View Poll Results: How often did you commute by bike this past January?
Voters: 99. You may not vote on this poll
Hey winter commuters, how did you do in January?
#1
Thread Starter
born again cyclist
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,412
Likes: 88
From: Chicago
Bikes: I have five of brikes
Hey winter commuters, how did you do in January?
so January has ended and it is typically the toughest winter month for those of us in cold weather climates in the northern hemisphere. I'm curious to know how well you all did with your bike commuting this past month. the math is easy. count up the number of days you went to work/school in january, then count the number of days you rode your bike to work/school in january, then divide the latter by the former.
being that i had a week vacation down in cancun earlier in the month, i only had 16 work days this past month, and i rode my bike for 14 of them (i took the train twice, once because of a 6" snowfall, and once because of an after work commitment) so my bike commute percentage for the month was 87.5%.
how did you do?
being that i had a week vacation down in cancun earlier in the month, i only had 16 work days this past month, and i rode my bike for 14 of them (i took the train twice, once because of a 6" snowfall, and once because of an after work commitment) so my bike commute percentage for the month was 87.5%.
how did you do?
Last edited by Steely Dan; 02-01-12 at 09:57 AM.
#2
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
This was my best January ever in terms of frequency and total mileage. The weather was very mild for winter here and we didn't get much rain either. I don't think I've ever topped 600 total miles (commuting+recreational) in January before, but I rode 775 this year. The only downside is that it has been very windy all winter here.
#4
A very sad january with 2 commutes, which, including side errands, gives me a grand total of 30 miles for the month. I could use the excuse that I injured my back and couldn't get out more, but the truth is, I was just lazy given the unusually temperate weather.
__________________
Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),1990 Concorde Aquila(hit by car while riding), others in build queue "when I get the time"
Bikes: 1996 Eddy Merckx Titanium EX, 1989/90 Colnago Super(issimo?) Piu(?),
#6
Steel is real, baby!
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,532
Likes: 8
From: Boise, ID
Bikes: 1984 Pinarello, 1986 Bianchi Portofino, 1988 Bianchi Trofeo, 1989 Specialized Allez, 1989 Specialized Hard Rock, 2001 Litespeed Tuscany
I've commuted more in January, than any other month this year so far!
#7
Plays in traffic
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,971
Likes: 16
From: Rochester, NY
Bikes: 1996 Litespeed Classic, 2006 Trek Portland, 2013 Ribble Winter/Audax, 2016 Giant Talon 4
100%. Same as every January, and every other month since I started bike commuting.
What was different was that my studded tire bike has the fewest miles for the month. Even my steel roadie has more, and that never goes out in the salt. And I've been able to ride my longer routes to work more often.
February is starting the same way. Taking my Litespeed on the long loop to work this afternoon.
What was different was that my studded tire bike has the fewest miles for the month. Even my steel roadie has more, and that never goes out in the salt. And I've been able to ride my longer routes to work more often.
February is starting the same way. Taking my Litespeed on the long loop to work this afternoon.
#8
ride for a change
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,221
Likes: 2
From: Minneapolis, MN
Bikes: Surly Cross-check & Moonlander, Pivot Mach 429, Ted Wojcik Sof-Trac, Ridley Orion. Santa Cruz Stigmata
Wife and daughter take the cars in opposite directions every day. My only choice is the bus or the bike. 100% of the time I choose the bike. As embarrassing as it is to admit I don't even know how to ride the bus from my hood and I intend to keep it that way.
#11
Right there with you as a fellow Chicagoan.
I only took a few days off - the days after those two 'snow-storms' that dumped 6-9 inches on us. The roads were still in pretty terrible shape for slick tires, unfortunately. Ever since then it's been unreal how awesome this weather is. It's my first bike-winter, and I'm sad to think that this winter is an extreme outlier and it won't always be like this.
I only took a few days off - the days after those two 'snow-storms' that dumped 6-9 inches on us. The roads were still in pretty terrible shape for slick tires, unfortunately. Ever since then it's been unreal how awesome this weather is. It's my first bike-winter, and I'm sad to think that this winter is an extreme outlier and it won't always be like this.
so January has ended and it is typically the toughest winter month for those of us in cold weather climates in the northern hemisphere. I'm curious to know how well you all did with your bike commuting this past month. the math is easy. count up the number of days you went to work/school in january, then count the number of days you rode your bike to work/school in january, then divide the latter by the former.
being that i had a week vacation down in cancun earlier in the month, i only had 16 work days this past month, and i rode my bike for 14 of them (i took the train twice, once because of a 6" snowfall, and once because of an after work commitment) so my bike commute percentage for the month was 87.5%.
how did you do?
being that i had a week vacation down in cancun earlier in the month, i only had 16 work days this past month, and i rode my bike for 14 of them (i took the train twice, once because of a 6" snowfall, and once because of an after work commitment) so my bike commute percentage for the month was 87.5%.
how did you do?
#12
Best january so far... but then it's my first time commuting in january. I work 3 or 4 days on week-ends (12 hour shifts) and drive in on first day and drive out on last to bring things at work and not leave the car in the street (usually do that in summer too). Skipped one week-end of snowstorm and colder temperatures and last two commutes because I was sick. Added two non-commuting rides. Best commute was after a day of freezing rain, rain, ice pellets, snow, then freezing rain again, leaving a nice layer of ice on the entire route, which studs took care of.
