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How was the commute today?

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Old 01-08-09 | 09:50 AM
  #29476  
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From: North Carolina
Itsjustb:

Yesterday's weather was incredible. Winds were terrible.


Today, back at it. About 40 F with a little bit of wind, but nothing like yesterday.
A decent ride, but I'm getting SLOW!
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Old 01-08-09 | 09:54 AM
  #29477  
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From: Durham, NC

Bikes: Cannondale Synapse 5c, Scattante XRL

Thanks Kudzu! I just read tarwheel's report of 60-mph gusts. I didn't realize they got that high yesterday; now I'm glad I didn't ride.
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Old 01-08-09 | 09:59 AM
  #29478  
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From: North Carolina
I had to take a bus in to work yesterday; I missed my stop coming back because of power outages (couldn't see my landmarks at night). Had you tried to ride, I think you would have soon regretted the decision.
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Old 01-08-09 | 10:27 AM
  #29479  
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First ride with my new bike. I bought a 2007 Devinci Caribou (touring bike) to replace my 1970s Apollo Prestige. The apollo just didn't cut it for the commute (37 miles round trip), it would break down way too much. I now plan on converting the apollo into a single speed or fixed gear, I haven't decided yet.
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Old 01-08-09 | 10:38 AM
  #29480  
GATC
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From: south Puget Sound
back to heavy mist/steady drizzle from horizontal downpour, very peaceful
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Old 01-08-09 | 05:59 PM
  #29481  
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Joined: Dec 2007
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From: East Jabip

Bikes: Jamis Commuter 3.0

Mucho windy today! The temps weren't bad. I only got one 'you're crazy' today from my co-workers!

These are the same jackasses that go out for a smoke in the same cold weather!
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Old 01-08-09 | 06:00 PM
  #29482  
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Broken neck Ken
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From: Portland, OR

Bikes: Trek Domane SL6 Gen 3, Soma Fog Cutter, Detroit Bikes Sparrow FG, Trek Mt Track XCNimbus MUni

Was a day of (re)learning for me.

In the am, rediscovered that riding with studded tires is hard work

In the pm, switched to the rebuilt Super Sport and rediscovered the need for fenders.
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Old 01-08-09 | 06:40 PM
  #29483  
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From: East Metro Atlanta, GA, USA

Bikes: Giant Sedona (Mid 90's), Giant Seek 2, Greenspeed Anura

Windy. I wound up riding along-side another rider for a bit so we chatted along the way; that was pretty nice.
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Old 01-08-09 | 07:01 PM
  #29484  
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From: Berea, Kentucky

Bikes: 1990 Specialized Hard Rock

23F but felt much colder...my toes hurt...

Last edited by metalchef87; 01-08-09 at 07:03 PM. Reason: Correction...
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Old 01-08-09 | 07:11 PM
  #29485  
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From: Sacramento, California, USA

Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur

Much warmer today, probably due to the high cloud cover rather than that freezing mist. Good legs today.
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Old 01-08-09 | 09:04 PM
  #29486  
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From: Houston, TX

Bikes: Type of horse.

FUN! I just got a new single speed 29er which i am commuting on. instead of avoiding all the bumps/cracks/sidewalks/etc, I can now aim for them! also 75F beautiful
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Old 01-08-09 | 09:45 PM
  #29487  
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From: Atlanta

Bikes: Cannondale T700s and a few others

First Commute is 3+ weeks (I was on vacation the last two weeks of Dec but did a lot of pleasure rides then). Had a lot of rain this week till today so I drove (I have next to no wet gear). Nice ride in now that the weather broke.

Got to try my $15 REI dent sale used Night Rover. Works good but the batteries are shot and it was showing that it needed a charge after 45 minutes (we played with it at work). Trying to condition the battery to see if I can bring it back. Looks like I can rebuild the pack for about $30 worse case.

Ride home was a little windy but thankfully it was mostly a tailwind with some side gusts I had to lean into since I had the panniers on the bike. Overall it was really nice to ride again.
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Old 01-09-09 | 05:26 AM
  #29488  
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From: Maryland, USA

Bikes: '73 Bertin, '04 LeMond Poprad, Miyata 1000, and counting...

26F/-3C. First full (5-day) commuting week in a while (with use-or-lose, I'd taken every Friday off stretching back to Thanksgiving). But dead legs, a mentionable headwind, and cold fingers couldn't deter me from reveling in the clear view of a nearly full moon beckoning me onward. Very nice, indeed.

<preaching to the choir>And people think we're crazy for doing this!? Personally, I think the crazy is on the other foot.</preaching to the choir>
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Old 01-09-09 | 07:31 AM
  #29489  
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From: East Metro Atlanta, GA, USA

Bikes: Giant Sedona (Mid 90's), Giant Seek 2, Greenspeed Anura

I think I was pushing myself since it was the last ride before the weekend; I was already tired and I was just pushing myself to get home.

