The "No Matter What" club
#1
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The "No Matter What" club
OK, raise your hands, who's in it. Assuming you are OK physically, who rides no matter what? Temp, rain, snow, road conditions, none of it matters.
I belong in the club but must confess I only have a 6 mile commute. I do live in the north though.
I belong in the club but must confess I only have a 6 mile commute. I do live in the north though.
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Sorry, I'll keep my hand down. Lightening comes to mind..., extreme cold (-20) or extreme hot 110+
#3
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I ride no matter what, but in the worst cases, that wouldn't really draw any traffic reports on AM radio where I grew up, schools here get cancelled and I wind up home w/ the kids.
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I raise my hand, although with a bit of embarrassment. I now live in San Jose, where the extremes of weather are not at all extreme. I can't imagine not riding my bike into work unless physically unable to. However, I moved here from Maine, where I did not ride 'no matter what' - my envelope there was temp over 0F, and not too much ice on the roads - last winter this meant that I was kept off the bike for about 20 days.
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If I go to work, I go by bike. But under certain conditions I will play hooky or work from home. I will ride in snow, ice, or rain; but sometimes I'll take one look out the window in the morning go back to bed.
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There was a similar thread in the winter forum a few weeks ago.
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...nter-Commuting
I try to ride no matter what, and have been able to do so since starting to bike commute full time last July. That said, I would have nothing against accepting a ride or taking the bus if I felt conditions had become too dangerous.
Paul
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...nter-Commuting
I try to ride no matter what, and have been able to do so since starting to bike commute full time last July. That said, I would have nothing against accepting a ride or taking the bus if I felt conditions had become too dangerous.
Paul
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But I still reserve the right to say "F it" and take a day off at my whim.
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I'd like to say I'm in, but I'm not. Sometimes I tire of the layer-up, strip-down, work, repeat routine of dealing with either cold (for us = sub 20F) or persistently rainy (20 straight days) weather.
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*raises hand* Sun, rain, sleet, hail, snow, everything. Haven't had to ride with ambient temps below 10F yet, that I know of, but I've done wind chills below 0.
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I was for a couple of years, but I relaxed a bit. If I have something large to pick up, I'll drive. If I intend to go meet someone for lunch at someplace miles away, I'll drive. I've found that there are probably 4 or 5 days in the winter when I'd just rather drive - mainly if there's heavy snow buildup that hasn't been properly plowed yet.
Also, I have two cars that just sit in the driveway unless I drive them. If they haven't been driven for some other reason in 3 weeks or so, I'll drive one of them. Otherwise the batteries go dead and everything starts to rot.
Net result is that I wind up driving probably about 20 days a year, which is something like 1 out of 12 days of work.
A couple of years ago I was riding to work and a couple of miles from home there were two kids waiting for the bus in the dark. School was closed - Besides bad driving conditions, they also close school if the wind chill is below -20 I think, and it was -25 that day WITHOUT wind chill. It did seem a bit funny though for a guy on a bicycle to tell the kids that school was closed because it was too cold to stand around waiting for a bus.
Other than heavy snow, there may be some other conditions - winds over 50 MPH maybe (unless it's a tailwind - yeehaw!)? Tornado reported in the area?
Also, I have two cars that just sit in the driveway unless I drive them. If they haven't been driven for some other reason in 3 weeks or so, I'll drive one of them. Otherwise the batteries go dead and everything starts to rot.
Net result is that I wind up driving probably about 20 days a year, which is something like 1 out of 12 days of work.
A couple of years ago I was riding to work and a couple of miles from home there were two kids waiting for the bus in the dark. School was closed - Besides bad driving conditions, they also close school if the wind chill is below -20 I think, and it was -25 that day WITHOUT wind chill. It did seem a bit funny though for a guy on a bicycle to tell the kids that school was closed because it was too cold to stand around waiting for a bus.
Other than heavy snow, there may be some other conditions - winds over 50 MPH maybe (unless it's a tailwind - yeehaw!)? Tornado reported in the area?
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Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
Last edited by ItsJustMe; 01-11-10 at 01:22 PM.
#11
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There was one day in July of 2006 that I took the bus, but other than that, I've ridden to work every workday since I bought my first bike on March 29, 2006.
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no. I was in it for awhile, and then I realized that the only reason I was in the club was because it was 'cool' and not because it actually made me happier. Now I take the bus when there's winds above 40 MPH, severe ice, temps above 105, etc--and I'm less cool but a lot happier.
Maybe if I ever move somewhere that has a milder climate, I'll rejoin.
Maybe if I ever move somewhere that has a milder climate, I'll rejoin.
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I ride almost no matter what. There are occasions (approx 10 days last year) when someone meets me at work and I hitch a ride in their car, but it has nothing to do with the weather, just dinner dates and the like.
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My hands' up. I don't have a car so I have no choice. And yes, I've ridden thru a lightning storm which wasn't fun. Don't know if I'd do it again. Two blizzards, several ice storms, wind, etc, etc.
Last edited by scoatw; 01-11-10 at 03:05 PM.
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rain, snow, wind, cold, hot, mild flooding. Once even for a few weeks with a walking cast on my right ankle during highschool. easier than walking in the thing.
#16
In the wind
I used to have to psyche myself up for riding in anything, but it really isn't that big a deal anymore. We get some cold weather and a bit of snow here (lots of wind) but there is never a time when I'd rather take the train or drive.
I did stop riding for a few days after I got hit by a car last year, that was mostly mental I think.
I did stop riding for a few days after I got hit by a car last year, that was mostly mental I think.
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Always! I find the harshest conditions to be the most fulfilling. Sure a sunny afternoon with a light tail wind is fun but the satisfaction of being out in the thick of it is even better. I like to run in storms and extremes to. YMMV.
#18
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Always. I'm too lazy to drive, unless there is some reason why I need may car, like going to the airport.
Paul
Paul
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If the office is closed I'm staying home. This represents one working day in the last 10 years, the only weather-related non-bike-commute I can remember.
These days, it's only 10km in.
These days, it's only 10km in.
#20
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if time allows between class and work heck yea no matter what. Got a guy honking and yelling "you're crazy!" yesterday, totally worth it Lots of times I don't even feel the cold, and i secretly get excited for snow storms!
#22
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Every day since Oct 2008, but the commute is short 6.5-7 miles round trip depending on which route I take. I was forced to drive today (errand) and found myself getting irritated. Thankfully my beautiful wife does 99.99% of the driving in our family.
Last edited by Elliots Quest; 01-11-10 at 08:55 PM.
#23
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Yep. 10 plus years now. But it's only 4km each way if I go directly, 7 if I take the boy to school first (which I do most school days with him on his own bike in good road conditions, on the tag-along in poor). My leave time is flexible at night, so I can usually avoid a downpour. The bus makes me motion-sick, so there's really no other option.
Last edited by ScottCarney; 01-11-10 at 09:18 PM. Reason: typo
#24
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I would but I drive once a week. My truck doesn't see much use so I need to use it. Other wise I'm in. I really hate driving.
#25
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I've rode my bicycle to work for years now, and I cannot remember the last time I drove to work. Not even the 6.5 earthquake last Saturday deterred me from getting home.