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HillSlugger
03-05-2008, 06:17 AM
I did my first bike commute of 2008. We had a bunch of rain overnight, but the morning is gorgeous, if a bit windy. The roads were a bit wet, but not too bad. Fun!

I definitely see fenders as my next purchase!

New construction/traffic patterns on a few roads may have me looking for some alternative routes.
Trek420
03-05-2008, 06:59 AM
I did my first split commute ever :D Friday bike to work, light rail to the airport for a flight. Fly back, light rail and bus home.

Monday drove to BART station, train to work then rode back to BART.

OK, I did put the bike on the car for the 2 miles home but it's still dark and a sketchy ride at night.

It worked out well, very fast, convenient and saved alllllll the cost of parking at the airport.
7rider
03-05-2008, 08:02 AM
Hey, that's great!
Props to you for heading out. Me...I'm still fighting my cold...I heard the rain still falling at 6 a.m. and just kept hitting the snooze button! :o Too easy to say "Eh...tomorrow." when Metro is my fallback (although they were delayed today..grrrr.).
I saw below on the WABA BTWD (http://www.waba.org/events/btwd/index.php)site and thought of you. Wasn't last year your first BTWD and BTW experience? Share your story with WABA? It'd be awesome and inspiring!


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Share your experience
Was last year your first Bike To Work Day? Have you biked to work ever since? Are you a long time Bike To Work Day participant? WABA would love to hear your experiences and stories. Send your stories to henry@waba.org
HillSlugger
03-05-2008, 08:16 AM
I think that BTWD was my first BTW. I had planned on making it a regular thing, even bought the new bike, but only commuted once more after that. Injury and triathlon training got in the way.

Any recommendations on fenders?
mimitabby
03-05-2008, 08:21 AM
congrats! I did my fifth today!
(but next week is going to be dark again in the morning. :(
Melalvai
03-05-2008, 10:27 AM
Any recommendations on fenders?
I like the Planet Bike Freddy Fenders. They are inexpensive, lightweight, and cover the wheel fairly well. As a serious all-weather commuter, I eventually added a mudflap to the bottom, to protect my drivetrain better. I've seen dinky little fenders that just to keep water off your face and back and don't do a thing for your chain and drivetrain.

Although originally I wanted black fenders, and had to choose between "now" and "black", I wouldn't trade my yellow fenders now for anything.
HillSlugger
03-05-2008, 10:40 AM
congrats! I did my fifth today!
(but next week is going to be dark again in the morning. :(

Yeah, bummer about that. I head out between 7 and 7:30 so I'm hoping it may be light enough.
HillSlugger
03-05-2008, 10:40 AM
I brought my saddle bag in with me this morning. Paranoid or prudent?
F8th637
03-05-2008, 10:59 AM
Congrats! I think my first is going to be tomorrow as there should be less winds and a little warmer. Yeah, yeah, I'm being a weenie!

On my old hybrid, I had a set of the Planet Bike Hardcore and I really liked them. I have sold them though. My husband asked me to take the fenders off his hybrid as they came with it but I'm considering putting them on my Sutra instead.

I still remember my soggy butt during both the Alexandria and Arlington Community Bike ride and the 8 Lighthouse Ride up in Portland, ME. Not a pleasant feeling.

Will my Sutra lose its cool factor if I put the fenders on, you think? ;)
HillSlugger
03-05-2008, 11:08 AM
I have a rack on the back so that wasn't so bad, but I was catching a lot of spray off the front. Thankfully, it wasn't going into my shoes, but it seemed to be flying most everywhere else.
7rider
03-05-2008, 11:10 AM
Will my Sutra lose its cool factor if I put the fenders on, you think? ;)

There are those out there who would view that as MORE cool!
F8th637
03-05-2008, 11:23 AM
I have a rack on the back so that wasn't so bad, but I was catching a lot of spray off the front. Thankfully, it wasn't going into my shoes, but it seemed to be flying most everywhere else.

Oh yes, I do remember that the spray stuck to my shins! Rain doesn't really stop me but the cold does. Brr!

7rider, that's what I thought too! Then it'd really be a tourie!
sbctwin
03-05-2008, 02:51 PM
I had my 4th commute of the year. It was a cold morning (27F) and a cold/breezy ride home. I got new tires on my commuter and had tire liners put in. For my first ride, I thought I was dragging a trailer with brakes on. I couldn't believe the drag. And, on my ride home, I dislodged my pannier and it flipped off the rack when I hit a pot hole. I didn't know it had flipped off until a guy in a truck pulled along side me and told my I lost my bag. I rode back up the road and couldn't find it. I was bummed. Then he honked at me from across the road and when I road over to him, he held it up. He said it lodged under a car and he was able to catch the driver and they got the bag out. It was a total lost. But, I had my new showers pass jacket in it that wasn't too badly damaged. Several other items, though, are no longer useable. Oh well. I can tell I didn't spend enough time on the trainer this winter....
7rider
03-05-2008, 03:14 PM
Wow...what a bummer about the pannier and the gear.
Nice of the guy tho' to go fetch it for you. That was pretty cool.
sbctwin
03-05-2008, 03:25 PM
Nice of the guy tho' to go fetch it for you. That was pretty cool.

Yes, that was incredibly nice of the guy. I wish I had taken his name so I could have thanked him some how. He went above and beyond to help me...
F8th637
03-05-2008, 04:45 PM
Yes, that was incredibly nice of the guy. I wish I had taken his name so I could have thanked him some how. He went above and beyond to help me...

I'm glad you were able to recover your stuff even if some of it was damaged. 27 degrees, you brave soul!
Zen
03-05-2008, 05:12 PM
Yes, that was incredibly nice of the guy. I wish I had taken his name so I could have thanked him some how. He went above and beyond to help me...

What did he look like? ;)
divingbiker
03-07-2008, 06:14 AM
Any recommendations on fenders?

Sorry, I know nothing about fenders except the plastic Planet Bike fenders I had on my old commuting bike seemed kind of flimsy compared to the ones I've got now (http://www.rivbike.com/products/list/fenders_and_flaps#product=27-004). I don't know if the easy-on/off fenders work well.

But they're absolutely essential if you're going to commute in the rain!
HillSlugger
03-07-2008, 06:54 AM
Sorry, I know nothing about fenders except the plastic Planet Bike fenders I had on my old commuting bike seemed kind of flimsy compared to the ones I've got now (http://www.rivbike.com/products/list/fenders_and_flaps#product=27-004). I don't know if the easy-on/off fenders work well.

But they're absolutely essential if you're going to commute in the rain!

I wish I'd seen those before I ordered fenders from REI!
divingbiker
03-07-2008, 07:08 AM
I wish I'd seen those before I ordered fenders from REI!

Sorry I was so slow responding. But REI takes returns, so go for it!
Trek420
03-07-2008, 08:52 AM
Yes, that was incredibly nice of the guy. I wish I had taken his name so I could have thanked him some how. He went above and beyond to help me...

Was he cute? ;) Maybe outside of the truck he's a cyclist. :p