How was the commute today? 2011 Edition.
#1152
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
37 on the morning start, clear sky, no wind, nice ride in. Had a nice convo with another cyclist about a certain hill we have to watch out for drivers on.
Now it's around 62 degrees and sunny! My gosh! I can ride without leg warmers, a coat or any rain gear. I am now trying to figure out how early I can leave work without attracting undue notice....
Now it's around 62 degrees and sunny! My gosh! I can ride without leg warmers, a coat or any rain gear. I am now trying to figure out how early I can leave work without attracting undue notice....

#1153
Clyde that Rides
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 309
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
Bikes: 2008 Jamis Aurora,1988 Specialized Hardrock, 1980? Kuwahara Carrera
Did my evening errand run on the way home. Slower than I would like, but then again, been 6 weeks since I rode. Weather was chilly and humid. Made it home alive, so it was good.
#1154
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
37 on the morning start, clear sky, no wind, nice ride in. Had a nice convo with another cyclist about a certain hill we have to watch out for drivers on.
Now it's around 62 degrees and sunny! My gosh! I can ride without leg warmers, a coat or any rain gear. I am now trying to figure out how early I can leave work without attracting undue notice....
Now it's around 62 degrees and sunny! My gosh! I can ride without leg warmers, a coat or any rain gear. I am now trying to figure out how early I can leave work without attracting undue notice....

(too bad the wind's picked up though)
#1155
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Bikes: Trek 830 Mountain Track Drop bar conversion
Well, it looks like today may have been my last ride on "Winnie", the hybrid Schwinn I've been riding for the last two years. It was slated for the chopping block already, to serve as the donor bike for and be replaced by the Surly LHT frame I've ordered and should FINALLY have my hands on by next week. Anyway, on the ride home tonight on "Winnie", one of the very few original components left on the bike, the bottom bracket, bit the dust. It had had tons of play in it and had been making all kinds of creaking noises for months. It couldn't be serviced, however, b/c it had become wedged in in such a way that removing it risked stripping all the threads. On the ride home, the BB jammed and the cranks stopped turning a couple times and then what ahs been play became complete lateral movement of the spindle inside the BB shell. I nursed it home, slowly soft pedaling the last mile or so.
Anyway, guess I'll be riding metro for a week or so until the new frame is in (don't get me started on the drama of the frame order, placed almost two months ago) and built up. At least I have that to look fwd to, though.
Anyway, guess I'll be riding metro for a week or so until the new frame is in (don't get me started on the drama of the frame order, placed almost two months ago) and built up. At least I have that to look fwd to, though.
#1156
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
Beautiful weather for the ride home. 53F and sunny.
I had a cop follow me along my southward route, for about a mile or so. Wierd. I was in the bike lane, and I could see him driving 40-50 feet behind me. He turned at a light.
I had a cop follow me along my southward route, for about a mile or so. Wierd. I was in the bike lane, and I could see him driving 40-50 feet behind me. He turned at a light.
#1157
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: Tahoe
Bikes: Motobecane Single Speed, Trek Mountain Track Xtracycle
snow snow snow snow and more snow, that has been my commute for far too long now. Supposed to end Thursday next week. We shall see. This is my neighbors house, I think.
#1158
Snowing / raining on the way out and much colder tonight than it has been for a while... lots of icy patches and pools of freezing water on the way back to make the ride extra fun and my light bracket snapped half way home.
#1159
Misty ride in..not as chilly as I thought it woiuld be, maybe mid 40s.
#1162
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Bikes: Trek 830 Mountain Track Drop bar conversion
#1163
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)
I think I risked damaging my reputation as a fair-weather-only cyclist this morning. It was a little misty, but no drops falling from the sky this morning, and the weather guru said it would be clearing during the day, so I decided to risk it. All was well until I got to the Mall/monuments, when the slow drippy mist, which had already become a fast drippy mist, decided to become what has to be called a real rain shower. Not a hard rain, but definitely not super pleasant either. Fortunately it was pretty warm (low 40s) so I was comfy throughout.
The good news is that my not-too-expensive panniers were completely dry inside -- doesn't mean they'd survive a real downpour, but now I can have reasonable confidence in light showers for limited duration.
Hopefully the weather folken will have been right and it will clear by this afternoon, so that I can take a nice, longer ride home.
#1164
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,575
Likes: 223
From: Canada
Bikes: 2009 Trek 520
Troubled -17C commute today. Started off with a frozen rear derailleur cable which I quickly unstuck. Then my freehub took several rotations to engage after coasting and would periodically slip. And at about the 1/2 point, the freehub completely refused to engage at all. So I had to walk 1.5km to a phone to call for a ride. The ride in the car warmed it up enough to unstick it.
The irony: I don't have classes on Thursdays, I only rode in today to attend a bike clinic
The irony: I don't have classes on Thursdays, I only rode in today to attend a bike clinic
#1165
born again cyclist
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,412
Likes: 88
From: Chicago
Bikes: I have five of brikes
the winds have been absolutely RIPPING out of the north for the past 24 hours, screaming down the length of lake michigan's 300 miles and then me and my bicycle are the very first object they encounter as i bike along the lakefront trail. going home last evening (heading south) it took me about 45 minutes as a 35 knot tailwind propelled me to epic speeds. heading into work this morning (going north) it took me about 70 minutes as i battled the same damn wind.
one of the cooler things about strong winds out of the NNE like this is that it drives lake michigan absolutely wild, with huge waves crashing into the seawalls and sending plumes of water shooting 20 feet into the sky.
one of the cooler things about strong winds out of the NNE like this is that it drives lake michigan absolutely wild, with huge waves crashing into the seawalls and sending plumes of water shooting 20 feet into the sky.
Last edited by Steely Dan; 03-24-11 at 09:35 AM.
#1166
Stealing Spokes since 82'
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,875
Likes: 0
From: Boy-z, Ideeeho
Bikes: The always reliable kuwie
Troubled -17C commute today. Started off with a frozen rear derailleur cable which I quickly unstuck. Then my freehub took several rotations to engage after coasting and would periodically slip. And at about the 1/2 point, the freehub completely refused to engage at all. So I had to walk 1.5km to a phone to call for a ride. The ride in the car warmed it up enough to unstick it.
The irony: I don't have classes on Thursdays, I only rode in today to attend a bike clinic
The irony: I don't have classes on Thursdays, I only rode in today to attend a bike clinic