Last night on the way in and this morning on the way home I had several things simply fall off of my bike. Last night I lost a braze-on bolt near the drop-outs for my pannier rack (I fixed that before I left work). On the way home this morning, one of my headlights came off in my hand, one of my taillights was millimeters from getting left in the road somewhere, and the garment bag pannier tried to jump off the rack while I was crossing a busy intersection.

At least I made it home with everything ... except my groceries (which I left in the fridge at work so I can expect that they'll be thrown away before I can get back to pick them up this evening).
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Old 01-09-09 | 07:50 AM
  #29490  
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From: Burlington, Vermont

Bikes: 2011 Trek Soho DLX

I hit nearly 60MPH! Oh, I drove. I haven't been posting here lately because I've been hiking 2.5 miles to the bus every morning instead of riding. The MUP (only direct way) is a mess.

But I wanted to share this: I can't remember the last time I drove to work, and this morning I feel tired, kinda lethargic, and almost "bloated." Ugh. Self-powered commutes are the best.
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Old 01-09-09 | 08:20 AM
  #29491  
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From: Distrito de Columbia

Bikes: BF Pocket Crusoe; B Tikit; dust-gathering MTB

great weather in DC land. Nice 30f/1c/272kelvin ride in with little wind. Tired ass legs! Sunshine today and should be nice ride home, too.
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Old 01-09-09 | 08:24 AM
  #29492  
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From: Somewhere

Bikes: Kona Jake (2006)

Originally Posted by kegoguinness
great weather in DC land. Nice 30f/1c/272kelvin ride in with little wind. Tired ass legs! Sunshine today and should be nice ride home, too.
Roughly the same for me in NoVA, but I did have a headwind, heading West. I was out of town and/or off the bike for the 2 full weeks prior to this one, and have ridden every day this week- am a bit worn out.
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Old 01-09-09 | 08:30 AM
  #29493  
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From: Beautiful Boise, Idaho

Bikes: 2000 GT Outpost Trail

Fun commute in this morning. It was mid-60's and the road was wet from overnight rains. I don't have fenders yet, so I got a nice wet spot on the seat of my shorts. Oh well, I enjoyed the whole ride. This is my third commute and I am finding that it doesn't seem as far as teh first two times. In fact, I kind've wish it was a little longer (it's about 7 mi).
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Old 01-09-09 | 08:34 AM
  #29494  
jpdesjar
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15ºf with no wind and some icy spots but the roads were mostly clear
saw another commuter on my route and i could hear his studs on the pavement

biking all year is really fun
 
Old 01-09-09 | 09:34 AM
  #29495  
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Joined: May 2008
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From: Dallas, TX
Nice and quiet ride in to work today. Dark as usual. Instead of my MTB, I rode my Schwinn LeTour and got to work plenty fast. I overdressed and was sweating bullets by the time I got to work. Glad I have my bike shorts in the locker at work, I'll wear those going home.
Ernest
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Old 01-09-09 | 09:37 AM
  #29496  
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From: Denver

Bikes: Specialized Epic Carbon 92', Old-school fully-rigid specialized Hardrock

Denver weather is awesome today, no wind and 40. Glad I forced myself to bike even though we had a few beers last night.
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Old 01-09-09 | 09:40 AM
  #29497  
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From: Durham, NC

Bikes: Cannondale Synapse 5c, Scattante XRL

Originally Posted by vtjim
I hit nearly 60MPH! Oh, I drove. I haven't been posting here lately because I've been hiking 2.5 miles to the bus every morning instead of riding. The MUP (only direct way) is a mess.

But I wanted to share this: I can't remember the last time I drove to work, and this morning I feel tired, kinda lethargic, and almost "bloated." Ugh. Self-powered commutes are the best.
I drove on Wednesday because of high winds and had the same experience--felt terrible all day and my legs were completely weak that night. I think not having ANY work to do all week didn't help--8 hours sitting at your desk and surfing isn't good for you.

Took the new bike again today. My word but it's so much easier and faster on a real road bike than my P.O.S. commuter.
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Old 01-09-09 | 09:51 AM
  #29498  
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Joined: Jul 2008
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From: Louisville Kentucky

Bikes: Bacchetta Agio, 80s Raleigh Record single-speed, Surly Big Dummy

22F, slight headwind, light(ish) traffic. A good ride, but my feet were a bit cold. I got passed on the right in heavy traffic by another commuter. He was passing cars also.

Tonight's ride home is supposed to be warmer, but with a chance of rain.
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Old 01-09-09 | 09:55 AM
  #29499  
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From: WNY

Bikes: Trek 7200

We are still getting snow, nothing is plowed decently and temps around 20*F with wind chill down to 0-5*F.

So now that the back injury has subsided it looks like the trainer and maybe weekend rides but the route to work is still impassable...this sucks, it isn't the weather that's killing me it's the street departments!
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Old 01-09-09 | 10:29 AM
  #29500  
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From: Naples, Floirda

Bikes: Trek, Giant, Schwinn, Sun Recumbant

Beautiful rider in SW Florida today. Started out in mid 40's. Funny today I felt better than the other but my time was worse. Go figure still better than driving.
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