How was the commute today? 2011 Edition.
#526
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'll echo fizzaly's comment - 36F ?? If feels like a heat wave out there today. Storm's comin' or so they say, so the ride home should be fun.
Today was my first ride in with the newly replaced Supernova E3. The standlight/tail light worked perfectly, and the new "Terra Flux" asymmetric lens puts out a really nice carpet of light. It definitely lacks the distance illumination that the symmetrical lens offered, but does a much better job from 0-50 feet. I can see why folks use the two in conjunction with each other when the dynamo is robust enough to support both.
Today was my first ride in with the newly replaced Supernova E3. The standlight/tail light worked perfectly, and the new "Terra Flux" asymmetric lens puts out a really nice carpet of light. It definitely lacks the distance illumination that the symmetrical lens offered, but does a much better job from 0-50 feet. I can see why folks use the two in conjunction with each other when the dynamo is robust enough to support both.
#527
Senior Member


Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 2
From: Riverside, CA
Bikes: Lynskey R230 DA DI2 ENVE 3.4 SES, 6KU Fixie, Cheap Aluminum Slapstick Trainer only bike
50f almost no wind riding in. Very very pleasant ride in. Heading back home later looks promising too with projected 72F and only side wind. (it usually is straight headwind on the way back home as well as having about 30-40f temperature differences). Spring must be coming...
#529
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
From: Bozeman, MT
Bikes: only have one at the moment :( But at least its a CrossCheck so its multipurpose and STEEL.
Well, I slept in til 650 and need to be at work by 7, so I decided to drive (I am growing to dislike driving more and more...).
Then found out that we are expecting 6-8 (or 12, or 14, or whatever depending on the source) inches of snow. Perhaps I made a good choice by accident.
Then found out that we are expecting 6-8 (or 12, or 14, or whatever depending on the source) inches of snow. Perhaps I made a good choice by accident.
#530
The Rock Cycle


Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,691
Likes: 17
From: Western Colorado
Bikes: Salsa Vaya Ti, Specialized Ruby, Gunnar Sport, Motobecane Fantom CXX, Jamis Dragon, Novara Randonee x2
27F, cloudy, good ride.
I was going along the road where there is a concrete lined irrigation ditch, about 8ft deep, 10ft wide. This is in a residental area. The ditch had a thick layer of ice on the bottom. Something running on the ice in the ditch caught my eye. It was a HUGE racoon! I stopped to look at it. It saw me, stopped, turned and ran the other direction.
I was going along the road where there is a concrete lined irrigation ditch, about 8ft deep, 10ft wide. This is in a residental area. The ditch had a thick layer of ice on the bottom. Something running on the ice in the ditch caught my eye. It was a HUGE racoon! I stopped to look at it. It saw me, stopped, turned and ran the other direction.
__________________
Gunnar Sport
Specialized Ruby
Salsa Vaya Ti
Novara Randonee x2
Motobecane Fantom CXX
Jamis Dakar XCR
Gunnar Sport
Specialized Ruby
Salsa Vaya Ti
Novara Randonee x2
Motobecane Fantom CXX
Jamis Dakar XCR
#531
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Bikes: Trek 830 Mountain Track Drop bar conversion
Worked 7 hours on Saturday and several long days last week, so I slept in a bit, took it slow and easy this morning and didn't leave for work until around 10 AM. Reminded me of what I can look forward to in a few weeks - early spring commuting - morning temps around 40 degrees, sunny. It'll be nice to have that back. Clouds rolled in early afternoon, but I still took a quick ride at lunchtime to do a lap at Haines Point.
Gotta pick up some brake pads on the way home. Current sets are just about dead.
Gotta pick up some brake pads on the way home. Current sets are just about dead.
#532
Old, but not really wise
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 814
Likes: 0
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)
First time on the bike in two weeks, and I'm not 100% (fighting some sort of cold), so I decided a shorter ride was the wise move. It may have been even more important that I knew, as the towpath was a mass of icy spots (5-30 feet long, or thereabout) and mud. Not sure which I hated more! Temps were nice -- upper 30s, and likely to be mid to upper 40s for the ride home.
Once I got to pavement, things were much better, so I think I'll take the all pavement route home.
*** Because of time constraints, I took the mud route -- Gave my fenders a nice workout!
Once I got to pavement, things were much better, so I think I'll take the all pavement route home.
*** Because of time constraints, I took the mud route -- Gave my fenders a nice workout!
Last edited by CptjohnC; 02-08-11 at 09:05 AM. Reason: route change ;-)
#533
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
Amazingly nice weather here. I'm almost embarrassed to mention it. Rode the Gazelle for the first time in 2011. God, what a gloriously lively ride the old Reynolds 531c gives!
#534
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Pinehurst neighborhood, Seattle, WA
Bikes: Rebuilt Trek MultiTrack 850
First time commuting on my newly rebuilt bike. Taking it in small steps so I don't give up. Rode 1.6mi to the transit center and caught a bus the rest of the 9mi. Weather was chilly (40°F) and cloudy, but no precip. If it's still dry when the end of the day rolls around, I'll be riding as much of the commute home as I can.
#535
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
Not too bad considering the wind. Somewhere around 35 F ( 2 C). The wind was icing over some shallow standing water, so that did not feel good riding over that. Chain came off going into low gear up a hill, fortunately, I was under a street lamp. Of course, I gave the bike a good talking to about that kind of behaviour.
#536
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
I've been having a lot of wet rides late, not heavy rain, just wet. The forecasters were calling for a 30% chance of rain by late afternoon on Monday, so I figured that was worth a shot. The rain got here before it was time to leave work but it was just light sprinkles heading home. Roads were still wet this morning but no rain. Temperatures have been mild compared to most of this winter (upper 30s F) but the humidity makes it feel colder. Fenders sure are nice, and I'm seriously considering buying another frame so I'll have two fendered bikes.
#537
Stealing Spokes since 82'
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,875
Likes: 0
From: Boy-z, Ideeeho
Bikes: The always reliable kuwie
30f Nice weather, had a car pull out in front of me, I wasn't able to stop in time and hit it, going probably less than 5mph. I cussed driver out for not paying attention he didn't feel it necessary to call police and neither did I so went about my way.
#539
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
From: Bozeman, MT
Bikes: only have one at the moment :( But at least its a CrossCheck so its multipurpose and STEEL.
3.7 degrees this morning when I left home. Got to ride through the mashed potato type snow after our 8-10" (ish) of snow yesterday. There were unplowed sections of deep snow. It wasnt too hard to stay upright, but the effort required to push forward went from "meh" to standing on the pedals and leaning hard...
#540
The Rock Cycle


Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,691
Likes: 17
From: Western Colorado
Bikes: Salsa Vaya Ti, Specialized Ruby, Gunnar Sport, Motobecane Fantom CXX, Jamis Dragon, Novara Randonee x2
Woke up to 5" of snow. I'm not quite hard core enough to ride in the snow. Roads were snowpacked/icy. So it's a good day to drive the Subaru.
__________________
Gunnar Sport
Specialized Ruby
Salsa Vaya Ti
Novara Randonee x2
Motobecane Fantom CXX
Jamis Dakar XCR
Gunnar Sport
Specialized Ruby
Salsa Vaya Ti
Novara Randonee x2
Motobecane Fantom CXX
Jamis Dakar XCR
#541
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
From: Burnaby BC, Canada
Bikes: Velosport Appalache 15
A little misty today. Rode past the murder investigation at Burnaby Lake and didn't even recognize it! I saw the RCMPs mobile command unit and assumed it was a mobile dressing room. I couldn't figure out why they put 4 cruisers out on the road with their lights on just to film a scene in the woods at night. I guess I was wrong.
#542
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
Good to hear it wasn't worse.
#543
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
Welp, looks like the weather gurus had it right. The storm hit yesterday afternoon. My ride home yesterday was quite enjoyable - wet streets, steady snow and a strong wind. Seriously, I enjoyed it.
Temps were about 12F (0F windchill) for the ride in this morning.
The wet streets changed over to crusty ice and crud overnight, and I made my way to work in a little lower gear than usual. The Nokians provided me with phenomenal grip in the icy conditions. I really like them. Alot.
Temps were about 12F (0F windchill) for the ride in this morning.
The wet streets changed over to crusty ice and crud overnight, and I made my way to work in a little lower gear than usual. The Nokians provided me with phenomenal grip in the icy conditions. I really like them. Alot.
#544
SERENITY NOW!!!

Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 8,739
Likes: 2
From: In the 212
Bikes: Haro Vector, IRO Rob Roy, Bianchi Veloce
5F when I left. I'm still defrosting.
__________________
HHCMF - Take pride in your ability to amaze lesser mortals! - MikeR

We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!
HHCMF - Take pride in your ability to amaze lesser mortals! - MikeR

We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!
#545
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Bikes: Trek 830 Mountain Track Drop bar conversion
Winds 25, gusting to 35.
Fortunately it was as much a crosswind as it was a headwind most of the way, but still less than desirable. Besides the wind, it was a really nice ride in. Temps mid-30s, bright and sunny.
Just heard on the local NPR station that wind gusts up to 50 mph are possible during the day. Could be one heck of a ride home!
Fortunately it was as much a crosswind as it was a headwind most of the way, but still less than desirable. Besides the wind, it was a really nice ride in. Temps mid-30s, bright and sunny.Just heard on the local NPR station that wind gusts up to 50 mph are possible during the day. Could be one heck of a ride home!
#547
"Per Ardua ad Surly"
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,416
Likes: 0
From: Kitchener, Ontario
Bikes: Bianchi Specialissima, Mongoose Hilltopper ATB, Surly Cross-Check, Norco City Glide
It sucked. I busted a spoke on the Mongoose on Sunday and my whole rear wheel is apparently trashed. Of course, the LBS didn't have a 7 speed wheel in stock and had to order one.
#548
sɹɐʇsɟoןןnɟsʇıbɟɯo
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,986
Likes: 0
From: seattle, too many links
Bikes: fixed gear recumbent trike
sun is out, its starting to dry.
sorry for everyone else in the frozen/snowy wastelands
sorry for everyone else in the frozen/snowy wastelands
#550
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
From: Dallas
Bikes: 2013 Carve with Rigid Salsa Fargo & 2005 Allez
Had a nice ride this morning, 32F 16mph tail wind. My first ride in a week with the office being closed last week due to snow/ice and me taking Monday off since my birthday was Sunday (Birthday + Super Bowl = Perfect Storm). Not looking forward to the 20-25mph head wind forecasted for the ride home.




