me across despite the fact that would clearly put me in danger of being hit by the cars coming from the other direction.

That reminded me of a Doctor Who quote from an episode a few weeks ago, "Don't let them give you anything ... their kindness will kill you!"

I rode 7 wonderful miles in the pouring rain, you know, the big cold drops. The rain was not a problem but I was right at half way home and the wind was blowing so hard (50mph I later found out on the news) I really did have trouble staying straight. Also it was raining so hard I wasnt sure the cars could see me. And I was right in front of a bar. I considered that a sign. I rode my bike up under the back deck and locked it, went in and ordered a beer. I also called my son to come get me. All and all it has worked out well. now all I gotta do is figure out how to dry my riding shoes by morning. It si good being me.

My ride home was ok, missed the rain, 100%. Meaning I missed any "forecasted" rain for the whole week. Just rode on wet surfaces.

Kind of hit a personal milestone at the end though.

My previous high mileage in a month was March, at 259.8 miles. Finished September with 313.2 miles (I won't be riding in tomorrow). My total since mid February now stands at 1,708 miles. That's approx the distance between Manhattan New York and Manhattan Kansas (1,645 miles), or about halfway to L.A.. These are commute (mostly) and recreational miles combined.

I'm pretty proud of this considering I was a 300lb newb back in November 2010.

Had the "opportunity" to drive in today with my bike on the back of the car. I usually leave my car at work because I need it during the day. I then commute on my bike. Sitting in traffic this morning in my car reminds me why I like to ride. So I did get to ride home today and it was uneventful, thankfully.

Today was a challenging commute ...

I have a hybrid commute, 10 mile drive and 25 mile bike ride. When I got to the train station parking lot at 5 a.m. where I unload the bike and start my bike ride to the office I realize I left my good/powerful headlight on the charger at home. No problem, I have a little spare Planet Bike headlight in the car. Clamped it on the bike and took off. Good enough.

Couple of miles down the bikeway the spare headlight cuts out. Dead battery! No problem I have a little baggie of spare batteries in my backpack.

Darn, the headlight takes AA batteries and I only have AAA. No problem, I'll just hang out on the side of the bikeway and wait a few minutes for some fellow commuters and I'll follow them down the path. Couple came by and I followed them for a while.

Few more miles and as I was shifting the right shifter broke, snapped really, and it was in the smallest little gear on the cassette. That slowed me way down and I couldn't keep up with the couple I was following anymore. No problem, by that time I was on a pretty flat section, sunrise was coming and was getting light enough to see without a headlight.

Got to work and no hot water. Quick cold shower to clean up, no problem.

Mid-morning I took broken bike over to local bike shop to get the SRAM Rival shifter fixed. Needs to be replaced the tech says. It's under warranty and SRAM sending new one to the shop, just a modest labor charge to install and will be here in a few days. No problem. Left the bike at the shop to get fixed.

Took the train back home.

Didn't ride in today because I need the car immediately after work but even if I didn't need the car, I would have been a bit leery about riding on some of the streets this morning because of the gusty wind, up to 45kph (~27mph). Yesterday on the ride home, the wind was also gusty but not as strong yet I was blown sideways several times which unnerved me because of close traffic (and no bike lane because of construction). How do others deal with gusty, sideways winds on roads?

10 Our Fathers & 5 Hail Marys. Go in peace, my son. :P

I feel like I post this once every autumn: Wet leaves are slippery. As bad as ice sometimes. Be very careful on them.

Nice ride for me this morning. Tailwind. 55F/13C. A few puddles from rain last night, but mostly dry. I saw/heard some guy riding a mountain bike with studded tires. :twitchy: My first thought was that he stole it. Who rides studded tires (here) in September?

Holy Headwind Batman! Pushed me back 20minutes on the commute time. Another great day for a bike commute! :-)

I got my ass handed to me by that same headwind yesterday afternoon. I think I was asleep before both of my kids last night.

I have somewhere to be tonight so I drove in today but I did jog beforehand. My legs were still a little rubbery.

Great ride in this morning, temps in the high 50's/low 60's. Third commute this week which is good for me with my schedule. Looking forward to the ride home...Friday, sunny, low 70's, on the bike...what's not to like!

That's a rough day on the bike. It can only get better after that!

