Anyone for a fall/winter commuting challenge?

[out_spokin']

Hi all,
I have a hard time keeping my consistency with my commute this time of year -- once I'm on the bike I'm happy but the oncoming darkness leaves me a bit low on the motivation scale.

So, I thought I'd see if anyone wanted to join me as a goal partner or partners. The idea would be we each set a doable but a bit of a stretch goal for our commute through the end of the year and check in with each other throughout the next few months for encouragement, ideas, commiseration, what have you!

I haven't figured out my own goal quite yet, though because I travel and telecommute regularly I'm thinking a percentage of my office days. 67%? I commute along Colorado's Front Range and one of our secrets (oops) is that the weather's pretty perfect, if chilly, for fall/winter commuting. Usually dry and clear....

Anyway, let me know if you're interested!

[tulip]

Count me in, although I have it easy because I work from home. But my goal is to do my Post Office Commute three days a week all winter. It's only 7 miles round trip, but it will help me get some miles in the winter.

When I lived in DC I got very creative in my winter commuting, so if you have any questions, I might have some answers.

[pardes]

I'm in and ready for a bit of a challenge.

Two months ago, I could barely lift the bike up to the bus rack. Now it feels feather light.

Two months ago, I could barely finish 6 miles a day (3 of which was commuting), and now do 10 miles a day and would do more if daylight lasted longer.

I'm not interested in performance goals as much as I'm interested in quality of life biking goals. So in my case, a challenge to find a continuing supply of interesting subjects to notice or photograph would in itself naturally increase my level of biking performance.

Another challenge would be to stop STOP working so much overtime which is a killer to bike time.

I'm not sure how this could be quantitated but I'm sure it will all shake out as we forge ahead. One definite thing is that I can increase my lunch time biking range to some new unexplored areas.

So, my hat's in the ring. Who else?????

[Biciclista]

I'm going to try to commute on dry days throughout the winter. (this is Seattle)
It's just too scary to ride in wet AND darkness, but if it's just dark, i'll be riding. I have 5 more rides to do to finish my 100 commutes goal for the year, but I do hope to do more than just that.

[bikerHen]

I'm in! My goal is to continue riding to work, five days a week. Rain, shine or snow. Although I do draw the line at ice. :o bikerHen

[danadear]

Me me me me me! :D I'd like to commute at least one day per week through October and move up to two days of week starting November 1 til the end of the year.

[ms pepperpot]

I'm in. I declined quite rapidly last year once it started to get dark, cold and wet (hastened by having the flu myself and never properly starting again). I didn't start again regularly until well into spring, but I've been riding almost every day for the past few months and I don't want to slip again.

Stacked against me this year is the fact that I currently have a slow heavy bike until I get my new one, which makes it less fun and the journey slower. I may not get my new bike for about 6 weeks or so, and by then it will probably be cold/dark/wet.

I really want to carry on through the winter. I'm not sure what my goals are yet. Firstly to keep up momentum until I get my new bike. Then to get to spring having ridden at least once a week, but I'd like to do better than that.

[Aggie_Ama]

I will play. My goal is to only drive our truck one day a week but we alternate who bikes so someone always has my fuel efficient car. I will say minimum one day, max is never more than 2. My husband also tries for 2-3 days and the off day mountain bikes. We use the ride home as exercise so we kind of argue over the balance. :p Neither of us wants to get up early enough to park and ride and we live too far away to ride the whole way.

[kacie tri-ing]

I want in!!!!!:D

[Geonz]

IT's totally, totally doable. It requires deciding that you commute by bike and that the car is a belching last resort. That way, when the alarm goes off that you set with a little extra margin, and you hear the interesting weather, you *don't* say to yourself "is this a good enough excuse to drive?"

You say, "what shall I wear?"

Same with the little potential excuses that present themselves. The answer is not: "Is this a good enough excuse to drive?" but "How can I solve this problem and ride to work?" Or... "okay, if I drive today, how am I going to *ride* tomorrow?"

And you tally the miles and what you saved :) And treasure the unique moments that wouldn't have happened in a car.

And if you're riding at night, be sure to have a light. Last night I tried to launch a snot rocket, which failed, which was fortunate for the lightless cyclist who'd come up behind me! I don't think I'd have *hit* him, anyway, but it prolly woulda grossed him out proper...

[ms pepperpot]

At times when i'm less motivated I find that once I've cycled on a monday it's easier to keep it going for the rest of the week. The problem is that often monday is the hardest day to be motivated on.

