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How was the commute today?

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How was the commute today?

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Old 01-09-09 | 10:40 AM
  #29501  
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From: south Puget Sound
30sF, quiet, no wind, cloudy.
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Old 01-09-09 | 11:00 AM
  #29502  
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-27C OUT.
Lady driver in a truck rolled into my back tire at a set of lights(laughing). Then clipped my shoulder with her passenger side mirror going through the lights and drove away.

Happy Friday!
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Old 01-09-09 | 12:40 PM
  #29503  
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From: Sacramento, California, USA

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

36F and foggy this morning. I was super-fredalicious in my chinos, dork straps, and hi-viz jacket.
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Old 01-09-09 | 03:32 PM
  #29504  
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From: Troy, OH

Bikes: Fuji Sagres, Schwinn LeTour, Schwinn Collegiate, Huffman Monark, Trek Alpha 2000

Some Bad Morning, I'll make it to work

Bad morning yesterday. Was headed out 5 minutes late already, made it two blocks on my 70's Schwinn Le Tour Single Speed. The rear axle and rear right dropout bent. I usually leave my bikes on the back porch over night and it was about 18 degrees that night. Maybe a combination of that and the old frame just couldn't hold up.

But my story isn't over....I walked back the two blocks and got on my 60's Schwinn Collegiate 5-speed and started out of the driveway but while pedaling I kept skipping cog teeth. My chain was frozen, or it was rusted and needed lube.

Still not over...so with two bikes down and my Fuji Sagres conversion still in pieces I was forced to drive my wife's car. I get in, start the car, try to shut the door...but wait, it's not latching. The clasp mechanism in the door was frozen! So here I go, one hand on the wheel, one hand holding the door handle shut, taking right turns very slowly....

Almost done...So I make it to work a half hour late. I go home at lunch to give my wife her car back and take mine out of the garage. I turn the key and hear this huuuuuunnnnnn, huuuunnnnn, huuunnn, hun. Won't turn over. Probably because it sits in the garage all the time because I ride my bike to work everyday except that day.

Lesson learned...cold weather and old steel bikes don't mix well. About the point the car door wouldn't shut I quit getting frustrated and just came to the conclusion that the day was just going to be one of those days.

Eric
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Old 01-09-09 | 04:00 PM
  #29505  
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From: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty

Bikes: 1966 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist, 1973 Schwinn Varsity, 1983 Raleigh Marathon, 1994 Nishiki Sport XRS

Way too late for the first commute of the year. I've been shuttling between different offices this week so I haven't had time to ride. Today, though, I only had to go to one site. It wasn't my normal office, though, it was the main office which is twice as far as my normal commute- 15 miles each way today. It was very, very, very nice riding in- high 50s and the wind at my back. The ride home was in the 70s and the wind had kicked up to 20 mph with gusts to 30. And I had to ride twice the distance.

It was great to be back in the saddle again.
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Old 01-09-09 | 07:37 PM
  #29506  
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From: Berea, Kentucky

Bikes: 1990 Specialized Hard Rock

17 degrees F on the way in, no wind though, was plenty warm arriving to work. 47 degrees F on the way home, spent an hour extra in the saddle...it was really nice. Up to 60 miles for the year...
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Old 01-09-09 | 09:32 PM
  #29507  
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From: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty

Bikes: 1966 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist, 1973 Schwinn Varsity, 1983 Raleigh Marathon, 1994 Nishiki Sport XRS

Originally Posted by metalchef87
Up to 60 miles for the year...
Same here, give or take. I did a breakfast ride last Saturday, and the commute today. I figure I total out at somewhere between 60 and 70 miles between those two. No breakfast ride tomorrow. A cooling fan motor seized up in my gas-powered fleet and I need to get that fixed before I can do anything fun. Oh well.
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Old 01-09-09 | 10:58 PM
  #29508  
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From: Becket, MA
did the shorty commute again. 12 miles. Temp was about 19〫F with a little breeze.

My chain is jumping like crazy. My front chainring (my bike's a 9 speed) desperately needs replacement the teeth look like needles. I've got a whole replacement drive train on order but it hasn't arrived yet. Man, it's frustrating. I should have changed the chain, cassette and chainring at the start of the winter season but thought I could get through to the spring- boy I was I wrong and should have known better.

It's been slowly getting worse and worse and the last time I ride it after a freezing rain that turned ice cold later exacerbated the situation.

I'm using it as basically a one speed right now, which is fine except when I get into some thick snow or slush and as soon as I push hard the chain is off the front ring!!! GRRRRRRR!
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Old 01-09-09 | 11:49 PM
  #29509  
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I slept at work last night. After work tonight, I took a box of 45 T-shirts down to the UPS on my trailer... (not a pic of actual load. it was a smaller box)


Rolled back to work with an empty trailer, then decided to ride my snow bike back home. Dry and cold on the way home tonight. It did quite well on the dry pavement. Snow spikes in the front tire only. I took a sharp right at 20mph and didn't even slide out!
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Old 01-10-09 | 09:01 PM
  #29510  
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From: Becket, MA
nice little round trip commute again today and tonight. Chain still a jumping grinding mess. BUT got home and all the new stuff was there! I'm going to go put it on now!
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Old 01-10-09 | 09:45 PM
  #29511  
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From: Berea, Kentucky

Bikes: 1990 Specialized Hard Rock

Rainy, but warm...52 degrees.
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Old 01-11-09 | 07:23 PM
  #29512  
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The ride to work today was existential, especially since I got my new panniers. Sometimes when I ride I just get lost in the moment.
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Old 01-11-09 | 09:48 PM
  #29513  
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From: Becket, MA
completely new drive train installed last night! New chain ring, new cassette, new chain and oh does the bike ride sweet.

