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

hankbrandenburg 01-22-08 05:49 AM

Great ride in this morning - 17F when I left the house, 25F when I got to the office. Great to ride again after a 5 day break.

The Sirrus got a 1,200 mile tune-up over the weekend: New chain/cassette, wheels trued, replaced brake pads, etc. Turns out that the factory wheels are starting to crack around the spoke holes. My LBS contacted Specialized and they are sending a replacement pair of wheels out - actually an upgrade to the wheels that came on the bike! Kudos to my LBS and Specialized for the pro-active and cooperative effort; I would not have noticed the cracks on my own.

mjw16 01-22-08 06:33 AM

Nice ride this morning, high 20's and a tail wind. Only wore 3 layers as opposed to the 4-5 that I wore last week. I decided to break out the balaclava today. The irony is that, other than the fact that you breath warmed air, it's actually not as warm or wind resistant as my skull cap. I'll double up on the head gear when we hit single digits. I also installed new rr. brakes yesterday, it's nice to not hear the grinding or try to avoid using them.

They're calling for freezing rain/snow/rain today, the ride home should be interesting.

tarwheel 01-22-08 06:36 AM

I was hoping to get back on my bike today after a weekend of miserable weather. We had a cold rain all day Saturday that turned to snow by afternoon. The snow didn't accumulate much but made the roads unsafe for riding on Sunday because there was black ice and it never got above freezing. Monday was just plain cold and windy with a morning low of 15 and high around freezing. So, the temperatures were supposed to moderate some today and I planned to ride, except weather once again intervened. Some light rain started moving through the area shortly before I normally leave for work, and with the temperatures still well below freezing, it didn't seem safe to ride my bike. It was cold enough for the rain to freeze, and I didn't feel like wiping out in cold and dark. Maybe tomorrow.

vtjim 01-22-08 07:41 AM

It was 20 degrees warmer than it was yesterday. A heat wave? Shorts and a tee shirt? No. The bike computer said 13F. :p But it felt a lot warmer than yesterday. Unfortunately there was also a howling headwind coming off Lake Champlain. I was slogging along trying to keep my head down for most of the ride. Studded tires + snow and ice + gnarly headwind = teh slow. :rolleyes:

jyossarian 01-22-08 08:41 AM

Commute went by as usual w/ a little more stopped traffic due to cross traffic blocking the intersection. No problem for me to get around, but the cars stuck behind me had some issue w/ it. Saw one van driver standing in front of another van yelling at the driver. Also saw a cop try to take off while his partner was still getting in the car. The cop was yelling, "Wait! Wait!" while his partner started driving off.

gbcb 01-22-08 08:51 AM

Hey, jyo. Commute on this end was pretty uneventful, if damn cold. It's hovering just above freezing, but add to that a fair bit of dampness and it's not too much fun. Still enjoying having a longer commute to my new work though :). I'm thinking of rigging up a helmet cam at some point.

habernac 01-22-08 08:51 AM

gotta love this city. 21 degree temperature swing from yesterday morning. +1C (34F), but very very sloppy out there. They don't plow the MUP all the way home so I'm dicing it out with the cagers (and they have been pretty good to me the last 2 days).

DCvision 01-22-08 09:11 AM

Today was my first commute ever, and was a breeze and quick... 5 minute ride to Metrorail, 11-12 min ride to nearest station to work, then a easy 10 min ride through quiet city streets.... shoulda done this along time ago!

gbcb 01-22-08 09:32 AM

Welcome, DCvision! Congrats on your commute. Hope it's the first of many!

RB1-luvr 01-22-08 09:34 AM


Originally Posted by ataraxium (Post 6025729)
Not too cold this morning...only around 40 F with a 10 mph wind. Got about a 1/4 of a mile down the road from my home and had a car pull behind me honking. Already on the side of the road, talking white line here, I wave him on. He then pulls up next to me and screams for me to "Get the f&#k off the road!". I flip him off and tell him where he can go and he decided to give me a little push off the side of the road...with his car.

