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How was the commute today?

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How was the commute today?

Old 08-11-07 | 06:31 PM
  #20676  
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oOooo, five bucks
 
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From: Toronto, On

Bikes: Giant OCR touring(06), Norco Storm (05)

i guess after tightening them (cable stretch) i didnt do up the bolt enough, so the cable slipped... but i'll loook at it tomorrow.
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Old 08-11-07 | 08:46 PM
  #20677  
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From: Close to the Akrowdy, Ohio

Bikes: '12 Raleigh Furley, '08 KHS Flite 900, '06 Bianchi San Jose (RIP), '04 Fuji World

I haven't had a chance to ride my bicycle to work in over a week. I spent my last week in Baltimore at a conference. I'm in serious denial, I did the best I could there by walking everywhere (skipping the complimentary bus) despite the heat which was rumored to be in the 100s.

Balto bicycle commuters, you have nerves of farking steel to deal with that crazy traffic. Much respect. I saw a few pannier/backpack/tailbag riders out there, very few messengers in the inner harbor/convention area unless they were going ninja style.

My bicycle and I reunite in the morning and will make our first trip to work in over a week on Monday, I hope she still knows the way..
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Old 08-12-07 | 11:01 PM
  #20678  
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The last few days in New Orleans have been REALLY hot and humid. We enjoyed a fair amount of clouds and rain all summer to keep the heat down a bit until this week. Feels like I am biking in front of an open oven cooking asphalt pie. Even 20 mph has little to no cooling effect seemingly.....until I have to stop at a light or ped crossing.....where I heat up like the surface of Mercury. My brake levers were almost too hot to touch from 5 to 6 pm on the way home riding right into the setting sun.

In the AM it was 82 degrees F just BEFORE sunrise! 100 percent humidity. By mid day it was nearly 96 in the shade with a trifle less humidity. By quitting time at 5pm the pavement was blistering hot and convecting heat into the air like a hot plate and still in the 90s.

So I took the long way home on wretched pot-holed backstreets past seemingly a thousand stop signs BUT partially shaded by lots of trees and the taller houses. My commute is 17 miles, and I like to ride between 23 and 25 mph hanging with, or passing traffic. Not on days like this. Gimme shade! In the sun temps reach 130. Stopping is unbearable in direct sunlight. Gotta take it slow if you want to live.

Other than the heat - no prob.
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Old 08-13-07 | 12:24 AM
  #20679  
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Heidelberg Germany

Bikes: Cannondale F5

This past weekend here in Germany was awesome...if anything, a bit on the sunny side. It was perfect for hitting the trails with the family, letting the boys check out their new bikes.

So of course, THIS morning (Monday here for me), it has to rain. That's ok though, it was done by the time I left out the door. This morning the locals were back to sleeping in...which was cool- light traffic, no headaches.

One thing I have taken to is running for 5 miles after biking in. I do this about 3 times a week. Thinking about adding a loop up the mountain on the no-run days. We'll see. Well, off to shower with my clothes on.
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Old 08-13-07 | 04:35 AM
  #20680  
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From: Greenwood Indiana

Bikes: Surly Crosscheck

I have to drive today , no clothes at work. Shame, today it is barely suppose to break 90 degrees. Cold wave.
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Old 08-13-07 | 07:06 AM
  #20681  
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Raleigh, NC

Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia

This morning's ride was great after the terrible heat spell we had in the Southeast last week. The temperature was a very comfortable 72, but more importantly the humidity was much lower than it has been. Today was the first time in a while that my eyeglasses haven't been covered with sweat by the time I got to work, and my jersey and shorts were relatively dry as well. Hopefully my bike commuting will get back on track this week, as I drove a couple of days last week the high temperatures were above 100. Compared to last week, the expected highs in the mid-90s this week will feel like autumn.

Fortunately the heat spell broke on Saturday, just in time for one of the more popular group rides in my area. Most everyone was expecting oppressive heat, but a cold front came through Friday night, and the temperatures were in the 70s for most of the ride. We rode the metric century, and it would have been a brutal ride in the heat we had earlier in the week.
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Old 08-13-07 | 07:12 AM
  #20682  
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From: Toronto, ON, Canada

Bikes: 70s Leader Precision w/Shimano 600 (road), IRO Rob Roy (Fixed)

Lots of rain yesterday cooled things down, much cooler ride in this morning, and a bit tired from lack of rest/nutrition and doing 55miles yesterday.

