:eek:

Great commute home. Nice afternoon, about 48F. Some wind gusts every now and then that my panniers would act like parachutes on and almost stop me dead on my tracks. But overall my commute route is so nice and beautiful that I don't mind that much.

Need to go out and get a rain/wind breaker and some middle layers. Some snow expected this weekend.

Ah! About my morning commute, all the weight on my bike is on the seat (me) and the panniers (both sides) and trunk (about 20-30 lbs of laptop, clothes, food, and other stuff), so the front of the bike is very light in comparison... so there's not a lot of traction on the front tire. I doubt if I will ever endo; my back is just too heavy. My bike has Nimbus Armadillos 700x38 and I'm concerned about their handling in cold/wet roads. My bike (Gary Fischer Kaitai 29") has a front suspension fork so I can't put a front rack and panniers to add some weight. Is it time to put stud tires? What should I do?

GreenAnvil

Didn't get a commute this morning, as yesterday was a 24 hour duty day, but today was awesome. I had my PRT (physical readyness test) for the Navy at noon today, and passed with flying colors (first time I've passed in 3 years!), running 1.5 miles in 10:36. Not bad for a guy of near 200lbs who runs only 3 miles a year.:D

The weather was incredible today for mid-October in Western Washington. 75 degrees & sunshine. Yesterday I was bored at work and I looked up a few different routes to work (all with bike lanes, yay!) and took a new route home that added about 4 miles to the trip, so 11.5 miles instead 7.2ish. I stopped at my LBS and picked up a new mobile pump (my other one I think has bad seals, it's been around for 25 years or so, used to be my dad's) and a set of Mr. Tuffy liners to carry with me tomorrow, just in case, or to put in on Saturday morning. Hopefully I won't have to do it until Saturday, because I really don't want a flat tomorrow morning. So far, so good on my patch job from yesterday. I got home and my front & rear were still @ 65psi. Not bad for my first time.

I got faster today, mainly because this route had only 2 traffic lights, and I caught both of them green. Averaged almost 15MPH (on a MTB with a lot of hills in my route). Not bad for only my third commute!

Great commute there, not as good commute back but I made it. :) This was my first time riding to work on a fixed gear, but I've been commuting on a single-speed (Motobecane Messenger with a flip-flop hub) for the past week and a half (2-3 days a week). I rode the mile to the North Lamar Transit center and took a bus to the capital building. That's where the fixed gear adventure really began. There were two pretty decent hills on the way there and I was able get up them both, riding all the way from the Texas State Capital building to my work (AMD @ 71 and 183) in under half an hour, maintaining an average pace of just over 16.5mph. The first hill was steep but somewhat short and I was able to get up it while standing and mashing, going about 15mph. The second was a little less steep but was a series of two long rises and a short plateau inbetween. I made it up the first and was pretty winded. By the time I was at the top of the second I was struggling to maintain 10mph. I'm getting better at my track stand, and I was actually able to ride the entire way without touching down once.

The ride back was a little more eventful as it started pouring rain just as I was passing the guard post at work. I turned around and used the cover of the guard station to bag all my books and electronics (I was carrying a messenger bag with all my gear and a change of clothes) and then continued on. Within a mile the rain had started to heavily pool on the road and severely cut down visibility. I was really glad for the rear fender I bought yesterday. I almost had an accident on the way back when I was going through a pool of water and I guess I hit a pothole. I started to get thrown over the bars (fixed is unforgiving) but I held on to the handlebars and was able to pull up and kinda skip up onto the curb. I had a foot free so I was able to catch myself without going over and I'd locked up the back wheel so I didn't go anywhere. After regaining my composure and making sure I didn't lose anything I got back on my way. Nothing else very eventful happened on the way back except for breaking my personal speed max on the fixed on the way down the steep hill. Going 32+ mph down a steep hill passing cars and spinning like mad while barely being able to see through my glasses is harrowing. I made it downtown in one piece and I rode the rest of the way home with my wife (I'd asked her to bring the bike carrier that morning).

My average speed on the way back had dropped to 15.8mph and I rode a total of 17 miles roundtrip. Alltogether it didn't kill me as much as I was expecting it to and since work pays for a bus pass I think I'm going to be trying to commute via bike and bus 3-4 days a week. I'll still be driving at least one to bring new clothes and towels, but I'm liking this riding bidness.

Jason

Woohoo!!!

Interesting ride home today. There were 5 or 6 large coach buses lined up trying to get down to the Burlington waterfront for some reason. They were all backed up because there wasn't enough room for them. I passed them all on the right, squeezing between them and parked cars, (slowly!) and got to the MUP. Glad I wasn't stuck in a car!

