2018! The “How was your commute?” thread!
#51
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Commuting postponed to week 3 due to holidays
Looking forward to 2018!
last year wasn’t that great bikewise - had a little girl which was and is being awesome, but put a big hit on my commuting frequency.
Looking into an icy and salty start. So lots of cleaning and care. not using winter tires this year cause I got too annoyed with them last winter so I’ve promised myself I would not use them this winter - ironically December was icier than usual and I slid and landed on my butt twice already but sticking to my promise and stubbornness
Looking forward to 2018!
last year wasn’t that great bikewise - had a little girl which was and is being awesome, but put a big hit on my commuting frequency.
Looking into an icy and salty start. So lots of cleaning and care. not using winter tires this year cause I got too annoyed with them last winter so I’ve promised myself I would not use them this winter - ironically December was icier than usual and I slid and landed on my butt twice already but sticking to my promise and stubbornness
#52
Senior Member
Commuting postponed to week 3 due to holidays
Looking forward to 2018!
last year wasn’t that great bikewise - had a little girl which was and is being awesome, but put a big hit on my commuting frequency.
Looking into an icy and salty start. So lots of cleaning and care. not using winter tires this year cause I got too annoyed with them last winter so I’ve promised myself I would not use them this winter - ironically December was icier than usual and I slid and landed on my butt twice already but sticking to my promise and stubbornness
Looking forward to 2018!
last year wasn’t that great bikewise - had a little girl which was and is being awesome, but put a big hit on my commuting frequency.
Looking into an icy and salty start. So lots of cleaning and care. not using winter tires this year cause I got too annoyed with them last winter so I’ve promised myself I would not use them this winter - ironically December was icier than usual and I slid and landed on my butt twice already but sticking to my promise and stubbornness
#53
Senior Member
My coldest ride ever at 14°F for 15 miles. Started out with my balaclava and ski goggles again today, but I tried taping the bottom vents to help keep moisture out. Total failure, and it was even worse than last time. I stopped halfway to try to clean them out (not easy to do while leaving helmet on), but then they got frozen up even worse still so I had to take them off after 10 miles (just dangled around my neck), and switch to my glasses. My skin around the glasses was in absolute pain for most of the rest of the way into work. Toes weren't much better. Hands were okay after awhile. I used an extra pants layer and didn't have any problems there this time.
Remind me why we do this, again?
Remind me why we do this, again?
#54
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Surprisingly warm 25°F with a light 6mph West wind. Very uneventful and pleasant ride to the office today. No goggles needed, and didn't overdress.
There are spots of hardened windblown snowpack on some of the paths that didn't get shoveled and icy spots, but the fat bike just blows overs them like it's nothiing. Good ride into the office.
There are spots of hardened windblown snowpack on some of the paths that didn't get shoveled and icy spots, but the fat bike just blows overs them like it's nothiing. Good ride into the office.
#55
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Tokyo, things getting started
This is sorta the first full week starting today, its 9 degrees and going to be windy this afternoon with a goodly chill factor. I will be riding my usual 40 kms today. Good to start clocking the miles. Hopefully break 7000 km this year.
#56
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Waiting to get my urinary stent removed in a few days, can't do much commuting, but looking forward to getting back working out, cycling, crosstraining on the Me-Mover, and some weight training.
Bummer, strength down, shirts looser from not hitting the weights for about a month after a few procedures to open up the plumbing by zapping kidney stones, more like a quarry.
Good to be in Florida, temps coming back for human existence, Florida style.
Bummer, strength down, shirts looser from not hitting the weights for about a month after a few procedures to open up the plumbing by zapping kidney stones, more like a quarry.
Good to be in Florida, temps coming back for human existence, Florida style.
#57
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Well, Iwas going to report on the amazing fog that shrouds DC this morning (33F/1C perfectly still) but instead I'll report on the fact that I am sitting here in some pain at my desk.
Coming over the Potomac at the Jefferson memorial I make a u-turn off the bridge to head back along the river to my office. Asphalt was fine but the concrete slab for tour busses was a sheet of ice. Once again I had that feeling of floating and hoping that the impact would not be too bad. My left hip and lower back took the brunt.
I was shaky getting up at first but then limped it into the office which is nearby.
On the positive side: Love to feel that helmet doing its job!
