2013!! How Was your Commute Today?
#2476
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: Greater Seattle Area
Bikes: 2013 Takara SS (aka POS)
#2477
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,043
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis
Bikes: Fairdale Weekender Drop, Motobecane 29LTD, Cannondale H400, Basso Coral
#2478
Share the road.

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1,256
Likes: 45
From: Marysville, CA
Bikes: 1992 Rocky Mountain Fusion, Yuba Mundo, Specialized Venge
I heard a noise coming from the bottom bracket on the way to work this morning and it made me really mad. Yesterday after a 52 mile trip near the Buttes I heard a similar noise. I stopped by the LBS and my Ultegra bottom bracket was toast. Seems it was over tightened by the previous owner. I had it replaced with a ceramic one for an awesome price and off I went. I fiddled around with the bike at lunch and found the derailleur cable was hitting the peddle. It's frayed and needing replacing.
#2481
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 192
Likes: 0
From: Ann Arbor, MI
Bikes: 1998 Nishiki Blazer, 2004 Trek 4500, 2014 Salsa Fargo 3
#2483
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
From: Simcoe County, Ontario
Bikes: Steve Bauer Sirocco "Steve", Kawasaki Sumo 4.0 Fatbike "Black Betty", Retrospec Amok-16 "Rocinante/Veronica"
10C with a light headwind but still a very nice ride this morning.
Cheers
Cheers
#2485
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,043
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis
Bikes: Fairdale Weekender Drop, Motobecane 29LTD, Cannondale H400, Basso Coral
Holy crap, 53F this morning. I don't mind cooler summer weather but that's more than 30 degrees below normal for August. You Canadians need to do a better job at keeping your air masses where they belong!
Passed a guy on the MUP riding a nice road bike, smoking a cigarette. He wasn't wearing a helmet either
Passed a guy on the MUP riding a nice road bike, smoking a cigarette. He wasn't wearing a helmet either
#2486
Senior Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,928
Likes: 3
From: Brodhead, WI - south of Madison
Bikes: 2009 Trek 1.2
Good ride, albeit chilly. Wore full-fingered gloves and a long-sleeve t today.
Had my first encounter with a MUPper this morning. Was riding the path, on the right side like I always do, coming up to a bridge overpass. There was a woman walking toward me on the left hand side, as she should, and some moron jogging toward me in my lane (lane's figurative, they're not marked, but still, the guy was wear he shouldn't be). There was also a bicyclist approaching toward me in the distance, beyond the walking woman.
I hadn't looked over my shoulder to see if there was anyone behind me, and by the time I could it was too late, so I decided to hold my line, forcing the jogger off the path. As I rode past he raised his arms in a shrug, as if to say, "HEY! WTF?" and I simple said, "Move dude!" and kept pedaling.
Really moron? A MUP is like a mini road ... Travel on the right side, like everyone else.
Had my first encounter with a MUPper this morning. Was riding the path, on the right side like I always do, coming up to a bridge overpass. There was a woman walking toward me on the left hand side, as she should, and some moron jogging toward me in my lane (lane's figurative, they're not marked, but still, the guy was wear he shouldn't be). There was also a bicyclist approaching toward me in the distance, beyond the walking woman.
I hadn't looked over my shoulder to see if there was anyone behind me, and by the time I could it was too late, so I decided to hold my line, forcing the jogger off the path. As I rode past he raised his arms in a shrug, as if to say, "HEY! WTF?" and I simple said, "Move dude!" and kept pedaling.
Really moron? A MUP is like a mini road ... Travel on the right side, like everyone else.
#2487
www.ocrebels.com
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,186
Likes: 8
From: Los Angeles area
Bikes: Several bikes, Road, Mountain, Commute, etc.
[QUOTE=ill.clyde;15959436 Really moron? A MUP is like a mini road ... Travel on the right side, like everyone else.[/QUOTE]
Morons on MUPs, get used to it; happens everywhere! While I was in Scotland I had to keep reminding myself to ride on the left . . . not so easy after 50 years of riding on the right.
My commute this morning was rather average, 64 Deg.F with a slight tail-wind. Shorts and T-Shirt worked just fine. The 5:50 AM Metro train was a bit more crowded than usual but nothing horrible. Getting to be light by the time I rode from the Metro station and arrived at work.
Rick / OCRR
Morons on MUPs, get used to it; happens everywhere! While I was in Scotland I had to keep reminding myself to ride on the left . . . not so easy after 50 years of riding on the right.
My commute this morning was rather average, 64 Deg.F with a slight tail-wind. Shorts and T-Shirt worked just fine. The 5:50 AM Metro train was a bit more crowded than usual but nothing horrible. Getting to be light by the time I rode from the Metro station and arrived at work.
Rick / OCRR
#2488
High Plains Luddite

Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 682
Likes: 103
From: Colorado
Bikes: 3x8 & 3x9
I drove my car today because when I stepped into the garage this morning all ready to bike to work, I found the rear tire flat. I rode yesterday and arrived home unaware I was losing air. I'll change the tube tonight and save the old one to learn how to patch. My father taught me to patch a tube when I was a kid but I haven't seen it done in 30+ years, I'd guess.
I started bike commuting in early July on this bike that I just pulled down from the ceiling in the garage and wiped the dust from. I of course pumped up the long-flat tires and lubed the bike but the knobby tires are original to the bike (2005) and I know I haven't had a flat since before our kids were born. That puts the tubes at five years old, minimum, but I know they're probably a year older than that.
I'm continuing to watch craigslist for something - anything - better than this full-suspension Mongoose with the "iffy" rear differential.
I started bike commuting in early July on this bike that I just pulled down from the ceiling in the garage and wiped the dust from. I of course pumped up the long-flat tires and lubed the bike but the knobby tires are original to the bike (2005) and I know I haven't had a flat since before our kids were born. That puts the tubes at five years old, minimum, but I know they're probably a year older than that.
I'm continuing to watch craigslist for something - anything - better than this full-suspension Mongoose with the "iffy" rear differential.
#2489
This morning was my first fixed-gear commute. Hills were a bit more challenging (both up and down) and I just about stalled on a short but steep uphill, but I managed okay. There were only two moments when the coasting instinct kicked in, but the moving pedals quickly returned me to reality!
#2490
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
From: Greater Seattle Area
Bikes: 2013 Takara SS (aka POS)
This morning was my first fixed-gear commute. Hills were a bit more challenging (both up and down) and I just about stalled on a short but steep uphill, but I managed okay. There were only two moments when the coasting instinct kicked in, but the moving pedals quickly returned me to reality!
#2491
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,261
Likes: 1
From: SF Bay Area
Bikes: 2012 Specialized Sirrus
This is about yesterday's commute. My company had an off-site team building event, and the timing was such that I could cycle down - ~15 miles each way. Kudos to all who do this daily - I was drained out at the end of the day. Of course, all the running, pedal-boating and kayaking I did in the day didn't help
I also discovered that I don't like cycling without SPD shoes anymore - I didn't want to carry an extra pair of shoes so cycled in regular sports shoes (I have hybrid pedals), and it felt really weird.
Also, I almost got run down. I was turning right, and a huge truck was turning left from the road that I was turning into. He was so big that he almost sideswiped me going around the turn - I clambered onto the pavement to save myself. An eventful day.
I also discovered that I don't like cycling without SPD shoes anymore - I didn't want to carry an extra pair of shoes so cycled in regular sports shoes (I have hybrid pedals), and it felt really weird.Also, I almost got run down. I was turning right, and a huge truck was turning left from the road that I was turning into. He was so big that he almost sideswiped me going around the turn - I clambered onto the pavement to save myself. An eventful day.
#2492
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 40,863
Likes: 3,116
From: Sacramento, California, USA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Left the house early, dropped my backpack at the bike locker, and then went out to the bike trail to do 2x20' intervals. On the way back to the office, I had a brief red light chat with a teammate who was driving in to work and lamenting that she chose the car this morning.
#2493
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,965
Likes: 6
From: Falls City, OR
Bikes: 2012 Salsa Fargo 2, Rocky Mountain Fusion, circa '93
It was about that at my house this morning. It's supposed to get up to almost 90 today. That's normal summer weather where I live. Dark and dry but it was nice, as it was my first bike commute this week. I'm already missing the scenary on my morning ride, as it's barely sunrise by the time I get to the bus yard. Oh well.
#2495
Let's Ride!

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,588
Likes: 42
From: Lexington, VA USA
Bikes: --2010 Jamis 650b1-- 2016 Cervelo R2-- 2018 Salsa Journeyman 650B
wonderful weather today!
ps [MENTION=73534]Bug[/MENTION]ly your signature is awesome.
Today a lady in a car let me pull back into the lane (while we were waiting for a light to change to green) today. That set the tone for a great RIDE home
#2496
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 7,391
Likes: 13
From: Memphis TN area
Bikes: 2011 Felt Z85 (road/commuter), 2006 Marin Pine Mountain (utility/commuter E-bike), 1995 KHS Alite 1000 (gravel grinder)
Yesterday was cooler, but cooler always means headwind since I go north to get home. Then this morning was a LOT cooler, and had a nice tail wind. Managed my fastest morning commute so far, averaging 13.9 MPH for 14.5 miles. School started last Thursday, so the last leg of my morning commute, around 7:15, had LOTS of traffic on it.
Today's high was about 10 degrees below normal for August, barely making it past 80 degrees. It was glorious.
Today's high was about 10 degrees below normal for August, barely making it past 80 degrees. It was glorious.
#2498
Cool and overcast this morning, a breezy headwind made for a decent workout on the hills. It rained on me again going home yesterday, as it did Tuesday, and Monday, Friday... and forecast for thunderstorms this evening, and tomorrow, and this weekend ... it's not a true hardship given the warm days but I'm growing weary of all the water.
#2499
Senior Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 794
Likes: 0
From: Nashville TN
Bikes: Trek 7.3FX, Diamondback Edgewood hybrid, KHS Montana
cool, upper 50s when i headed out. i almost wished I'd worn long sleeves - but I got over that about a mile into the ride.
For some reason, there were a lot more cars today. I was passed by several cars on the two lane, normally it's only a couple vehicles. It seemed every intersection had traffic, so no breezing straight through (lights are on caution, blinking yellow, at the time of my morning commute).
One traffic light in particular, downtown, seemed to hold a mass of vehicles for an extra measure.
It wasn't bad but it was slower.
For some reason, there were a lot more cars today. I was passed by several cars on the two lane, normally it's only a couple vehicles. It seemed every intersection had traffic, so no breezing straight through (lights are on caution, blinking yellow, at the time of my morning commute).
One traffic light in particular, downtown, seemed to hold a mass of vehicles for an extra measure.
It wasn't bad but it was slower.
#2500
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
From: Dallas
Bikes: 2013 Carve with Rigid Salsa Fargo & 2005 Allez
Left earlier this morning to ride with my brother-in-law on his first bike commute. The bridge over the Trinity River on the nice little back road is under construction so we had to go a few miles out of our way. It was nice to have the company and be able to give him the confidence. Worth the extra 5 miles any day.



