How did you get them for 7.95? It shows 49.95.Quote:
Originally Posted by Geonz
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How did you get them for 7.95? It shows 49.95.Quote:
Originally Posted by Geonz
I'm back too. I rode yesterday, to surprisingly fresh cold weather! It felt really good to be on the bike. But today I drove, had to take son to airport (and it's raining)
I had to take the bus today to accompany a friend with lots of luggage halfway to the airport.
Watching all the people with ipods on the bus, I started thinking that maybe I should have a dedicated one-day a week where I take the bus only to listen to podcasts and radio shows that I otherwise would never have the time to listen to. I won't wear an ipod on the bike and I really don't go anywhere far walking these days.
I feel a bit confused about this. I love to ride to work - a lot - but I feel that I'm missing on a type of downtime that I love, too. :S
I tell you ladies what, my legs are pooped. I've ridden every day since October 6, at least 25 miles each day. That feels like a lot of days in a row of riding. I just have tonight's commute home -- it's another gorgeous fall day here in New England -- and then I'm calling it quits for the weekend. I have a hankering to go for a walk with my camera and catch some of this fall foliage while it's still glorious.
Maybe this is counting my chickens, but this week:
Mon - No commute; 90-mile Tour de Landry's
Tues - 2/2
Wed - 2/2
Thurs - 2/2
Fri - 2/2
Edit to add: Yep, rode home on Friday. That gives me 8/8, since I took Monday "off" (only in the commuting sense, of course!).
I got 'em, I got 'em :) :)
Yea, the online price was $50, which - had I been sure they were what they are - I might have gone for anyway, but the "deal of the day e-mail" had them at $7.95.
Apparently (according to somebody who used to work there) this happens now and again... a boo-boo. Maybe a number crossed so that the price was pulled in from another product?
At any rate, I have two of them now :) Wore one today.
Rode in the short way today 'cause I have to be early and there's a to do list a mile long of stuff to try to squeeze in, and I should ahve gotten it doen earlier this week, so I'm trying what doesn't *really* work and trying to motivate with the "reward" of riding longer if I get the list done.
However, maybe it is working because I *did* actually write the list down this morning. (I'm more than a tad absent-minded.)
The guy in WKG 44 who passed me closely so he could get to the red light faster? Welp, that happened twice on my 9:00 arrival days... but today I was out earlier and welp, I reckon I know where he lives now. His little car was parked on that street... I've mentally composed a "let's be friends" note, keeping in mind that he's prob'ly somewhere on a continuum of completely psychotic and a potential health hazard to a young driver who simply didn't *think* of actually moving the car over a little (it's a two-lane, one-way street and the other lane was empty) because young male drivers sometimes don't *think* period.
But that's purty far down on the todo list, which I am going to STOP being distracted from right nOW :) :)
10 commuting trips for 100 commuting miles this week :)
Today was first morning that I really *did* need to be wearing those gloves and the hat.
This week I didn't do as much as I would have liked, but I had a visit from Aunt F.
Mon: 3 miles
Tue: 0 - Thurs - 0
Fri: 30 miles home.
This morning should have counted double. It was POURING rain. I mean, really really raining HARD. I didn't think about finding proper booties (actually I thought about it but by then it was too late and I couldn't waste time looking) so within 5 minutes I could feel 2 inches of water slushing around in my shoes. I remembered that feeling all day as I stood in wet shoes. (thankfully I had wool socks and was never cold)
I know exactly what I have to do, I just need to make the time.
6 / 8 this week for me (Monday was a holiday).
Oh man, I know that feeling. Where your feet go "squelch, squelch" every time you take a step, and you can literally pour water out of your shoes at the end of the ride? I don't know if you've found this, but I find that if I resign myself to wet feet, it actually isn't that awful. If you try to fight the foot wetness, though, you're doomed to misery the whole time. Good for you riding anyway!Quote:
Originally Posted by Grog
Yay for wool socks! I'll have to try some this winter. Last winter I did lots of synthetic, but really wasn't pleased with the result.
As planned, took Monday off to help recover from my cold, so 2/3 last week. No other supplemental riding, but got some reflective sidewall tires to up the safety quotient for the dark morning rides for now, and soon to be evening ones too. Gotta install those tomorrow and get back in the swing!
Another week done and I'm still 5 for 5! AM rides are getting colder, PM rides are getting darker. I guess I have to face it, winter is just around the corner. :o bikerHen
Post pictures of the sidewalls! Are those also puncture-resistant? How much were they? I'm interested in getting a pair, but I also really like my tough Gatorskins for not getting flats.Quote:
Originally Posted by out_spokin'
First day with a freeze warning this morning! BRR.
