Thought I'd get away with a windvest and armwarmers today, but it just wasn't quite enough. It's not like I froze but I never really got comfortable.

cold - ice on deck, frost on cars, but no black ice on road, so the big apples live to roll another day (vs get replaced w/ studdeds although, I know, it will be better to put the studs on a day early than a day late, but we'll see how it goes...).

I've done a partial-commute three days this week so far. It's been cold. It's also been windy every single day this week. It's always a headwind on the way to work, an a tailwind or crosswind on the way home. Oh well, I'm not in a hurry when riding anyway.

I can't ride the recumbent on a partial commute (doesn't fit on my car). I may do a full-commute tomorrow so that the 'bent doesn't get lonely.

I'm really glad to be riding in December. I want to ride year-round, and now I think I can do it.

I'm now riding with a neon-green reflective vest. It helps me be seen in dark, rainy weather. I also was given some scrap reflective vinyl sign material, and I've "decorated" the bike with it for better visibility.

No wonder it felt cold yesterday -- the low was 25F when I rode to work. It felt great though as I've got my winter wear worked out, and I didn't even break a sweat. Rode in the dark both coming and going because of a meeting that ran late in the afternoon. I'm used to riding in the dark in the mornings but not in the afternoons, so my ride home almost felt like a different route.

This morning the low was about 32F so it felt much warmer. Hopefully I'll be able to leave work before it gets dark.

Today's commute was the first since I got my wallet stolen. This one went decidedly better than the first, although not perfect.

Headwind this morning made my eyes water for a while at the start. I can't wear my glasses because they would be iced over in no time, so I just dealt with it until my eyes adjusted. The rest of the ride to the bus stop was no problem.

Then, when I get off of the bus, I have about a 1/4 mile ride to the office. I'm riding down the road, when all of a sudden my front wheel goes all squirrely on me. I slow down as I thought I hit a small patch of black ice and survived, but when I got to work I realized that the QR on my front wheel was extremely loose to the point that my wheel could rock side to side pretty easily. I guess the last time that I took it off to transport it, I did not tighten it back down enough and the riding mixed with the bus vibration loosened it up.

Compared to my wallet being stolen, it was pretty minor, but if I had to bunny hop or something, I could have been in deep ish. Dodged a bullet today, and learned something to add to the pre-ride checklist.

Today's commute was MUCH nicer than yesterday's, even though it is around ten degrees colder today (upper 20's today, upper 30's yesterday). The wind is light today, compared to the hurricane-ish winds yesterday (25-35, with gusts over 45 all day as a cold front moved in).
I'll take colder and calm over warmer and windy any day....

Missed out on commuting today. I had to bring supplies and cloths for the rest of the week, also brought the mutt to work with me to day. She likes to meet and greet the people that come in. Back at it tomorrow. And looking forward to it.

This morning was the coldest commute so far this winter. -16C with 10km/hr wind, but with a headband over the ears and forehead, neck warmer pulled up over my chin, booties over my shoes, mitt shell over my gloves and lots of layers (4 on top half, 2 on bottom half) I felt warm for the whole ride. The ride home was only -4C and seemed balmy in comparison! I am off to Hawaii for a well deserved holiday for 10 days!

Blown inner tube after the ride home. It did not actually blow until I had it parked at home, fortunately for me. It was the rear, as usual. I used my spare tube and ordered a replacement online, since I was not in the mood to head down to my LBS.

See, guy in the SUV blowing your horn behind me, I'm in the middle of the right lane and going slow because I'm turning right (just like I'm signaling) and don't want you to right hook me and slaughter those pedestrians in the crosswalk, OK?
Otherwise a beautiful commute.

Phew, first week with the studded tires, and a headwind to start on Monday, but I can see improvement today, four days and 100 miles later, that I'm starting to adjust to the extra drag of the studded tires, and for sure I needed them this week with thin coatings of ice and light snow on Monday and Tuesday. It was really funny at red lights . . . the bike was locked to the road if I kept the brakes on, but when putting my feet down they slid all over. +1 for studded tires.

Today was my first "winter" commute. Mid-20s, light layer of snow on the ground until I got to the main roads. It was exhilarating!

