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How was the commute today?

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Old 08-01-08 | 08:04 AM
  #26276  
Goon
 
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From: Ypsilanti, MI

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Originally Posted by Tyrell
Some days I wish I had some bike traffic on my commute. I swear I'm the only one out there! Gets lonely sometimes...

I did pass a fellow bike commuter on the way home yesterday though! I was so excited to ring my bell and say hello!!

Yea, I've been excited the past few days, I've seen lots more cyclists then usual!
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Old 08-01-08 | 08:15 AM
  #26277  
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From: Edmonton, AB

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I passed the only other Nisku commuter this morning. He was riding a fixie and doing a decent pace. I put allot of distance between us on the downhill, but i think he started closing the gap on the uphill.

Nice weather this morning. I used my improvised arm warmers again and i'm a big fan. On when you're cold then strip em off before you start to sweat, they work great.
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Old 08-01-08 | 08:21 AM
  #26278  
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From: TORONTO , ONT , CA

Bikes: 1 x Raleigh Grand Prix (bought 1975) ; 1 x no-name ruster MTB ; 1 x unused new Raleigh MTB (Avenger?)

No chain... no ride. Looks nice outside, though...
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Old 08-01-08 | 08:29 AM
  #26279  
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From: 25 miles northwest of Boston

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

I think the drivers who make the run I do are getting used to me. There seems to be less freaking out and more acceptance. I do wish I had some company though. Come on folks get those bikes out!
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Old 08-01-08 | 08:31 AM
  #26280  
jpdesjar
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rode home in the rain yesterday which was nice but the drivers tend to get a little wacky out there when there is a little rain...the ride in this morning was good a little damp but i had a good time

i saw one other commuter this morning going in the opposite direction, it looked like he was enjoying himself as well
 
Old 08-01-08 | 08:36 AM
  #26281  
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From: NYC Metro Area

Bikes: Soma Grand Randonneur, modified Xootr Swift, Trek 1000SL with broken brifter from running it into a hotel porte-cochère

It'll be too hot by this evening to tow my little ones home in a trailer, so we experimented with leaving the stroller home this morning and walked to and from the subway.

They did pretty well for three-year-olds made to walk a mile to get to preschool, but we'll all be happier if I find some other way to get them home this evening.
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Old 08-01-08 | 08:48 AM
  #26282  
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From: Knoxville, TN

Bikes: '03 Marlin

Very nice today. I put fenders on my bike last night finally. It rained here last night so I went through every puddle I saw on the way in
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Old 08-01-08 | 09:07 AM
  #26283  
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From: Richmond Virginia

Bikes: Diamondback Citi, GT Timberline, Roady?

Nice ride for the first 2 minutes, until I fell. After that it was good. Nice temp, no sun, which kept the squinting at a minimum.
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Old 08-01-08 | 09:37 AM
  #26284  
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/\
what happened, how did you fall?
if you wish to share that is
 
Old 08-01-08 | 10:05 AM
  #26285  
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From: south Puget Sound
Damp coming home last night, coming in this morning. Hoping for dry this afternoon, but sun apparently not very likely.
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Old 08-01-08 | 10:09 AM
  #26286  
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From: San Diego, CA
Morning clouds, cool and misty. Nice ride, and fast! 14.5 miles in 1:02.
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Old 08-01-08 | 10:38 AM
  #26287  
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From: CA Central Coast
Ditched the backpack this morning for the first time (strapped a fanny pack around my lunch to the rear rack instead). That made this morning's ride a bit more relaxed and enjoyable.
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Old 08-01-08 | 10:51 AM
  #26288  
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Originally Posted by Javan
Nice ride for the first 2 minutes, until I fell. After that it was good. Nice temp, no sun, which kept the squinting at a minimum.
^ bummer...

My ride was great once again. That makes 3 commutes, well, once I get home it will be 3. I did get cut off today, kind of. I was in the bike lane and making a right. There was pretty heavy traffic so I signaled for like 150 ft, no joke. But this person still felt the need to make the turn about 15ft in front of me, I had to make the turn tight and rally the gutter. It's all good though, not like she was trying to be rude, just another stupid person.
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Old 08-01-08 | 10:56 AM
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Almost hit this morning.

I was going south, crossing a 4 way intersection, had the green for a while, cars were going, all that. A coming from the north was making a left turn, and the second the last car went by, he just went (at this point, I was just about to enter the intersection. I was somewhat in the lane, enough for cars to have to shift to the left a bit to pass me safely, but this guy just decides to gun it. I let out a loud shout and give him a dirty look, and he managed to jam on the breaks about 1 foot from me. More dirty looks followed, but he just drove on, without even an apology. Jerk...

Other than that it was fine, though. A little humid, but cool.
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Old 08-01-08 | 11:26 AM
  #26290  
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dry. started out windy and dusty and the uphill part. but once i got out off that $hitty area, the wind died down and it was smooth sailing. Probably lower 80's, so it was warm. First day on the new bike! It was great. Didn't beat my best heavy full suspension knobby tired mtb time, but it didn't kick my @ss and that's what matters. Once I get used to this bike, I'm pretty sure I'll catch up and make that time that standard. I was pretty loaded today, too.
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Old 08-01-08 | 03:59 PM
  #26291  
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From: outside Boston, MA

Bikes: Trek 4300; Trek 1.5

no commute today-I am on vacation

bad news is that I wouldn't be able to ride if I had to, since my bike went into the shop this morning

waiting on the call from the lbs now to pick up :|
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Old 08-01-08 | 07:06 PM
  #26292  
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From: Burlington, Vermont

