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How was your commute today?

3M views 28K replies 753 participants last post by  cyclingdutchman 
#1 ·
Well how was it?

Mine was good... hadn't been able to ride at all for the 10 days leading up to today, so it was a bit harder to get into the groove.

Forgot my battery pack for my big light, so I had to ride the last 5 miles on pothole ridden bikelanes with a little flasher.

Got honked at when I was as far right as I could be without getting doored.

All in all, it was a good commute... I ride alongside two different freeways (on a bike path) and get to see the traffic backed up for miles... People feverishly trying to type out their morning emails on their blackberry or looking ragged from sitting in traffic. Then I break away from the bike path and the traffic, and it all looks like a rat race in my rearview mirror.
 
#8,303 ·
Riding to work since '89 is pretty impressive :thumbsup:


Rodar, are things contageous on the internet? I broke Jeffscott's 'above the neck/below the neck' rule this morning... weird stomach pains and a very long slow cold 6 miles. Not looking forward to the ride home.
 
#8,305 ·
Riding to work since '89 is pretty impressive :thumbsup:
True, but shouldn't manbat be there by now? :D

Hope you feel better, CB.

I had trouble choosing steeds this morning, studded MTB or unstudded fatbike????? It's been snowing/raining/melting/freezing, etc. all week, leaving a wierd-textured +/-3" of snow behind. I initially regretted my choice (studded MTB) on the uphill trails where it floundered a bit, but there was enough ice that in the end I was happy with my selection. I also wanted to give that chainsuck fix (new granny) a good test, and it passed with flying colors.
 
#8,308 ·
Rodar, are things contageous on the internet? I broke Jeffscott's 'above the neck/below the neck' rule this morning... weird stomach pains and a very long slow cold 6 miles. Not looking forward to the ride home.
Please elaborate, if there are commutersecrets we need to know!
 
#8,309 ·
^^ Elaborate on what? The rule? Jeffscott the magnificent is quoted as saying that when you have a cold, if it's above the neck (sore throat, head cold...) go ahead and ride, and if it's below the neck (abdominal pains, stomach flu....) it's not worth it.

My personal rule is "man up and ride unless you might die" which is why I haven't driven to work since I got studded tires. I'm of the opinion that if I'm healthy enough to go to work, I'm healthy enough to ride. Today I am questioning if I was healthy enough to go to work...but I'm a teacher, it's finals week....and there's 2 weeks off waiting for me after tomorrow :D
 
#8,310 ·
^^ Elaborate on what? The rule? Jeffscott the magnificent is quoted as saying that when you have a cold, if it's above the neck (sore throat, head cold...) go ahead and ride, and if it's below the neck (abdominal pains, stomach flu....) it's not worth it.

My personal rule is "man up and ride unless you might die" which is why I haven't driven to work since I got studded tires. I'm of the opinion that if I'm healthy enough to go to work, I'm healthy enough to ride. Today I am questioning if I was healthy enough to go to work...but I'm a teacher, it's finals week....and there's 2 weeks off waiting for me after tomorrow :D
I wanted Jeff Scott's rule. Thought it my be JEDIrrific. I'm not so sure I'll adopt yours...

As an aside, I just bought Deuter Rack Pack "Uni" panniers and am almost ready for my innaugural commute. With 2 kids in competitive hockey, I just need to find a day with no hockey commitments.
 
#8,311 ·
Is it me...

or is it just harder to ride in the cold? I do the same route but am considerably slower now since the weather turned (the studded tires probably don't help either). Working harder to go the same distance is no fun.

Today was 7F when I left the house. Cold with a capital "F". My neoprene Walmart special gloves worked great, thinking I need socks in the same material though!. The main roads are just bare and dry now, sidewalks and half of the shoulder littered with icy nodules of pain. Talking to a guy at work who said our LBS told him he only 2 more months of riding left, 2 months ago, I showed him the bike and gear with a grin. He asked when I would stop and I said, "Haven't stopped yet, have I?":D

On a related note, the studded tires are great. Feel very stable, even on sheer ice; not so great in snow per se but I'm really liking them. And officially, everyone at work thinks I'm crazy for riding at this time of year. :cool:
 
#8,312 ·
^^ It's definitely harder in the cold, especially when you get down to those single digits like you experienced today. Try to put your mind in a new frame of reference, forget your personal bests, leave early so you're not rushed, and just try to enjoy the ride. Don't even bother looking at your computer, GPS, etc.

Crazy is awesome. :crazy::crazy::thumbsup: Pedal on.
 
#8,315 ·
if it's above the neck (sore throat, head cold...) go ahead and ride, and if it's below the neck (abdominal pains, stomach flu....) it's not worth it.
In the realm of below-the-neck I'd add hacking cough. I had one of those a few weeks ago, and I really shouldn't have ridden. Temperatures were just barely below freezing, but I felt like my lungs were on fire while being sliced up by razor blades. At one point on a longish detour home I stopped to cough and cough and cough and cough for like 5 minutes straight. Yeck.
 
#8,316 ·
It was snowing and icy yesterday. Hit a patch of ice covered with wet snow and went down, despite riding studded tires. Everywhere else the studs are great.

Today was frozen and slick in the morning. The Marathon Winters worked great.

Warmed up for the afternoon trip home. Wet bare pavement, slush. Nice view from the bridge.
Body of water Nature Daytime Atmosphere Neighbourhood

Looking south, with more than a 180 degree view. Columbia River. Like the blue sky over the Columbia Plateau to the east and storm clouds over the Cascades.
 
#8,317 ·
^^Wow, cool shot, Shiggy!

I`m feeling quite a bit better, but still not back to normal. I`m registered to ride my first brevet down near Sacramento on the 31st (DBC Last Chance 200K). I was worried about the weather before, now more concerned that I`ll still be dragging my butt in a sling. We`ll see, I guess.

In the realm of below-the-neck I'd add hacking cough. I had one of those a few weeks ago, and I really shouldn't have ridden. Temperatures were just barely below freezing, but I felt like my lungs were on fire while being sliced up by razor blades. At one point on a longish detour home I stopped to cough and cough and cough and cough for like 5 minutes straight. Yeck.
Yeah, lung/breating issues and cold temps probably aren`t a very good combination for any kind of exertion. Why does cold air induce coughing, anyway?

Cold with a capital "F".
I like that!

I wanted Jeff Scott's rule. Thought it my be JEDIrrific. I'm not so sure I'll adopt yours...
:lol: Good plan!

True, but shouldn't manbat be there by now? :D
It`s a long long way to Tipperary?
 
#8,319 ·
Windy! The gusty winds that not only make it more work but also try to throw you off course. I tried the fatbike but too much heavy wet stuff had fallen overnight for me to even make it across the yard, so I tool the mtb and the roads instead. With the wind, and rainpants instead of woolies, I was chilly and zipped up the pitzips on my jacket for one of the first times - that helped. Traction was good with the studs, only felt a little sketchy on one highly crowned (off camber) section. My glasses got fogged but before I removed them I realized they weren't fogged, it was snowy sleety stuff on the outside, and a glove swipe took care of that. Once I got to the main road it was just wet and it was just a matter of fighting the wind the remaining miles. Changing over to rain and more wind for the way home - ick!

I stopped at the reservoir for a few pix...the little island looked pretty desolate.
 

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#8,320 ·
We had a few 50-60 mph gusts yesterday. It made riding home interesting. Plus, I got my first flat of the year on the way home. I was only about a half mile or so away from home, so I pushed/carried my bike the rest of the way. It started sleeting for a bit, but luckily the worst of it held off until I got home.
 
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