Big piece of metal, picture a HUGE staple, or a bent nail, double-punctured my tire. I heard the clicking, stopped and found it. I couldn't tell that it was leaking any air though - so of course, I pulled it out and it immediately went flat.

I can't really fault the tire, as this thing would have gone through anything. Had I been on my 23c tires instead of these big 35c's I doubt I'd have hit it even once, much less a double puncture. I didn't even bother looking at the tube as I knew I didn't have the patience to perform a double patch.

Now, the question is if I should try to patch it at work before heading home, or just cross my fingers.

Saturday

3rd time a nail goes all the way through a rim.

I call it a baptism

My wife was the one who pointed out that I am miserable unless I ride just about everyday.
So, rather than quitting I cut my distance in half.


-------------

Nice 14 mile commute to the light rail this morning. 60F and sunny. I am wondering if it will ever warm up to 65F in the morning so I can leave the arm warmers at home. Also, if one has road rash and wears arm warmers without a bandage your road rash tends to peel off. :eek:

I performed my intervals this morning and found it easier without having to face the fact that I just exhausted myself with 20 more miles to ride. I finished up 15 min before I pulled into the light rail station.

First Commute...Ever
 

Hey, hope everyone is doing splendid today.

My commute today was amazing, it was actually my first commute ever...but it was VERY fun.

I just got a bike this weekend (a trek 4300) and I got it for multiple reasons. To commute, save money on gas, get back in shape, and enjoy my day. I haven't really been on a bike since I was 11, which is when I outgrew the first bike I ever had. Back then I rode my bike every where, every day; to the park, through the park; to school, the liquor stor, and to my friends house. I would ride to the top of this huge hill just to go soaring down the other side.

It came to be that biking was just something I NEEDED to do again. I love it! And there are so many other great benefits, I couldn't deny myself any longer. I got my bike on friday and I haven't really been off of it since. I rode some trails near my boyfriends house in the canyons, I rode around my dad's house (my old stomping ground, and yes I SOARED down that hill again! Though I found the trek up a little harder than i remembered :)), through the park I used to ride in, and finally...to work today.

The commute was fantastic, there's a bike trail for the beginning half of my commute (about 1.25 miles) and it's nothing special, it sort of runs alongside a road, and then I go through a small park before coming to a fairly low traffic road that I ride along for just about the rest of my commute. By far the SCARIEST part is the HIGH traffic intersection right before the 5 and 55 freeway on/off ramps. I might find a way to bypass this area in the future. But all in all an awesome commute and I'm looking forward to riding my bike... EVERYWHERE. =]

Have a wonderful day everyone. If you made it through that post with out your ears bleeding... kudos to you! They will be shorter in the future. :D

Your enthusiasm about biking is making me smile.... thank you for the sunshine.

My buddy and I were deep into a discussion about Russia, Britain, the Great Game, petro-politics, and Islam, when we heard the unmistakable sound of a bike going down on the pavement. We turned and there was a woman on the ground. She hopped up pretty quickly. We asked if she was okay and she said that she was, and said (with just a little bile in her tone) that her husband had already gone up around the bend and left her there. We said we'd tell him when we caught up.

That guy is going to be sleeping in the garage for a week.

Patch it. It will seem like wasted effort, because you'll end up not needing it. Choose not to, and there's a great change Murphy will come for a visit :)

Sounds like a very reasonable (wise?) approach... wisdom = applied knowledge, or something like that.

One word: Tegaderm. More words: nasty rash from a softball slide (always say I'm not gonna slide, but when faced with the decision, i seem to always slide... dumb...), healed with new skin in 7 days, all discoloration gone in 17 days... Unbelievable stuff...

Welcome to the club! I'm afraid to even ask what you were doing riding to the liquor store as an 11 year old? Or did I read that wrong somehow?

Anyhoo, keep having fun on the bike!

That does it. I am going to give tagaderm a try.
Thanks :)

72-73 degrees this AM and 100% humidity (spitting as I rode in).

One note - you might have to tape it down on the edges, and it will drain (it is NOT absorbent) - feels strange, looks bad, but worth it. And don't change it - shower, etc. with it on - for 7 days. When you take it off you'll be shocked...

Edit: I guess that's more than one note...

They sell candy at the liquor store. =]

Skipped my commute today - my ongoing elbow injury (climbing related) flared up on a commute last week .... I managed a climb on the weekend, but biking seems harder on my elbow than climbing. Strange but true.

I felt bad not biking ... it is hot in Calgary, but perfect cycling weather.

Great to Hear Good News
 

Yeah that is certainly great to hear, keep riding, it's an experience in itself, and you get back be happy, you saved gas money, and feel good for the ride :) Awesome Points.

So far as my commute, well it is early in the day I will offer that up when the day completes.

Last Monday on my way in I had to go around a man taking a **** on the Manhattan bridge bikeway, today the pile of **** was still there which is pretty impressive considering the rain we had this last week. The city has set up some "waterfalls" one can be seen from the bridge, I have to say I am underwhelmed and not liking the added foot traffic. Why they set up an art installation that can only be seen from a bike path and then invite millions of tourists to visit I can't quite figure out. I got my second puncture in as many weeks. The tire came off w/o the aid of my tire levers and when I held the thing up towards the sky the sun shown through in more spots than I could count. I think it is time some some new tires. I was only 10 minutes late but left my helmet on my handle bars and had to excuse myself 10 minutes later, when I realized, to go fetch it. Still a better commute than a hot steamy ride on the subway.

