Friday Feb 9 2018 - International Winter Bike to Work Day
02-06-18, 07:36 PM
#1
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Friday Feb 9 2018 - International Winter Bike to Work Day
https://winterbiketoworkday.org/
Someone who doesn't winter bike on a regular basis (or at all) isn't about to haul out their old ten speed, strap the briefcase on the back and head off to the accounting office... not around here in Winter anyways. Yet, these types of organizations are making a positive attempt to get people out pedaling and there's not much harm in that.
Someone who doesn't winter bike on a regular basis (or at all) isn't about to haul out their old ten speed, strap the briefcase on the back and head off to the accounting office... not around here in Winter anyways. Yet, these types of organizations are making a positive attempt to get people out pedaling and there's not much harm in that.
02-07-18, 07:08 AM
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My city (Novi Sad) is leading at the moment. 
https://winterbiketoworkday.org/score/
Though I think, in order for it to be fair, they should divide the number of cyclist with the average temperature in Kelvin scale. Since this winter is among the warmest I remember - practically no snow. Feels like cheating.
https://winterbiketoworkday.org/score/
Though I think, in order for it to be fair, they should divide the number of cyclist with the average temperature in Kelvin scale. Since this winter is among the warmest I remember - practically no snow. Feels like cheating.
02-07-18, 08:54 AM
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It depends where one lives and the weather. In many northern cities an unprepared rider can suffer frostbite, or slip and fall, or slip and fall in traffic. Then there's the ride home which will probable be after sunset, so an unlit, under-reflected bike may be invisible.
Proper clothing and gear makes winter riding safe and enjoyable. Lack of gear, undrdressing (or over dressing) can make it dangerous.
Proper clothing and gear makes winter riding safe and enjoyable. Lack of gear, undrdressing (or over dressing) can make it dangerous.
02-07-18, 03:30 PM
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It's not happening here. Today school was canceled for snow and they expect it to start up again Thursday night and continue thru Saturday. I would love to ride but people weren't even driving this morning.
02-08-18, 07:17 AM
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Ironic, since I do it probably 90% of the time, but forecast calling for 5-10 cm of snow during the day which will make it an impossible ride home. So I'll be driving.
02-08-18, 08:49 AM
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It depends where one lives and the weather. In many northern cities an unprepared rider can suffer frostbite, or slip and fall, or slip and fall in traffic. Then there's the ride home which will probable be after sunset, so an unlit, under-reflected bike may be invisible.
Proper clothing and gear makes winter riding safe and enjoyable. Lack of gear, undrdressing (or over dressing) can make it dangerous.
Proper clothing and gear makes winter riding safe and enjoyable. Lack of gear, undrdressing (or over dressing) can make it dangerous.
02-08-18, 12:48 PM
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My LBS (well, the one near my house) is actually having an event this year for Winter Bike to Work Day!
I've been spamming this event all over the place for the last few years, but nobody was too interested until fatbikes became ubiquitous.
I've been spamming this event all over the place for the last few years, but nobody was too interested until fatbikes became ubiquitous.
02-08-18, 05:06 PM
#9
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Winter Storm Warning
Northern Indiana
WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM EST /8 PM CST/ THIS EVENING TO MIDNIGHT EST /11 PM CST/ FRIDAY NIGHT ... Total snow accumulations of 8 to 12 inches are expected ...
No biking to work for me.
Northern Indiana
WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM EST /8 PM CST/ THIS EVENING TO MIDNIGHT EST /11 PM CST/ FRIDAY NIGHT ... Total snow accumulations of 8 to 12 inches are expected ...
No biking to work for me.
02-08-18, 06:52 PM
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If my commute was substantially shorter than 20 km, say like 10 km, I might think about getting one. But the prospect of trudging through thick snow for possibly two hours does not fill me with joy, at all.
02-08-18, 09:25 PM
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Friday Feb 9 2018 - International Winter Bike to Work DayUnfortunately for me, my winter commuting is sporadic due to my workload (which I enjoy). It's often more efficient to stay overnight at work, save commuting time, and be at my desk at 5 AM when I’m at my energy peak; most of my work is solo anyways. I rode my 14 mile route earlier this week, and am staying over tonight, so though I technically rode to work, I won’t ride tomorrow, February 9.
So don’t be morose, @mcours;, I read and enjoy your posts whenever I encounter them. An admirable New York commuter is also taking a break.
One of my favorite aspects of the winter commute is the problem solving to face the challenges. One of the most enthusiastic posts I have read about winter commuting is:
Finally to the naysayers,
In reply to the thread, When does Hardcore become Stupid, StephenH wrote,
So don’t be morose, @mcours;, I read and enjoy your posts whenever I encounter them. An admirable New York commuter is also taking a break.
