Another carless week with nothing but excellent weather. I feel guilty and smug alll at the same time.

I could ride the fender-less Airborne all week too, which was extra fun. But I've had to mount my lights, since I'm not beating the sunset home any more.

Regarding flats: I don't understand how you can just accept 4 flats in 3 days. Something's wrong somewhere.

RichC

True. There's probably something wrong with your rim. Do a complete inspection of your wheel. I am the king of flats, but 4 in 3 days is a bit much even for me. I have had multiple flats in just a span of a day or two and usually they're indicative of some fundamental and simple problem.

We care, Alan, or we wouldn;t keep coming back to read these.

Paddle those feet, you and AquaDog. :D

Today was my first commute, after being sick all week. I had nice weather for it. I certainly felt the difference, though.

I didn;t ride home because my mother called me at work and asked if I wanted to go biking with her in Potowotomi Stae Park. She picked me up in her car and we did a little riding.

I am very, very pooped.

I have to appologize to you all today, I whimped out, I don't know what's happening to me, a little rain, a tired feeling and I drove the truck to work. I don't know what I was thinking, I'm lazy, there isn't any other excuse. Hopefully I'll be back to normal for tomorrow.

Hi Folks,

After a tiring weekend of travelling, the commute didn't have quite its usual appeal. The chilly headwind was no help either. I still felt better for the excersise. The big question... does this mean a tail-wind for the ride home?.... of course not :)

Well, I tried a new cheap Chen Shin tire (just like the old one before the one that got the flats). No Flats today. Hmmm. I think it is because the cheap tire has a beefier sidewall. I will watch it the next few days and see how it rides out. It will really be funny if 15 $ tire beats out the $30 tire. I think the sidewall is the key. All my flats were in the sidewall portion of the tube. I even had a rip in the sidewall of the last tire that was verging on a blowout when i switched tires. I think with all the rocks and stuff in the bikelanes here the beefier sidewall is probably more important on a commuter bike than a light tire with a very thin sidewall. Well, I guess I will see over the next week whether or not this is a better solution but it is already ahead of the last tire. I couldn't get through a single commute (one way) without a flat. Nice cool commute in this morning. No one honked at me, I kept a good speed, and the bike did real good until I realized the back wheel had slid over and was rubbing the left chainstay. I must not have pulled the wheel all the way back in when I changed it Saturday. Oh well, I guess I have a good excuse for going slower on the commute now.

Beautiful, clear day today. A little chilly at the start. Did the 20 mile course today on the way to work. No hills (needed a break from hill climbing over the weekend). Even though it gets dark I'm staying with the 20 mile one-way course for a while because I'm stepping up the miles for a century on 11/2.

just got back from running to the store. i dragged the kids, they are gettin HEAVY. my 2 year old will be gettin dragged for a while, but my four, almost five, year old will soon be riding her own bike.

we had a good ride, went to the bike shop and to the library. not a far ride, but the hills made me work. i ride a BikeE FX so i got plenty of looks, as usual. one guy looked at my bike, smiled, and said, "now THAT's the way to ride!"

my legs still feel pretty good and i've got a smile on my face. it was a good ride...

E...

windy windy windy! cold also, but its better than sweating buckets. I fear winter could come early this year, (typical in Minnesota!)

Aaahh, the signs of autumn. Bright sunny crisp cool mornings and suicidal squirrels... The little critter was so intent on gathering nuts that he/she had forgotten all about road safety! luckily I was able to take avoiding action, since it was only the driveway to my work, and not the main road, so I could swerve with confidence .:p

Cheers,

Ed

I feel better today, I rode in, it's a cool crisp , clear morning this morning and I rode at a very slow pace just enjoying the dark quiet, still air along the way. I had my night ride power plug fall out of the socket on a dark stretch of road, That woke me up, after stopping and reinstalling the plug I was on my way again. The rest of my commute was just as it should be, A nice uneventful quiet ride to work. I do agree with the above post, fall is in the air, it's almost time to break out the gore-tex. Have a great day.

