2012 - How Was the Commute Today?
#876
Nice weather with just enough cloud cover so as not to sweat, the temperature in the mid teens (Celsius) and a nice breeze which didn't make life too difficult on the way back.
#877
a.k.a., Point Five Dude
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 794
Likes: 0
From: Twin Cites, MN USA
Bikes: 1987 Trek Elance 400 T
52 degrees this morning, an outstanding day to kick off the 2012 commuting season. I didn't expect to start until April, it's still pretty dark on my way in.
On one obscure part of the trail I rounded a corner and found myself on probably the last bit of snow and ice left here in MN and promptly went ass over teakettle. So at least I got that over with for the season, on my first outing no less!
It's supposed to hit 70 here today, I am looking forward to a great commute home this afternoon.
On one obscure part of the trail I rounded a corner and found myself on probably the last bit of snow and ice left here in MN and promptly went ass over teakettle. So at least I got that over with for the season, on my first outing no less!

It's supposed to hit 70 here today, I am looking forward to a great commute home this afternoon.
#878
GATC

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,838
Likes: 182
From: south Puget Sound
33F and drizzly. Not splattery at least.
#879
Old, but not really wise
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 814
Likes: 0
From: Fairfax, VA commuting to Washington DC
Bikes: 2010 Kona Dew Drop (the daily driver),'07 Specialized Roubaix (the sports car), '99 ish Kona NuNu MTB (the SUV), Schwinn High Plains (circa 1992?) (the beater)
Warm. I made the mistake of putting on a wind layer, which was completely unnecessary. I mean, it was nice having it for the first couple of miles which are shady, and before I got warmed up, but then it was just hot. So of course, I took it off at a light. And in order to take it off, I had to take off my hydration backpack, which I hung on my handlebars. I then tucked the jacket into some secure straps on my panniers, and turned back to start just about as the light changed, so I started across the intersection. You may notice that I forgot something. Sure enough, about two thirds of the way across, I heard and then felt my pack's straps binding in the wheel, but I wasn't quick enough on the draw to prevent the strap from binding completely.
I walked it across the rest of the intersection, keeping the front wheel off the ground, and ten minutes later I had it free and I was on my way (albeit with a broken front fender stay).
The worst part was that I even thought to myself as I hung the pack on the bars "I'd better not forget this!"
Other than that, a pleasant (if unseasonably hot) ride in. Hopefully the ride home will be uneventful.
I walked it across the rest of the intersection, keeping the front wheel off the ground, and ten minutes later I had it free and I was on my way (albeit with a broken front fender stay).
The worst part was that I even thought to myself as I hung the pack on the bars "I'd better not forget this!"
Other than that, a pleasant (if unseasonably hot) ride in. Hopefully the ride home will be uneventful.
#880
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Southern Ontario, Canada
Bikes: Opus Andante. Brodie Jetson
0 C and light wind. Commute past frost-covered fields, quite picturesque. Needed Headlight to see for the first 20 minutes of the ride.
16 km in 55 minutes on a Brompton M6L, around 15 k road and 1 k paved bike path. Trying to take it easy for the first commutes of the year.
16 km in 55 minutes on a Brompton M6L, around 15 k road and 1 k paved bike path. Trying to take it easy for the first commutes of the year.
#881
Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
From: Rural Delaware
Bikes: 2011 Raleigh Clubman....Next Hardtail Mountain with Street Tires
Warm....Down graded the under clothes and hopefully spring is here. The birds and wildlife are out like it's spring. Enjoy weather to commute in. 50-60s and I believe maybe 70's this afternoon!
Enjoy!
Froghunter
Enjoy!
Froghunter
#882
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,978
Likes: 4
From: Atlanta
Bikes: Cannondale T700s and a few others
Like spring! hit 78 this afternoon. Bit chilly in shorts at 57f on the way in but not really cold. Fog was setting in and clouded up my glasses a bit LOL. Ride home was great!
First commute with my latest build a 1984 Trek 890 "For the Urban Canyon". I picked up as a frame and fork,
Build thread that need s bit updating. Topped out the gearing on the down hills with it having a 26/36/46 crank but it goes up hills like a mountain goat.
Liking it. I usually commute on a T700 Cannondale and being a unloaded Aluminum Touring bike its a crisp ride especially on the 28mm Gatorbacks. Not a bad ride at all on the Trek. The 26x1.5's and steel frame have a nice ride but a little noodley when you get cranking on it hard and pulling on the bars. Tracks straight as an arrow.
