Warm, windy, rainy.

This friday I'll ride my regular commute with a radio sport commentator. Each friday this guy does a short story with one auditor that pratice any kind of sport, individual sport or team sport. I submited my name and been selected to be on the show. We'll ride this friday but I don't know when it will be on air. I'll let you know and probably post a link to the radio show.
that's the guy: Jean-Patrick Balleux | C'est pas trop tôt! | ICI Radio-Canada Première

I wish we could split the difference and just leave it. Yeah there would be some dark times but it would work out. I do think that it was so dark this morning that my 2 lights on the back and lights on the front caused people to give me a lot of space. 2 or 3 cars stayed back and did not try to run really close to me.

Classic shoaling right there, very annoying and discourteous cycling behavior.

Drove the car in today, as I always do on Wednesdays. Almost seems weird driving to work after commuting the first 2 days of the week in a row. Planning to ride tomorrow, supposed to be much cooler the rest of this week and weekend. Saturday's high will be 30-35 degrees F lower than this past Saturday.

[MENTION=348526]HydroG33r[/MENTION] That is incredibly rude and frustrating. I ran into a guy doing that a week or so ago. He kept passing me or shoaling me at the lights and then I would pass him, I ultimately ended up ahead of him after I went up the bigger hill. He did chat and said he should try my route, little did he realize I was just pedaling hard up the hill and got a favorable light. I also always say,

I tried to adjust my RD at lunch yesterday to fix my deteriorating shifting. Got it okay and it was good on the flats. I passed a fellow who looked to be lolly gagging in jeans and a windbreaker on an old ten speed. Then I started needing to shift and the RD was not cooperating. I lost a lot of momentum and the guy kept catching me. He eventually passed me on the hill and he was fast.

I hosed off my RD to get grit out that may be gunking it up and it seemed okay. Then I checked the cable it was frayed at the head. This is the third time and the cable is only 5 months (2500km) old. So I went to get a new one from the drawer, crap empty. I had five minutes to get to the shop (700 M away) so I made it and got a new cable and new brake pads for later. I got it all rigged up and adjusted last night and it works like a dream. Ahh crisp shifting again.

This morning was nice. It was perfect temp, not too wet, but wet enough to be on the look out for leaf slicks. I got another comment about my Eastbay EVAPOR Compression Tight 2.0 - Men's - Basketball - Clothing - Fierce Yellow/Black tights. They are bright.I

I upped my reflective game and fred status with some spoke reflectors and reflective tape on the fork and seat stays. Plus some new Marathon tires.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=414709http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=414710http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=414711

^ I like the fork and stay reflectors; you don't see those too often but they really help your visible width. Where'd you get the tape?

Nite Stripes Scotchlite Cycle Sticker Kit (Ontario) - Mountain Equipment Co-op. Free Shipping Available

They are apparently law in Ontario. I only learned that after doing some thorough regulation reading and finding the reference on the package.

I'd like to see where you found this, I thought that, for after dark use, a bike needs a front light, rear light and wheel reflectors.

Edit: Here it is:

Lights and reflectors on bicycles, etc.

(17) When on a highway at any time from one-half hour before sunset to one-half hour after sunrise and at any other time when, due to insufficient light or unfavourable atmospheric conditions, persons and vehicles on the highway are not clearly discernible at a distance of 150 metres or less, every motor-assisted bicycle and bicycle (other than a unicycle) shall carry a lighted lamp displaying a white or amber light on its front and a lighted lamp displaying a red light or a reflector approved by the Ministry on its rear, and in addition white reflective material shall be placed on its front forks, and red reflective material covering a surface of not less than 250 millimetres in length and 25 millimetres in width shall be place on its rear. 2009, c. 5, s. 28 (1).

Missed my once-a-week commute last week because my wife and I were on a short holiday in Napa Valley. I managed to get some great mountain biking in while my wife relaxed at a spa. If anyone finds themselves in Calistoga, CA, I recommend renting a full-suspension bike and heading up the Oat Hill Mine trail. It's "aggressive" and "technical" (in mountain biker parlance), but I had a blast.

Back to reality, and the ride in this morning was cool (-1C/30F) but nice. There's been a lot of vitriol in the local paper recently towards bike lanes and all us scofflaw cyclists, and I'm afraid I didn't distinguish myself this morning as I rode past a long line of cars in the opposing traffic lane (which was completely empty). Some people seem to think that cyclists are the cause of all the traffic congestion in this city, but all I see are a lot of cars with a single occupant in each.

There it is. Thanks I did not want to search ON code.

I had been doing some searching to see what other provinces had for regulations and attempted to find a national standard.

Paraphrase from BC MVA: In BC between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise I need a white front light visible 150 m, red light visible to the rear, red reflector approved by ICBC. I spent a while on the phone and emailing ICBC to get a definition of a red reflector. What I concluded is that it does not have to be rear facing, it must be red and reflective. I put on a Canadian Tire reflector. I also can have a flashy rear light in addition.

I do not need pedal or wheel reflectors. I think that legislated minimum with such ambiguity is a bit negligent.

I have never seen a bike with either white front fork or rear red reflectors of these dimensions. Personally, I think it is a bit much. I've passed many police while wearing this jacket and none have stopped to ask about my fork or rear reflectors.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=414743

I agree it is completely unnecessary. But it offers a loop hole in our litigious society.