I had to leave early this morning so I rode in the predawn twighlight for half the ride. It was nice, traffic was less than usual and I caught most of the lights green. I also saw two other bike commuters which is really strange. Must be the cooler morning temperatures. No flats today either. I think that the switch back to the old cheap tire with thick sidewalls is a better fit for the route I take. I am really becoming convinced that one doesn't need a car on a day to day basis if one can ride.

Saw my breath in the air for the first time this morining. Aint minnesota weather great? I also switched from knobbys to michelin slicks, works great, I should have done it sooner. Best commute yet this fall.

Thick heavy fog, heavy traffic, 48 degree air and a slight head wind, just what I always wanted. Agreat ride in spite if it all, because I rode.

Although I was a bit late the traffic in my direction of travel was pretty clear today - but you should have seen the queues coming the other way :). It was nice and sunny too, with just a slight chill in the air. Perfect for much longer ride...

My first bike commute after taking two weeks off from my hand injury. Had a great ride on the road bike! It was a bit foggy and cold, but not uncomfortable.

I installed a new Astro 2.4W headlight and rear blinky light to be seen better as the mornings get darker. Of course the headlight fell off after going over some train tracks, and the rear blinky kept swiveling around my seat post... I'll have to make some minor adjustments before my next ride :)

Tim

Last night I went back to wearing sweat pants instead of shorts. It was a clear, beautiful day on the way in. I loafed around till later than usual after work, since it would be dark anyway. Dark, yes, and chilly, with a full moon out and thankfully a bit less traffic than usual.

Dunno if I'm still in some sort of recovery from all the time I spent off the bike while I was sick, or if it's just the time of year, but I feel a lot less hard-core lately....I can;t see setting out to bike in the rain, for instance. Today looks rainy, if it still does when it's time for me to go, I may drive....

Anyway, my car is having some mechanical problems from sitting unused most of the summer. :p

I don't feel like riding through this Isadore nonsense, but I punctured my gas tank on my car. Aaaaaaa, fudge.

Inkwolf!! Don't do it!!! Take time. Adjust your attitude, but stick with it as long as you can. Don't let the lousy rain stop you. Hideously cold weather ... maybe, but rain? NO !!!

We all need your stories from the Wisconsin hinterlands !!!

Nice commute. As I was going over the Intersate a cyclist heading the wrong way and on the sidewalk told me to get off the road. I almost laughed. It was kind of funny. I imagined the conversation we would have had if I had had time to stop.
"Dude! you shouldn't ride on the road!"
"But where should I ride?"
"On the sidewalk"
"But it's illegal in this state"
"It is?"
"Yes"
"Um..... Well the police don't give me tickets"
"Well that may be, but it is safer and quicker to be out where the cars can see you."
"Oh...... Hmmmm"

Anyway, it was a hot commute again. Funny but hot. Speaking of rain, we could use some. Get all this terrible summer heat out of here. (I love riding in rain although I get very dirty. Need to get those fenders one of these days.)

Bizarre! Yesterday I saw 2 groups of bikers riding on the street on the wrong side, including a mother/daughter combo on a 40mph road with no shoulder :confused: , and numerous bikers riding on the sidewalk. Why is it so hard for people to comprehend the bicycle laws?? Almost makes me want to become an evangelist. :)

Tim

My goal this week has been to ride every day to work this week. So far, I've been successful Had a tire blowout this morning, batteries died in walkman (don't worry, I listen to it low so I can still hear traffic), and one of my bags fell off my bike in the middle of the intersection...luckily the car behind me waited for me to pick it up.

But the ride home was amazing. The fall weather made the ride home refreshing. Stopped at the store on the way home and was happy to be able to get most of my groceries in my panniers.

Okay, just for Andy, I risk hypothermia! :D

No, actually, it had cleared up and I had a nice ride in today. A little warmer than yesterday, but still with the headwind. I put a new chain on, which got rid of that slightly twitchy feeling the bike has had lately. Losing those 30 pounds this summer had an effect I didn't predict: my sweat pants are baggier, and kept snagging on the chain ring! I had to strap my ankle.

The way home was a nice ride too. It did rain a little, but not on me: I only felt about 4 drops, though I could see the road was dotted with wet spots.

Ah, yes. Everything is right again. Inkwolf has continued on!!!