Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Commuting
Reload this Page >

How was the commute today?

Notices
Commuting Bicycle commuting is easier than you think, before you know it, you'll be hooked. Learn the tips, hints, equipment, safety requirements for safely riding your bike to work.

How was the commute today?

Old 01-09-09, 10:40 AM
  #29501  
GATC
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: south Puget Sound
Posts: 8,728
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 464 Post(s)
Liked 49 Times in 27 Posts
30sF, quiet, no wind, cloudy.
HardyWeinberg is offline  
Old 01-09-09, 11:00 AM
  #29502  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 51
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
-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!
neil_@40 is offline  
Old 01-09-09, 12:40 PM
  #29503  
Senior Member
 
caloso's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865

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

Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,101 Times in 1,415 Posts
36F and foggy this morning. I was super-fredalicious in my chinos, dork straps, and hi-viz jacket.
caloso is offline  
Old 01-09-09, 03:32 PM
  #29504  
LeTourEngineer
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Troy, OH
Posts: 3

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

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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
LeTourEngineer is offline  
Old 01-09-09, 04:00 PM
  #29505  
You gonna eat that?
 
Doohickie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty
Posts: 14,723

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

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 164 Post(s)
Liked 66 Times in 44 Posts
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.
__________________
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.


Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
Doohickie is offline  
Old 01-09-09, 07:37 PM
  #29506  
Banned
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Berea, Kentucky
Posts: 478

Bikes: 1990 Specialized Hard Rock

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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...
metalchef87 is offline  
Old 01-09-09, 09:32 PM
  #29507  
You gonna eat that?
 
Doohickie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Fort Worth, Texas Church of Hopeful Uncertainty
Posts: 14,723

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

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 164 Post(s)
Liked 66 Times in 44 Posts
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.
__________________
I stop for people / whose right of way I honor / but not for no one.


Originally Posted by bragi "However, it's never a good idea to overgeneralize."
Doohickie is offline  
Old 01-09-09, 10:58 PM
  #29508  
----
 
buzzman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Becket, MA
Posts: 4,579
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Liked 17 Times in 4 Posts
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!
buzzman is offline  
Old 01-09-09, 11:49 PM
  #29509  
cowboy, steel horse, etc
 
LesterOfPuppets's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The hot spot.
Posts: 43,455

Bikes: everywhere

Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11696 Post(s)
Liked 6,623 Times in 3,488 Posts
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!
LesterOfPuppets is online now  
Old 01-10-09, 09:01 PM
  #29510  
----
 
buzzman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Becket, MA
Posts: 4,579
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Liked 17 Times in 4 Posts
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!
buzzman is offline  
Old 01-10-09, 09:45 PM
  #29511  
Banned
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Berea, Kentucky
Posts: 478

Bikes: 1990 Specialized Hard Rock

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Rainy, but warm...52 degrees.
metalchef87 is offline  
Old 01-11-09, 07:23 PM
  #29512  
Senior Member
 
beatnik0422's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 86
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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.
beatnik0422 is offline  
Old 01-11-09, 09:48 PM
  #29513  
----
 
buzzman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Becket, MA
Posts: 4,579
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10 Post(s)
Liked 17 Times in 4 Posts
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.
buzzman is offline  
Old 01-11-09, 10:33 PM
  #29514  
<user defined text>
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 417

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

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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.
trombone is offline  
Old 01-12-09, 06:17 AM
  #29515  
Seeing things
 
MIKEnDC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Maryland, USA
Posts: 518

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

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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...
MIKEnDC is offline  
Old 01-12-09, 06:52 AM
  #29516  
These go to eleven
 
kegoguinness's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Distrito de Columbia
Posts: 414

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

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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.
kegoguinness is offline  
Old 01-12-09, 07:27 AM
  #29517  
Seeing things
 
MIKEnDC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Maryland, USA
Posts: 518

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

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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...
MIKEnDC is offline  
Old 01-12-09, 08:10 AM
  #29518  
Senior Member
 
tarwheel's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 8,900

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

Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 196 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times in 4 Posts
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.
tarwheel is offline  
Old 01-12-09, 09:05 AM
  #29519  
Senior Member
 
sumguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: nw ohio
Posts: 563

Bikes: 08 Novara Safari; 06 Schwinn Super Sport DBX

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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.
sumguy is offline  
Old 01-12-09, 09:40 AM
  #29520  
SERENITY NOW!!!
 
jyossarian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: In the 212
Posts: 8,738

Bikes: Haro Vector, IRO Rob Roy, Bianchi Veloce

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
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.
__________________
HHCMF - Take pride in your ability to amaze lesser mortals! - MikeR



We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!
jyossarian is offline  
Old 01-12-09, 09:46 AM
  #29521  
Senior Member
 
fletchh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Columbia, Maryland
Posts: 766

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

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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.
fletchh is offline  
Old 01-12-09, 09:48 AM
  #29522  
Commuter
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Denver
Posts: 43

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

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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.
T-Hussy is offline  
Old 01-12-09, 10:22 AM
  #29523  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Land of the Lobster
Posts: 165

Bikes: Marin Larkspur 1998

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Cold (10F) plus an unexpected pretty snowfall. Managed to squeeze by some traffic. Good ride overall.
mikepop is offline  
Old 01-12-09, 10:58 AM
  #29524  
GATC
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: south Puget Sound
Posts: 8,728
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 464 Post(s)
Liked 49 Times in 27 Posts
~48F, somewhere between muggy and clammy
HardyWeinberg is offline  
Old 01-12-09, 12:04 PM
  #29525  
me ride bike good
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: outside Boston, MA
Posts: 462

Bikes: Trek 4300; Trek 1.5

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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.
77midget is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -

Copyright © 2023 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.