Now has a Silver Blackburn on the back. This was suppose to be my all weather winter bike so The Brooks tape and saddle are probably moving to one of my Vintage road bikes.
First commute with my latest build a 1984 Trek 890 "For the Urban Canyon". I picked up as a frame and fork,
Build thread that need s bit updating. Topped out the gearing on the down hills with it having a 26/36/46 crank but it goes up hills like a mountain goat.
Liking it. I usually commute on a T700 Cannondale and being a unloaded Aluminum Touring bike its a crisp ride especially on the 28mm Gatorbacks. Not a bad ride at all on the Trek. The 26x1.5's and steel frame have a nice ride but a little noodley when you get cranking on it hard and pulling on the bars. Tracks straight as an arrow.
Now has a Silver Blackburn on the back. This was suppose to be my all weather winter bike so The Brooks tape and saddle are probably moving to one of my Vintage road bikes.
Last edited by Grim; 03-14-12 at 05:56 PM.
#883
Glorious commute. Aside from the wind, that is.
Temp in the morning was upper 50s. I was able to ride in tennis shoes, cotton shorts and t-shirt. Wearing a cotton jacket it became too hot about 2/3 of the way there.
Sunny all day, high around 80. Evening commute was about as comfortable as anything could be.
Similar forecast for the next ten days at least. The best riding season is on.
I'll have to keep a lookout for the other shoe to drop. Occasionally April and May can be pretty nasty here.
Temp in the morning was upper 50s. I was able to ride in tennis shoes, cotton shorts and t-shirt. Wearing a cotton jacket it became too hot about 2/3 of the way there.
Sunny all day, high around 80. Evening commute was about as comfortable as anything could be.
Similar forecast for the next ten days at least. The best riding season is on.
I'll have to keep a lookout for the other shoe to drop. Occasionally April and May can be pretty nasty here.
#884
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 766
Likes: 0
From: Columbia, Maryland
Bikes: Trek 820 mtb, A no name red steel pipe bike, my commuter
A string of nice riding mornings, and very nice warm afternoons. Breezed in at 51f (11C). I just hope that this early warmth will not translate into endless summer days over 100F (upper 30sC).
#885
Senior Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,421
Likes: 1
From: NoVA
Bikes: Specialized Allez Sport
It's too freaking hot (in the afternoon) for March. I guess I just have to endure.
#886
Another smooth ride in, no socks even just my keens. Unreal, can this be March 15????
My rides down the National mall are over, tourists are out by the hundreds so now I will go along the Potomac river and down by our DC baseball stadium. It's agreat ride (and for DC-area riders, there are two multi-use briodges under construction that will expand the Anacostia River Trail network greatly, one is just behind RFK stadium on the access road).
My rides down the National mall are over, tourists are out by the hundreds so now I will go along the Potomac river and down by our DC baseball stadium. It's agreat ride (and for DC-area riders, there are two multi-use briodges under construction that will expand the Anacostia River Trail network greatly, one is just behind RFK stadium on the access road).
#887
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,896
Likes: 7
From: Raleigh, NC
Bikes: Waterford RST-22, Bob Jackson World Tour, Ritchey Breakaway Cross, Soma Saga, De Bernardi SL, Specialized Sequoia
Highs in the mid-80s yesterday and expected again today. Fortunately the humidity is low so it felt very comfortable. It was great riding home without tights, arm or leg warmers, jacket or vest for a change. My only complaint is the pollen, which is getting worse by the day. My throat felt like sandpaper by the time I got home yesterday from all of the pollen, and it is nowhere near the peak levels yet.
#888
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,575
Likes: 223
From: Canada
Bikes: 2009 Trek 520
+1C with a light headwind. Its the second day back on the touring bike, and this morning was my first "workout" level commute in quite some time. The ride took 41 minutes, which is about 8 minutes faster than what I was typically doing on the mountain bike. Tuesday was a bit of a struggle as my legs were readjusting to this bike. Its exactly a month until my first 200km brevet, so I need to start doing some longer rides. Sunday is supposed to be +19, so I might ride to Moose Jaw and back if its not too windy.
The downside of taking the touring bike is that its new enough that I feel obligated to clean off the chain every day that I encounter wet roads.
The downside of taking the touring bike is that its new enough that I feel obligated to clean off the chain every day that I encounter wet roads.