But... At an intersection being tied up by the bus convoy, I saw an older guy stopped talking to a kid who looked to be in his teens, and they were standing next to an MTB. The kid was holding up his arm and I saw it had fresh road rash on it. :eek: A saw a mini van parked very close to the intersection and the corner of its back bumper was pushed in. Not sure if it was related, but the kid had definitely hit the ground before I arrived. I kept wondering if I should turn around and go back, but the old dude wasn't yelling at the kid, so I figured things were under control. Maybe he was just a witness to the fall and offering some help. Neither of them looked very happy though.

I wound up following a cute female most of the way on the MUP. :o Her MTB was way too big for her but she was moving along okay.

see yesterday's post. subtract most of the part about klutziness. however, i woke up this morning with joints full of cold, sludgy, sour oatmeal, so i think yesterday is explained now. i'm clearly in a more-bodacious-than-usual arthritic flare. strange thing is that once the stiffness and inflammation take hold, i always seem to get much less clumsy. it's the period while it's still gearing up that things seem to take on a sort of aquarium-lighted delirium tinge.

bit trepidatious about riding today, considering, but since the car's still toes-up there weren't many alternatives. i took it easy, because i wasn't sure how it would work out. works out as a pretty weird feeling: muscles acting like they're at their last gasp, and heart/breathing rate still completely normal. at least i knew a) there was a problem, and b) what the problem was. i kept adjusting downwards for what i could deal with, and it got easier. in the end it only took 10% longer than my usual time, and i felt pretty good on arrival and on my way home. but i'm sure glad that tomorrow's friday. still very very gorgeous weather out there.

Working different hours yesterday so I was commuting during high traffic hours. Pleasantly surprised at several cuteous encounters with drivers. Also surprised at several cars that did not go when their light was green because they expected me to run my red light. Are there that many of us that run lights in front of cars? Not that I've never run a light but it's during off hour with no traffic, also realize it's illegal and if I get run over it's my own damn fault.
I choose a hillier route so the total route there and back was 41 miles with 4300 feet of climbing. Overall very nice.

Morning ride in the low 30sF. I think it's the first 30s ride I've done this season but I can't remember. You southern people will love this: I was wearing shorts, no gloves, no head covering (other than helmet and riding glasses) and a cycling jersey under my high viz nylon jacket. :p I was very comfortable.

The sky is a brilliant blue and the sun was lighting up the Adirondacks. It looked like Whiteface Mountain had snow on the slopes.

I wasn't feeling very fast today though. I didn't break any speed records!

Slightly chilly this morning. I couldn't find any high-tech riding gear so I just grabbed a flannel shirt figuring that would be warm enough. But I should have grabbed a vest also. Brought the trailer in this morning to run by the hardware store, groceries, and pharmacy on the way home. This was my first ride with my new semi-homemade trailer hitch and it worked great! I'm very proud.

holy longjohns, batman - was that a 52 on the thermometer this morning? Winter is coming! Winter is coming!

It's been so many years since I spent appreciable amounts of time outdoors below 60 that I'm going to need some adjustment time ....

They finally relocated the new bike rack at my building on campus.

Originally installed at an 'exit-only' wing, it was never used, and bikes continued to be parked on handrails near the main entrance.

Yesterday it was moved to a location where folks might actually use it, and I locked up there this a.m.

I'll still park on the handrails (under a covered walkway) when its raining. Covered bike parking is still a pipe dream at Duke, apparently...


Haha... I was bundled up nicely this morning - 40 degrees and I was freezing!!! :p

Look out. Someone will want to start a "geek bike accessories" thread. ;)


This morning was about what I expected - cooler than I like. :(
The temp was about 49F so I wore my new (came in the mail on Wednesday) CC bibs. :beer: Very comfortable and you can't beat the price. They're usually $89.99 but were on sale for $39.99. :) Also wore my "mafia" base layer t-shirt, jersey, knee warmers, and vest.
I tried my new LG f/f gloves. Not warm at all! I guess they're made to protect your hands when mtn biking. I don't mtn bike so they're free to a good home.

Rode with another commuter for a few blocks before I turned off. Nice to have someone to talk to.

nukemm - that IS awesome weather for this time of year up there. Looks like you are riding in the area where I grew up. Are you at Bangor? I'm both jealous and not - jealous that you get to ride daily among REAL trees, with water and breathtaking views everywhere you turn. Not jealous at all of the REAL HILLS that go with that territory. Congrats on your first few attempts at commuting - definitely one of the best lifestyle changes I have made!