At this point I slowed down, he missed, and I turned it around and hauled ass back to my house with him whipping the car around to follow me. I rode straight through my yard, went inside, told my wife to call the cops, grabbed my shotgun, and went outside. When the guys saw the gun he yelled some obscenities at me and drove off. I got the license plate number for the cops. They said that since there was no evidence of a crime and since I was riding on a "busy road" that they could not do anything about it.

Just another day commuting in rural, ie redneck, Alabama.

holy shiite

Brian T 01-22-08 10:29 AM

Caught in a storm. I was totally unprepared. I'm glad I pushed thru though. Anybody else been caught in a crazy storm? only to brag about it later as an accomplishment?

caloso 01-22-08 11:28 AM

Just wet. Wet, wet, wet. Other than that, not too bad.

pinkrobe 01-22-08 11:48 AM

Blargh! The temps went from -20C yesterday to -1C this morning. All the firm salt-laden snow turned to dirty sloppy slush. Boooo! :mad:

thdave 01-22-08 12:10 PM

Great ride today.

An inch or so of snow. Wind in my face, at about 20 mph, carrying with it a steady snowfall. Kind of neat.

I was alone on the mup and pumped the pedals pretty good. Didn't overheat as I didn't wear my winter coat--which I reserve for when it's below 20F. I felt like envigorated. Kind of like I was a soldier on a winter march, sans rifle, of course. :D Studs worked great. Not much ice under the snow, and it was a bit wet so I didn't get stuck in ruts nor did the tires crunch with ice. Made decent time. Pants didn't get too wet--I kept shaking them off.

Felt great. :D

jyossarian 01-22-08 12:30 PM


Originally Posted by gbcb (Post 6027331)
Hey, jyo. Commute on this end was pretty uneventful, if damn cold. It's hovering just above freezing, but add to that a fair bit of dampness and it's not too much fun. Still enjoying having a longer commute to my new work though :). I'm thinking of rigging up a helmet cam at some point.

Do it! Make sure to skitch off something in the video.

Flimflam 01-22-08 01:42 PM

It snowed overnight, damnit. Made things a tad slippy on my sidestreet, but the majors I need to get to work were all clear / just sloppy, so no major deal.

Was a bit tired in the legs still - I need to stick to my stretching routine, I always forget/don't bother and it ends up making my legs so tired :(

neilfein 01-22-08 02:08 PM

I was one of two bystanders that helped someone take off his wheel so he could change a flat. When we asked him where his spare tire was, he said "I don't have one". The other guy who stopped to help and I exchanged a look of... well, polite incredulity.

vtjim 01-22-08 02:56 PM


Originally Posted by neilfein (Post 6029312)
When we asked him where his spare tire was, he said "I don't have one". The other guy who stopped to help and I exchanged a look of... well, polite incredulity.

:D :rolleyes:

Looking forward to the 20+ MPH tailwind for the ride home soon. :love:

gbcb 01-22-08 06:33 PM


Originally Posted by jyossarian (Post 6028626)
Do it! Make sure to skitch off something in the video.

:eek: Not sure I want to put my hands in the life of a Shanghai driver. Plus, they're usually stuck in traffic ;)

toddvc 01-22-08 07:35 PM

Sleet like razors. Still, every night is a good night to ride.

joshandlauri 01-22-08 08:35 PM

7.5 miles, fastest ride yet, 25 minutes, avg speed 17.3mph, 23 degrees. only cold for the first mile, them i was ok.

zephyr 01-22-08 10:29 PM

A pretty mellow 27 mile RT commute ride today, cool and overcast with no wind. No excitement, nothing eventful which is fine by me. More of the same for the rest of the week here in Orange County.

trombone 01-23-08 01:13 AM

Well, summer has come back, it seems. Nice few days; blue skies, warm not not too hot.

