2019! The “How was your commute?” thread!
#376
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: northern Deep South
Posts: 8,847
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2578 Post(s)
Liked 1,901 Times
in
1,193 Posts
Light overcast this morning, with clouds coming in. My first leg is SSW, and there was a stiff wind blowing out of the south (bring moisture so it can rain...). Uh-oh, I thought, headwinds along the 4- and 1-mile south legs. But somehow, it eased up so there was no more than a breeze. I don't know where it went, but I was glad the wind died down!
Right lane of four was blocked for some kind of road destruction, but a nice driver in a white van let me into the left lane to get by. (I know, shocked me too!) The half dozen or so vehicles behind him all made it to the still-red light, so I only slowed traffic, didn't delay anybody. Next light, though, the guy "driving" the car in front of me was playing with his cell phone, so the light turned yellow as I entered the intersection. I felt bad for the school bus that was caught at that light, but hey, the jerk holding up traffic was driving a Civic instead of a bike!
Right lane of four was blocked for some kind of road destruction, but a nice driver in a white van let me into the left lane to get by. (I know, shocked me too!) The half dozen or so vehicles behind him all made it to the still-red light, so I only slowed traffic, didn't delay anybody. Next light, though, the guy "driving" the car in front of me was playing with his cell phone, so the light turned yellow as I entered the intersection. I felt bad for the school bus that was caught at that light, but hey, the jerk holding up traffic was driving a Civic instead of a bike!
#378
Senior Member
I'm in the car today.
Yesterday riding home there was driving rain and sustained headwinds of 25 kts, gusting into the 40s. It was some kind of miserable. I basically had to grab my granny cog and hope for the best. I don't think any ride thus far has ever been more exhausting. This morning everything hurts and the forecast this afternoon is for more of the same, so car it is. Twinges of guilt for not trying to power through, but I know I'm not up for it, and I have a busy and active weekend ahead so I need to not be couch-bound. If it wasn't gonna be very high winds again, I'd probably just go for it and make it a recovery ride, but there's no recovering with 25+ kts in your face.
Yesterday riding home there was driving rain and sustained headwinds of 25 kts, gusting into the 40s. It was some kind of miserable. I basically had to grab my granny cog and hope for the best. I don't think any ride thus far has ever been more exhausting. This morning everything hurts and the forecast this afternoon is for more of the same, so car it is. Twinges of guilt for not trying to power through, but I know I'm not up for it, and I have a busy and active weekend ahead so I need to not be couch-bound. If it wasn't gonna be very high winds again, I'd probably just go for it and make it a recovery ride, but there's no recovering with 25+ kts in your face.
#379
Senior Member
In some ways I do "have to." I gave my vehicle to my son this last summer, so I don't have a lot of choice but to ride as my wife needs her car to get to work and my son takes mine to school. My wife would probably give me a ride, but I know it would really be inconvenient for her schedule. I'm not even going to ask my son.
-2F. More brutal headwinds today once again made it feel like Sir Brad was giving me a tour of the Pit of Misery.
-2F. More brutal headwinds today once again made it feel like Sir Brad was giving me a tour of the Pit of Misery.
#380
Senior Member
Came in an hour late today. Traffic was about the same I guess. Except I took the route that goes by a middle school and high school. One or both of them must start at 9 because at 8:40am that road was much higher traffic than I normally see there at 7:40am.
Just after that I come to a stop light where I wait kind of between the straight lane and right turn lane so I can go straight and actually get to a sidewalk / MUP connection on the other side. Whilte waiting for the light, I see a cyclist - looked to be on a rec ride vs commuting - who had come from the same direction as me, but was on the sidewalk across the road. I've seen kids use that because there is a crosswalk there. I'm not sure if he even checked for traffic or not, but he proceeds to turn right, not seeing the two cars that have a green to turn left onto the lane between the sidewalk and where I am. He ends up going around the left side of both of those cars into the oncoming traffic lane which luckily didn't have any cars coming. But he had to swerve twice to avoid those cars and was lucky one of them didn't hit him. I hollered, "Bad decision, dude!" after he got through. No response or acknowledgement.