Ride today was marvelous. First sub-50 degree day of the year. First ride on my newly respoked front wheel - no popping, less flex than the 20 year old spokes I was running before. Felt great! Figured out why my Cygolite isn't working last night - the fuse in the battery holder is blown. Will buy a replacement today. Question now is why did it blow? Hope it's a fluke - would like to buy a new "real" light, but don't have the coin at the moment, and not quite ready for the "total geekiness" endeavor, so I'd really love it if this old thing, purchase on ebay for next to nothing last year, can hang on for a while.

Happy Friday everyone!

Kind of chilly this morning. TV station said 51, but that was at Hartsfield airport. I'm at least 30 miles north of there and a lot less of a heat island, so easily in the mid to upper 40's. I need to find my full finger gloves and leg warmers. I was fine on the uphills and flats, but man it got cold going down the hills at 25-30 mph. Brrrrrr. I don't like cold weather.

You are absolutely certifiable! :D My knee warmers go on when the temp dips below 70, and today at 43 deg I was in two layers on top plus my hi-viz vest and full-fingered gloves. My bald head was bare other than helmet, though...

Frozen commute today I threw my chain on the single speed I wonder if it isn't tight enough

Perfect weather: just about 50F, sunny, and calm. I sat in behind a big panel truck for 6 or 7 blocks (thanks, Bonney Plumbing "Old Houses Not A Problem!"(tm)) so I made super time. Passed a young woman on another old Specialized Hard Rock, waved good morning and said "nice bike!"

Four bikes in the cage when I arrived: the red recumbent with aero wheels and CF fenders, our receptionist's vintage Schwinn Collegiate, a newer Schwinn mtb, and an old Raleigh 3-spd.

Brisk and foggy the whole way in (close to 10am!). Back on the mtn bike, I am trying to become one w/ all the squeaks and cheeps coming from various parts of the bike. Amazing (by comparison) how silent the flatbar roadbike is.

Also, was focusing on trying not to put weight on my arms, keep elbows bent, torso leaning over. Every 2000 miles or so I need to take on a new aspect of something or other and it's like learning how to ride a bike all over again.

After ~2wks off due to medical reasons, it was great to ride in again.
But my lungs burned, need to get them used to moving I guess.
90F expected for the ride home unless the thunderstrom breaks first.
Al

It's definitely beautiful up here. I'm actually at PSNS in Bremerton, my ship (USS Abraham Lincoln) is in the drydock for refit. You're definitely right about the scenery. I've lived in WA for most of 23 years, grew up on Whidbey Island, so hills & trees (& horrendous headwind and rain and sub-40F temps) are something I've come to enjoy. Maybe I'm not really that slow averaging only 12.8MPH on my ride home, considering over 5 miles of it is a noticable incline!

----

Today was the completion of week 1 of my challenge to commute to work only on my bicycle, with me end of the week mileage coming in at 52.8. Not bad for only 3 days worth of riding. I honestly thought it was going to take a lot longer for me to get to where I could ride all the way to work & back, but it appears I am in a little bit better shape than I thought.

My ride in this morning was a brisk 39F, but that didn't phase me one bit. Rode to work in a set of warmups over a long sleeved T & gym shorts. I, too, have yet to invest in some "real" riding gear for the winter. Maybe the cold was my motivation, but I made it to work (7ish miles) in only 25 minutes, and no flat tire today! Drivers were courteous and I got brave and rode the road on the bridge on 303, keeping up with traffic at nearly 40MPH. Not bad for a MTB with suspension!

My ride home was quick, too, maybe that's because I'm so sore from my run yesterday (combined with my double-length ride home!) that I was really motivated to move. I made it home in under 35 minutes, which beats the other day by 15 minutes. I didn't stop today, and I'm learning the gearing on my bike a bit, and have adjusted my pedaling with some advice from my LBS. The only downside to my commute this afternoon was getting buzzed twice, once by a Kitsap County Sherrif, and once by a black Chevy 4x4 with "Redneck" in red vinyl on the back window. Oh well, I made it home in one piece!

Ah, the memories - grew up on the east side of Bremerton. Was actually up that way visiting my folks and satisfying my jones for water/mountains/trees last month. Can't believe I married a Texan - I love her with all my heart, but am somewhat less fond of Texas. Unfortunately, there is no middle ground on this one - when I said "forever" to her, I said it to Texas, too. Not complaining about the weather this time of year, though - 40's/50's in the morning, 70's in the evening is hard to beat for a commute.

Short commute today (about 4.75 miles). I worked remotely the first half of the day and attended a team mtg close to my home during the afternoon. Breezy 48F, but plenty of sunshine. Buffalo got dumped with over 2' of snow but we didn't get anything here other than a few flakes. I know it's coming (winter) but while it does it was nice to enjoy another nice day.

GreenAnvil

Ride today was nice both ways. Dark both ways as well. Rode the MTB and parked the roadbike. I miss the sun.:( At least no one tried to run me over in a white truck.