Uneventful rides, but made a good pace. There still seems to be more cyclists on the roads than before January; the 'new year resolution' crowd are showing more resilience than last year (when by mid-Jan they'd all given up!). Hopefully they'll keep it up. Nice to have the company.

Good luck in all the snow and sleet, to the Northern Hemisphere people!

And hello DCvision!

gbcb 01-23-08 06:45 AM

Still cold today. Eyes watering up like crazy from the wind on the way back. The bike could use a cleaning, too.

tarwheel 01-23-08 07:14 AM

Back in the saddle this morning after a long layoff for me, 4 days. We had miserable weather over the weekend, with cold rain and snow, then black ice in the mornings and very cold temperatures. Yesterday it started raining lightly just as I was getting ready for work and, with the temperature about 27, I didn't think it was worth the risk to ride my bike. Good call as there were a bunch of traffic accidents during morning rush hour.

It rained overnight, so the roads were still wet this morning and a light fog was developing. Temperatures were relatively mild (high 30s F) compared to recent lows, so I was comfortable, but my glasses kept fogging up at every traffic light. Speaking of lights, I got nabbed by every freakin' long red light on my route, which must have added at least 5 extra minutes to my commute time. At least it wasn't that cold waiting at all the lights.

After I left this morning, I had a nagging feeling I was forgetting something. About 1/4 mile from my house, I realized what it was -- my helmet. I never ride without my helmet, but I had put on my fleece cap while first putting on my gear and that made me forget about my helmet. Doh! Turned around and went back to get it, so that further slowed down my commute. One of those days.

yoyostock 01-23-08 07:27 AM

The ride went well...until I almost took a spill on some ice. Be careful, folks, who ride on the W&OD trail north of where it intersects with Gallows Road. There is a 100 yard stretch of ice crunchies and black ice. I was riding my road bike with normal racing tires and I had to get off and walk for a while. Otherwise, it was a good ride. My new acquisition last night: Under Armour's cold gear compression shirt. That thing is awesome!

vtjim 01-23-08 07:39 AM


Originally Posted by trombone (Post 6033107)
Well, summer has come back, it seems. Nice few days; blue skies, warm not too hot.

:mad: We'll make you pay for that in, um, 6 months! You wait! :p

High teens F this morning (~ -8C). The airport weather claims calm wind but that's not what I felt hitting me in the face next to Lake Champlain. The lake weather station is reading 10-15MPH winds.

Not too bad though. Light dusting of powder on the trail. I had first tracks for over half the ride, and then another set of tracks (knobbies) came onto the trail. I've met the guy before. He's another winter regular. Didn't see him this morning though. Just assumed it's the same guy.

Oh and I saw a skunk! :eek: I said to myself, "Uh oh", and slowed down and let it get a few yards away before I passed it.

knucklesandwich 01-23-08 08:01 AM


Originally Posted by yoyostock (Post 6033657)
The ride went well...until I almost took a spill on some ice. Be careful, folks, who ride on the W&OD trail north of where it intersects with Gallows Road. There is a 100 yard stretch of ice crunchies and black ice. I was riding my road bike with normal racing tires and I had to get off and walk for a while. Otherwise, it was a good ride. My new acquisition last night: Under Armour's cold gear compression shirt. That thing is awesome!

Yup- I had to hike-a-bike a few times in Falls Church on Monday, skipped riding yesterday, and today had to walk a few times again, though less so than Monday. Hoping for warm temps today so I can stay on my bike the whole way home tonight. (Monday was fun, as my light battery was dead by the time I got home due to the extra care and time it took.)

jyossarian 01-23-08 08:08 AM

Actually had a few peds look and STOP crossing the street when they saw me barreling towards the intersection. Even more amazing was there were no cars around me to help scare them off and I had the yellow light!

jterribili 01-23-08 10:19 AM

nice relaxing ride in this morning - low 30's a little wet from last nights rain. traffic was a little lighter than normal for some reason.


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