Snow, slush, ice today. But managed quite nicely.
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Old 01-11-09 | 10:33 PM
  #29514  
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From: Sydney, Australia

Bikes: 80's peugeot. Somewhat knackered. Lovely new Salsa Casseroll singlespeed.

I've been sick for a week or so, so no riding. But today I was back at work.

Hot day - 21C (70F) at 8am.

Took it easy as I'm still coughing. Just pootled along on the Peugeot.

Nice to be riding, though.
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Old 01-12-09 | 06:17 AM
  #29515  
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From: Maryland, USA

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

26F/-3C fairly clear with a nice bright moon. Seemed like the motorists were in an awful hurry this morning--a couple of SUVs drag-racing over the bridge left me very thankful that the arterial there is three lanes! That stretch of my ride can easily be the most hair-raising portion of my afternoon ride, but at 5:15-5:30 AM is usually pretty mellow...
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Old 01-12-09 | 06:52 AM
  #29516  
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From: Distrito de Columbia

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

Great commute! When the closest call is with an attractive pedestrian in the Metro parking lot, things are just going to be alright. New jacket tested out today, a North Face Apex bought massively on sale. It's as good as advertised for wind-stopping, and medium weight. Got a little warm today, so will remove layer for the ride home.

MikeinDC, yeah, it was busy on the roads today! What bridge is that you refer to? Sounds scary; glad you are okay.
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Old 01-12-09 | 07:27 AM
  #29517  
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From: Maryland, USA

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

Originally Posted by kegoguinness
...What bridge is that you refer to?...
Greenbelt Road/University Blvd where it goes up and over the railroad tracks. The ROW carries the Metro Green Line, as well as MARC, Amtrak and freight traffic. There are a few alternatives to the no-shoulder bridge for me, but they are much less direct and slower.

So long as you don't mind rubbing elbows with traffic that can get up to 50mph or more, it's not really that bad--though it does have its moments...
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Old 01-12-09 | 08:10 AM
  #29518  
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From: Raleigh, NC

Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia

Tough week ahead weatherwise. Today was supposed to be the warmest day of the week, and it was about 32F riding to work with high in the upper 40s. Some cold fronts during the week are supposed to bring the coldest weather of winter so far -- low teens -- and probably colder than any we had last year as well. Oh well, it felt riding in to work this morning and moon was still huge in the sky.
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Old 01-12-09 | 09:05 AM
  #29519  
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From: nw ohio

Bikes: 08 Novara Safari; 06 Schwinn Super Sport DBX

11F with light wind making it 2F. I get .5mi from home and realize my wallet and keys are still at work. Little piggys were pretty cold by the time I got home but I but I did ~13mi instead of 4.5mi. I think a fresh pair of socks would have been helpful.
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Old 01-12-09 | 09:40 AM
  #29520  
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From: In the 212

Bikes: Haro Vector, IRO Rob Roy, Bianchi Veloce

Ah, so this is what 4 weeks off my bike feels like. It feels like dragging a boat through mud. Still, felt good to ride.
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Old 01-12-09 | 09:46 AM
  #29521  
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From: Columbia, Maryland

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

commute

It is still dark at 5:30 in the morning. The temp was about 21 upon leaving. No wind, and a pleasant
ride. Well, at least until I got to the bike rack, pulled my lef foot out of the clipless pedal as always,
slowed down, but my bike started to lean to the right, because of a heavy panier on the back, and
I couldn't get my right foot out in time, so I went down. I must have looked like a fish bucking in the
parking lot. I recovered and was able to get out of the clipless pedal, while laying on my side.
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Old 01-12-09 | 09:48 AM
  #29522  
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From: Denver

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

Lots of snow in Denver, good to see some fellow bikers on the South Platte trail this morning. Nice peacefull ride for the most part.
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Old 01-12-09 | 10:22 AM
  #29523  
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From: Land of the Lobster

Bikes: Marin Larkspur 1998

Cold (10F) plus an unexpected pretty snowfall. Managed to squeeze by some traffic. Good ride overall.
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Old 01-12-09 | 10:58 AM
  #29524  
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From: south Puget Sound
~48F, somewhere between muggy and clammy
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Old 01-12-09 | 12:04 PM
  #29525  
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From: outside Boston, MA

Bikes: Trek 4300; Trek 1.5

Haven't been able to commute yet this year, or for a while in fact, but my new lights come this week, then it is back on the road! It has been below freezing for a while here, but I went for a good ride on Sat and survived. The main concern that I have is the condition of the sides of the road, as we really do not have bike paths per se. We'll see later this week though.
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