Friday!
Just after that I come to a stop light where I wait kind of between the straight lane and right turn lane so I can go straight and actually get to a sidewalk / MUP connection on the other side. Whilte waiting for the light, I see a cyclist - looked to be on a rec ride vs commuting - who had come from the same direction as me, but was on the sidewalk across the road. I've seen kids use that because there is a crosswalk there. I'm not sure if he even checked for traffic or not, but he proceeds to turn right, not seeing the two cars that have a green to turn left onto the lane between the sidewalk and where I am. He ends up going around the left side of both of those cars into the oncoming traffic lane which luckily didn't have any cars coming. But he had to swerve twice to avoid those cars and was lucky one of them didn't hit him. I hollered, "Bad decision, dude!" after he got through. No response or acknowledgement.
Friday!
#381
multimodal commuter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,852
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
Mentioned: 584 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1908 Post(s)
Liked 574 Times
in
339 Posts
It wasn't bad this morning. Some patches of ice-crusted snow on the towpath, but hardly any bike tracks (just mine, from Wednesday and Thursday!) so I was able to chose a clean path. All that should be melted by this afternoon.
__________________
www.rhmsaddles.com.
www.rhmsaddles.com.
#382
The Fat Guy In The Back
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 2,527
Bikes: '81 Panasonic Sport, '02 Giant Boulder SE, '08 Felt S32, '10 Diamondback Insight RS, '10 Windsor Clockwork, '15 Kestrel Evoke 3.0, '19 Salsa Mukluk
Mentioned: 91 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 319 Post(s)
Liked 166 Times
in
111 Posts
Well, most days of the year it's no big deal. When my son became driving age my wife started talking about getting him a cheap used car. I pointed out that for the last several years my truck sat in the garage unused most days. It made a lot more sense to me to let him drive that to school than buying and maintaining a 3rd vehicle. I knew there would be a handful of difficult days every year where I would no longer have the option to drive. This winter it seems like there have been a few more than usual (or it may just feel that way.) But really, the majority of the time it hasn't been an issue. Even if I have 15 really rough commutes over the course of the winter that's hardly enough to justify buying another car.
Today was -7F with a -23F wind chill. The headwind was less forceful than yesterday so even though it was colder it was a lot easier riding.
Today was -7F with a -23F wind chill. The headwind was less forceful than yesterday so even though it was colder it was a lot easier riding.
__________________
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
#383
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: northern Deep South
Posts: 8,847
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2578 Post(s)
Liked 1,901 Times
in
1,193 Posts
Fairly nice morning, moderate overcast, not too much wind, and middle 50s. Borderline chilly with bare legs and no sun -- so much for that recovery ride. Had to warm up! I tossed some knee warmers and jacket into the pannier in case the temperature drops and the rain gets here early this afternoon.
Met another casual commuter at the bike rack this morning. I've seen his nice titanium bike a few times before, but didn't know to whom it belonged. I'll have to work on him to see if we can get another regular bike commuter riding in here.
Met another casual commuter at the bike rack this morning. I've seen his nice titanium bike a few times before, but didn't know to whom it belonged. I'll have to work on him to see if we can get another regular bike commuter riding in here.
#384
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,775
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,102 Times
in
1,366 Posts
First ride on the trike. Made some adjustments, tightened some things down. I tilted the seat all the way up... this is going to start as a fancy wheelchair, after all. The boom length was too short even though I'd lengthened it last night, made me glad I made the new chain longer than the old one. Still too short after another adjustment but I'm holding off because it's obvious that I'd hate these giant toe straps even without the impending chest surgery and I need to get my SPD's installed and the boom adjusted to match them before I go under. Once under way, speed was about par with the MTB. Three 406 x 35, 50 psi tires on the wooden bridge made me already miss my 27.5+. The Topeak MTX track rattles harmlessly. When I got to work I wasn't sure what to do with the thing. It does not wheel through a doorway and it's got too big a footprint to hide in my cubicle. I had originally intended to park it in the motorcycle area for a lark but I'd forgotten the cover and it's a partly rainy day. So much for my lovely new chain! It does not fit in the new bike boxes. At least not upright... hmm, maybe I'll try it on its side. Edit: yeah it fits, not gracefully. Would want something like motorcycle frame sliders if doing it regularly.
