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How was the commute today? 2011 Edition.

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How was the commute today? 2011 Edition.

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Old 01-11-11 | 05:45 AM
  #101  
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From: Columbia, Maryland

Bikes: Trek 820 mtb, A no name red steel pipe bike, my commuter

Originally Posted by jdgesus
would love some winter cycling shoes.
the shoe-bootie covers really only do a half-assed job.[/img]
Yep, My shoe covers were usually no good after one winter season, and I tried two kinds. Both literally fell apart at the bottom, even with
sowing/repair. In the fall I went online and found a decent pair of clipless boots, and over the long run, they will be cheaper than continually
buying shoe covers.
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Old 01-11-11 | 05:49 AM
  #102  
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From: Columbia, Maryland

Bikes: Trek 820 mtb, A no name red steel pipe bike, my commuter

Not a bad ride and the usual cold at 25 F ( -4 C). We are expecting up to 4 inch ( 10 cm) of snow, but I don't expect that much, and most of it will come in the evening, so I might have to deal with a dusting when I leave. Of course I am crossing my fingers.
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Old 01-11-11 | 06:35 AM
  #103  
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From: Long Island, NY

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The headwind of yesterday morning wasn't there as a tailwind on the ride home last night... :-(
Made my first pre-dawn commute of the year this AM. 22F/ winds at 6 MPH. Was kinda nice to have fewer cars on the road, but there were also a couple people who were in too big a hurry for 6:30 AM (although my safety wasn't an issue, just cagers doing stupid things.) Winter storm warning in effect this evening, might be getting the first couple flurries as I make my way home... should be fun!
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Old 01-11-11 | 07:20 AM
  #104  
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From: Burlington, Vermont

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SLOW! It was so slow, I felt like something was wrong with me. Then when I got to work and dismounted I discovered my rear (hydraulic) disk caliper was dragging pretty badly. Never happened before in the cold. I'm not sure what to make of it. Temps were in the low teens (~-10C).
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Old 01-11-11 | 07:25 AM
  #105  
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From: Thibodaux, LA

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Lots of headwind today, and temps were high 20F's. Felt like it was taking forever to get there, but I made it in time. No dogs today.
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Old 01-11-11 | 07:37 AM
  #106  
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Greetings everyone, pleasant ride in, upper 20s, little to no headwind. Waiting for this afternoon's snow. Panic in the cubicle farms set to begin in a few hours
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Old 01-11-11 | 07:49 AM
  #107  
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From: Boy-z, Ideeeho

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12f Terrible ride in as im 12 hours into my quitting smoking, would probably kill for a smoke right now, oh well my lungs will thank me later
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Old 01-11-11 | 08:29 AM
  #108  
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Originally Posted by Fizzaly
12f Terrible ride in as im 12 hours into my quitting smoking, would probably kill for a smoke right now, oh well my lungs will thank me later
Keep it up! My bike friend quit and he says he feels so good now.

Anyway, this was one of the coldest of the year for me (Austin, TX), not really loving it, but I know it could be worse.
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Old 01-11-11 | 09:15 AM
  #109  
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From: Bozeman, MT

Bikes: only have one at the moment :( But at least its a CrossCheck so its multipurpose and STEEL.

Originally Posted by Fizzaly
12f Terrible ride in as im 12 hours into my quitting smoking, would probably kill for a smoke right now, oh well my lungs will thank me later
Dont do what I did and try copenhagen to fight the cig cravings... Cope is much harder to quit...

Ride in today was cold, around -12. Weather man says -2, but the stupid weather station they use is mounted on the roof of a building (either the college station or the airport) about 10 yards from an Air Conditioning exhaust vent. It always reads about 5-10 degrees high, even in the summer.

I like it when its this cold, hearing the tires squeal through the snow and whatnot. Very comforting even if it does make the ride that much harder.
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Old 01-11-11 | 09:41 AM
  #110  
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From: Boy-z, Ideeeho

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Originally Posted by fsc
Dont do what I did and try copenhagen to fight the cig cravings... Cope is much harder to quit...
Naw im doing the patch, and using a piece of a straw to occupy my lips and fingers
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Old 01-11-11 | 09:43 AM
  #111  
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Originally Posted by Fizzaly
12f Terrible ride in as im 12 hours into my quitting smoking, would probably kill for a smoke right now, oh well my lungs will thank me later
Keep it up, man! It'll get easier. I was there 2 years ago. I started riding more after I quit smoking, and I think it helped me to have a reason not to smoke; i.e., better lung performance. Still smoke free and so happy! Think of all the money saved that you'll be able to spend on bike stuff!!!

Bikes and smoking... reminds me of this blog post I saw yesterday. Pretty funny.

Ride in was good. First ride in a few days. Ended up being sick Friday last week and then rode in to work by car with my wife yesterday to be able to go to a concert afterwards. Back on the bike this morning, though. Feared it would feel colder than it did. It was actually a nice ride in, with temps just shy of freezing. I could feel the moisture in the air, though. Building up to snow this evening. They're saying 1" or so. I'm hoping for that or less so it doesn't really hamper my bike commuting and might melt in the sunny 38F/3C day predicted for tomorrow.
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Old 01-11-11 | 09:47 AM
  #112  
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That blog post is funny, ive always thought smoking didn't really effect me that badly until i had a physical recently and my blood oxygen level was lower than it was supposed to be we shall see how much improvement i get (which should be alot)
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Old 01-11-11 | 10:27 AM
  #113  
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From: Burnaby BC, Canada

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Nice chilly ride in this morning, -3C/26F. Everyone seems to be coming in early to avoid the snow in the forecast for this afternoon. Is it weird that I'm looking forward to it? Riding with shellaced bars was very different from the cork tape I'm used to, but I think the change will stick. I really like the color now, an olive drab green. I was worried it wasn't going to darken, but after 5 coats it's about right. The new brass bell really helps tie it together. The old red bell will go on the trailer bike for my son.
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Old 01-11-11 | 10:48 AM
  #114  
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From: Mokena, IL

Bikes: At one point it was a Trek 700 something. Now it have Velocity Psycho wheels, a tape job. Thumb shifters (Shimano Deore). Corncob grouping, and drop bar ends all wrapped up in tape.

