45 and clear....beautiful :) Too bad this weather won't last, but I am doing everything I can to enjoy it...

I'mmmmm baaaaacccckkk!

First commute in 6 weeks since my car vs bike accident. My knee was given an approval by the plastic surgeon. My arm is still in PT but the therapist would like me to use it and riding is not a negative. Just don't crash.
Anyhow, I am using my MTB with 26X2.1 knobby tires to commute with while I build up my salsa frame. I would buy slicks but I want to throw all my money at the new build. Just means riding the short version of my commute takes more energy and is a better workout.
9.5 miles each way with the light rail in between.

Ride home last night was interesting - legs felt pretty tired all day, and started the ride feeling totally dead. Headwind, though not strong, was a bit depressing, so I resolved to just take it easy and make it home. Started feeling better about half way there, though, and for some reason realized about 3 miles from the end that I had really been pushing hard. Wiped me out for the rest of the evening, though...

Caged it this morning with the bike in the back of the truck. Will ride home and back in tomorrow morning, then drive tomorrow night so my legs have something left for my softball game...

It was COLD this morning in the Detroit area. Close to freezing 32f (0c) But I had dressed for it. The only thing was it made my eyes water, does anyone ride with full ski goggles?

Dean

Welcome back to the saddle, Data!

I look forward to hearing about getting "aero" w/2.1s. :D

Congrats on making it back, DJ!

I mounted my fenders last Friday in anticipation, didn't really see much use up until yesterday, and that wasn't much - still, it's chillier now so I'm back wearing pants and two layers again. Doh. I had my saddle too high for a stretch there (no pun intended) and I hurt my left knee so I'm taking it easy for the immediate time being - I have already lowered my saddle and depending on how I feel, I'll ride all the way home tonight (33miles)

If I work at it I can hit 17 mph! lol

That and my engine needs a bit of help after 6 weeks. :p

Good job! Hey, put some big apples on that bike and you won't mind setting your new build back a month or whatever.

Great ride in today here, nice and sunny. Brisker than yesterday, went back to full finger gloves, threw the coat over yesterday's t-shirt. Just long sleeves, no coat would've been better but if it rains today like they're claiming I'll break even probably maybe.

First ever commute this morning. Drove half way and parked in a car pooling lot. Looks like it'll be 26 miles round trip. Feels great!

It was cooooold this morning in Detroit. I haven't had to break out the hat in a few weeks. Still getting the hang of the mirror thing, I ended up ditching it (read: gingerly putting it in my pannier) about a mile in. Once I get it dialed in it'll help a lot.

Can't wait to ride home!

Congrats mobilechimp and welcome to the Happy Healthy Commuting MuthaFers Club (HHCMF). We are universally admired, respected and desired by non-members for our ability to simultaneously save money and be healthy while commuting to work.

My commute today was windy and chilly (for NC in late April, that is). Missed the rain yesterday afternoon. Whoo hoo!

Oh, and a funny story to share with everyone. My bikes hang near the door to the house in the garage. Every afternoon when my 14-month-old daughter (that's her picture to the left) comes home and we carry her into the house, she insists on stopping at the bikes. She demands to be held close to my commuter and then touches the saddle, handlebars, barmap, computer, and seat tube and sometimes various other parts. As you might guess, I'm VERY pleased with this behavior and hope it's a sign of things to come. My wife....not so much. ;)

WINDY WINDY WINDY. I also slightly overdressed, I think, but after opening the pit zips, opening the front zip some, and dumping the balaclava (yeah, I really did overdress). I was fine. But man. It was really windy. At least it didn't rain.

I can only hope my future spawn react the same way. :D

Ooooooh when do I get my membership card!

Very windy, 80's and the engine is starting to show signs of exhaustion. Avg. was only 14mph, only my 4th day commuting.