#889
GATC

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,838
Likes: 182
From: south Puget Sound
50F downpour. I guess it's the pineapple express portion of our November-in-March
#890
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
From: Multnomah, Portland, OR
Bikes: Cannondale six13, On-One Dirty Disco
Went from snow and cold at the beginning of the week to now 50F and a monsoon out there. Very windy and rainy this morning.
I also passed my car in the driveway on the way out this morning... It had a flat tire in the rear. I just shrugged my shoulders, hopped on my bike and took off. Deal with that darn later...
I also passed my car in the driveway on the way out this morning... It had a flat tire in the rear. I just shrugged my shoulders, hopped on my bike and took off. Deal with that darn later...
#891
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,648
Likes: 1,466
From: Merrimac , MA
cold
Well the weathermen said yesterday would get in the 50f. Well they were wrong, go figure. It was only 34f when I went by the thermometer in town yesterday afternoon. It was cold and damp.
Though this am commute was the same temp I as yesterday afternoon, I was better dressed for it. So therefore the ride was nice. I am not counting on anything after work today. I will check the temp outside myself and dress accordingly.
Though this am commute was the same temp I as yesterday afternoon, I was better dressed for it. So therefore the ride was nice. I am not counting on anything after work today. I will check the temp outside myself and dress accordingly.
#892
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,965
Likes: 6
From: Falls City, OR
Bikes: 2012 Salsa Fargo 2, Rocky Mountain Fusion, circa '93
47, dark, and pouring rain. I tried the new poncho because it was so warm, but I still sweated quite a bit under it. And it covers up my mirror. I'm still working out how to use the hand straps to keep the front over my handlebars when I'm going fast down a hill. It's darn near swim suit riding weather anyway.
#893
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 113
Likes: 0
From: Michigan
Bikes: 2011 Giant Rapid 3, 2001 Schwinn Mesa GSX
Pre-8am commute with no hat or gloves needed? Yes please! Gorgeous commute this morning, so happy!
#894
recumbent bike advocate
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: Okeechobee. Florida
Bikes: Bacchetta Belladare, long wheelbase
Back on the bike today after taking off Mon-Wed to get used to the time change. Left the house at 7:15 with some light in the sky and enough that I could see where I was riding. Was pretty darn light by 7:30 when I got up to the bike lane on the highway, so I could see the trash in the bike lane and ride around it. That was my big fear with the time change is that I wouldn't be able to see the glass, wire, tire pieces and gravel in the bike lane on the way into work. After three days off the bike, I was really missing it, and happy to get back on this morning. About 60 degrees on the way in, with 81 or so on the way home today with a chance of rain forecast....
Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL
Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL
#895
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Bikes: Trek 830 Mountain Track Drop bar conversion
Had to stop coming around the Tidal Basin this morning. A motorcade was making it's way by. The limo had British flags on it, and in the back seat I clearly saw none other than Samantha Cameron! I see a lot of motorcades in DC, but it's a fairly rare event to be able to positively identify the occupant of one of the cars. Only other person I've been able to say I saw for sure was Cheney, thanks to the glaring reflection of the sun off his head. Anyway, my celeb sighting for the year! :-)
#896
Thread Starter
Tractorlegs
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,185
Likes: 60
From: El Paso, TX
Bikes: Schwinn Meridian Single-Speed Tricycle
Strange, strange - Last two days in the 30s in the morning, then over 80 in the afternoon for the ride home! Hahahahaha - I have to layer up and wear my wool and thick gloves before sunrise, and then my backpack is stuffed with cold-weather clothing on the way home. El Paso is a trip.
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Trikeman
Trikeman
#897
Storm ride! I managed to split between the centers and avoided the hail and high winds but heavy rain and lightning was everywhere.
#898
"Per Ardua ad Surly"
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,416
Likes: 0
From: Kitchener, Ontario
Bikes: Bianchi Specialissima, Mongoose Hilltopper ATB, Surly Cross-Check, Norco City Glide
Great ride in today. After a nasty thunderstorm the sun came out and a nice tailwind. Got buzzed by a guy on an electric assist on the way home. Good Lord those things are fast.
#899
Would have been a great commute but for the jerk on the bike path who gave me grief because I rang my bell to let him know I was passing and the fact that my front chain ring broke a couple of teeth! causing chain to jump.
#900
Not safe for work


Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,123
Likes: 8
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Bikes: KHS Town and Country 100 & Jamis Durango Femme 1.0
Lovely day and lovely commute. There was some talk on the radio about thunderstorms and hail but they never happened here. Great day. Need to carbon copy it for the future.