On the way into work last Friday, I had finally had enough. I did not complete my ride; instead, I rode over to the subway and got on.
After seven winters of near-daily bike riding, I think that I might have almost run out of tolerance for the cold. The freezing riding is starting to get to me; so perhaps I won't ride so much this month. As a result, this year I probably won't hit ten thousand kilometres or six thousand miles; but, having achieved that distinction three times, maybe I have earned the right to ease up a bit…
Not only had I not ridden in the cold before, I had in fact never before even been outside in the cold so much!…But I put up with riding in the winter for seven years. I am proud of that; but my will to deal with it is, as we say in Esperanto, elĉerpita.
So I am taking it easy this February. I will miss the daily riding. But I will not miss the constant extra wind of 10 to 20 miles per hour that riding generates, a wind that makes every cold day that much more miserable. Nor will I miss the elaborate dressing ritual that is meant to protect me from the cold, but in the end can do nothing about my hands and my face.
After seven winters of near-daily bike riding, I think that I might have almost run out of tolerance for the cold. The freezing riding is starting to get to me; so perhaps I won't ride so much this month. As a result, this year I probably won't hit ten thousand kilometres or six thousand miles; but, having achieved that distinction three times, maybe I have earned the right to ease up a bit…
Not only had I not ridden in the cold before, I had in fact never before even been outside in the cold so much!…But I put up with riding in the winter for seven years. I am proud of that; but my will to deal with it is, as we say in Esperanto, elĉerpita.
So I am taking it easy this February. I will miss the daily riding. But I will not miss the constant extra wind of 10 to 20 miles per hour that riding generates, a wind that makes every cold day that much more miserable. Nor will I miss the elaborate dressing ritual that is meant to protect me from the cold, but in the end can do nothing about my hands and my face.
I made the transition from daily, year-round bike commuter to a home office last year. It has been an interesting challenge. I miss my daily commutes, funny as it will sound to many, I miss the rainy rides, the dark sub-zero mornings, and all the challenges that come with bike commuting
Nicely said; spoken like a true cycle-commuter. 
… I have extracted this slogan [about winter cycling] from a post by @scoatw of Ohio, "Gear and gumption." Always on bad weather days someone at work will ask me,"You didn't ride your bicycle today, did you?."
When it’s really bad out, my wife will chide me, “You just want to ride your bike today, so you can write about it to Bike Forums."
When it’s really bad out, my wife will chide me, “You just want to ride your bike today, so you can write about it to Bike Forums."
It depends where one lives and the weather. In many northern cities an unprepared rider can suffer frostbite, or slip and fall, or slip and fall in traffic. Then there's the ride home which will probable be after sunset, so an unlit, under-reflected bike may be invisible.
Proper clothing and gear makes winter riding safe and enjoyable. Lack of gear, undrdressing (or over dressing) can make it dangerous
Proper clothing and gear makes winter riding safe and enjoyable. Lack of gear, undrdressing (or over dressing) can make it dangerous
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 02-09-18 at 03:30 AM.
02-08-18, 10:07 PM
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Signed up, committed, and it looks like there's an event on my route.
02-09-18, 06:50 AM
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What do you know though, I did ride in today, but I have a Plan B and C for the trip home when there will be 5-10 cm of snow on the ground. I'll let you know how it goes in about ten hours.
02-09-18, 09:57 AM
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…So don’t be morose, mcours, I read and enjoy your posts whenever I encounter them.
..and we're just about half way through.
The constant threat of snow, extreme cold temperatures, and nasty NW wind is making bike commuting very dreadfully difficult and stressful. I've run out of chemical warmers for my toes. I had to pick up an extra set of studded tires…And I'm just tired of riding on studs.
I just picked up a pair of winter cyclingboots to help with the cold toes. The battery on my lights and camera don'tlast too long because of the extreme cold. I hate having to wear goggles. I'mhaving to spray down/dry/lube my bike multiple times a week.
This has been a bad winter so far.
Just wanted to rant a bit. Carry on.
The constant threat of snow, extreme cold temperatures, and nasty NW wind is making bike commuting very dreadfully difficult and stressful. I've run out of chemical warmers for my toes. I had to pick up an extra set of studded tires…And I'm just tired of riding on studs.
I just picked up a pair of winter cyclingboots to help with the cold toes. The battery on my lights and camera don'tlast too long because of the extreme cold. I hate having to wear goggles. I'mhaving to spray down/dry/lube my bike multiple times a week.