Coming over the Potomac at the Jefferson memorial I make a u-turn off the bridge to head back along the river to my office. Asphalt was fine but the concrete slab for tour busses was a sheet of ice. Once again I had that feeling of floating and hoping that the impact would not be too bad. My left hip and lower back took the brunt.
I was shaky getting up at first but then limped it into the office which is nearby.
On the positive side: Love to feel that helmet doing its job!
#58
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#60
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I'm back in the saddle again...
Also my first time on the bike for this year. Was messy and slushy. But will take that over colder and ice. Well, I usually wouldn't be riding in the latter. Was 32F in the morning. Looking forward to 40F in the afternoon. Woof! Break out that sun tan lotion! I got my fat self up Ft Lee Road but was breathing a little harder and going a little slower today. To be expected being off the bike, eating too much as usual and going out and eating for my birthday last night. I'm now 50 so am joining the 50+ AARP club. Eeek.
Also my first time on the bike for this year. Was messy and slushy. But will take that over colder and ice. Well, I usually wouldn't be riding in the latter. Was 32F in the morning. Looking forward to 40F in the afternoon. Woof! Break out that sun tan lotion! I got my fat self up Ft Lee Road but was breathing a little harder and going a little slower today. To be expected being off the bike, eating too much as usual and going out and eating for my birthday last night. I'm now 50 so am joining the 50+ AARP club. Eeek.
Last edited by ptempel; 01-09-18 at 08:30 AM.
#61
The Fat Guy In The Back
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Last night: was riding home when a car passed me, then pulled over about a hundred yards ahead. The driver got out and started walking towards me and flagging me down. I immediately thought, "uh oh."
Then he said, "Hey! What kind of lights are those? They are awesome! I want to get a set for my bike." We chatted for a moment. That was a much better situation than what I initially feared.
This morning: still fighting the creeping crud. Was up coughing until almost 2 AM last night. Alarm went off at 5:15 because my son's high school golf team began indoor winter practice this morning at 5:30 and he doesn't yet have his driver's license. 3 months of this may convince me that letting him drive illegally may not be that bad after all. lol
Got back to the house at 7:15. Prepared and was in the garage by 7:30. Wasted 10 minutes searching for my glasses. Usually I hang them on the bars or rack of one of the bikes I'm not currently riding for the season. Finally found them dangling by the Take-a-Look mirror from the rear derailleur of my hybrid. They had fallen and were suspended in a spot that wasn't immediately apparent. So I wound up being about 5 minutes late to work.
28F with a light tail wind for the ride to a client's office. I'm going to put in about 20 miles by the end of the day. As tempting as it was to ride a faster bike, I opted to ride the winter bike with studded tires which turned out to be a wise decision. It hit the low 30s yesterday afternoon for the first time in about a month, so there was a lot of snow melt that froze during the night.
Beat tired, but I still rode to keep my streak going. Today was consecutive work commute number 438.
Then he said, "Hey! What kind of lights are those? They are awesome! I want to get a set for my bike." We chatted for a moment. That was a much better situation than what I initially feared.
This morning: still fighting the creeping crud. Was up coughing until almost 2 AM last night. Alarm went off at 5:15 because my son's high school golf team began indoor winter practice this morning at 5:30 and he doesn't yet have his driver's license. 3 months of this may convince me that letting him drive illegally may not be that bad after all. lol
Got back to the house at 7:15. Prepared and was in the garage by 7:30. Wasted 10 minutes searching for my glasses. Usually I hang them on the bars or rack of one of the bikes I'm not currently riding for the season. Finally found them dangling by the Take-a-Look mirror from the rear derailleur of my hybrid. They had fallen and were suspended in a spot that wasn't immediately apparent. So I wound up being about 5 minutes late to work.
28F with a light tail wind for the ride to a client's office. I'm going to put in about 20 miles by the end of the day. As tempting as it was to ride a faster bike, I opted to ride the winter bike with studded tires which turned out to be a wise decision. It hit the low 30s yesterday afternoon for the first time in about a month, so there was a lot of snow melt that froze during the night.
Beat tired, but I still rode to keep my streak going. Today was consecutive work commute number 438.