It was rather cold here too this a.m.! I had on 2 layers of wool and full-fingered gloves. I was rather chilled for a moment as the wool doesn't necessarily cut the wind, but once I got going I warmed up.
I am interested in the reflective sidewalls too! Wonder if they come in 26"?
They make reflective Specialized Armadillos which are a tough tire like the GatorSkin. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by kfergos
despite a forecast of light rain, I rode my bike in to work today. That guarantees a wet ride going home since the sky is falling as i write this.
what was I thinking? Rain pants!!!
eeek!!!
Ooooooo! I just checked them out. It's probably better if you hadn't mentioned them... :D They do look really cool. I wonder if I have $110 between the cushions in my couch??Quote:
Originally Posted by Aggie_Ama
Lol. I always wonder that when I want something. They aren't cheap tires but they pretty bomb proof.Quote:
Originally Posted by kfergos
wow, THAT is expensive!
I cycled in this morning - thanks everyone for the encouragement.
It was quite pleasant then, now I'm looking out of my office window at the rain, it's getting dark and I need to head home quite soon. I have to cycle home though as I'm not in the office tomorrow and I'll need my bike.
Ah well. They don't seem to come in 26s anyway. I did spend more than that on my roadbike tires, even from biketiresdirect.
I have asked for reflective walls on my new bike and that will have 26 wheels. I think they'll be Schwalbe marathons. Maybe try looking at some of those.
This morning it was pouring rain and I realized that my sweet partner had ridden to work wearing my booties. A lot of my gear had been left at my locker at work (long story) and I just wasn't going to ride in the rain.
I went to the bus stop (with a bag full of clothes to leave in my locker for the week) and waited...
And waited...
And waited.
Two full buses went right by the half-dozen people waiting there with me.
After almost half an hour of waiting, I decided I would work from home and walked back. Now I couldn't spend that much time just trying to get to work.
Meanwhile, dozens of bike commuters happily rode in the rain on the nearby bike route. I was so envious.
You won't catch me trying to get on the bus on a rainy day again!!
I think commuting may need to go on hold for 2 weeks, unless it's definitely not going to rain.
I started home this evening in the rain, and soon found out that the slightly dodgy breaks on my dad's bike (which I'm borrowing at the moment) don't work at all in the rain. It was clearly going to be too dangerous to cycle all the way in the dark, rain and relatively heavy traffic.
I stopped at some friends who live very close to my work, hoping to leave the bike there and get the tube the rest of the way. unfortunately they were out and i didn't want to leave the bike locked up on the street so i ended up walking and pushing the bike 6 miles back home (including stopping off at the super market as I'd already planned). I finally got home, rather bedgraggled, at 9pm.
I'm going to start a countdown until 4th november when I get my new bike - then I'll be back cycling everyday I promise.
i have to leave work in 10 minutes and i hear thunder and the sky is filled with big black clouds!!!!
eeeek!
okay, 1 hour later. It is POURING. It started to rain less than a mile from home. I barely got wet. . . this time.
I've got 26" Schwalbe Marathons on my LHT. Great tires! They are a little on the heavy side but, I've yet to have a flat, which makes up for the extra weight in my book. :D The reflective side wall is very visible at night and is holding up well going into their second winter. I got them at bike tires direct. bikerHenQuote:
Originally Posted by ms pepperpot
Ms. P, What kind of brakes do you have on that bike? Sometimes a piece of sandpaper or a file used to rough up the surface of old brakepads helps.
I'll post a picture this weekend per your request! I got the Schwalbe's after finding some good testimonials on this site and others. I'm running the 26" x 1.5 slicks, cost me just over $30 each at my LBS. They've got a nice Kevlar belt - there's a Marathon Plus super flat-stopper version but in this climate I don't need THAT much protection, but I'm doing enough side-street night riding that I really wanted the reflective stripes.
very old caliper brakes - there's a good chance the brake pads have never been changed and the bike's over 15 years old. i've just given them a bit of a sand and will see how they go, but I'm a bit weary of using this bike if it looks like rain.Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthernBelle
I have a new motivation to try though. The brooks saddle I've bought for my new bike has just arrived. I'd like to temporarily put it on this bike so I can start breaking it in for the next couple of weeks until new bike day.
