The most difficult commute since I started....
All of yesterday evening there were massive thunderstorms in the area causing some minor flooding and major damage from high winds, especially broken tree branches and trash covering the pavement. To add insult to injury, there's a public transport strike in the morning and evening which meant that everyone was out driving causing massive traffic jams and road rage. :notamused:

My commute is a short one (around 6-7 miles) and with all the above happening and a mean 7-8 Beaufort (39–46 mph gusting to around 55 mph) headwind I arrived at the office panting, my lungs and legs burning and totally exhausted. :twitchy:

Weathers changing again with more thunderstorms and winds picking up again, so I might leave my bike at the office and take a taxi home. :(


* sorry if this post was so depressing, but you fellow cyclists are the only people that understand these troubles!

This morning, with temperatures between -17 and -12 Centigrade (1.7 to 10 F), I initially thought I'd finally bitten off more than I could chew. My legs got cold in a hurry and breathing in the cold air made me very very worried indeed. Things improved when I saw a cyclist coming from the other direction, who had put on his rain gear over his winter clothes. I did not have a full rain gear set, but I routinely carry a pair of breathable rain pants in my backpack, so I put it on and found that that made things a lot easier.
Once I wasn't not freezing my bits off, I enjoyed the morning a lot. It was a clear, sunny morning, and I arrived looking all heroic with a beard full of icicles and a powerful sense of achievement.
However, I realised later that I'd forgotten to bring my extra headlight, and as I'll be going home very late, I'll probably end up taking the train home. The Winschoterdiep is still not safe for cyclists who aren't well illuminated.

Usually during the winter I dont feel worthy to even mod commuter forum, it gets down to 50 degress and I am in my jeep. Last week, though we had the Super Bowl here in town. It takes me about an hour to get home on my bike, it took me two hours driving so on Tuesday I started riding my bike again. It has been a wonderfully mild winter so far here but it has been down to freezing in the morning on my rides in. I love it. I think I dressed exactly appropriatly the first time and have had a very comfortable rides in every morning since. I still dont think I will ride in the snow.

Yet another beautiful and warm day for February. Where did Winter go?

Whereever it is, it can stay.

I didn't feel like riding in the dark today, so did some work from my home computer and left about 30 minutes later than usual. It was just as cold but nice riding in the daylight, and my speeds are always faster for some reason when I leave later. Maybe it was the 2 cups of coffee before I left; usually I hold off on the coffee until I get to work. I quickly remembered one of my main reasons for leaving at my usual time as the traffic was much heavier, particularly on the road that passes by the high school on my route. That is kind of scary -- riding on a road thick with teenage drivers and enough motivation to go back to my usual routine tomorrow.

Nice morning made better by the temperature being much warmer than I was expecting. There was a light dusting of fresh snow which made it a little difficult to find the parts of ice ruts that are best avoided.

I did some maintenance on the weekend and discovered that the plastic spring retainers on all 4 of my cantilever arms were broken in half. The LBS didn't have any replacements, but suggested using plastic ties to hold the rings together for now.

Where did it go? I didn't think it had even come this year in the first place! Shoulda known... Got studded tires for Christmas so I could commute this year in all conditions and avoid having to take metro after snow or ice storms. I was worried that this would guarantee a lack of winter...

Good commuting so far this week. Threw my panniers on my front rack today instead of my rear rack just to mix things up. Sometimes when you can't have that much variability in your route things like this can make it seem fresher...

If we didn't need it so bad, I would curse the rain. I gambled and just beat it in this morning. I will have to get a coworker to take me to the train station this afternoon, and leave the bike over night.

I want to invest in rain gear, but the wife is opposed. I'm still working on it.

Winter's camped out here in Athens; lowest temps in years. It's free to anyone who want's it back, I'll even throw in the ticket fairs!!! lol

I know how you feel. Although I commute every day, I feel like a wimp with my fairing while some of these guys are dealing with floods, blizzards and icicles in their eyebrows.

Mid 50's, gray and getting ready to rain (at last).
I'm gonna get wet going home.

Happens to all of us sometimes! Bundle up and in 24 hours we'll read about your amazing commute! :thumb:

Today it was over 40 degrees for the ride in, but a headwind made it feel colder than it was. Then, to rub things in, the wind switched directions and it was a headwind homeward bound too! I guess we have to have off days to make the other days so special! :D

Had a great ride in; it's getting more comfortable now.

Changing tire type and adding the rear rack has really improved things.

This forum has helped more than some realize, for us new to commuting.

Since I'm still new to working downtown, I seem to find some interesting shop or store to explore before my trek home.

I got to stop this.

On the ride home today, stopped at Legislative Plaza and chatted with some people who were camping there.

Interesting day for this old timer.

( Found I really need to upgrade my lighting system. )

This is only day 2 commuting for me, but it was another beautiful day. 40*-ish on the way in, high 50's on the way home.

Nice ride in. Close to 40. Slight tailwind.

Almost talked myself into driving today because I've been racking up the mileage lately and thought my legs might need a break. However, the weather was too nice not to ride and I'm glad that I did. The sunrises and sunsets have been spectacular the past couple of weeks, and this morning was one of the best. I really need to start carrying my camera where it is easy to get to so I capture the views. My biggest problem is that I hate to stop while commuting.

4 Deg F (-15 Deg C). Took a mile or two to warm up and about 7 miles in my toes started to freeze. I figured wool socks and shoe booties would be sufficient, I guess I was wrong. Great, crisp fresh morning air, no better way to start the day!

Wonderful snowy ride in this morning. I saw two groups (herds?) of deer on the Olentangy Trail in Columbus, Ohio. Five were hanging out about 50 feet to the east of the path just south of 161. I saw seven more about a mile south of there. Two had jumped across the fence and were standing on the path as I approached from the north and a runner from the south--we both got quite close before they jumped back across the fence and joined the rest of the group and fled, white tails in the air.

Took the bus due to threat of rain that didn't pan out. I'm bummed.

Noticeably warmer than an already warm winter. 20F yesterday morning, 34F today. What's up with the warmth in February???? Oh, well, I'll take it! This season I've had perhaps 3 days on snow-covered streets and 5-6 days with noteworthy ice coverage. Crazy.
I took the studded tires off last weekend because I've hardly needed them this winter. I guess that'll ensure a sudden shift to colder and snowier weather ;)

The rain let up long enough for a dry ride.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=236581

Haven't made a commute on my bike since LAST WEDNESDAY. Drove in last Thursday as I had errands to do on the way home. Then we drove up to Orlando and spent a four day weekend with family. Got home on Monday afternoon with sore legs and feet, decided to drive in on Tuesday because of the sore legs and feet...plus it was raining. Still not feeling all that spiffy, and it was wet again this morning, so I'm AGAIN in the truck for the commute. I'm hoping that tomorrow (Thursday) I'll again be on two wheels for the commute....

Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL

Early morning was 35 degrees with a little bit of tailwind. Usually there are only one or two cars on my side streets as I spin through the dark - but today there were several folks out for a drive. The ride home today was relaxing!