This is going to be fun for my recovery but I'm already seeing why this trike is made the way it is, and others are different, and wondering if I'd like the different better.
Yuck, that is badly compressed. Oh well...
This is going to be fun for my recovery but I'm already seeing why this trike is made the way it is, and others are different, and wondering if I'd like the different better.
Yuck, that is badly compressed. Oh well...
Last edited by Darth Lefty; 02-15-19 at 11:49 AM.
#385
Senior Member
So for the ride home on the 14th it was about 50°F-ish. Morning on the 15th was 37°F wind 10 mph, ride home saw 31°F and light snow, nothing stuck around though. Today was just a run to the grocery store but I managed to fit 6 days worth of dinners into the panniers with only the bread and paper towels hanging off the handle bars.
#386
Senior Member
President's Day, but I'm working. Light traffic on the streets and quiet at the office. Works for me!
Overnight rains left the streets wet, but I was seeing some blue sky poke through on my way in.
Overnight rains left the streets wet, but I was seeing some blue sky poke through on my way in.
#387
Senior Member
Morning Commute 2/18/19 33°F, 11mph wind, flurries - 5.5 miles in 30ish minutes (I forgot to pause Strava when I stopped at the store for breakfast and smokes.) Light traffic but heavy overcast.
#388
Senior Member
Mid tens this morning with wind chill around zero and wind out of the NW. A bit chilly on the face starting out but my feet are another story. Going to try plastic bags next and if that doesn't work either electric or hand warmers!
#389
Senior Member
Took the car today. I'm annoyed at myself for slacking, but I have plans after work that 50 minutes commuting won't accommodate. Back on the bike tomorrow, though, and the crazy wind and rain are forecasted to be gone this week. Morning temps are forecasted to be 25-35 and clear all week. Should make for nice rides. Looking forward to testing out my Cycliq rear cam, as well. I'll have to share a clip after my first commute.
I did spend a lot of time working on my bike over the weekend, though. I was able to install fenders, after much tribulation. I had to take the rear rack partly off and bend it up, because it was sitting on the fender and pushing it into the rear tire. I think I've got it all set, but I only did a brief test ride so tomorrow will be the true indicator. I'd better throw my allen wrenches in my bag to adjust on the road if needed.
I gotta spend some time tinkering with my brakes, though. I feel like every time I disconnect them to work on the bike they end up dragging or needing adjustment, and the lever pulls are really long. Maybe later this week I'll have some time to sit down and do some fine tuning on that. Grumble grumble shoulda sprung for the disc brakes...
I did spend a lot of time working on my bike over the weekend, though. I was able to install fenders, after much tribulation. I had to take the rear rack partly off and bend it up, because it was sitting on the fender and pushing it into the rear tire. I think I've got it all set, but I only did a brief test ride so tomorrow will be the true indicator. I'd better throw my allen wrenches in my bag to adjust on the road if needed.
I gotta spend some time tinkering with my brakes, though. I feel like every time I disconnect them to work on the bike they end up dragging or needing adjustment, and the lever pulls are really long. Maybe later this week I'll have some time to sit down and do some fine tuning on that. Grumble grumble shoulda sprung for the disc brakes...
#390
multimodal commuter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,852
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
Mentioned: 584 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1908 Post(s)
Liked 574 Times
in
339 Posts
Drizzle. I wore my Ikea poncho, which worked fine. But then I waited 45 minutes for the train, should have looked at the Presidents Day schedule before I left the house.
