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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.
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.
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 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
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?
congrats! I did my fifth today!
(but next week is going to be dark again in the morning. :(
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by MDHillSlug
Although originally I wanted black fenders, and had to choose between "now" and "black", I wouldn't trade my yellow fenders now for anything.
Yeah, bummer about that. I head out between 7 and 7:30 so I'm hoping it may be light enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by mimitabby
I brought my saddle bag in with me this morning. Paranoid or prudent?
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? ;)
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.
There are those out there who would view that as MORE cool!Quote:
Originally Posted by F8th637
Oh yes, I do remember that the spray stuck to my shins! Rain doesn't really stop me but the cold does. Brr!Quote:
Originally Posted by MDHillSlug
7rider, that's what I thought too! Then it'd really be a tourie!
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....
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.
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...Quote:
Originally Posted by 7rider
I'm glad you were able to recover your stuff even if some of it was damaged. 27 degrees, you brave soul!Quote:
Originally Posted by sbctwin
What did he look like? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by sbctwin
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. I don't know if the easy-on/off fenders work well.Quote:
Originally Posted by MDHillSlug
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!Quote:
Originally Posted by divingbiker
Sorry I was so slow responding. But REI takes returns, so go for it!Quote:
Originally Posted by MDHillSlug
Was he cute? ;) Maybe outside of the truck he's a cyclist. :pQuote:
Originally Posted by sbctwin