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How was the commute today?

Old 05-19-07, 03:26 PM
  #19251  
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I'm finally back on the bike! Great ride today! Pushed it and went fast and felt good. Wheeeeeeeee! I AM BACK!!!!!!!!
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Old 05-19-07, 03:31 PM
  #19252  
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I caught a chest cold from my 5yo.... Rode the 1 mile to work, and started to feel like CRUD.... They sent me home, beacuse I was hacking and caughing so much....The ride home sucked..... could hardly pedal.... I'm going to bed....
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Old 05-19-07, 07:43 PM
  #19253  
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Congrats chephy welcome back!

I got the afternoon off, so I went to meet a buddy downtown, he only rides errands/local stuff, never on a good bike and at a pretty slowish pace - so the ride down to the Skydome was relaxing/easy enough through traffic. I then rode home with him to switch bikes. I swapped my knobbies out, blew an inner tube (first time ever) shortly after inflating the front, due to what I think was a tube->rim pinch, put a good 4 inch gash in the tube, and was LOUD, heh.
I said screw it, jumped on the roadie again and road to the east end again. Lovely day for riding - today was much of the same, I brought my daughter cross-town back to my place in teh trailer, pulled by the roadie - felt a bit scary when I needed to pull the front wheels over tracks/bumps (in the way that the bike was scarily light, the front floated/rear was anchored solidly). Still managed a good ride and was passing quite a few of the weekend warriors out there today (took the martin goodman across, LOTS of people/bikes/bladers).
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Old 05-19-07, 09:17 PM
  #19254  
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Eventful

So, took the long way in today to get a breakfast on the way, saw some people cursing at 2 others hurrying away, asked what was the problem "They were trying to break into our car!" took off after them, lost them when they cut across some very rough ground and a busy highway, met up with the police and the original guy, gave a description and direction. Pity I couldn't do more. On the way home, stopped to help a couple, one of whom was carrying the back wheel and rolling the front of the bike. They had just picked up the bikes from a local "dealer" who has supposedly done a service on the bikes for his parents who were giving the bikes to them. Long story short, not only could I not see any work done on the bikes, any half trained chimp would have not have let anyone ride those bikes home, they were just plain unsafe. All the tires were well under inflated, 3 of the 4 had the valves skewed at 30+ degree angle, the bottom bracket on one was loose to the touch. The brakes on one did almost nothing and when the guy picked up the back of his bike to investigate the hissing sound from the tire, the back wheel fell out! The gear cable on one was seized....the list just went on! I told the guy that if his parents paid anything for this "service" to rip the manager of the store a new one.

Oh, the ride was cool but nice.
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Old 05-20-07, 02:43 PM
  #19255  
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Flew back from Upstate NY yesterday and immediately hooked up my BOB and went grocery shopping. Hauling about 60lbs of groceries, plus stuff in the panniers and a full trunk. Going uphill too. This kid on a mountain bike starts teasing me along the road and wanting to race.

One of these days I'm going to get me a roadie or cyclocross for light commutes (only a backpack with clothes; no laptop and other stuff like I now normally do) and go pick up a "fight every now and then.

Today I went to church. About 17 miles total; plenty of good hills. I'm starting to think about short overnight tours in Colorado (1-3 days; 100-300 miles; motels or B&Bs) ; if anyone has experience in this area please contact me. Thanks!

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Old 05-20-07, 11:36 PM
  #19256  
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The ride in this morning was quiet, like most Sundays. The ride home I had a creeper creeping forward from the right side of an intersection through a stop sign. I signaled them to stop, and strangely they did.. Then they watched in shock as I was waved and honked to,(not at), by the next 4 cars passing me. I knew three of them, the fourth probably didn't want to be left out. At least they can see me and passed safely.
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Old 05-21-07, 06:14 AM
  #19257  
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Low 40Fs, tailwind, overcast, light drizzle. An easy ride. Saw 3 other cyclists. There's some weird ticking sound coming from my rear derailleur area that I need to diagnose/fix.
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Old 05-21-07, 06:34 AM
  #19258  
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Nice cool morning. I took a slightly different route. It adds a couple tenths of a mile -- no big deal -- but I get to bypass a terrible stretch of pavement. Took 40 minutes to go about 9.8 miles. I derailed the chain and had to stop and fix it.
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Old 05-21-07, 06:42 AM
  #19259  
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GREAT ride through the POURING RAIN. quite refreshing really. Doused the entire contents of my bag - i forgot even the rolled-up agl ziplock i normally carry. Ah well, all seems okay. though i am now commando as I sit here, since no spare undies...
but only you and I know

cheers
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Old 05-21-07, 06:56 AM
  #19260  
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As close to perfect as I can imagine. Lighter than normal traffic. Close to perfect temps with low humidity. Everyone was well behaved. I caught all the lights but one, so 1 foot down for the entire 8 miles.
Why can't every day be like today?
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Old 05-21-07, 07:28 AM
  #19261  
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Good commute this morning. It was a little chilly, but I was wearing my jacket. This was the first commute with my new roadie ('06 Raleigh Cadent 3.0).
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Old 05-21-07, 09:05 AM
  #19262  
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Back in the saddle again..

First commute in a month...