[indigoiis]

I have to change mine now that the dark sets in earlier; although I am as pleased as punch that the teenager so took to bicycle commuting (she's even doing it without me, now) I am not certain I am comfortable with her riding with lights just yet.

So, I am back to last Spring's schedule of 2 days commuting to the bus (11 miles each way) and 1 day of a hybrid commute (drive to bus parking area with bike, ride home [30 miles] that night, ride next day to work [30 miles], bus to parking and drive home.) That should give me about 82 miles a work-week.

[kfergos]

I'm in.

My goal is to ride every day all winter, as long as it's not snowy or icy. I'll be moving to Seattle some time in November, so that means cycling will be up in the air for a while and I don't know what my commuting situation will be, but I intend to continue commuting daily unless it's absolutely impossible.

[twin]

How far is far enough? I do not have a long commute unless I add miles. I have just a short short 3.5 each way. I will try for everyday.

[out_spokin']

Hey everyone, I was thinking I'd get a couple people to join me but this is awesome!! You all motivated me to commit to that goal of 67% of my office days. I believe I can do more but it's more than I've done consistently lately so I'll start there. I've got an excel chart set up to track my progress, and yes, I've been on the bike despite the challenges of 40 degree temperature swings between when I leave the house before sunrise and ride home around 6pm. :eek:

twin, any amount is enough if that's what you want to go for! My ride is "only" 4.5 OW when I use the bike locker but it's 9 miles I probably wouldn't get that day otherwise, a no car day, and a WAY better outlook on my day.

ms pepperpot, I hear you -- getting sick a couple of times last fall and winter is what got me out of the habit too. But I know when I ride consistently I sleep better, eat better, and stay healthier so that's part of why I'm up for the challenge!

tulip, I've liked your plan of biking to the post office -- since I telecommute at least once a week I'm thinking I could make sure that any errands, and/or my Pilates class, is a bike trip and add it to the goal...

Anyway, thanks so much to all of you so far...and there's still plenty of room in this club! ;)

[Eden]

I work 2 days/week and intend to commute rain or shine throughout the winter. I'll have a few days that are supposed to be total rest days in my training schedule that I'll take the bus for, but if it snows.... I'll use my cross bike... Our streets get totally gridlocked by a flurry... the last time it snowed I was on a bus day and after it took me nearly 2 hours to get to work (my bike commute is 25 min) I vowed if it snowed I'd always ride...

[TsPoet]

IT's totally, totally doable. It requires deciding that you commute by bike and that the car is a belching last resort. That way, when the alarm goes off that you set with a little extra margin, and you hear the interesting weather, you *don't* say to yourself "is this a good enough excuse to drive?"

You say, "what shall I wear?"


I loved this post. Then it scared me. Then I loved it, then it intimidated me, then I loved it...
I want to ride in at least 2 days/wk all year. But, Geonz has made me think that 5 days/wk might almost be easier! It requires a mentality that 2 days/wk doesn't require.
Still, I'm in for 2 days/wk. Beginning next week and continuing through the winter. That'll mean riding in the dark both ways some days, but I've got good lights. I've got lots of good clothing choices. I'm set to go.
All I really need is the mental part.

[out_spokin']

Yeah, I liked Geonz's post, too...for me one of the best ways to be sure I ride, aside from that margin on the alarm clock I build in too, is to be totally prepped the night before -- my work clothes are already packed in my bag, and my bike stuff on the dresser ready to go. That way it's a pain to switch everything around to drive, so I might as well just tweak the bike layers and go! This is especially true on those Monday mornings...

[bikerHen]

I know I've said it before and I sure I'll mention it again with the coming of winter. I LOVE riding in the dark! :D Even in the rain or cold.

I was a little afraid of the idea until I tried it. I use two headlights. One on the handlebars, one on my helmet. I have no probelm seeing the road and with all the blinky lights I have on my bike and body I am VERY visible. Give night riding a few tries and then decided if it's for you. I do change my route slighty for night riding to avoid high traffic and isolated areas. bikerHen

[Grog]

I am in. My goal is to be riding 90% of the time (4.5 times a week or 9 times per 10 days) as long as it's not under 1 (celcius). I don't mind riding on the ice myself, but I don't trust cars and buses around here, nobody knows how to handle cold/snow/ice around Vancouver, BC it seems.

