mgw4jc

Chilly, but beautiful fall morning - just cold enough that I wore tight pants on the way in. But it will be warmer - mid 60sF - for the ride home.

The cheap Schwinn lights from Target I have been limping along on have now been replaced with a Cygolite 280 and 2 watt tail light combo. My ride home tonight will be my first chance to use them.

tarwheel 

Perfect commuting weather continues in NC. Perhaps I'll be able to boost my commuting mileage to expected levels, after a rainy summer and early fall put a big dent in it. However, I'll miss a lot of commuting days in Nov and Dec due to holidays and vacation time off work. Oh well, I'm not one of those guys who will give up vacation time so I can increase my commuting mileage.

Rode my "reconstituted" Bob Jackson touring bike today, repackaged with lighter wheels, a double compact crankset drive train, and the rear rack removed. It should be at least 2 lbs lighter and it definitely felt quicker than before. I also put a red saddle and bar tape on it, which should add to its speed. The touring parts (triple crankset and drivetrain, rear rack, and heavy duty wheel set) are going on my new Soma Saga frame set, which should be ready at the bike shop in a couple of days. The Saga is mostly built up and looks great. Can't wait to try it out.

arsprod 

Back on the bike after a little over a week on injured reserve - hurt my back and doc said no riding. Not sure which was worse, the back pain or not riding pain! I took it really easy and thought I was going to break my record for all time slowest commute but was only a few minutes off normal pace. What really sucked was my phone reported the morning temp at 45F, it was really 39F and I under dressed.

Hyperbole

I have been commuting for nearly 1,200 miles, got my first flat. Pulled out a piece of green glass embedded in my tire.

nolatom

That's a pretty good flat-less record. Mine is worse.
How's that single-gear working for you? Queens is kinda hilly, innit? I don't think I'd have the stamina to pound a hill without my granny gear, but I'm "old".

PatrickGSR94

So last week marked 3,000 miles ridden this year, and 2,000 miles commuting this year!

This morning was okay, mid 40's, about 10 degrees warmer than Friday morning. But I had a 7-10 MPH headwind, which made me slow.

I wore my MTB SPD shoes instead of my (more vented) rubber-soled SPD shoes this time. I only used my wool socks, but tried to keep the shoe straps fairly loose. I also stuck about 10-12 layers of newsprint underneath the original insole piece (traced to shape and cut out), to try to insulate the cold from the SPD cleats and pedals. I think it did okay, toes only just started feeling cold when I got to work. But of course it was warmer.

I found out that Bass Pro sells some 3M Thinsulate thermal insoles that I'm going to try out as soon as I can make it up there to the store. May need to try to go this week as it's supposed to be getting below freezing starting later this week.

Hyperbole

I feel like I've been damn lucky with flats. Queens isn't what I'd call hilly. But, it's not totally flat either. My worst climb is over the Williamsburg or 59th Street Bridge on my commute. There aren't any hills in the area that require me to stand and pedal.

gregjones

Yes, it turns a bit chilly for us this week. If the newsprint worked that Thinsulste insole should do even better. I dug out my roll of aluminium tape to test it this weekend.

PatrickGSR94

Yeah I hope they work.

Tomorrow is supposed to be all the way up into the mid 50's at 6 AM! But then rain during the day tomorrow, slightly cooler for the ride home, and wind shifting to the north. Which means tomorrow will be headwinds both morning and afternoon!

caloso

49F, dead calm, 90%RH. Lots of mist outside the city limits. Pretty uneventful.

joeyduck

I was looking forward to a chilly commute. About 2°C. It hasn't been below 10 for all intents and purposes.

But my son is sick. No riding until Wednesday.
@jrickards it is Veteran's Day. Memorial Day is in May around Victoria Day.

Fishmonger

This morning was windy - probably 25 mph gusts.

The first mile and a half was pretty crazy with the crosswinds, but the next 4 miles were almost all tailwinds. Then it started to hail, and I was (literally) eating ice.