I didn't have chance yet to clean the bike, nor the drivechain - I'm really sorry, it sounds as though it's going to just give up, poor thing got filthy in the rain yesterday. Tonight my dear, tonight.
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Old 08-13-07 | 07:34 AM
  #20683  
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Crappy. Flatted.
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Old 08-13-07 | 07:48 AM
  #20684  
tld
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From: Columbia, SC, USA
I was just glad to be back on the bike this morning after a weekend of no cycling and lots of tennis. Every day last week was 100+ degrees. This week is supposed to be a little cooler - in the high 90s.

Oh, I almost forgot... Driving my car this weekend, I was stopped at a traffic light waiting to turn and another car just ran into me. No injuries, minor fender damage to both vehicles. It's a good thing that I don't need my car for commuting to work!
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Old 08-13-07 | 07:58 AM
  #20685  
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From: Burlington, Vermont

Bikes: 2011 Trek Soho DLX

Nice today. Fast. High 60s. Light tailwind. I rode behind a guy on a touring bike with panniers who was maintaining around 17MPH, then he left the MUP and I caught and passed a male/female couple, one on a road bike and one on an MTB.

Spent the weekend down in Canton Mass at the Icons festival, so I've got all sorts of Celtic tunes running around in my head. Maybe it makes me faster. Or maybe it was all the beer we drank.
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Old 08-13-07 | 08:26 AM
  #20686  
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From: Maryland
Didn't commute TO work today, I had to drive....but I'm riding home.....should be nice and hot

....and now I'm paranoid about hitting bunnies......
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Old 08-13-07 | 08:58 AM
  #20687  
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From: Chicagoland

Bikes: Specialized Langster, Bianchi San Jose, early 90s GT Karakoram, Yuba Mundo, Mercier Nano (mini velo), Nashbar Steel Commuter, KHS Tandemania Sport

Car exhausty.

I was passed by a vehicle spewing so much smoke from its tailpipe that I thought I was in the old Spy Hunter arcade game I used to play where you could let loose a smoke screen to help get away from the baddies. It was terrible. My lungs were screaming "No carcinogens please!!!".
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Old 08-13-07 | 09:23 AM
  #20688  
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Chicago, IL

Bikes: TREK 4500 & TREK 4300

Today was my first commute to work. It is about 6 miles one way. On my way I almost got killed at a 4 way stop since the cars thought I didn't have the right away after I waited my turn. I got a long horn and the finger... It was great. *sigh*

I used to ride everywhere from about 10 years... This is my first time back in about 5 years. I almost forgot how much people are ignorant *****holes.
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Old 08-13-07 | 09:25 AM
  #20689  
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From: south Puget Sound
Nice ride. First 'normal' implementation of new mup segment, so could finally verify distance, 8.5 miles in w/ no side trips.
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Old 08-13-07 | 09:55 AM
  #20690  
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From: Dover, NH USA

Bikes: 1986 Bridgestone 500, 1981 Motobecane Super Mirage

Slow and steady won the race this morning. Cooler here than for most of you - a humid, overcast 70* at 7am. Light right after 7 miles, but only for a few minutes.

Supposed to be bright, sunny, cooler, and less humid all week here in New England. Might try my first five-day week commute.
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Old 08-13-07 | 09:58 AM
  #20691  
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From: Sacramento, California, USA

Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur

Originally Posted by hubcap
Car exhausty.

I was passed by a vehicle spewing so much smoke from its tailpipe that I thought I was in the old Spy Hunter arcade game I used to play where you could let loose a smoke screen to help get away from the baddies. It was terrible. My lungs were screaming "No carcinogens please!!!".
I loved that game!

Nothing remarkable about today's ride in. It remains unseasonably cool (sorry Midwest...) and calm. Would have been a nice morning for a long ride, but I slept in. I did a 37 mile ride with my father-in-law yesterday out to Granite Bay for a family birthday party. I thought he'd done that ride before but after we arrived he said that it was the longest ride he'd ever done!
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Old 08-13-07 | 10:29 AM
  #20692  
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From: Cowtown, AB

Bikes: Titus El Guapo, Misfit diSSent, Cervelo Soloist Carbon, Wabi Lightning, et al.

