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-   -   How was the commute today? (https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/7855-how-commute-today.html)

jyossarian 02-06-07 09:50 PM


Originally Posted by gmule
I have been unable to commute due to the severe snowstorms and below 0 termperatures. Well today it was 40 deg F when I left my home and the news said it was going to be in the mid 60's. So halfway to work I stopped and called into work sick and went on a 40 mile fun ride instead of working today.

Now that's a smart move. You deserve a promotion. :)

buzzman 02-06-07 10:10 PM

the cold weather feels normal now. Still a little overdressed. I'm liking this kind of riding. But if I compare my speed and time to my usual it could be very discouraging.

cooperwx 02-07-07 08:16 AM

Crazy windy and 35° WARMER than yesterday morning. It'll be about the same temp for the ride home, so easy planning what to wear!

ModoVincere 02-07-07 08:50 AM

46F in the ATL this morning. Did spring show up already?

My first commute in 2 weeks (partly due to trying to appease the wife and partly due to scheduling issues), but what a day! Only one JAM this morning. Some middle aged lady in a white Passat tries to cut off the bike lane, but she was too close to the car in front of her, and could only cut off 1/2 of the bike lane. I just zipped past her, looked at her car and shook my head. Ding Bat!

Relaxer 02-07-07 08:57 AM

Received 1-2 inches of snow in our nation's capital this morning, and the wife officially put the smackdown on riding into work. What's a bummer is that she based this on the fact that our street was still covered in snow. But as soon as I got a block away, I saw that all the rest of the streets were paved and totally clear, so I easily could've biked in. Oh well, gotta make concessions every now and then.

JohnnyOTS 02-07-07 09:01 AM

Uneventful commutes recently - yesterday after work I was walking out to the bike rack and I saw one of the (very few) other bike commuters walking along, pushing his bike ahead of him on it's rear wheel only (hands on the handlebars, front wheel straight up in the air - think really tall wheelbarrow.)
Me, "Your bike Ok?"
Him, *mumblemumble* (keeps walking off.)
Me, "No seriously, is your bike Ok?"
Him, "No the front tire is flat."
Me, "Want to patch it? I've got all the stuff we need right here."
So we patched his tire. It's the first time I've ever talked to him (we don't normally leave at the same time.) Turns out he bikes 4 miles in to work each morning. No pump, no patch kit, no helmet, and he rides in his work clothes. He was just going to walk his bike to the bus stop and take the bus home. Me, I look like I'm going on an african bicycle safari or something, and I carry everything but a spare tire (which I'll start including once the new trunk rack gets here. Foldable bead FTW!) It's like we're from different worlds or something...

pinkrobe 02-07-07 09:45 AM

I still have a cold, but I'm getting better. My wife really didn't want to get on the bike this morning, so she dilly-dallied for quite a while, then dogged it on the way in. I rolled in about 10 minutes late, but nobody else was here, so I guess it doesn't matter.

2" of snow, and a nice sheen of ice below that.

TRaffic Jammer 02-07-07 10:12 AM


Originally Posted by buzzman
the cold weather feels normal now. Still a little overdressed. I'm liking this kind of riding. But if I compare my speed and time to my usual it could be very discouraging.

As it's seasonal this IS your usual...averages out over the year. The cold being denser and actually harder to push through. Come spring the "usual" will flash by like a breeze, getting easier and/or faster year after year.

idcruiserman 02-07-07 10:31 AM

Back on the heavy cross bike today after riding the road bike on Monday. The extra 15+ lbs makes a difference plus more rolling resistance. Weather is amazing this week. Lows in the mid 30s and highs in the mid 50s (F).

acroy 02-07-07 10:54 AM

45f, perfect! except for the hangover. commuting with a hangover is rough.
Weather is fixing to get uncomfortable again soon though.
I'm enjoying while it lasts.

