Happy New Year! Since I got to start the 2012 version of this thread, I'll start this year's also! Unfortunately I can't add anything yet because 2013 doesn't start until midnight - - I may bump a time or two until it catches on.

Ready . . . . . COMMUTE!!

Thought you gave up commuting.

I did - But I still get to start the thread! Actually, Chef, I've been thinking of starting up again after some time off, but we'll see.

Here is my guess Trac..... you will take some time off but it will come back to you. You will see how addicting it really was and want it more and more. You will start to feel sluggish at work and wonder why and you will suddenly remember this post... post number 4 of your thread. You will come back to this post, reread it and say "wow, I did miss commuting"

I'm still riding quite a lot, but here's what I'll really miss about commuting and what will eventually bring me back: The early morning part of the ride. I have to be to work at 7am and the one-way distance is 15 to 17 miles, so I leave home at 5:30am. The feelings that come with riding through the crisp, early morning air, pretty much all alone, through the dark city streets is enchanting. Flying down those streets with my NRs blazing and the cold or cool wind on my face! You're right, I'll probably be back.

Cold and raining, but I didn't care because I built this over the holidays. The offices are "closed" and I'm the only one here but I figure this gives me a few hours jump on everyone else in the company.

ok, I'll bite - how do you get in/on?

The left side swings open. I should just say that when I post a picture, the most common question. Also for the other common questions:

*crosswinds are not a problem
*weighs about 10 pounds
*it does reduce air drag
*made from corrugated plastic sheets, and fiberglass front
*it is a little twitchy
*the purpose is to shield from elements and enhance speed
*and for "Why?", why not?

Y'all know this thread won't be turned into a sticky, but if y'all keep posting in here, it will 'float' near the top of the index page.

Last year's caught on fast, so I think this one will also. Now I need to go over and flame anyone who uses the 2012 thread!

EDIT: (mere minutes later) Thanks no1mad for closing the old one!

First day of the year and I had to run some work errands, so it does count as a commute!

It's been steadily raining from Christmas Day, and the last few days were especially drenched so I skipped bicycle activities and stayed pretty much indoors. Waking up New Years Day and I was pleasantly surprised by a beautiful sunny day with temps in the mid to high teens (Celsius) and managed to snap the following picture on the way back from my commute:



Hope everyone has a great 2013!

Clear, blue skies (the mountain was out)... But DAMN it was cold and windy. Rode 12ish miles as part of a "First Day of the Year" ride put on by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, and by the time the day was done... 25 miles were under my wheels. I left my camera's memory card at home. So, I used the leader's camera to record the ride until the battery died. He told me he'd burn a disk of the pics, and mail it to me.

Welcome 2013 commuting!

36F/2C, clear, crisp morning. Traffic not too heavy as I suspect many in DC area will take today off as well....our congress was up late last night so the country lives on to ride another day.

First commute!

Tons of debris on the street from the New Year's celebration. In Frankfurt, setting off personal fireworks is allowed so there's huge piles of trash everywhere and a fair amount of smashed champagne/sparkling wine bottles all over the bike lanes.

Here's a real example of everyone lighting off the personal stuff in the streets


Should take a few more days to clean everything up

Good party though

Clear skies, temperature in the mid teens (Celsius) and massive pedestrian and auto traffic! Must be the national iPod Zombie Day since I saw tons of them stumbling around and nearly hit a few... must be loosing my touch since i missed them all!

First ride of the year. Traffic was light because it was a government holiday (but my school is following a different schedule this week so it's not a holiday for us). Strong headwind in the morning, but a strong tailwind in the afternoon. First time on my second bike in nearly 2 months, which felt good because my second bike is actually quicker than my primary commuter.

First commute of the year. 38F. Cold for me.

I read and read 2012s thread and I am hoping to contribute more to this one this year. I just have to get over this head cold, sinus infection, mess I have had for a 2 months. I guess I am going back to the Dr. for something stronger or something. This thread has me wanting to ride a lot more, but darkness on the way to and from plus cooler temps has me nervous.

Overcast and cold in Nashville this morning.
I haven't confirmed it, but I think it was colder at the end of the ride than at the beginning. It was 31° F when I left the house.
Not a bad ride, I had no troubles with traffic at all.

I had hoped to start off the new year with a bang but the cold rain got the best of me and I drove. It has rained almost every day here for the past two weeks, with temps in the 30s and 40s. Miserable. Hopefully I will get back on track tomorrow.

Second commute of the year, some flooding on my normal route forced me to detour to the shorter, faster route. It was around 42 degrees and wet but I got a little hot because of my fairing. It's nice when the only things to complain about are also improvements.

An auspicious start to 2013 commuting... 6F, -4F with the windchill - a new personal record. But, it was clear and once the sun came up quite pretty. More importantly, I can't use the MUP because of recent snowfalls. The city sort of clears it but do more harm than good. What's left is ice and while I'd be ok riding on the ice, it's like riding a washboarded street - I gave up and hit the streets. I'll probably have to stick with street riding for at least another week until it gets warm enough to melt the ice. Happy New Year folks!

update: ride home sucked! Tried to find less busy streets and ended up on an ice covered side street. Even though air temp was only 19F the sun had melted the top sheet of ice and down I went. Fortunately, other than a bruised elbow the only thing damaged was my pride - good thing it was a side street so no one saw... I think

My last cycle commute was Nov 26. Since then, it's been bitterly cold and we've had plenty of snow, so it's been easy to make excuses. But today, we're in the middle of a nice warm spell, and it hasn't snowed much in the last couple weeks, so the roads and trails are okay. -8C/18F with no wind. The trip home will be sloppy as it will warm to above freezing this afternoon.

I don't expect to contribute much to this thread over the next couple months, but I'm happy for my early start this year!

38 Deg.F here in Los Angeles this morning. Normal traffic, a little light on the Metro, not as many peds as usual.

This was my first commute back since my crash on Nov. 5th (swerved to miss a ped who stepped out in front of me, torn groin muscle was the worst of it, plus some road rash). Getting back to it not all that difficult. Keep a closer watch on peds on the sidewalks now!

Rick / OCRR

First sub-freezing commute of the season. Sunny though, so a refreshing change. I guess 2012 was the 7th wettest year on record here, with a lot of that hitting in the last few months.