Fargin' cold today! I wore the heavy jacket, and it was actually too heavy. I was sweating something fierce by the time I got to work, and my legs were tired. I'm not entirely sure that was a coincidence.
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Old 08-13-07 | 10:58 AM
  #20693  
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From: Denver
Effortless! Bought a used cyclocross bike in like new condition this weekend as an upgrade from my 15 yr old mnt bike. The new bike flies!
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Old 08-13-07 | 10:22 PM
  #20694  
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Hottest commute this year. It got DOWN to 86 last night. Was still 90 at midnight. Humidity is 100 percent until sun gets way up around 10AM when it gets burned off a little. Low humidity at 90 percent. It's a tough commute from 8:30 to 9:30 when I went in today. Took the shaded back streets and lower speeds of 12 to 15 mph over potholes and a zillion stop signs last 7 miles. First 10 miles totally exposed to the sun on levee top path, but cracked out average of 20 mph to get it over with...yuck.

My wife was in the neighborhood of my workplace today and, God bless her, rescued me from the ride home in her Camry with awesome AC. She even drove! We are a one-car household, so we can afford one really nice, dependable car.
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Old 08-14-07 | 05:39 AM
  #20695  
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From: Maryland
I am pleased to announce that there were no bunnies harmed in my commute this morning.
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Old 08-14-07 | 05:41 AM
  #20696  
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From: Kitchener, Ontario
Awesome ride home last night. Worked until 6 which is later than usual, but this meant that somehow I missed all the traffic. I think I made every light and almost every crossing was clear while taking the mup. Made it home in 22 minutes so I must have averaged something fierce since it usually takes between 32 and 36 minutes.

If someone wants to do the math - 11kms 22 minutes - I better start working now
W.
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Old 08-14-07 | 06:07 AM
  #20697  
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From: Heidelberg Germany

Bikes: Cannondale F5

This AM was pretty crappy...I think I have developed an ear infection, and that just plain sucks. I had to do a physical exam (periodic) this morning, so I didn't get any other PT in after the ride. For the best, as the side of my head was throbbing. I have been taking some side roads, trying to find alternate routes around town. Of course, I am doing this on the way home...coming in late because of sightseeing is not encouraged!

But yesterday, I went around a huge shopping center, then industrial park. The cool thing about Germany is there are bike paths about EVERYWHERE. The bad thing...when there are no paths, you are on the road with folks that are LESS than accomadating, by any standard. I guess that's why most locals just 'take the lane' if they can't find a path.

I'm thinking tonite I will just cut thru the 'messplatz'...which is a cool garden and park. Maybe I'll take a pic or 2 for you guys. They do have a little restaurant that serves bier (beer in German), I'll have to check that out before a weekend or something.
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Old 08-14-07 | 06:19 AM
  #20698  
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From: Rochester, NY

Bikes: Trek 1200C, Specialized Rockhopper, Giant Yukon FX, Giant Acapulco

Very nice ride in - humidity is down and the 52F was quite invigorating.

Was out riding last night from 9 pm -1:30 am last "night" - and that was sweet - love night riding - originally went out to hopefully catch a glimpse of the meteor shower - as I traveled to the highest hill in the city in order to get away from city light glare - but I didn't see any - so I kept on riding.
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Old 08-14-07 | 07:01 AM
  #20699  
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From: Burlington, Vermont

Bikes: 2011 Trek Soho DLX

Another fast one. 60F and a bit of a tailwind. Very pleasant. Only saw 2 riders going the other way. Toward the end of my ride, some guy came bombing down a hill on a bike, blew a stop sign behind me and tried to use his momentum to catch me. I pulled away once he lost said momentum.

Last night I was riding home just before dark, and I was reeling in another rider. After I caught up, I saw it was a woman on a road bike, with toe clips, in a sun dress, riding along around 16 or 17MPH. Not bad.
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Old 08-14-07 | 08:26 AM
  #20700  
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From: Cowtown, AB

Bikes: Titus El Guapo, Misfit diSSent, Cervelo Soloist Carbon, Wabi Lightning, et al.

Kinda chilly today. I'm feeling like an old man, with all sorts of creaks and groans. I'm sure a new bike will cure all my ills...
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