__________________
www.rhmsaddles.com.
www.rhmsaddles.com.
#391
multimodal commuter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: NJ, NYC, LI
Posts: 19,852
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
Mentioned: 584 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1908 Post(s)
Liked 574 Times
in
339 Posts
First ride on the trike. Made some adjustments, tightened some things down. I tilted the seat all the way up... this is going to start as a fancy wheelchair, after all. The boom length was too short even though I'd lengthened it last night, made me glad I made the new chain longer than the old one. Still too short after another adjustment but I'm holding off because it's obvious that I'd hate these giant toe straps even without the impending chest surgery and I need to get my SPD's installed and the boom adjusted to match them before I go under. Once under way, speed was about par with the MTB. Three 406 x 35, 50 psi tires on the wooden bridge made me already miss my 27.5+. The Topeak MTX track rattles harmlessly. When I got to work I wasn't sure what to do with the thing. It does not wheel through a doorway and it's got too big a footprint to hide in my cubicle. I had originally intended to park it in the motorcycle area for a lark but I'd forgotten the cover and it's a partly rainy day. So much for my lovely new chain! It does not fit in the new bike boxes. At least not upright... hmm, maybe I'll try it on its side. Edit: yeah it fits, not gracefully. Would want something like motorcycle frame sliders if doing it regularly.
This is going to be fun for my recovery but I'm already seeing why this trike is made the way it is, and others are different, and wondering if I'd like the different better.
Yuck, that is badly compressed. Oh well...
This is going to be fun for my recovery but I'm already seeing why this trike is made the way it is, and others are different, and wondering if I'd like the different better.
Yuck, that is badly compressed. Oh well...
__________________
www.rhmsaddles.com.
www.rhmsaddles.com.
#392
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,775
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,102 Times
in
1,366 Posts
I put SPD's on it and lengthened the boom again. The boom is as far out as it will go, to its "L" and min insertion mark, and still feels too short, even though I'm a "M" sized person. I'm marking that down to the seat being all the way up. I'm going to switch the pedals again. These are simple ones, not 520's but some old equivalent, and even though clipping in is way easier than the big Velcro straps, I don't like how easy they float. I'm going to put on T400's, which have a rubber pad around the latch which still allows float but with a little platform grip.
It's been a rainy couple of weeks, now this week it's going to be clear with wild diurnal temperature swings. Ice on the wooden bridge this morning, melting fast. Unusual!
The front wheels run right under the hands but the couple of puddles I encountered went slowly enough they didn't spray me.
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17
Last edited by Darth Lefty; 02-18-19 at 12:23 PM.
#393
The Fat Guy In The Back
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Sioux Falls, SD
Posts: 2,527
Bikes: '81 Panasonic Sport, '02 Giant Boulder SE, '08 Felt S32, '10 Diamondback Insight RS, '10 Windsor Clockwork, '15 Kestrel Evoke 3.0, '19 Salsa Mukluk
Mentioned: 91 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 319 Post(s)
Liked 166 Times
in
111 Posts
5-6" of fresh snow overnight. With it being President's day, I knew the MUP wouldn't be plowed and that would a little much to try and push through, especially with my health being the way it has been recently.
I got up early to clear the snow from our driveway, hoping to be done in time to ride a mile down the road and catch the 7:30 bus downtown. After nearly passing out while moving snow, by the time I finished it was 7:30 and I knew at minimum I'd have to catch the 8:05 bus, but the way I was feeling I was skeptical that would happen. I went inside and collapsed and wound up sleeping until 11:30.
Feeling better but not great, I rode and caught the 12:25 bus downtown. I figured I could still get in a half of a day's work. The MUP probably won't be plowed until tomorrow, so I'm going to bus it home as well. At least I'll still get about 3 miles of riding in to-from the bus stops.
Have tomorrow off for a bunch of medical tests. Hopefully they can figure out what's wrong with me.