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#62
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I got a set of studded tires this winter and was shocked at how slow they are. Then this morning...I jacked the pressure on the 45mm tires up to 70 psi, and they actually roll ok. Not good. Actually still pretty darn slow. But decent enough that I didn't curse myself for taking the bike when it ended up being probably just fine for normal slicks.
Today was one of those 'pump em up days.' Colder than yesterday at 29F and the moderate thawing from yesterday afternoon refroze all standing water. But it's supposed to be upper 30's this afternoon and 50's tomorrow. Looking forward to swapping back to regular tires!
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#63
Senior Member
@dcb23 - ouch! I hope the bruising and/or swelling is minimal.
I decided to call in and let the sun and traffic warm up the roads a bit this morning. I went for an early run and found several icy sections of road. Many schools were on a 2 hour delay, so I just decided to play it safe and go 2 hours late myself. And what a nice, sunny ride it was at 32F. I have only ridden at dawn and dusk since the time change it seems. I paused at this spot for quick pic.
Yesterday's ride home, however, was upper 30s and rainy. I didn't have my wind/rain pants and my legs got quite cold. It was kind of like just having a bag of ice on your lap or taking an ice bath. The rest of me was okay. I pushed the pace to help stay warm and averaged 16.5mph, about 1.5mph faster than the past few weeks.
I decided to call in and let the sun and traffic warm up the roads a bit this morning. I went for an early run and found several icy sections of road. Many schools were on a 2 hour delay, so I just decided to play it safe and go 2 hours late myself. And what a nice, sunny ride it was at 32F. I have only ridden at dawn and dusk since the time change it seems. I paused at this spot for quick pic.
Yesterday's ride home, however, was upper 30s and rainy. I didn't have my wind/rain pants and my legs got quite cold. It was kind of like just having a bag of ice on your lap or taking an ice bath. The rest of me was okay. I pushed the pace to help stay warm and averaged 16.5mph, about 1.5mph faster than the past few weeks.
#64
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Yesterday we got some slushy rain falling on the super-cooled ground. Everything was coated with a thin layer of chunky ice, really looked like some kind of a sugar glaze on a cookie. It stuck even to the salty streets. But, oddly, it wasn't very slippery. I rode home without any problem, but I felt like I had to be pretty careful.
Overnight it cooled down, below freezing again (but not by much) so that stuff melted away only on the busier streets. A couple times, starting out from a stop, my back wheel just spun. I had to push the bike to a start, and start pedaling once I was rolling! But again, my smooth tires had adequate grip. I was really careful, and didn't have any problem.
A couple deer ran across the road, very close... but they didn't hit me.
Overnight it cooled down, below freezing again (but not by much) so that stuff melted away only on the busier streets. A couple times, starting out from a stop, my back wheel just spun. I had to push the bike to a start, and start pedaling once I was rolling! But again, my smooth tires had adequate grip. I was really careful, and didn't have any problem.
A couple deer ran across the road, very close... but they didn't hit me.
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#65
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Had an early meeting, so I headed out right after the sun had (allegedly) risen. Still damp, a little less chilly, but it was a nice ride because traffic was so light. So light I could hear a siren (fire truck? ambulance) about a mile away when I got to the biggest road I have to cross; turns out that vehicle wasn't headed my way, but it got my blood pressure up waiting for the light to turn, and hoping I wouldn't be standing there for two minutes more.
Maybe I'll see sunshine (briefly) on the way home?
Maybe I'll see sunshine (briefly) on the way home?
#66
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took my son to school then came home and rode to work. that was out of the ordinary. It was my first ride of 2018 and first commute. My legs felt sore this morning but I might have just been hungry. I had not eaten much at that point. I hope to get back in the habit of riding but this winter is a bit more vicious this year. Tested out my new coat and winter socks both did a good job keeping me warm once I got rolling and comfortable. Yay Merry Christmas to me finally.
I have a weird squeaking sound I think in my jockey wheels on the derailleur and it is driving me crazy. Only in the big crank does it make noise and doesn't matter what gear on the cassette. they all squeak! AHH
I have a weird squeaking sound I think in my jockey wheels on the derailleur and it is driving me crazy. Only in the big crank does it make noise and doesn't matter what gear on the cassette. they all squeak! AHH
#67
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#68
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Welcome to 2018 @RidingMatthew!