#14
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 4,571
Likes: 16
From: Oxnard, CA
Bikes: 2009 Fuji Roubaix RC; 2011 Fuji Cross 2.0; '92 Diamond Back Ascent EX
Only commuted two of the 15 days I worked in January (the last two). Just returning to commuting after an accident last year and getting my new commuter dialed in.
#16
The Rock Cycle


Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,691
Likes: 17
From: Western Colorado
Bikes: Salsa Vaya Ti, Specialized Ruby, Gunnar Sport, Motobecane Fantom CXX, Jamis Dragon, Novara Randonee x2
About 50%.
We actually had quite decent weather for January. Dry (1-2 scant snow days), and lows in teens-twenties, highs around 40. But a couple of the weeks I just didn't feel like riding. So I drove. I chalked it up to rest time. I'm riding my bike this week though.
We actually had quite decent weather for January. Dry (1-2 scant snow days), and lows in teens-twenties, highs around 40. But a couple of the weeks I just didn't feel like riding. So I drove. I chalked it up to rest time. I'm riding my bike this week though.
__________________
Gunnar Sport
Specialized Ruby
Salsa Vaya Ti
Novara Randonee x2
Motobecane Fantom CXX
Jamis Dakar XCR
Gunnar Sport
Specialized Ruby
Salsa Vaya Ti
Novara Randonee x2
Motobecane Fantom CXX
Jamis Dakar XCR
#17
Full Member

Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 351
Likes: 18
From: McLean, VA/Burlington, VT
Bikes: Obed Baseline, Cannondale Topstone, Specialized Roubaix, Cannondale Synapse
being that i had a week vacation down in cancun earlier in the month, i only had 16 work days this past month, and i rode my bike for 14 of them (i took the train twice, once because of a 6" snowfall, and once because of an after work commitment) so my bike commute percentage for the month was 87.5%.
#18
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 699
Likes: 0
From: Colorado Springs
Bikes: Gunnar Crosshairs, Giant Trance, Felt Breed, Marin SS MTB, Felt Pyre BMX bike, oldschool GT trials bike
I was actually off the whole month, (shop shuts down in Jan) so I did not have to go into work, but I did run the majority of my errands by bike and went on a lot of family rides and fun rides. My wife even had her longest ride to date in Jan. (21.5 miles)
It did help that we had incredible weather, mostly in the 50's all month. They are calling for snow the next 3 days and I start back up friday so we will see how Feb goes.
It did help that we had incredible weather, mostly in the 50's all month. They are calling for snow the next 3 days and I start back up friday so we will see how Feb goes.
#19
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: Greenfield, WI
Bikes: Raleigh M40, 1979 Bianchi, 2009 Gary Fisher Marlin
My goal for this year was to commute at least once in every month of 2012, I got my first ride of the year in yesterday and it was 100% miserable. I set up an old mountain bike with my lights and rack, didn't test drive it at all. The way to work was very slow, but not terrible. The way home however was a nightmare, my cell phone was dead and I realized less than a mile out that my rear axle was bent and the tire was rubbing on the frame. I rode the rest of the way averaging 5.4 mph over the whole ride.
Heres hoping February is kinder to me. I'm going to change back to my summer commuter and start logging some miles. I want to double what I did last year and reach 2000 in 2012.
Heres hoping February is kinder to me. I'm going to change back to my summer commuter and start logging some miles. I want to double what I did last year and reach 2000 in 2012.
#20
Thread Starter
born again cyclist
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,412
Likes: 88
From: Chicago
Bikes: I have five of brikes
i'm assuming this is a reference to my screen name, which in turn is a reference to the greatest jazz/rock fusion musical act of all time, which in turn is a reference to a sexual device from a william s. borroughs novel.
in any event, the "Annandale" mentioned in Steely Dan's song "My Old School" is not a reference to Annandale, Va, rather it is a reference to Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, the location of Bard College, where Donald Fagen & Walter Becker, the seminal and founding musical geniuses of Steely Dan, first met.
and yes, in their early years, before taking on the "Steely Dan" name, Chevy Chase (the actor, not the town in maryland) was the drummer for a couple of Donald & Walter's early bands.
in any event, the "Annandale" mentioned in Steely Dan's song "My Old School" is not a reference to Annandale, Va, rather it is a reference to Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, the location of Bard College, where Donald Fagen & Walter Becker, the seminal and founding musical geniuses of Steely Dan, first met.
and yes, in their early years, before taking on the "Steely Dan" name, Chevy Chase (the actor, not the town in maryland) was the drummer for a couple of Donald & Walter's early bands.
#21
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,053
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Bikes: Trek 830 Mountain Track Drop bar conversion
Rode every day. I was hoping for colder weather and more snow and ice since I got some studded Nokians for Xmas, but, alas... 295 miles for January, all commuting.
#24
6 out of 20. blah. Feb is looking up. Missed today though due to storms this afternoon. yeah I know suck it up. need to get the foul weather bike off the trainer and back to work.
#25
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
From: Chicago, IL
Bikes: Raleigh Detour 3.5
First winter commuting, and I did 8 out of 22. I have a 20 mile one way commute, but rely on the train for 10 of those miles, so I only get in about 20 miles a day. I commute from Chicago to the Northern Suburbs, and with the recent increase in Metra fares, I hope to be strong enough to go the whole distance by the summertime. On Monday, with the warm temps I thought I could bike the whole way back, but ended up wiping out on some ice I didn't see. Ended up with a badly bruised knee, so I took yesterday off and got back on the bike today. Even with an injury, it still feels good to be back on the bike.
