I got up early to clear the snow from our driveway, hoping to be done in time to ride a mile down the road and catch the 7:30 bus downtown. After nearly passing out while moving snow, by the time I finished it was 7:30 and I knew at minimum I'd have to catch the 8:05 bus, but the way I was feeling I was skeptical that would happen. I went inside and collapsed and wound up sleeping until 11:30.
Feeling better but not great, I rode and caught the 12:25 bus downtown. I figured I could still get in a half of a day's work. The MUP probably won't be plowed until tomorrow, so I'm going to bus it home as well. At least I'll still get about 3 miles of riding in to-from the bus stops.
Have tomorrow off for a bunch of medical tests. Hopefully they can figure out what's wrong with me.
__________________
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
Visit me at the Tundra Man Workshop
#394
Newbie
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hit about my 200th mile of commuting this morning for 2019. After being N - 2 in January/December due to theft and a broken frame. My stable is restored with a 1989 Bianchi and a brand new Giant TCR. The Bianchi needs some adjustments so I enjoyed a commute on my TCR. With temps in the low 30's I almost opted to work from home. My blood has certainly thinned from my Michigan days.
#395
Senior Member
Evening Commute 2/18/19 33°F 7mph wind. Normal traffic, nothing really exceptional happening until I hit the home stroad (Hurstbourne Pkwy) no less than six fire engines running full code blazing through my favorite intersection (where I regularly have close calls with drivers both on the bike and as a pedestrian, no matter how I try to handle the intersection). So there's a major something happening not too far away.
#396
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,775
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,102 Times
in
1,366 Posts
I thought I was done with shakedown cruises but maybe not. I didn’t have the tools handy to fix this dumb mistake I made. It was making a scuffing noise like a dragging disk and shifting a little strange... Also might sweep the handlebars back a little for a perfectly neutral wrist
#397
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,775
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,102 Times
in
1,366 Posts
I hit the first page of the photo thread to see if there was anyone current, and found @caloso who was already here in 2004! 15 years, wow
#398
Senior Member
It was a little cooler than I thought and at first I was wishing I had some warmer items on. But by the second half I was plenty warmed up. Low 30s this morning with chances of rain at 4 and 5pm. And more rain the next two days.
Seems like the past couple of weeks I've heard more honks that seem to be aimed at me. Odd thing is more than half come from cars going the opposite direction. One minivan's horn sounded more like a whining 3 year old than a honk. "Miiiinnne. Miiiinnne."
Seems like the past couple of weeks I've heard more honks that seem to be aimed at me. Odd thing is more than half come from cars going the opposite direction. One minivan's horn sounded more like a whining 3 year old than a honk. "Miiiinnne. Miiiinnne."
#399
Senior Member
20F and clear today. I think this is a new low temperature for me. For the first couple of miles, I was wishing I'd put on another layer, but I mostly warmed up after that. My jacket and beard were quite iced over by the time I made it to work, and my gloves that work great in 40 degrees leave me frozen in 20 degrees. I got to work and realized I had accidentally turned my Cycliq off. Whoops. Can't wait for my mirror to come in so I can stop constantly feeling the urge to shoulder check.
This afternoon is gonna be interesting because I'm donating blood. I'm gonna ride to the hospital from work, and then home from the hospital is only 1 mile, but it's probably gonna be quite the affair. I think I'm gonna pound a bunch of ice cream, pedal super slowly 1 mile home, and then sleep for like 12 hours. Wish me luck.
This afternoon is gonna be interesting because I'm donating blood. I'm gonna ride to the hospital from work, and then home from the hospital is only 1 mile, but it's probably gonna be quite the affair. I think I'm gonna pound a bunch of ice cream, pedal super slowly 1 mile home, and then sleep for like 12 hours. Wish me luck.
#400
Senior Member
18F, no wind, a dusting of snow covering the trail - pretty nice!
__________________
I'm slow, go around
I'm slow, go around