Crazy morning, and record time!

jrickards

LOL, I am such a bad American!!

joeyduck

Are you dual also?

jrickards

Sorry, didn't think of that. Dual yes, but not US: Canadian-born and British parents which therefore essentially gives me a European passport and the rights to work in Europe. My youngest sister was born in the US so she had the ability to get a US passport as well.

dramiscram

Nice weather so far in november, some rain here and there but the winds are not too strong. The temps are generally over the freezing point.
I finaly was on the radio last friday, which was nice but this morning I got a phone call from a journalist of the local newspaper, she heard me on the radio and liked the story so I'll be in the newspaper as well. All that because I ride my bike to work...

PatrickGSR94

heh I'm the ONLY PERSON who commutes to work in my area, that I've ever seen. I've wondered if I'll ever be on the news, paper, etc.

Mr. Hairy Legs

At my workplace, the bike racks are now down to just two bikes: the "bike lady" and I the "bike guy" are the only winter commuters in the twin buildings.

Quite a contrast from April-May, when it seems everyone wants to get in on this cool fad, and my bike has to suffer serious indignities on a regular basis.

I don't think I said "bike" enough.

TallTravel

My best ever time up the mountain this evening. Really happy with today's commute. Minimal traffic, colder weather than normal, great ride.

mgw4jc

Light traffic for the second day in a row. Local schools were out both days for fall break / Veteran's Day. And then in 3 weeks they get Thanksgiving break. Slackers.

My new Cygolite headlight and tail light were nice for the ride home last night. I really only need them for the last 25 mintues or so. I had the taillight on the whole way though so I didn't have to stop and reach back for it.

High of 70F this afternoon. Gonna be relatively warm for the ride home.

PatrickGSR94

Nice tailwind going home yesterday, although not as fast as I had hoped. As I turned into my neighborhood behind a car, the car stopped at the stop sign and just sat there. And sat there. I was turning right, but decided to swing around the car's left side and then go right, instead of going up the car's right side. I swung out wide and pounded it so there was little chance of the car hitting me. I don't know what the heck that person was doing.

Headwind this morning. Yuck. Super slow. Wind will be shifting today so I'll also have a headwind going home. Double yuck. Traffic was super light this morning due to businesses being closed for Veteran's Day.

nolatom

Fall clothing idea, probably un-original, but here goes:

Cold weather but you have to wear a suit jacket or blazer at work, and not that nice warm informal jacket or whatever, and you don't want to crush your blazer into a backpack or rack and have two jackets?

Use your lapels the way they were originally designed: If you have a buttonhole in one lapel (check) then sew a button on inside of opposite lapel, turn collar up and close them over your chest and button them around your neck. Keeps me warm (and extra warm if you have a scarf underneath), and easy to unbutton if you get too warm. That, and zip-off pant legs and nylon t-shirt under dress shirt, help me be temperature-versatile in the chilly mornings and yet still "un-layered" easily enough for a much sunnier and warmer lunchtime ride downtown or in the Quarter or Marigny/Bywater (New Orleans) on my elderly English 3-speed.

MikeyBoyAz

I don't typically commute to work, as it's 41 miles in and 44 back (morning route is only ride-able before traffic so return has to avoid the SNAFU drivers with a detour), but this morning I rode in, and it was blissful. I watched the sun come up over the mountains and now I'm trying to get enough kCals in to ensure I have enough fuel in me for the ride home. It's a nice dilemma to overcome.

Ky_Rider

Same here. Strong headwind this morning made me feel much slower if thats possible. My commute is pretty much north/south. I'll have a headwind going home too. My new larger volume cross tires probably didn't help. According to my app I was only slightly slower than normal though. 14 miles into the wind sucks!

ericy

My commute was relatively uneventful this morning, but I had a bit of an upset partway through. I typically shorten my bike commute from 19 miles to 11 miles by riding Metro for a single stop. But as I was *exiting* the system, the attendant told me that all bikes (except for folders) are banned from the entire system for the entire day. The reason? Some "concert" of some sort downtown which doesn't start until 7PM. Never mind the fact that I am 20 miles from where all of this is taking place - they arbitrarily imposed "July 4th" rules on Veterans Day just because they thought there might be a lot of people trying to get downtown. And didn't bother to tell anyone at all about it.

The attendant at the station I entered didn't say anything - for all I know he was sleeping. I only find out about this once I am on the other end of it, and even that was only because the faregate was broken.