Hmm.
I thought one could use smaller sized tubes. It just means the tube will stretch further and may be easier to puncture.


No commute today. Took a the day off due to feeling sick.

My goodness this is a long thread!

I commute on an eighteen-year-old Specialized Crossroads that's filthy, covered with crud, saddle falling apart, etc. so it looks like it isn't worth stealing (mostly because it isn't). Been commuting for nearly ten years now; my commute's never been longer than about 2.5 miles, and has been only 1.5 miles each way for the past four years, all but a couple of blocks in bike lanes. I live in SF; live at one end of SOMA and work at the other end. It's literally quicker to bike than to take public transit.

Weather has been absolutely awesome this whole week; sunny, mild, not too much wind (more headwind in the afternoon as is typical for SF). The high points of my commute usually consist of the number of lights I can make without stopping--simple minds, simple pleasures I know!--and the low points generally consist of scrapes with idiot drivers on cell phones who don't realize that those things on their right are vehicles that actually have rights to the road.

Every now and then of course (today included) there's that confused person who doesn't understand that the arrows we have in the bike lanes here are to tell you which direction you're supposed to be riding in.

Does anybody know when spring is coming? 10F this morning, but clear roads and no wind. Actually didn't feel too bad. With the clear roads, I was able to cruise the 10 mile commute on my Surly Cross Check commuter instead of my MTB. Bike trails are still snowy and icy so I stuck to the streets.

LOL. Apparently if you live in the eastern half of the US anywhere between Texas and Maine it's not coming anytime soon. Great White Death all around!

I could swear I smelled spring this morning but by the time I rode home it was gone again.

Rode in on my new bike today--a dynamic bicycle crosstown 8. I tried to find a new route and ended up getting lost in hellish traffic. With gas prices being so high and so much traffic on the road, drivers weren't too accomodating of a lost cyclist. The new bike performed beautifully until I was on my way home, then it started emitting a high pitched sound and serious vibration in the pedals. I'll have to contact the manufacturer to find out what that is about. Here are some pictures:

Great morning for a ride here in the NYC area; 35 degrees when I left the house with light winds out of the NW. The ride home was even better as it was in the upper 40s.

Rode into work this morning even though there's supposedly a 100% of heavy rain later today. That's what the forecasters said on Tuesday, and we ended up with just a few sprinkles. So I decided to chance it, and made it to work with no wetness. Also made excellent time due to a tailwind much of the way. It's pretty warm here (upper 40sF this morning, high in upper 50s expected), so it shouldn't be too bad even if I have to ride home in the rain. If the weather is really bad, I'll wimp out and catch a ride with my wife.

35F when I left the house this morning. Wearing tights, an underarmor cold gear top with another long sleeved shirt on top of that along with a bandana and windproof fleece gloves was the perfect combo! Overall a good ride in with no drama except I'm not looking forward to Monday's ride in with the time-change. Gotta get some lighting, STAT!

tarwheel, you must have left your house earlier than I did. I got absolutely DRENCHED--by mile 3 I had to take off the glasses because I couldn't see through them anymore. Of course, then I had to deal with the rain stinging my face.

Mwife has to work late today so I can't call for a ride. Oh well, guess I'll get wet again this afternoon.

first time riding in over a week due to illness. Derailleur is hooped on my regular ride, too gravelly for the roadie so I took the good old Blur LT for a rip. Pumped up the tires to 40 psi, I sounded like a monster truck on the pavement. Extremely warm this morning (7C). Felt not too bad for a guy who's had the flu for a week.

tailwind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think the rain hit Durham/Chapel Hill earlier than Raleigh from looking at the radar loops at the WRAL weather page. Also, I left home at 6:30 am and got to work by 7:15. Rain started here about 8 am, I think. I'm hoping there will be a break in showers some time this afternoon. I'll head home early if it does. I tried to put my SKS RaceBlade fenders on my bike yesterday, but my Superflash tail-light interferes with the fender mounts and I don't want to move the tail-light.

rainy enough last night to get me pretty wet, hey, I was expecting 60s and sunny! Not much wind anyway.

33F apparently this am and misty.

*gasp hack koff* HEADWIND!!!! *gasp pant*

Yeah, I'm a wimp. But that's one long hill from Glenmore up to the college, and with a headwind... ack!

On the up side, I'm going to be home five minutes before I even start.

Weather is getting pretty yucky out there. I think i'm going to leave my bike at work over the weekend.

I rewrapped the bars of one of my bikes last week and never bothered to throw it away. It was just sitting on the work bench this morning when I had brainstorm to grab it and a roll of electrician's tape. When I arrived at the bike cage I did a quick wrap of the rack where the top and downtubes hit it. No more scratches!

The ride in was fine too. I saw half a dozen other cyclists on my short ride in. Nice.

Nice morning commute today again Traffic wasn't too bad only took me about an extra 5 minutes due to a nasty head wind (by Miami standards, 20-22mph). Can't wait for the ride home and that tailwind, i hope .

Some apparent winter storm is just gearing up here, so it should be an interesting ride tonight and for this weekend - but my rides have been fine without any problems that I can remember. A few close calls, one where I wrongly got myself into a potential sandwich situation as a car was pulling into the curb, the others have already been forgotten.

Either way, lots of fun, despite a lingering head-type cold and crappy weather.

Ugh. The ride home today was through a cold steady rain, and into a bit of wind. Ah well, at least it's Friday...

I did my first commute home from Union - my department moved to a different site. It's basically the old commute with a few extra miles. I plan to do this as a bike-to-the-train commute in the future, but 21 miles in the cold rain with my glasses fogging up made for a truly awesome ride.

OK, seriously, there needs to be a rule about headwinds BOTH WAYS.

Pinkrobe, don't take this personally, but I think I hate you a little bit today. You and your darn tailwind.

Start of yet another winter snowstorm on the way home. Still fun, not yet slippery. Traffic moving cautiously however (generally at bike speed). I decide to use Adelaide (4 lane one-way arterial) rather than Queen (more cycle friendly but has streetcar tracks) - as I didn't want to get crowded between parked cars and the tracks in snow. So I figured I could have my own lane. But despite two taillights and a reflective vest people seem to not want to change lanes to pass. SIGH. Tried to stare them down if I spotted them not moving over in my mirror with my helmet light.

I think people just think cyclist in snowstorm = crazy idiot. At one light a pedestrian starts talking to me "hi how are you" - it seemed to be must confirm this is a human type question. I'm like Great, how are you? And he mentions to have a safe ride.

I hate to admit it but for once I did not ride all day. Bad choice Otherwise.

I rode my bike in to work on Friday, when it wasn't so bad in the morning. By late afternoon, it was coming down like mad. Co-workers offered to drive me home... had I known that they drove a Hummer I would have just walked my bike back home. I just left it locked up in rack in my building's parking garage, and now I'm a little worried about her.

I was holed up all of yesterday because of the storm. I hope the weather is nice tomorrow and the snow keeps melting. I can bring my bike back home.

28F and pretty calm this morning. Winter is loosening its grip, but only gradually.

Hmm, I guess folks over in the Ohio valley and up through the Lakes don't need to hear about winter from me--sorry about that.