Bikes: 2011 Trek Soho DLX

Nice ride home. Wife rode into Burlington and we met some friends for beer and free wings. Waited out a downpour, then left for home. Ran into a runner-friend on the MUP. Talked to him for a while. Lots of waves and smiling faces after that. Good juju tonight.
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Old 08-01-08 | 07:28 PM
  #26293  
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From: 25 miles northwest of Boston

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Ride home was good. Hot though, in the 80s. One of my water bottles cracked so I ditched it for a bottle of gatoraide. I got another flat too! Dam! Only 2 miles from home at the end of my 44 miles day. The funny thing was it popped and leaked but held at a low pressure so I was able to ride to a safe place to do the change.
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Old 08-01-08 | 08:37 PM
  #26294  
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From: Edmonton, AB

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Detoured to the lbs on my way home to buy another computer. After alittle debate i ended up getting the exact same kind that went through the washing machine. That way i have a spare harness and it was all set up and ready to go. I entered my circumference and was on my merry way with sweet sweet cycling data.

I was fighting the wind all the way to the lbs so to change direction and head home was really sweet. From the lbs to home is more city riding than i usually do. Although i don't envy you city cyclists traffic can be fun. Especially when it was a seemingly endless guantlet of construction. If i was in a cage i'd probably be on the verge of a coronary, but as a cyclist it was a blast. Splitting lanes of gridlock is positively euphoric.
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Old 08-01-08 | 09:14 PM
  #26295  
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From: Salt Lick City
Rough riding going home today. Hot as hell, tired as hell, knee started giving me problems. Waited for 2 trains and one of them twice.. don't ask. Dusty hot wind in my face the whole time. But it was great.

The best thing I've done for my commute is ditch the computer. Who cares if my average speed is a little low today. For whatever reason, I was always racing myself from the previous day or whatever. And it's not like I need to know the distance to my office anymore.
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Old 08-01-08 | 10:01 PM
  #26296  
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
I think the drivers who make the run I do are getting used to me. There seems to be less freaking out and more acceptance. I do wish I had some company though. Come on folks get those bikes out!
Yes, I've been very conscientious on the short stretch in the morning that I share with cagers. Now they seem to be educated that I'm traffic and don't hold them up so much. Still the occasional one, but not major problems.

This afternoon I got off at 1pm ( should have the whole day, but that's another story, grrrr ) so found a secluded spot by the river to work on smoothing out my biker tan, but by the time I set off home again, the Southerly wind had switched around ( and increased! ) so had to grind away at the last half, still felt strong at the end though.

Lots and lots of bikes on the MUPs.
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Old 08-02-08 | 05:03 AM
  #26297  
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From: 25 miles northwest of Boston

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

re: "Splitting lanes of gridlock is positively euphoric."

I can tell some cagers don't like this meaning the are jealous, so sometimes hold back and wait for the light within the midst of the cagers. I sense a new calm in the group and a greater acceptance, feeling more like one of the family. You know like, "we're all in this together, even the bikers".

Other time however, the is NFW I'm waiting!

My left knee is a little sore, maybe I can't 5 days. I hoping to blow everyone aw at work next week. That's a stupid motivation anyway, all I ever get is a passing comment like: "ride to work today"? My boss is an avid cyclist but we never talk. One other guy like to ride in the am but doesn't "commute". He got a flat the other morning so we that to share.

Geez what's with the flats? I can do the fix'm up in about 15 minutes. Anybody got a record on that? I suspect I can improve my time some.
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Old 08-02-08 | 11:33 AM
  #26298  
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From: Vienna-not Austria

Bikes: Motobecane Fixed Gear, Giant OCR 2, Gary Fisher Sugar 4, Cannondale F 500

Finally stated commuting on my bike. Single speed Gary Fisher Triton. Yesterday (friday) was my first try. It went great. 20 miles round trip. Will shoot for 5 days a week if the weather holds. Thanks for all the great info on this site.
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Old 08-02-08 | 12:00 PM
  #26299  
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
re: "Splitting lanes of gridlock is positively euphoric."

I can tell some cagers don't like this meaning the are jealous, so sometimes hold back and wait for the light within the midst of the cagers. I sense a new calm in the group and a greater acceptance, feeling more like one of the family. You know like, "we're all in this together, even the bikers".
I do this now, it seems to have educated the drivers that I have right to be there. This is in the usual 1-2 light sequence wait. If it does all become a solid parking lot, then I filter or ride the grass, when its like that they don't seem to mind.
Originally Posted by rumrunn6
Geez what's with the flats? I can do the fix'm up in about 15 minutes. Anybody got a record on that? I suspect I can improve my time some.
It usually takes me about 10 minutes, have done a front in about 7 before. Could probably get it under 5 if everything went perfect. To speed things up I swap out the tube, not patch, and carry CO2 inflator as well as a pump. Start inflating with the pump to make sure its all good, then hit it with the CO2.
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Old 08-02-08 | 05:49 PM
  #26300  
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From: Very Northern New York, almost Canada, VT

Bikes: Jamis aurora, satelite, Schwinn continental

Took the longer way to work yesterday (22 miles) along the lake. Left at 5 am and stopped by Dunken donuts, got a muffin, At the state boat launch stopped and ate my muffen, drank some coffee. Looked across the lake to the Islands and Vermont, watched the sun finish rising. the only thing better than that is being in Vermont, looking at the Adirondacks in NY.

Then on the other side of the city on a road they are working on, the flag man made the line of cars (maybe 6) wait for me as I got to him, going up hill. I felt sooo important.

Really was a great morning.

Today, I went to a different job. Away from the lake up in the foothills. Very hilly, 11 miles. All forest, no traffic, again a great way to start the day.
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