Ride in was okay - but I'm tired & my legs are tired. Commuting on a single speed is fun, but more work. I'm not really looking forward to the ride home. Oh yeah, and my commute is only 8.5km. Sad, I know.

it was raining all day yesterday so no ride. it was raining again this morning, so no ride... only now the sun has come out and it looks beautiful and perfect. i'm kicking myself now because i have to take the subway home instead of enjoying being outside w/ wind in my hair and adrenaline in my veins :(

Nice morning! Temp was over 50F! (or so they said on the TV) & NO WIND!

Was fun to bike commute with my girl for part of the way. Sure made the fist half of the commute go by so much faster. Once we hit the PRT she turned south, and I headed north.

It was like car-pooling, only better. :D

WOE AND MISERY...
Yesterday

WOE AND MISERY...yesterday I did my 29.2 mile commute from North Andover MA to Boston. On the way home it was raining cats and dogs, which meant that the interior of my Novara panniers were going to get wet. Not a problem, because my BlackBerry and pager were in a plastic bag, right?

Well, not if the plastic bag has a microscopic hole in it, and not if the panniers accumulate water in the bottom of the bag. So two hours in pouring rain were just enough to dunk the BlackBerry, rendering it a very expensive paperweight. Should'a paid for the insurance on it. Oh well. But it was a good excuse to get a new BlackBerry Pearl.

Anyone have any clever tricks they use to ensure that electronics stay dry? Obviously, more bags, or brand-new bags, would be better than what I used. But anyone do anything interesting?

A bit of rain killed the thing? Was it at the bottom of the bag sitting in a puddle? Perhaps putting a drain hole in the bottom of the bag would have at least helped it from submerging. Most electronics can survive a healthy wetting as long as they don't submerge, and some will even bounce back if given time to dry out with the power supply taken out. In the future perhaps just turn it off (and maybe even take the battery out) before you ride. If it gets wet give it a few days to dry off (taking it apart helps if you are comfortable with it).

Yeah it was a puddle in the bottom of the bag...I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised given how fantastically wet everything was. And sitting in the puddle allowed the ziploc to let in the water. Once the water was in the ziploc, it was all over. I took the battery out and popped open the faceplate of the BlackBerry to let it dry out, but just about 24 hours later it's FUBAR.

In the future, naturally, I'll double-bag it and/or put it in one of those hard plastic things designed to carry your money & credit cards in while you're swimming, and I'll pack it in the top pockets where a puddle can't form. Live and learn...only you can prevent forest fires.

Wow. Riding this mountain bike 10 miles each way is kicking my rear.
2.1" wide knobby tires do make a cool noise when you are riding at about 20 mph. Anyhow, I may just keep this as my primary commute. Basically, a shorter and more intense ride. I think I may actually be getting a better workout.

A cheap item to include with your regular gear is a hair net. They are really light and can pack really small. You can even get a few free ones the next time you stay in a hotel ;). I have big square panniers that can hold water too and a hair net fits right over them. So long as you aren't going too fast (I wouldn't know how fast) they should stay on fairly well, and keep your stuff pretty dry.

It was very windy... but a balaclava?! You weren't kidding about overdressing. Of course, I made the mistake of wearing my vented summer gloves this morning, so my fingers were a bit tingly when I got to work this morning.

Because I had to work absurdly late this evening, I at least was able to miss rush hour coming home. Riding home was much more pleasant than usual...

first of all- congrats on a long commute. I rode in that rain, too- my commute's only 10.5 each way and it was a soaker but what a bummer to have the water get in the panniers! I think you really wanted a new BlackBerry Pearl.;) I'm paranoid when I carry any expensive electronics on my bike- super bags and tight when I carry stuff- your post had made me even more paranoid.

My commute today was windy again with a touch of rain on the way home. Slow ride home into the headwind.

This is my first week commuting, 2nd trip due to rain. It was pretty damn cold in MA, but I toughed it out and warmed up pretty quick. Its a 14 mile one way commute, takes about 70 min. The funniest part was me getting passed by a much older guy while I was climbing a hill! I need to get some panniers or a proper messenger bag, I have this big bulky messenger style bag that moves every time I stand up.