2014!! How was your commute today?
#126
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
From: long island, NY
Bikes: 13 salsa vaya, 90 klein pinnacle 01 lemond poprad, 98 klein quantum race, 91 trek 1100
Light snow and freezing drizzle with temp around 27F. No problem for the schwalbe studded snows this
morning. Very little traffic a 5:30 a.m. as usual. Ride home was fog and light drizzle and 36F. All in a very
enjoyable commuting day. Sure beats yesterday when I got clipped by the passing car.
morning. Very little traffic a 5:30 a.m. as usual. Ride home was fog and light drizzle and 36F. All in a very
enjoyable commuting day. Sure beats yesterday when I got clipped by the passing car.
#127
I finally managed to make my first commute of the year!
I rode in today through a light drizzle, and the skies were a wonderful blend of grey, white, and the promise of some blue. All of the colors are thoroughly saturated from last night's rain and the cloud-diffused light. The browns of the tree trunks stand out in sharp relief from the lighter tan of dormant grasses. Lovely.
I rode in today through a light drizzle, and the skies were a wonderful blend of grey, white, and the promise of some blue. All of the colors are thoroughly saturated from last night's rain and the cloud-diffused light. The browns of the tree trunks stand out in sharp relief from the lighter tan of dormant grasses. Lovely.
#128
moth -----> flame


Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,919
Likes: 4
From: SF Bay Area
Bikes: 18 Tarmac SL6, 11 CAAD 10-4, 07 Specialized Roubaix Comp, 98 Peugeot Horizon
4th commute of the year today. Woke just before 5, half convinced I wasn't going to bother getting kitted up and heading out on the bike. Felt tired and lethargic.
5:20AM mid-30's start then19miles/1200ft over the east bay hills to pick up the ferry in Oakland - awesome, awesome ride. What is it about these mind games we play?
Getting to ride the ferry before dawn is an awesome reward - 40mins to watch the sun come up over the hills. From Monday:
5:20AM mid-30's start then19miles/1200ft over the east bay hills to pick up the ferry in Oakland - awesome, awesome ride. What is it about these mind games we play?
Getting to ride the ferry before dawn is an awesome reward - 40mins to watch the sun come up over the hills. From Monday:
__________________
BF, in a nutshell
BF, in a nutshell
#129
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,043
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis
Bikes: Fairdale Weekender Drop, Motobecane 29LTD, Cannondale H400, Basso Coral
4th commute of the year today. Woke just before 5, half convinced I wasn't going to bother getting kitted up and heading out on the bike. Felt tired and lethargic.
5:20AM mid-30's start then19miles/1200ft over the east bay hills to pick up the ferry in Oakland - awesome, awesome ride. What is it about these mind games we play?
Getting to ride the ferry before dawn is an awesome reward - 40mins to watch the sun come up over the hills. From Monday:
5:20AM mid-30's start then19miles/1200ft over the east bay hills to pick up the ferry in Oakland - awesome, awesome ride. What is it about these mind games we play?
Getting to ride the ferry before dawn is an awesome reward - 40mins to watch the sun come up over the hills. From Monday:
#130
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
Tough commute home yesterday. The forecast called for light spotty rain but it turned into steady showers with temps in the 40s on my way home. I had to work late, so it was dark the whole way and I had to remove my glasses because they fogged/spotted up too much to see through them. The only plus was that I got to really field test my new Showers Pass jacket and it was incredible. My feet, hands and face were wet but my torso stayed dry and comfortable. My PI AmFib tights were also incredible and kept my legs dry.
#131
moth -----> flame


Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,919
Likes: 4
From: SF Bay Area
Bikes: 18 Tarmac SL6, 11 CAAD 10-4, 07 Specialized Roubaix Comp, 98 Peugeot Horizon
Kudos to the folks posting in this thread riding with such low temps. Worst I contend with here are upper 20's. Still we get some crazy inversion layers when I go up and over the hills that can lead to 15-20 degree temperature swings. That kinda sucks when you're in winter gear with a backpack and suddenly the temps are in the low 50's.
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BF, in a nutshell
BF, in a nutshell
#132
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,650
Likes: 1,472
From: Merrimac , MA
my first ride in the new year and the temp was 26f degrees this morning with clear starry skies as I rode to work. It was an uneventful ride in which is nice. The temps are going to go up to the high 40's today so maybe a there will be a warmer ride home. It is staying light longer at night so I hope to be able to ride more often sooner rather than later, but that also depends on the weather.
#133
Really a nice ride in after last week. Temps well above freezing, no wind at all, and fairly quiet city streets. I shed my extra outer layer and was glad I did.
#134
Banned
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,543
Likes: 41
From: England / CPH
Bikes: 2010 Cube Acid / 2013 Mango FGSS
first full working day of 2014 
first bike commute of 2014
what's not to like

first bike commute of 2014

what's not to like
#135
The Recumbent Quant

Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,094
Likes: 8
From: Fairfield, CT
Bikes: 2012 Cruzbike Sofrider, 2013 Cruzigami Mantis, 2016 Folding CruziTandem
Definitely not the first full working day of 2014 for me, but it was the first commute by bike (second ride of the year). Slow, but nice.
#136
recumbent bike advocate
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: Okeechobee. Florida
Bikes: Bacchetta Belladare, long wheelbase
Cool ride in this morning, had my tights on for the first time this year, as I left the temp was right at 52 degrees, but the air was still, so it didn't feel any colder. Fairing on the recumbent is a help when the weather gets cool, keeping all but my face out of the wind stream. I 'fat thumbed' my cycling computer over the weekend and switched it over to metric somehow, had to get on line today to see how to set it back to miles. May have screwed up the wheel value too, will check on the way home and see if it's work correctly.
Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL
Tractor Tom in Okeechobee, FL
#137
Senior Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 794
Likes: 0
From: Nashville TN
Bikes: Trek 7.3FX, Diamondback Edgewood hybrid, KHS Montana
light/moderate rain low 50s.. I felt sorry for those who were stuck in their cars (but only a little).
#139
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,043
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis
Bikes: Fairdale Weekender Drop, Motobecane 29LTD, Cannondale H400, Basso Coral
A veritable heatwave of 46F though it felt a lot colder. I could really feel the cold radiating (radiate? what's the cold version, coldiate?) from the still piled snow along the mup and streets. Really nice having an uneventful ride
#140
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,850
Likes: 0
From: Lancaster, PA, USA
Bikes: 2012 Trek Allant, 2016 Bianchi Volpe Disc
Ride in started out cold (25F) but I was too warm by the end in my cold weather gear. Slowly getting back in shape from the holiday/snowy weather break. The road crews are going to busy this Spring; potholes are opening up everywhere.
Should be very nice riding home. Temps are supposed to hit 47F.
[MENTION=109288]Beaker[/MENTION] - absolutely gorgeous!
Should be very nice riding home. Temps are supposed to hit 47F.
[MENTION=109288]Beaker[/MENTION] - absolutely gorgeous!
#141
ouate de phoque
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,781
Likes: 1
From: La Prairie, Qc, Canada
Bikes: Bianchi, Nakamura,Opus
A very nice morning for a bike commute, a warm 5° celcius, nice sun and a big tailwind! What's the catch? I had to take my wife's car to work to get the timing belt replaced
, The good news is the weather should be nice all week long, i'll even be able to ride the summer bike.
, The good news is the weather should be nice all week long, i'll even be able to ride the summer bike.
#142
Thread Starter
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)
*sigh* was hoping to ride today finally. Woke up at 5 and checked the weather: 33°F and rain with threat of freezing rain. That's a big ol' fat NOPE! Turned over and went back to sleep until 6:30. 
Not riding is making me go crazy. This weekend looks great for riding, and next week looks nice, too, so next Tuesday should FINALLY be my first commute of 2014.