Ugh. Got my first squirrel this morning. My buddy and I were jra and there he/she sat just on the edge of the trail. I was in front of my buddy so I decided not to break formation. He/she chose the wrong direction to run and I squished him/her. It was a sickening crunching sound. You can bet I won't be telling my 5 year-old.

OK ride this AM, but I was really feeling my age.
Then I caught sight of a flag and realized I was really feeling a headwind.

Didn't think it was possible.
 

I didn't think it was possible to hit a squirrel with a bicycle? I doubt you could do that again in a lifetime. **** happens! The thing about squirrels is that when you try to avoid them you're more likely to hit them, at least that's my experience with the car.

While not easy, it is possible. I caught the squirrel in the middle of something on the side of the trail. The squirrel noticed me too late and made the wrong decision. Strangely, the closest trees were to my right but he went left -- crunch.

My bike had a flat overnight, so I grabbed my son's bike for the commute. My first real ride on a MTB. I found myself leaning way forward over the bars to reduce the wind resistance. Very smooth ride but much slower. I'm sticking with the road bike.

Dear headwind,

You're a *****.

Sincerely,
Mike

+1 !
Welcome to the community ;)
Candy at the liquor store? What an, um, unusual place to sell it. I guess they wanna encourage parents to bring their kids there?


I'm thinking of riding in my MTB on Wed...

Very pleasant!

Temperature in south Louisiana was unexpectedly mild this am at 72 degrees. The trip back will be a little hotter -- 88 -- but not too bad. Winds under 9 mph so not much of a factor.

hmph. everyone on here is tellin me a liquor store is an unusual place to buy candy. ya know before 7-11 was considered a "convenience" store, it was a "liquor" store as well.

:p

haha. and for your guys' information, it was a "Liquor and Deli" and they sold candy, little toys, milk, eggs, trading cards, everything a corner store would have... and NOW it's a 7-11 haha. :rolleyes:

Well, we decided to take the longer route home, which adds a bit over 1 mile, and I still managed to average a full 1mph faster than I normally do. I think I am finally get past a small wall in my endurance, I am feeling much better about climbing hills now, and can definitely feel more power from my legs, etc.

It was hot and humid though, and I actually hit the water bottle a couple times, when I normally can make it home without needing it.

I have been a member here ever since I bought my trusty Redline 925 a couple of years ago and came to this forum to read up on riding fixed gear. I lived in Somerville, MA at the time and commuted 6 miles round trip to work every day, even in gnarly snow, sleet, and ice. Never really posted much here, but always appreciated this thread, so thought now was the time to contribute because...

Last year I moved cross-country to Oakland CA, and wasn't riding my bike much because I started working from home and concentrating on running. The trails out here are too good to pass up and I'm not a huge mountain biker. The only places I commuted to on bike were the Post Office every now and then or down to Smitty's Bar on Grand to quench my always-parched palate.

Now, however, some twists of fate have brought me to work at the mighty Oracle corporation. As some in the area may know, a bike commute from Oakland to Oracle HQ in Redwood Shores is somewhat impractical. But I have found a way to make it work.

First leg: the AC Transit bus goes right by my apartment, so now in the morning my trusty 925 and I await on the corner. When the bus pulls up, I put the bike on the front rack and we are off across the Bay Bridge. When we get off, it's leg 2: a quick pedal over to Caltrain (little over a mile; a nice warmup), bike on board, ride on down south and leg 3: select from a myriad of stations from which to bike. So far I've detrained Hillsdale, Belmont, San Carlos, and Redwood City. I just get on whatever train happens to be leaving and disembark at the closest stop. i like this; it adds a certain degree of variety to the commute.

I do the same thing coming home--whatever train/bus happens to work out. I'm flexible.

The bottom line is that I HATE driving, so any alternative option is worth it and so far this works for me. driving take about an hour; this commute takes anywhere from 1:15 to 1:30. It's well worth the extra time. Because I am a geek, I did the math for this and the transit passes (AC Transit + Caltrain) cost me $177.00 a month. The estimated gas cost? $285.00.

The commute has been enjoyable and even better now that I have picked up my monthly passes for July and just yesterday threw on some clipless pedals. I am ready to ride!

Today was beautiful.
85 degrees and a light breeze.

I was killing it on the flat stretches.

Also got my chrome hipbone today.

woot.

:D It builds character.

And guads.

I left work about 30 minutes later than normal this afternoon, and the MUP was swarming with cyclists. I passed quite a few. Saw several going the other way. I think somebody was trying to catch me but never got close. My chain is starting to skip under load. Time for a drivetrain overhaul I fear.

Oh and I noticed my bike hit 4,000 miles on the ride home. Sweet.

This morning it was light rain most of the way to the office, with just a short reprieve at around the midpoint. Since it was warmish (59 F) and I had my wool sweater on, it didn't bother me a bit. My clothes all dried out during the day at work. I always change from riding clothes to business casual for work.

The rain kept falling throughout the day and I was expecting more rain on the ride home, since there were lots of dark clouds (I even put on my bright orange windbreaker), but it seemed to have held off all the way home. No complaints.