PaulH 02-07-07 11:03 AM

This is the stuff that dreams are made of -- first tracks in beautiful powder snow! I brought along my camera so that I could take some pictures of a fountain on Columbia Pike that has developed into an ice sculpture of a volcano. There is something special about riding on ice and snow-- the Nokian studs no longer buzz, and you float along in dead silence. I wish every day were like this.

Paul

vtjim 02-07-07 11:59 AM


Originally Posted by PaulH
the Nokian studs no longer buzz, and you float along in dead silence.

:) +1 I love powder riding.

HardyWeinberg 02-07-07 12:12 PM

Foggy, warm(ish). Much better than 4 hrs in I-5 traffic like yesterday.

fender1 02-07-07 12:30 PM

12 degrees and snow. Felt good until the big hill and I got destroyed trying to climb it with all of my crap! Oh well at least there are some down hills on the way home and a prediction of a balmy 24 degrees!:D

jyossarian 02-07-07 01:04 PM

Took the mtb today since the fixie's making strange noises. Must be all the road salt in the hubs and bb. I swapped out the slicks for knobbies a few weeks ago and took the rack and fenders off so I could go mtb'ing. I also wore boots instead of cycling shoes. Needless to say, everything felt weird. The vibration from the knobbies, the extra bounce in the tires, coasting, pedaling, changing gears, etc. Made it to work fine, but it still felt like a bike I'd never ridden before. Weird.

chephy 02-07-07 02:47 PM


Originally Posted by jyossarian
Needless to say, everything felt weird. The vibration from the knobbies, the extra bounce in the tires, coasting, pedaling, changing gears, etc. Made it to work fine, but I still felt like a bike I'd never ridden before.

I hear you. Every time I get on a new bike or a bike I haven't ridden for a while I feel like someone who's just learned to ride a bike! :eek: So unsure of how it's going to behave and how much crazy ***** it can take before it slides, breaks or otherwise refuses to carry me any further. :D

SpiderMike 02-07-07 03:13 PM

Last three days have been great. Highs in the mid 60s and sunny.


Originally Posted by gmule
I have been unable to commute due to the severe snowstorms and below 0 termperatures. Well today it was 40 deg F when I left my home and the news said it was going to be in the mid 60's. So halfway to work I stopped and called into work sick and went on a 40 mile fun ride instead of working today.

After yesterday's lunch time ride, I was joking with a coworker that I wasn't feeling good. Doing the whole fake cough thing and all. She was sarcasticly concerned that I had to ride my bike home. I told her that I could handle riding to the San Jacinto Monument, down to Johnson Space Center, back up to Chick-fil-A, and then home. Neither of us could think of an excuse to why I would have glove tan lines the day after being *sick*.

MrROG 02-07-07 06:05 PM

Cycling home on Monday night around 7.00pm Head down, uphill, parked car..... Ouch!!!
Fortunately no damage to car and minimal damage to front wheel. However my ankle must have taken a knock. Have had to rest up from the ride to work across Reading to Shinfield. Maybe just as well for tomorrow, the forecast is for 7inches of snow!

heywood 02-08-07 12:14 AM

cepy...yep those hills do get easier but they never get flat..

I'm layered with my mec cycle jacket and do my 15 minute commute to the GO station without any problems but it'll be nice to ride in the warmer weather..

cheers.

substructure 02-08-07 07:30 AM

A little warmer - 30F.

I had to pull over once on a huge hill when I heard "the trucks" coming. Every morning I ride in, they come and it's usually 3 huge lumber trucks with wood sticking out in all directions. They freakin' scare me.
And it's always - always - on Pinnacle Rd: The biggest, longest climb on my route.

ModoVincere 02-08-07 08:45 AM

Ummm...confusing ride in this morning. I think something must be going on that I'm not aware of. I actually had 3 people stop and hold up traffic at 3 different intersections and wave me on through, even when I did not have the right of way.