#1168
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
From: Burnaby BC, Canada
Bikes: Velosport Appalache 15
Plastic grocery bags are waterproof so just double bag everything you want to stay dry and it won't matter if the pannier is waterproof. Wallets and cellphones go in good quality ziploc bags to be extra sure. From the land of liquid sunshine.
#1170
Senior Member
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 214
Likes: 0
From: Burnaby BC, Canada
Bikes: Velosport Appalache 15
Beautiful sunny day off yesterday. Switched out my studded knobby tires for the road slicks and took off for a 4 hour ride through the bike lanes in Vancouver. Nice ride through the new separated lanes in Vancouver and then to Stanley Park. The separated lanes are nice, but pedestrians stand in them when waiting to cross at the light... Stanley park was beautiful as always. 78 kms in 3:10 riding.
Today I set a new record for the morning commute even though my legs were tired. The slicks make a big difference. Nice and warm, ditched the rain jacket for my fitted fleece top.
I also got a nice bonus at work today. May be able to replace my seat sooner than I thought. Time to shop for a Brooks or a VO seat.
Today I set a new record for the morning commute even though my legs were tired. The slicks make a big difference. Nice and warm, ditched the rain jacket for my fitted fleece top.
I also got a nice bonus at work today. May be able to replace my seat sooner than I thought. Time to shop for a Brooks or a VO seat.
#1171
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,575
Likes: 223
From: Canada
Bikes: 2009 Trek 520
Mechanics and sales guys from the LBS where I bought my Trek 520 were at the bike thing at school. Three opinions I was given on my frozen freehub:
- well it's going to get warmer out
- it should be replaced
- you could take that apart yourself and clean it
Not the most helpful responses to problem that could leave me stranded in sub-freezing temperatures again. I really should have bought my bike from the other LBS. I wonder if it would be safe using a butane torch to unfreeze it, should it happen while I'm riding.
Maybe I should take their advice and have the freehub replaced as warranty work.
- well it's going to get warmer out
- it should be replaced
- you could take that apart yourself and clean it
Not the most helpful responses to problem that could leave me stranded in sub-freezing temperatures again. I really should have bought my bike from the other LBS. I wonder if it would be safe using a butane torch to unfreeze it, should it happen while I'm riding.
Maybe I should take their advice and have the freehub replaced as warranty work.
#1172
Cyclist, Runner & TRX'er
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
From: Eagan, MN
Bikes: Steel Bianchi, 29 inch Redline Monocog, a Carbon something someday
It wasn't... As a new commuter I am going to give the weather a chance to clear up. We just got about 4-6 inches of the white stuff in the Mpls/St.Paul area and because we're so close to spring the plows a re a bit slow. I caged it down my commuter route and it would have been bad news. No room, rutty, wet etc etc. I commuted 4 of 5 days since I began before the snow and once I get rolling again, I inted to go right up to the next scheduled snowfall, which I hope isn't until Thanksgiving and with a ll the experience I'll have at that point want to think I can just keep on going. MN got so much snow and such huge quantities when we got it that the roads were tough this winter. Narrow etc. I'll be back on the whip next week and from then on.
#1173
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
From: Tahoe
Bikes: Motobecane Single Speed, Trek Mountain Track Xtracycle
snow day today so no work and well I was supposed to be driving to Chico, didn't happen. Such sad kids, so instead I rode down to the local Starbucks to visit a friend in town from Klamath. Also supposed to be going to Chico. Lovely headwind and blowing snow and rutted roads and slush. It was a great ride. I tried goggles and they were great for the ride it just got me a little clausterphobic. I bought a paintball mask instead and it worked better but fogged up a bit.
Maybe I'll get back on the SS soon.
Maybe I'll get back on the SS soon.
#1174
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
Back to the cold at 25 F ( -3 C). Easy ride in, with some partialy frozen standing water. I guess the ground temp is still warm from the warm spell that we had. Although, with the nex few nights below freezing, we will see how that all pans out.
#1175
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
Cool morning in the low 40s after temps in the 50s and 60s the past few days. The cooler temps felt great and a tailwind for much of my commute made for a pleasant ride. I also rode one of my faster bikes after two days hauling extra gear on my touring bike and made great time. One more ride, and I'll be over 1,000 miles commuting YTD. Got off to a slow start this year due to the cold and snow in early January, but I've been riding about 4 days a week since then, including all 5 days this week.