I hadn't commuted for a bit over a week and I forgot my lock so I had to bring my bike into my office. That isn't a problem, though trying to be the good employee, I don't want to bring a wet, salty bike into the office. So it goes.

It was a great ride. :D

Usual route along the RR tarcks until I hit the real trails. Recieved my new Voler jacket yesterday and it kept me warm even when the temps at the end of my ride was in the mid 20's. The pic below is at the start of my ride and the sunset is at my back. The second photo is my route heading east.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...r/IM000006.jpg

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...r/IM000007.jpg

sweet pictures

Awesome ride home
 

It was a balmy 26 degrees Fahrenheit! I stayed pretty toasty in my makeshift winter riding gear aka unvented rainpaints and jacket. I figured I'd go totally fred, so my beard is growing in thick...and it does help somewhat with staying warm. Anyway, I am starting to love riding in the cold!

I'm getting out of sync with the weather (or more accurately the clueless weatherman).

Yesterday the forecast called for falling temps and snow as the day progressed, so I took the snow commuter with the studded tires. Temps fell...not a lick of snow...roads were bone dry.

Today, just a slight chance of light snow up in the snow belt. Roads are still dry, so I take the Fuji. As I am riding to work, it starts snowing.

20 degrees with a wind chill of 10-15, but it was actually a nice ride. light traffic and it was a cross wind so not to hard to handle.

But like Chip I loaded up extra gear for the ride home because according to the weather it's either going to be sunny and 30 or 2-3 inches of snow and windy.

I wish I could be that "accurate" at my job.

Funny FredOak! I had a little wind to battle, but we had rain last night, so I was dodging the frozen/semi-frozen remains that had congregated in all the street's nooks and crannies. Enough to keep me awake. Tired legs from playing tennis last night (before the rain) so really slow going up the hills this morning. DC Commuters--watch for the ice patches-----

9 degrees, dry, sunny. Snot froze on my mustache. Awesome!

27 this morning... only 2 degrees colder than yesterday morning, but I could feel it. I wasn't overly cold, but yesterday morning wearing the same clothing I was toasty warm. Today, not so much. I don't think it was the wind either; about 5 mph both days.

There's a TV in our breakroom and I was watching the weather when my manager came in to get coffee. As I walked out with him, I said, "I pay a lot more attention to the weather since I started riding my bike." He replied, "Well, it woulda been a cold ride this morning." I said, "It was." He was like :eek: "You rode?" "Yep. All five days this week."

I took the short way to work today and it felt effortless. At the start of my commute there was a crosswind threatening to throw me into traffic, but once I changed direction it became a tailwind. Forgot my cell at home, but I'll just make due without it.

18 F with 10-15 mph headwind.

Very enjoyable except for one spot where I got really cold...the quarter-sized patches of exposed skin right behind my ski goggles where the goggles don't quite cover the balaclava face opening. Toes got a bit chilled too despite neoprene shoe covers.

I love the dry, crisp air. Much better than the 30's where it seems like I'm always either chilled or overheated.

The best part of ice bike commuting are the stares of disbelief from drivers.

Warmest temperature (45F) for my morning commute in several weeks. The low has been near the freezing mark or colder just about every morning since mid-November. Oddly, the temperature has dropped about 5 degrees since I left for work due to a cold front moving through the area. Hopefully it will warm up by the time I leave work this afternoon, as I didn't dress for temps in the 30s.

Managed to bike commute 4 out of 5 days this week. I would have ridden every day except I had a dentist appointment on Tuesday, and I would have needed a 2.5-hour lunch break to bike to it.

I underdressed for the temps this morning because I made the mistake of listening to the weather. If I'd just looked outside I would have said, "It looks cold. I'll layer up." Instead I heard "46 degrees" and thought "One less layer and the mid-weight gloves." :notamused:

And it didn't help that I listened to the weather at 6:35 but didn't leave nearly 8. As tarwheel said, the temps dropped several degrees this morning; I don't think it was actually 46 when I left. I'm praying the forecast at least gets the "high of 50" right, because if temps keep dropping I'm gonna be bumming on the way home this afternoon.

"Yep. All five days this week."

Congrats, I wish I could ride all week. I haven't worked up to it yet. 60 miles round trip, I only get every other day.