Is this supposed to be some sort of psycological warfare that the drivers are waging on us or what? I mean, I finally get used to the concept that I have to ride defensively all the time and everywhere, and then today people are being bizarrely nice to me? Oh, well. I just waved and smiled and took the opportunity when the nice people gave it too me. I'm still thoroughly confused by this.

jyossarian 02-08-07 08:47 AM

18F when I left this morning. Traffic was flowing at around 17-20 mph so I just took a lane and rode it all the way to work.

Mazaev 02-08-07 09:16 AM

Finally was able to get some sleep and ride in since the temps dropped. Felt great to be back on the bike (been riding during the day a few times a week, but driving in to work lately).

Picked up my first pair of clipless shoes the other day and took my first fall this morning while waiting in the left-turn lane right off the Brooklyn bridge. Had a laugh about it with the guy in the car behind me after explaining that no, I did not get stuck in the spokes.

Was about 15 F on the way in and 19 on the way home. Only thing that got cold were my toes. Will have to pick up a pair of shoe/toe covers this week. The Wombat gloves continue to make themselves worth every penny (first time I had to use the wind-cover this morning).

luckysnafu 02-08-07 09:36 AM

First ride for this week for me since I was away on business the past few days. Felt good to be back on the bike even though I was pretty tired from the long plane ride yesterday. Temps were in the low 30s this morning and I was pretty warm when I got to work. Breezy and mid 40s for the ride home should be nice.

jeff-o 02-08-07 09:36 AM

-14C again, about the same as yesterday, but it felt colder. I think it was touch more humid, or maybe it was windier. In any case, my legs were chilled to pins-and-needles, which doesn't normally happen...

pinkrobe 02-08-07 10:03 AM

I'm finally feeling better today, but still a little foggy. I made a total bonehead move about 3 blocks from work and got stuck in the right-turn only curb lane when I needed to go straight. Instead of waiting for a gap and moving over, I filtered toward the front, then squeezed in behind a guy with two skidoos on his truck. Did I mention that this put me in the path of traffic waiting to go through the green light? Yah, total bonehead move. I should have just taken the second lane and be done with it, instead of using the curb lane.

phred000 02-08-07 10:11 AM

Huh. So _that's_ what they mean by "freezing fog".

centuryman 02-08-07 10:26 AM

Sunshine, fog, freezing fog, snow - all in a 12 mile commute. What a great day to ride a bike!

DataJunkie 02-08-07 10:57 AM

No commute today. 90 miles in 2 days has exhausted me....more miles than the entire time since the blizzard. It is going to take a little while to get back up to steam. Can't believe I used to ride this mileage daily. Gym day!
It is a bit amusing that on my off day it gets foggy. Colorado drives flip out in it. My home town in Washington State frequently had fog so thick you could not see your front bumper. The fools here are perplexed in 1/2 mile visibility. duh
Anyhow, the bus took a little while longer.

Yesterday's return commute had an annoying interaction with another idiot cyclist. Lets see if I can describe this properly. :p
The street is two lanes crossing a 5 lane street at a light. While in traffic I was doing about 25mph due to a nice downhill and sprinting to cross the intersection while riding east bound. With oncoming traffic the other cyclist hops off the curb to my left without looking and started crossing the street directly in front of a mini van going west bound and riding in a bee line directly towards me. He noticed the mini van and then me, stopped and hightailed it back to his sidewalk while I was yelling "what the hell are you doing?".
Some people.

bikedaddy 02-08-07 11:04 AM

Hey 4 Colorado posts in a row!

I skipped out on the commute today. I got all ready and rode down the street, almost falling over about 3 times due to freezing fog/drizzle. Turned around and had the wife drop me off. Too bad because I'm sure everything will be clear in a few hours.

Last night as soon as I got south of Harmony Road the fog started. It was kinda creepy because a neighborhood street I ride on seemed deserted and my lights were doing some weird stuff in the fog. I really enjoyed it. Too bad it froze overnight.


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