spivonious

The hardest part of mine is a 1 mile, roughly 4% grade hill on a 45mph road. Luckily there is a nice wide shoulder heading into work. I'm getting a lot better on it, but I still need to drop to granny gear before the top.

AstroEng

The 1 mile (at mile 7 of 9), 8% grade hill that requires a left hand turn across 2 lanes about 3/4 the way up. Its still faster than the alternate, shallower but longer route. I'm beginning to understand the saying "hills never get easier, you just get faster".

I find is hard to get a clear look behind and keep pumping up the hill. Maybe a mirror will help?

RubeRad

A mirror would help. Based on numerous BF positive mentions of the Take-a-look, I got one and used it for a couple months before I lost it (fell off helmet when I took the helmet off for a roadside mech. situation), and now I miss it. It doesn't totally replace looking back, but you can maintain awareness of rearward activity, and when it's time to make your move, just one actual look backwards to double-check is enough.

AstroEng

Good to know, that's what I'm looking for. Something to clue me in to when its actually worth the long turn to the rear. I'll have to take a look at the Take-A-Look.

RubeRad

You might want to take the extra precaution that I read some people did, use a dab of superglue, or a rubber band or something, to extra-fix the take-a-look to your helmet (visor -- there is an adapter you can get for a couple extra bucks to put the TAL on a helmet with no visor). I wish I did!

the sci guy 

110ft uphill climb in just under 1 mile. kills me.
it's fine going down in the morning, but coming back up it in the afternoon is the worst.
i've timed it. it takes me around 5 minutes. maybe when i get more fit it'll be better.

Medic Zero

I've never had any such problems with the Safe Zone mirror, and it has a better field of vision too!

NorcalBenny

Cars, tweakers, and worst of all... Tweakers in cars!!

daredevil

12 posts in found my answer...normally only a problem on the ride home. Otherwise, I have the perfect commute.

alexaschwanden

The hardest part for my commute is the traffic, and wind, but its only 10 miles roundtrip and flat.

kookaburra1701

Hardest part for me is the student ghetto area around the university, Friday nights when I come in at 23:40. So many wandering, drunk, puking students. Most of them hollering obscenities at each other. I always gauge how my night is going to be by what street I'm on when I hear the first sounds of breaking glass.

If it's earlier than Willamette, I know it's going to be rough.

Rhodabike

Mine would be a very lumpy section that now has deep gravel all over and amongst the lumps. I can't quite tell if it's one of Saskatoon's infamous gravel "patches" or if they just dumped an unusual amount of large aggregate on the road and haven't cleaned it up yet. I can normally ride through gravel, or potholes, or lumps, but all three together is just too much for someone not on a full-on mountain bike. Most hybrid riders are forced out into the potholed center section of the road.
That, and the fact that the CPR seems to run their longest freight trains across two parts of my route at rush hour. Slowly. Part of the route parallels the tracks and I haven't even had to try hard to pass the train.

Bug Shield

- 2.5 miles of off-road travel to reach a paved road.
- 13 miles of poorly maintained road.
- Rumble strips that run close to guard rails.
- Frequent high winds.

These challenges are all dwarfed by the challenge of staying positive among the bike haters.