Slush. So much slush. I put some full fenders on the road bike (ish. It has 28 ultra sports and dyad rims). Decided today was the day to test them on my commute. The snow is extremely sticky today. The fenders filled up quick and just started throwing slush all over my shoes. Oh well, I don't melt. I don't even think my trekking bike with it's massive fenders could have handled the snow today, just too sticky.
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Old 01-11-11 | 11:19 AM
  #115  
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Today I drove to work in a car, like a normal person. I'm thinking normal is overrated.
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Old 01-11-11 | 11:34 AM
  #116  
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My optimism for the MUP to be cleared by yesterday's ride home was, well, overly optimistic. Had to backtrack a few times as I encountered uncleared sections. I got honked at on a short section of road near my house. That was the first time I got honked in quite some time. Seriously people wide road, go around.

-19C for the ride in this morning. I encountered an unplowed section of the MUP about 3km in to the ride. Unfortunately I had to walk the bike a few minutes just to see that it was not plowed. So I had to ride on the road a few km to bypass that section. The parts of the path that were plowed were not optimal. They used a tractor so there is a soft middle section and two hard tractor tire tracks on each side.

A person who decided to yield the right of way to me despite me having a stop sign almost got rear-ended. The car beind them swerved into the curb lane at the last second. I've taken to just waving those people on, they end up creating dangerous situations.
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Old 01-11-11 | 01:14 PM
  #117  
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The sign on the bank said 22F this morning, this doesn't take the 12-15mph headwind into account. Small taters for you yankees, but definitely chilly for Texicans.

I was afraid I'd miss the train because my fingers were too stiff to feed the ticket machine. Do I upgrade gloves for 3-5 rides a year? Probably not.

Doom on the foiks who ran their sprinklers last night. Doom, I say.
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Old 01-11-11 | 01:32 PM
  #118  
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dry and cold, snow/rain/wind starts tonite at about 4p... and i rode the fast bike with out the fenders, gotta get outta here early today
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Old 01-11-11 | 01:42 PM
  #119  
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Originally Posted by truman
The sign on the bank said 22F this morning, this doesn't take the 12-15mph headwind into account. Small taters for you yankees, but definitely chilly for Texicans.

I was afraid I'd miss the train because my fingers were too stiff to feed the ticket machine. Do I upgrade gloves for 3-5 rides a year? Probably not.

Doom on the foiks who ran their sprinklers last night. Doom, I say.
Same here, the wind was brutal and buying the proper gear for the 5 days a year like this is silly. My vented shoes are nice in the summer, but not so great in that kind of wind. I'm trying to decide if its worth getting some covers.
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Old 01-11-11 | 04:20 PM
  #120  
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27 degree start to day. Was happy I chose to put on my merino glove liners inside my winter gloves. Those downhills that start my morning commute do not warm up my hands. Also chose mountain bike because of snow forecast for evening commute. Not a drop of snow even now...sky is still light grey...I am having doubts about the snow speil at this point. Another road heading to I-5 was shut down this morning, making the best available route count via motor vehicle to I-5 in near my work place a grand total of one. Traffic has been backed up all day down there and it involves a bike route crossing the main street. Noticed I need a new pair of laces for my bike shoes too. Fabu! I am really hoping it snows beause the last time it was fun - I'd love a change of routine.
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Old 01-11-11 | 05:47 PM
  #121  
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Our high for the day was about 24F. This afternoon it was colder. Around 8F. It will bwe colder in the AM with a bad wind. The wind chill as I rode home was about 0F. I felt the chill in my clipless shoes and a little wind chill on my nose and lips. That is about all that is exposed. This is the first day it seemed the otg ski goggles were really helping. No tearing in the eyes with a fierce wind out of the NW. I was going to ground at one corner so I dove and rolled on a small snow bank and saved getting bruises. I wish for a path to work with NO CAR tracks!
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Old 01-11-11 | 06:21 PM
  #122  
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Just caught the beginning of the icy/rainy mix on the way home, glad for those googles! Yesterday, a woman at the bike rack said I looked overdressed with my ski jacket and googles...I was properly dressed for today's evening weather.
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Old 01-11-11 | 09:23 PM
  #123  
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From: Austin, TX
Chilly Arctic blast started sweeping into Central Texas this morning. Temps were in the 20's during the commute in...with a nice headwind. Caught the same northerly wind as a tailwind on the way home.

Supposed to be even colder tomorrow. Definitely cold for Texas!
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Old 01-11-11 | 09:43 PM
  #124  
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It doesn't get too cold here in L.A., but man the wind at night has been kickin' my ass.
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Old 01-12-11 | 12:05 AM
  #125  
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Bikes: Seven Axiom Ti, Trek 620, Masi cylocross (steel). Masi Souleville 8spd, Fat Chance Mtn. (steel), Schwinn Triple Bar cruiser, Mazi Speciale Fix/single, Schwinn Typhoon

Solid ( and very bumpy) ice for 1 1/2 blks till I got to arterial(s), (fairly bare) , high today might have hit Twenty- was maybe 15 when I left home- stud traction better today ( no crashes) after reducing tire pressure a little more, 7 layers and "lobster" gloves needed today- Thank god for Sorels!
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