Not riding is making me go crazy. This weekend looks great for riding, and next week looks nice, too, so next Tuesday should FINALLY be my first commute of 2014.
Got in a NICE 35 mile'r yesterday, though. Sunny and around 60°F, wore just cycling shorts and long-sleeve jersey, was super comfortable. Rode up around the neighborhood where I grew up. My old house I grew up in from 1980-1993 is for sale again. Tiny place but fixed up well, and property taxes would be even more than my current house. The living room is smaller than the MBR in my current house.
Checked out some ski goggles at a local outdoor sports chain store, and got to see a freight train pass by up close (love trains). Unfortunately I forgot to unpause Strava for nearly half the ride, so I have a 15 mile gap on it.
#143
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,082
Likes: 24
From: Southern CaliFORNIA.
Bikes: KHS Alite 500, Trek 7.2 FX , Masi Partenza, Masi Fixed Special, Masi Cran Criterium
8th day of not driving to work in the morning, second day of not driving to the train station in the morning. New Years starts this week for me, since leaving the car at home entirely during the work day was a resolution. Getting off to a flaky start is no reason to give up on it.
#144
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
my first of 2014
my first ride of the new year. It was around 40 degrees and coworkers though I was kidding in our meeting today about riding in. They said it was freezing. I have ridden as cold as 30degrees and 40 really isn't that bad. I am not so sure about the rest of the week though. 23 and 21 are the lows. I have to see how crazy I feel.
It sure felt good to ride vs drive to work.
It sure felt good to ride vs drive to work.
#145
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,162
Likes: 647
From: Brooklyn NY
Bikes: Kuota Kredo/Chorus, Trek 7000 commuter, Trek 8000 MTB and a few others
My first of 2014 too. It was in the mid 30s when I commuted in, but in the mid 50s when I came home. Why did all the little hills feel like mountains after I did a 6000' climb just 2 weeks ago?
#146
Banned
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,543
Likes: 41
From: England / CPH
Bikes: 2010 Cube Acid / 2013 Mango FGSS
good day ... a little bit of rain on the road.
good view from the river of my employer

edit: believe it or not that is student accommodation ... here's another view of where the some of the students live ...

dining hall:
good view from the river of my employer
edit: believe it or not that is student accommodation ... here's another view of where the some of the students live ...
dining hall:
Last edited by acidfast7; 01-14-14 at 04:36 AM.
#147
Those are amazing pics...sadly I type this from my windowless basement office. That's partly why I enjoy bike commuting so much, gets me outside everyday before heading down under.
50F +10C Very nicve ride in today on damp streets.
#148
Senior Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 794
Likes: 0
From: Nashville TN
Bikes: Trek 7.3FX, Diamondback Edgewood hybrid, KHS Montana
I enjoyed the pictures also.
My office is on the second floor, but it sits in the 'core' so no windows for me either without taking a stroll.
It's been a long time since I've seen fog as dense as it was in places this morning. There were spots were it was difficult to see the road/path in front of me, much less anything on it. It's about 40, so not bad other than the poor visibility in spots.
My office is on the second floor, but it sits in the 'core' so no windows for me either without taking a stroll.
It's been a long time since I've seen fog as dense as it was in places this morning. There were spots were it was difficult to see the road/path in front of me, much less anything on it. It's about 40, so not bad other than the poor visibility in spots.
#149
Another nice commute, high 30s and even though it isn't raining, my butt is wet...must order fenders.
Speaking of office views, I am in the 6th floor and they are constructing a 30 story building right outside my window so I get to listen to that all day.
Speaking of office views, I am in the 6th floor and they are constructing a 30 story building right outside my window so I get to listen to that all day.
#150
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
Bonus commute for me this morning. I thought I would end up driving today because the forecast called for lots of rain, but the radar this morning showed a nice "window" with no showers about the time I normally leave for work. So I went for it and made it to work with only a few sprinkles and light mist, although the roads were still very wet from showers overnight. The front that is causing all of the rain is supposed to pass through in the afternoon, so it's supposed to be clear by the time I ride home. Hopefully that will be the case because I don't want another soaking like I got last Friday.