^^^ I agree. However, if it was me, I'd be crying in the corner after a commute like that. :lol:

I was traveling out of town for work this week, so was only able to bike commute twice -- unless you count riding the spin bike at the hotel. Didn't get home last night until 1 am, so I rode into work later than usual this morning and that was nice. I'm always surprised at how my faster my commute is in daylight compared to dark and I made great time. I topped 6,000 miles total riding YTD this week and was just shy of 3,000 miles commuting, which I would have topped if not for the out-of-town travel, but that should be easy to do next week.

Today was EARLY. Left home at 4:45, at my desk at 5:30..... of course, I'm leaving at 1:30 :)

I usually leave around 6, and it's amazing how much difference an hour makes in terms of traffic volume. I played hide and seek with an ambulance getting through a couple neighborhoods (I stuck to residential streets, he was on major roads, but we saw each other at four different lights/stop signs...) and there were hardly any cars out and about. Pretty nice really, except for the getting up extra early part. There were also a couple news vans parked on the bike trail so they could get the perfect live-shot of where some idiot drove into the river yesterday. Quite inconsiderate and I informed them of this as I rode around them....parking news vans is not one of the multiple uses for a MUP.....

Roll up some newspaper and stick it in your shoes... remove the insole so it can dry out on it's own and it is always good to have spares as a cycle these to keep them fresher.

The newspaper will suck all the moisture out of your shoes overnight and can be re-used endlessly.

When it gets wet and cold I wear my touring shoes and switch the insole to a felt pack as even if they get damp my feet stay warmer... these shoes are also sealed from the bottom so water does not get into them from that direction and with shoe covers I am golden.

Windy day yesterday, gusts up to 56 mph. Today was better but a bit chillier ~48 F, but a bit of an easier ride all the same.

I just got my first bike to commute with last weekend (a Scott SUB 45). Got to commute Monday (10km each way), but fell sick for the week so I only got back to riding today...

The rain was coming down, it was cool (not cold), and I am still feeling the after effects but I powered through it and made it in. Looking forward to hopefully a less wet ride home... but it was great!!!

yeah, it was STUPID windy down here in chicago as well. winds were screaming down the lakefront 30-50 mph. the waves out on the lake were some of the biggest i've ever seen in 35 years of living in chicago. sections of the lakefront path have now been closed because the 20ft. waves have put it underwater.

A little cool but otherwise pleasant commute to the co-op this am... stripped my rigid XC bike down to the bare minimum yesterday by removing the rack and fenders (took all of five minutes) and was nice to run light.

Being curious as to how much it weighed after I swapped the carbon crank and addition of cross levers hung it on the shop scale... was 24 pounds dry (=1) and 28 with tail bag, lights, frame pump, and my battery pack.

Not bad for steel.

Finally got back to commuting this morning, woohoo
Changed the knobbies out on my MTB to 1.5" Bontrager H2 Hardcases - whoa muucho faster =)
Can't wait for the ride home, wee.....!

That's many more "no problems" than I think I think I have in my arsenal... I would have been mad at the world by the time I got to the office, and might just have decided to skip the shower as a way of sharing my misery with those around me... Well done - serious perseverance...

No rides today. Yesterday afternoon was hot, but generally pleasant. Except for the old man that blew past me on the sidewalk in a tricked out Lil' Rascal scooter thingy. Clearly not stock - chrome spinners, rice-burner exhaust (on an electric???), and a SAAB hood ornament on the handlebars. Dude had to be doing 40... and wasn't wearing a helmet!

Commuters are certainly a resilient lot!
 

These shots were taken from the local NBC news helicopter.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/weather/st...130848718.html

Check out the video of Lake Michigan and these determined bikedrivers! 9/30/2011

Okay so who brings a snorkel along on the daily commute? :innocent:

I made a complete dork of myself! I was stopped at a red light (gasp), and I saw a Mini coming up behind me. Same color as the Mini my wife drives. Same black racing stripes on the hood. Same little bobble-headed thing on the roof antenna.

So I turn my head and look back like, "WTF are you doing here?!" Through the glass the driver even looked a little like my wife. I waved. No reaction. I waved harder, like, "Yo dummy, it's me. Your husband? Remember?" I got a half-hearted wave back before I realized, oh how embarrassing, this is not my wife.
:lol:

Light turned green, we went. As she passed me she looked at me with a bit of a smile and waved again, so I hope the crazy cyclist waving maniacally at her added some cheer to her Friday. :rolleyes:

Margarita time!