I would be more worried in a private health care setting if you got hurt riding without the strips they would try to not pay out since you were in contravention of the law by not having them. Same as not being covered by insurance if you were driving drunk.

I like that jacket.

50F 10C So dark out there.

Last morning commute in the dark for a while, with daylight savings ending this weekend. I am not looking forward to riding home in the dark in the afternoons, because traffic is much heavier then, but so be it.

Took my chances with the weather yesterday as the forecast called for afternoon showers, but there was a lot of uncertainty about when the front would arrive. I kept checking the radar all afternoon and the skies looked clear until it was almost time to head home, and then a line of showers popped up on the radar very suddenly. I left work right on time, hoping to beat the showers home, but didn't quite make it. It started raining about 3 miles from mile house, with heavier showers and wind starting just as I was pulling into my street. So, I didn't get very wet and it was worth it getting a ride in.

Nice and crisp, about -3C/27F, clear and dry. I should have opened up my coat a bit near the end, by the time I arrived at work, my skully (which has a bit more warmth than I need) was soaking wet.

I'd like to switch from my summer cycling jerseys to merino wool underlayers but "my collection" is a bit incomplete. I currently wear a regular cycling short-sleeved jersey with a regular cycling long-sleeved jersey over top so that I have good warmth on my chest area and sufficient in the arms. I'd like to have the same setup in merino wool and currently, I have 2 long-sleeved lightweight merino wool shirts which are fine but I don't have any short-sleeved merino t-shirts for chest warmth. Apparently, Costco had them this summer but I missed them.

Cold and dark. Luckily I made the right clothing choices and was relatively comfortable. I ran over a frozen/dried out racoon that I didn't see due to my headlight not being the greatest. I was pleasantly surprised my 23mm tires handled it as well as they did.

i have been looking at that jacket. DO you like it? is it waterproof? i am debating between it and this. I am looking for something to keep me dry and be bright. being able to vent when i get warm would be nice too.



i took the chance and rode yesterday too but I beat the storms home. It was a nice gentle shower and through the night some. It felt good to ride and I am glad I did not listen to the weather people. It was a wide variety of percentages for rain. 30-60% :rolleyes:

rode this morning it was 14 degrees cooler than yesterday morning! talk about a difference. talk about a difference -> 80degrees for the ride home on monday and there is the chance for rain & wintry mix saturday.

Tuesday morning had a 9-12 mph headwind, 65 degrees. This morning was no wind, and 40 degrees! WOW!

I meant to plug in my front light last night but forgot. Thing was almost dead for most of the 80 minute ride. I had to switch it from night flash to day flash mode (uses less power) much earlier than I would have otherwise. But luckily it was a clear sky this morning, so it seemed to get lighter a good bit earlier than it did on Tuesday when it was almost solid clouds.

Got the light charging from my PC at the office now. Thing takes forever to recharge, usually 5-6 hours from the wall socket. Hope it's done by the time I leave less than 8 hours from now.

I love this jacket but there are some minor "flaws" with it. The natural position of the reflective "stripping" on the forearm and wrist is on the inside of the forearm and, not as I think it should be, at the top of the forearm/wrist or to the outside: I twist the sleeve so that the reflective stripping is facing up (and therefore, forward). The jacket is fully waterproof (well, I haven't taken it swimming but in a downpour, I'm not getting wet) but the only venting is to open the side pockets to allow air around the lower back (and water too). I get hot if I'm biking hard (I tend to) so I open the front zipper which, so far, hasn't really gotten me wet but also isn't be best for venting. I'm very happy with it but if it dies, I'm going to purchase something else.

The one you selected is very good but you might also want to consider the Night Vision EVO Jacket which is very similar, same MSRP but has pit vents.

Either way, I would recommend you get a size larger than you would to allow for extra movement, room for layers and allow air movement around your body inside the jacket. My jacket is used only in spring/fall for the purpose of visibility (no shiit aye!), reducing convective heat loss on cool rides (7C/45F or cooler), enabling me to put extra layers underneath for winter use and, of course, cool weather rain protection. In the summer, I either don't care about getting wet during warm weather or I wear a lightweight rain jacket.

[MENTION=247277]jrickards[/MENTION] if i could get it in the US that looks nice.

Cold ride in this morning (40F and damp). Got passed closely by an 18-wheeler. Not dangerous, but still scary. He was probably about 2' from me, going roughly 20mph faster.

I got my jacket from ChainReactionCycles.com and it is still there as well as the Endura you identified (for much more) but not the Altura I identified.

A 2-foot pass by a semi truck going 20 MPH faster is highly dangerous.

Cold but nice sun, moderate headwind.

Nice commute this morning.

I just finished getting the boy wrangled and ready to go. Out comes my wife and said, "I'll take him." Arghh just let me do it.

Any who I am then sitting around for thirty minutes until I need to go so she can spend time with me. I just want to ride.

It started to rain right as I was leaving. Not a problem and it wasn't too heavy.

My legs were tired and I took it rather easy.

Ha, I guess I'm desensitized. The buzz by the semi last year gave me a new perspective on close passes. I wish I had a camera to capture trailer numbers or license plates when things like this happen. Maybe Santa Claus will put one in my stocking this year.