I admit it. This week I wimped out one day and had my husband pick me up from work. In my defense, he'd be going right by my work anyway -- we go to a church thing Tuesday nights that takes us in the opposite direction of my house. Normally I ride for the challenge, since it's hillier than my normal commute, but this Tuesday I just didn't feel it. :rolleyes: So...
Monday - 2/2
Tuesday - 1/2
Wednesday - 2/2
Thursday - 2/2
Friday - 2/2 (First below freezing commute! 29 degrees F when I left, about 30 minutes late, at 6:50)
And I ended up getting one of the Armadillos with reflective side walls, not because I couldn't wait but because I got a nice slice in my rear tire that I felt required a replacement tire (as some of you who commented on my tire-replacement question know!).
I only got 4/5 this week. :( Alarm malfunction. It went off an hour late on a day I do my early ride to the gym before work. It totally threw me off for the day. Although my sister took half a day off, I left work early and we did a late afternoon 20 mile ride. :D bikerHen
Last week I only got to ride in 2 days. :mad: Hoping for 4 this week as I will need the vehicle on Wed.
It was rather nippy this morning!
Haven't updated since signing on for this challenge--I cycled once last week and twice the week before (my "goal" is just once a week), but am not going to manage this week at all--we've got 6:00 appointments with the kids every single day this week except Friday, and on that day I need to be home early for critical trick-or-treating hours! I'm going to throw my bike in the car one day this week, though, and at least try to get in a lunchtime ride or two.
Sarah
Last week I did 4 out of 5, as I worked from home on the Monday (after my sweet partner had left with part of my rain gear and the bus would just not come and get me!). On one of those 4 I had a flat tire on the way home and I had to take the bus because I didn't have the time to change it. :(
This week I'm not working on Monday, but I plan a 4/4 for the rest of the week. It's getting quite chilly in the morning. And it's going to rain. Lovely. :)
Started another week here ... nippy (39) and it's pretty windy now.
I was thinking about what a bike-commuter-centered consumer market would include. OnStar. My bike is my vehicle, after all.
A huge issue with bikes is being stolen. I want my little phone to tell me, "This is OnStar. Your bike has been moved, but you have set it in Park position. Would you like us to activate the Stinky SquirtSeat now?" And I would approve adn then that special bag for those who sometimes have bladder control issues with sudden stops would deploy...
If I didn't ride and get more oxygen to my brain, I woudln't think of these *brilliant,* marketable ideas...
last week i was very pleased with myself, 3 commutes. Today I started off this week nicely; and I plan to ride at least tomorrow too.
I manage 3 last week. One day I wasn't working in the office. On Friday it was raining and I was worried about the brakes. I've now managed to fix the brakes temporarily - they're still not great in the rain but not unusable.
I've cycled both yesterday and in this morning, and they've both been chilly but lovely sunny mornings - very nice. I have my new brooks saddle on now, so need to keep going to start breaking it in.
Drat, it was cold this morning. Even though I had on a heavy jacket my tummy got cold. I need to pull up those cinch cords.
Sad note: I ride through an older section of town where most of the old woolen mill workers used to live. Overnight, one of the houses burned down. It was all taped off and still smoking.
*Finally* got up early enough to go in the long way this a.m. I was fighting the 'snooze or not" battle when I heard the weather guy say "winds from teh ESE" and BOING! I was out of bed. I didn't realize the concept of tailwind had such power ... (but "tailwind" meant that yea, I had enough time to ride long and not rush).
I rode the folder so I could go even faster.
The street that was closed M-W (my valid reason for nto going the long way) was still closed, actually, but I could get through on my bike.
I ordered a small mess of blinkies from http://www.batteryjunction.com (under their "nite-ize" section), and a mess of rechargeable AA NiMH batteries.
Well that's not fair. The only tailwind I get on my commute in would be from the north. I'll do without that.
October wasn't a great month for me, I had a bad cold at the start so didn't commute to work at all after the first week of October :(, my motivation always seems to take a dip after a cold. We've had a pretty crap month weather wise in October, lots of strong winds and rain. However we seem to have gone straight into winter now as its been cold and frosty all week - it's currently gorgeous outside but I'm on a rest day as have a running trail race tomorrow. I did get all my kit ready for Tuesday but it was icy when I woke up (don't ride on ice anymore).
I have been pottering about doing errands on the bike over the month but only a couple of miles at a time so not massive amounts.
Hopefully November will be a better month, not so much wind please weather gods (or rain either, or even just give us one of them at a time rather than the double whammy!)
Hey, the Weather Channel here was all about talking about your bad weather... condolences!!! Here's to improvements for November!!!