I feel as though I have to post here even if I didn't ride to work. I took the 3 kids to the airport this morning. They are flying out to Denver to visit grandparents. After seeing them off I wasn't going to have time to go home and bike back. With the kids gone, the wife doesn't need the car, so I just drove to work.
I'm not sure how the next two days will work out. It looks to be rainy. Guess I'll take it one trip at a time per usual.
I feel as though I have to post here even if I didn't ride to work. I took the 3 kids to the airport this morning. They are flying out to Denver to visit grandparents. After seeing them off I wasn't going to have time to go home and bike back. With the kids gone, the wife doesn't need the car, so I just drove to work.
I'm not sure how the next two days will work out. It looks to be rainy. Guess I'll take it one trip at a time per usual.
#69
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Welcome to 2018 @RidingMatthew!
I feel as though I have to post here even if I didn't ride to work. I took the 3 kids to the airport this morning. They are flying out to Denver to visit grandparents. After seeing them off I wasn't going to have time to go home and bike back. With the kids gone, the wife doesn't need the car, so I just drove to work.
I'm not sure how the next two days will work out. It looks to be rainy. Guess I'll take it one trip at a time per usual.
I feel as though I have to post here even if I didn't ride to work. I took the 3 kids to the airport this morning. They are flying out to Denver to visit grandparents. After seeing them off I wasn't going to have time to go home and bike back. With the kids gone, the wife doesn't need the car, so I just drove to work.
I'm not sure how the next two days will work out. It looks to be rainy. Guess I'll take it one trip at a time per usual.
Coworkers were asking me for the past two weeks if I had ridden and I said no because of the wind chill and cold. But it felt good to ride to/from yesterday and in today. I felt kinda silly driving to drop son at school and then coming home to get on bike to ride but I am glad I did.
It looks like our weather patterns are going to turn wet and sloppy the next few days.
One ride at a time!
#70
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Warm in the afternoons these days, but my morning commute was 14 degrees. Lots of black ice. The snow is melting, but it's ugly.
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#71
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I figured with warmer temps and overnight rain that all the ice would be gone so I switched back to regular tires. And for the most part that was true this morning with 39F temps... except in my neighborhood. No sooner did I get down my driveway and hit the street I hit wet ice that was slipperier than snot. Down I went - bruised hip and mostly bruised ego. I walked the rest of the way out of the neighborhood.
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#72
The Fat Guy In The Back
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I figured with warmer temps and overnight rain that all the ice would be gone so I switched back to regular tires. And for the most part that was true this morning with 39F temps... except in my neighborhood. No sooner did I get down my driveway and hit the street I hit wet ice that was slipperier than snot. Down I went - bruised hip and mostly bruised ego. I walked the rest of the way out of the neighborhood.
Similar situation here, although I resisted the temptation to take my hybrid and rode the winter bike with the studs. It was a hard choice as I have to ride about 20 miles today between locations and the wind is blowing strong, so it would have been nice to not also deal with the additional resistance of the studded tires. By the time I got halfway to work, however, I'd crossed enough black ice patches that I realized I made the correct decision.
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#73
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Was a good commute and a bit colder at 30F or so. Also a lot less messy than yesterday. My bike and bib tight was covered with a fair amount of road grime from the melting snow. Was on the lookout for ice but didn't see much which was a pleasant surprise. Some streets still have snow on the shoulder that forces me to use more of the lane. Not a major deal and the drivers were patient with me when I needed to take the lane.
#74
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Coming over the Potomac at the Jefferson memorial I make a u-turn off the bridge to head back along the river to my office. Asphalt was fine but the concrete slab for tour busses was a sheet of ice. Once again I had that feeling of floating and hoping that the impact would not be too bad. My left hip and lower back took the brunt.
I was shaky getting up at first but then limped it into the office which is nearby.
On the positive side: Love to feel that helmet doing its job!
I was shaky getting up at first but then limped it into the office which is nearby.
On the positive side: Love to feel that helmet doing its job!
#75
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No rides this week... rained out M-W, Th we are embarking on a camping trip, M need to drop off puppy at the vet for his snip snip, so not riding til Tues earliest. And that might get rained out again. I've made a deliberate choice not to ride in the wet on the grounds that it's rarely wet, but this month seems like just a bad roll of the dice. At least it's clear this weekend for the camping trip!
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