45 degrees, 10 MPH head wind, 9.8 miles one way
A peaceful ride into work, roads were dry after the weekend of heavy rain and the sandy trails were packed down a bit better then usual which I was grateful for. Still adjusting to the limitations of my 1X9 drive train on my big Salsa 29er.

* Note to self: bring extra clothes to work so I do not have to carry them in on my commute
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Old 05-21-07, 09:13 AM
  #19263  
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Awesome ride in this morning. Only one half hearted attempt on my life.

Stopped at a red light, no other cars in my direction. I take off on the green, and Mr. Lefty turn from the other direction takes off as well. Needless to say, I already knew it was going to happen and jammed on the brakes. He gave me that "HaHa, Whoopsie, sorry I almost killed you" wave and smile as he continued his turn without slowing down. Putz

Figured out my chronic flat problem with the new Fetish bike this weekend. I was getting mystery flats every 30 miles or so. No thorn or anything would ever be present. Found that the rim tape was too narrow and left the spoke holes open. Given that, it takes about 30 miles for the tube to pop it's little bubble.

I think this might be why the previous owner sold the bike. It had Armadillos, tuffy liners, slime and he was complaining about all the flats you get on a road bike. lol weeeeeee
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Old 05-21-07, 09:13 AM
  #19264  
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Perfect weather for the last few weeks. Cool, almost chilly and sunny in the morning and just a little warm and cloudy in the afternoon. Seeing a lot more bike commuters too. Rode in today with my spare rear wheel on my back (yes, it will fit into a Chrome Kremlin) after destroying a perfectly good wheel by jamming my foot in the spokes. It was a little uncomfortable with the axle jabbing me in the back but at least it was a light load. I love this weather!
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Old 05-21-07, 09:20 AM
  #19265  
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Originally Posted by MyPC8MyBrain
Figured out my chronic flat problem with the new Fetish bike this weekend. I was getting mystery flats every 30 miles or so. No thorn or anything would ever be present. Found that the rim tape was too narrow and left the spoke holes open. Given that, it takes about 30 miles for the tube to pop it's little bubble.
I had a similar issue - very frustrating.

the rims (cane creek) have offset drilling and the tape didn't quite cover the edge of the outer spoke holes. Couple times a week, POW!
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Old 05-21-07, 09:23 AM
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I thought a fast 25 min run in the early am followed by trailering Thing2 to her daycare (and returning empty trailer home) would keep me from getting too rabbitty on my wife during the commute, but I still wound up zipping up a couple hills and waiting for her at the top. It was never too asocial, and it kept us both at a conversational level of respiration for the 80% or so of the ride we were keeping the same pace, so I think it still worked out OK.
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Old 05-21-07, 09:25 AM
  #19267  
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$3.00+ a gallon gas hasn't slowed any of these cagers down yet. Crazy drivers and three right hooks made for a forgettable commute.
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Old 05-21-07, 09:57 AM
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Decided to slowpoke it through midtown. Regretted it when I got stuck waiting for a train. I swear, Sacramento will always be a cowtown as long as a train can bring the citywide commute to a halt.
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Old 05-21-07, 10:06 AM
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I set a new "record" for the commute into the office today. 53 minutes door to door with an avg speed of 18.1mph. If not for all the damned stop lights and major intersections it would be about 22mph. Oh well!! 50 degrees and sunny, little wind. Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeelightful
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Old 05-21-07, 11:43 AM
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TWO flats and a big tire gash 7 miles from civilization this morning. Ugh.

Used both spare tubes on the flats (always carry 2 - or more!), and slapped a temp patch on the tire gash just to limp in to work. Fortunately, no additional flats for the rest of the ride in...

Now to find a replacement 26 x 1.25 tire...

Last edited by unhookt; 05-21-07 at 04:18 PM.
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Old 05-21-07, 11:54 AM
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Nice day today. No head wind. Happy biking
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Old 05-21-07, 02:55 PM
  #19272  
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my commute happened on the bus today. this is what happens when drunk friends lock your bike with THEIR lock and go home (to pass out, perhaps)......
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Old 05-21-07, 03:37 PM
  #19273  
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Nice and cool this morning, about 55.
Getting ready to head home now; temperature is 81 degrees. ugh.
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Old 05-21-07, 03:51 PM
  #19274  
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first full commute

Today was my first full commute both ways. It is 11.5 miles each way. I started by trying the way home because I thought that was the easier way with all the hills. Wrong. The way home is the harder way. So I guess it was good I decided to just do it and ride to work. The ride in is 45 min and I averaged 15 mph. The ride home takes 1 hour. there is a long stretch that is just steady uphill and I guess that really slows thing down.

Anyway I am proud of myself for doing it. I conquered hills I thought I couldn't do and there are still some that need conquering.

Kathy
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Old 05-21-07, 03:52 PM
  #19275  
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Originally Posted by kathynan
Today was my first full commute both ways. It is 11.5 miles each way. I started by trying the way home because I thought that was the easier way with all the hills. Wrong. The way home is the harder way. So I guess it was good I decided to just do it and ride to work. The ride in is 45 min and I averaged 15 mph. The ride home takes 1 hour. there is a long stretch that is just steady uphill and I guess that really slows thing down.

Anyway I am proud of myself for doing it. I conquered hills I thought I couldn't do and there are still some that need conquering.

Kathy
Good job!
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