This has been a bad winter so far.
Just wanted to rant a bit. Carry on.
…After seven winters of near-daily bike riding, I think that I might have almost run out of tolerance for the cold. The freezing riding is starting to get to me; so perhaps I won't ride so much this month…
So I am taking it easy this February. I will miss the daily riding. But I will not miss the constant extra wind of 10to 20 miles per hour that riding generates, a wind that makes every cold daythat much more miserable.
Nor will I miss the elaborate dressing ritual that is meant to protect me from the cold, but in the end can do nothing about my hands and my face…
So I am taking it easy this February. I will miss the daily riding. But I will not miss the constant extra wind of 10to 20 miles per hour that riding generates, a wind that makes every cold daythat much more miserable.
Nor will I miss the elaborate dressing ritual that is meant to protect me from the cold, but in the end can do nothing about my hands and my face…
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 02-09-18 at 12:41 PM.
02-09-18, 04:42 PM
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So the snow didn't come until mid afternoon. I was really optimistic about being able to ride home, but decided last minute to implement Plan B. Plan B is running 11.13 miles on snow covered sidewalks.
I've done it before, but not at the end of a long day of work.
So after 0.50 km, and seeing how the roads were actually pretty good, despite the light dusting of snow, and how difficult it was to get good traction with my running shoes on the yet-to-be-plowed sidewalks I headed back to work and got on the bike. Well, wouldn't you know it, the streets further north had much more coverage than near my work, and then the snow came down much more heavily.
TLDR, made it home under very difficult and dicey conditions. Not sure if Plan B would have been any better, though.
I've done it before, but not at the end of a long day of work. So after 0.50 km, and seeing how the roads were actually pretty good, despite the light dusting of snow, and how difficult it was to get good traction with my running shoes on the yet-to-be-plowed sidewalks I headed back to work and got on the bike. Well, wouldn't you know it, the streets further north had much more coverage than near my work, and then the snow came down much more heavily.
TLDR, made it home under very difficult and dicey conditions. Not sure if Plan B would have been any better, though.
02-09-18, 10:49 PM
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Stopped by the LBS and picked up some nice Bike to Work schwag...a water bottle (always helpful) full of coupons for stuff from local businesses, like cookies, sandwiches, and beer.
It sounds like they had a pretty decent turnout. The main streets were actually fine, despite snow last night - there's so much brine mix down that it melts pretty much immediately now. The side streets, on the other hand...we'll probably see pavement again sometime in late March or early April.
It sounds like they had a pretty decent turnout. The main streets were actually fine, despite snow last night - there's so much brine mix down that it melts pretty much immediately now. The side streets, on the other hand...we'll probably see pavement again sometime in late March or early April.
02-10-18, 05:59 AM
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I rode yesterday - the snow banks were significant, we had two significant snowfalls this week with a bit of a smattering during the day to make the way home harder than going to work. My route is mostly not too bad, a couple sections of cleared mup, a lot of side streets, but where I was on main streets, the snowbanks were bad enough in a couple sections I abandoned to the sidewalk when I normally wouldn't.
Met someone from envirocentre.ca handing out bike lights and coupons for a coffee.
Met someone from envirocentre.ca handing out bike lights and coupons for a coffee.
02-10-18, 06:19 AM
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https://winterbiketoworkday.org/
Someone who doesn't winter bike on a regular basis (or at all) isn't about to haul out their old ten speed, strap the briefcase on the back and head off to the accounting office... not around here in Winter anyways. Yet, these types of organizations are making a positive attempt to get people out pedaling and there's not much harm in that.
Someone who doesn't winter bike on a regular basis (or at all) isn't about to haul out their old ten speed, strap the briefcase on the back and head off to the accounting office... not around here in Winter anyways. Yet, these types of organizations are making a positive attempt to get people out pedaling and there's not much harm in that.
02-10-18, 08:50 AM
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. Why do viruses always show up when you don't want them to right now?
02-11-18, 08:09 AM
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How about this commute...well, it was a short trip to the library and store, but it was so dicey going on the road that I ended up riding on the sidewalk, which was marginally better.
IMG011.jpg
IMG011.jpg
02-13-18, 12:50 AM
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Novi Sad has won the city "competition" and Serbia - in the country list - is in the 3rd place.
It's a bit funny since I'm sure it boils down to percent of people bothering to register, but it's nicely used by local bike-organizations to popularize cycling and get people to using bikes in stead of cars more.
It's a bit funny since I'm sure it boils down to percent of people bothering to register, but it's nicely used by local bike-organizations to popularize cycling and get people to using bikes in stead of cars more.
