PatrickGSR94

Excellent ride home yesterday, awesome weather. I hoped to make this a 3-day bike commute week, but just didn't feel like it this morning. Oh well. Next week is supposed to be nice all week.

pdlamb

Started out chilly but warmed up fast; 32-40 degrees in an hour.


I hit more red lights today that I can remember in a long time. Synchronized lights downtown, weren't. The traffic light gods didn't want me to come to work today.

HardyWeinberg

37F, clammy. Cool fogbow!

ptempel

Thanks, I added it to the list:

Maxda | CX-5 AWD | Modern Mazda Dodge Ram | 24,998 | FWD sport is almost $1000 cheaper.

Yeah, some claim that dealers are more willing to deal in the last week of the month or so due to trying to hit monthly sales figures. Well, some are having President's Day specials. So will try a few dealers and see if they are willing to make a deal.

Andy_K 

I didn't feel like riding today so I drove in. It's kind of ironic as the weather forecast says no rain today after more than 11 inches in the past two weeks. The "water resistant" gloves I used for the ride in to the office yesterday are still wet despite having been hanging to dry since I got here that morning.

HardyWeinberg

We've only had 8" last couple weeks but it's been warm so I've been wearing short sleeves under the raincoat, and fingerless gloves; still tights rather than shorts if only to keep the mud off my legs

joeyduck

@ptempel

My friends just got a new Subaru Forrester and they have been really happy with it.

The weather has been nice after a few days of heavy rain this week. I was finally able ride after the snow that fell the week before. The snow brought out some flowers, quite a few snow drops are blooming.

GregU

How cold can it be? It's *South* Dakota!

On a serious note, that is very impressive. I can't get get myself on the bike unless it is 40 degrees or warmer.

Atvar

Nice and easy, and almost idiots-free. Almost...


Stats2017
-------------------

Commute ratio (February): [NA/31]

Near Misses: 1

Idiots met: 8



SCR FCN: 16

SCR score for today's commute:
- AM: 16+1-0 = 17
- PM: 16+0-0 = 16

SCR total score for 2017:
2

Darth Lefty 

Anyone planning to ride in Norcal tomorrow should consult the weather forecast.

esmith2039

Almost 60 degrees this morning.. windy but I'll take it! Switched back to my regular shift this week, hour later. Alot of friendly hello's where have you been!

baron von trail 

Woo-Hoo! First commute of the year. Of course, it was brutal. I need to do a better job of staying fit during the off season, but I'm sure all the rides from here on out will be easier.

Steely Dan

50 degrees. sunny. light tail wind.

in other words, absolutely perfect riding weather.

not bad for february in chicago......... not bad at all.........

king_boru

0c and a few miles to work. It was brilliant. New carbon handlebar and stem has made a huge difference to compliance. That 740mm width is quite comfortable and really opens up the control of the front wheel. Coupled with the newly installed Race Face Ride 1x crank and the bike is transforming into something truly spectacular. Hopefully the snow stays away and I can begin to hit the local prairie trails.

Tundra_Man 

Pouring rain this morning with a strong head/cross wind.

But I'm not complaining because I'm in South Dakota, it's February and it was 53°F!

mgw4jc

I had yesterday off for President's Day. Nice that it is already Tuesday, though it still feels like Monday.

This morning I was waiting at a left turn stoplight when I hear / see a guy on a scooter coming from behind, turn left off the road through a grass/dirt area make the left turn and get back on the road where my left turn lane was heading. He basically bypassed the left turn by going through a yard, except it wasn't really a personal or business yard, just a grassy undeveloped area.

He dropped off a bit of a curb to get back on the road which jarred his scooter enough to break loose some plastic deal that was holding on his license plate. It was then half attached and dangling down and bouncing off his back tire. Crazy people.

PatrickGSR94

Wet commute this morning. I contemplated not riding, but I HTFU and got on with it! I actually woke up earlier than usual this morning because, well... nature. So I actually left the house 20 minutes earlier than usual, without even really trying. It was wet, but the rain held off other than just a few sprinkles near work. It was also more windy than I expected, which made it tough in some spots. But I made it to work just after 7 (normally about 7:30), and I was showered and ready by 7:35. Not bad!

Tundra_Man 

34°F this morning with a stout 20 mph headwind. I wore shorts even though it was on the edge of my comfort zone because it's supposed to get up in the 60s today and my bag was packed to the brim. I didn't want to hassle with taking the 2nd bag just to hold a pair of pants.

Another co-worker rode to work this morning. He rides pretty regularly eight months out of the year, but doesn't winter commute. This was only the 2nd or 3rd time he's ridden since November, so he's lost some of his endurance during the off-season. When he arrived he was pretty tuckered out from fighting the wind.

ptempel

Very nice commute in today. It was around 35F going by the external temp sensor on the car. wunderground.com claims that it should go into the low 40's later on. The NDS crank bolt came loose on me this morning. I really need to get some of the blue locktite on those bolts. Glad I still carry an 8mm allen in the bag.

A little OT, but we bought a new car yesterday! Its a Hyundai Tucson Sport with the 1.6L turbo engine. Runs pretty good considering I used to have an old 1994 Nissan Sentra with a similar sized engine (but without a turbo). And that car was slow but pretty reliable. I originally went in expecting to shop for the Santa Fe, but the Tucson had enough cargo and leg room in the back seat. Will see how it goes. Its replacing a 2005 VW Passat TDI.

Edit: This has a short blurb on the car: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...6t-test-review

rhm

Not a mile from my house, my pedals froze, wouldn't move. I thought the chain had derailled or something. Pulled over and found a 6' length of nice braided string wound around the cassette and derailleur. WTF did that come from! I had to take out the wheel to unwind it. No damage done, but I missed the 5:13 express, had to catch the 5:30 local... but the slower train means more sleep, so not such a bad deal.

Also, a small herd of deer charged across the road right in front of me. Close enough that I hit the brakes. They missed me. That was good.

wphamilton

I was slow today, maybe a new record for "normal" weather but I didn't record or time it. The back of one leg & knee was sore from my 53 miles yesterday so I didn't want to risk much force on it. I'm not sure why that was, since 50 miles and that amount of climbing isn't that unusual for me. Maybe I should drop the saddle 4 or 5 mm for awhile.

arsprod 

A lovely April morning at 51F... in February. Rain in the forecast for most of the week and it will definitely rain this afternoon because I left rain gear at home

pdlamb

60F and overcast. I almost made it to work before the rain hit -- just a light shower, a precursor of what's 90% certain to hit later today.


The mockingbirds and woodpeckers have started to sing a lot more in the last couple days - maybe it's really spring!

pdlamb

LOL - ain't it the truth!

joeyduck

Congrats on the new car! Photos, but only with the bike.

What was the final factor that led to your decision?

@Tundra_Man I missed your one year riding accomplishment and I want to congratulate you!

Today was very nice, it was just me and the trailer full of garbage and my bag. The sun was out and the wind was up in the harbor, but not enough to cause any issues. I unfortunately sis not snap a picture this morning.

As the weather gets nice I have been thinking a lot of my spring and what riding I will be able to handle. The fact that my wife has okayed my riding with her colleagues is a big step. I first have to start getting my old Rocky Mountain Turbo out of storage and back in fighting shape. We (not me, my family) moved days after my accident and it got put outdoors for the rainy season; albeit under a tarp but still the drivetrain need a lot of love.

I pumped up a dirt hill yesterday and on the way down I clearly noticed in the dirt the asymmetry in my pedal strokes. I have a hard time with foot positioning and power on my left foot, I think that I will certainly need clipless pedals in order to get any power out of the left leg, or just to keep it in the proper position.