The other 10% I'm not taking the car, I'm either taking the bus or working from home. :)

[tattiefritter]

I'm in. I want to continue my once a week commute to work, its a 35 mile round trip and I wussed out a lot (actually almost all of) last winter. We don't really get extreme weather here, just wet generally but I reserve the right to not ride in the occasional snow or ice or the sadly much more frequent 40mph headwinds/crosswinds/tailwinds (scary) :D I also want to commit to cycling to running club on the Thursday session, it will be 8 miles each way but it feels wrong taking a car.

I have waterproof panniers for my utility bike so I can even commute on the weeks I need to take my works laptop home, I just have to accept the heavier utility bike. It feels like a tank in comparison to my road bike but I actually really enjoyed commuting on the "supertanker" last Friday, laptop, panniers and all! I just need a different mindset and save the road bike commute for less filthy weather.

I have good lights, reflectives, all the winter kit I could possibly need as when I had a shorter commute I used to do it at least three times a week over winter so I have no excuse on that front at all.

I also want to keep up my errand running on my bike over winter, I managed 24 miles on Saturday between nipping to the post office, library, farm shop and supermarket. Its a good way of getting in some easy paced miles. I am determined to try to eliminate my car use for these journeys. I will be grocery shopping online from now on and getting the bulk of my shopping delivered, only buying fruit and veg, meat etc on a weekly basis and I don't tend to buy them from the supermarket anyway.

Hopefully this will keep me going.

[twin]

i am ready with my utility LHT with rack and fenders and now my big new tires Schwalbe Marathons which are described below....


When you define performance as "strength, toughness, reliability, longevity" and so on, and you're going out on a long tour on rotten roads with glass and knives and needles strewn about 'em, then you ride Schwalbe Marathons, period.

All that, and they roll fine, too. You won't feel slowed at all. Schwalbe Marathons are as legendary as touring tires get, and the acclaim is earned.

These are for 26" (559 not 584, 650B) wheels. Approximately 2" wide or 50mm if you're more used to metric. Kevlar (folding) bead, yes!

LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!!

[Aggie_Ama]

Should we have weekly check in? I have to say it is still 90 degrees here, so there isn't much challenge. It is also sunny my entire ride. The challenge will come in January-February for me, those tend to be the nasty months. ;)

[Grog]

Well here the temps are down by now, and it's, above all, dark in the morning. I'm all for starting the count now, and stopping on the last day of Winter, March 21st. :)

I'd say "check in on the weekends" if that works for all. Someone just has to remember resuscitating the thread every week. We could start a different thread, such as "Fall/Winter Commuting Challenge".

[Aggie_Ama]

Well here the temps are down by now, and it's, above all, dark in the morning. I'm all for starting the count now, and stopping on the last day of Winter, March 21st. :)

I'd say "check in on the weekends" if that works for all. Someone just has to remember resuscitating the thread every week. We could start a different thread, such as "Fall/Winter Commuting Challenge".

I vote new thread with a list of those who said "in". I will post it tonight if no one else has and then we can all "check-in" come Friday.

Starting this week and going to March 21, cool. :cool:

[out_spokin']

I was thinking the same thing about a new post with a list of those in -- was also thinking I could list the goal each person has. Won't have a chance to do that til' Friday morning tho -- so if you're up for it, go for it!

And Equinox to Equinox is brilliant! :cool:

[Biciclista]

Still 90, huh? I'm in if I wasn't clear the last time!

[tjf9]

Ok, I'm in. Last winter (my first as a bike commuter) I learned the hard way the riding on ice is bad. I had a very sore hip for a week! So my goal is to ride every day it is not freezing. My commute is only 8 miles round trip so it should be very doable!

Great challenge! Thanks for starting this, out_spokin'!

[andtckrtoo]

I'm in too, although I'm not sure if that's fair as it doesn't snow here, and the most we get is a bit of rain - I can handle rain. I'm hoping to have my Surly soon for the wet weather - I don't want to ride my slim tired Cannondale. :P

[MaineAnnette]

Hi everyone!

I'd like to join on as well-

I walk to my part time job in the afternoons - since it's only 6 blocks away but my night job is 3.5 miles (at night!). So my plan is taking the bus at night with my bike on the front and biking it home in the morning- hopefully I won't fall asleep on the way though...

How exciting! I don't have a car so my goal is 90% of the time...I can borrow a car sometimes but can't get into the habit of that because its wayyy too easy to just get used to it.

I'm excited and hopefully everyone can do it this winter! days will only be getting shorter for the next 2.5 months! Then we will slowly have time back on our sides..

Annette

[Biciclista]

nippy and very dark this morning. New batteries in my helmet light, helped some.