How Was Your Commute Today?

[Catrin]

I think that heat is much easier for me than cold...at least on the bike. I have noticed that while a very hot ride doesn't get my asthma going that a strong cold wind does... Yet I love to go hiking in the bitter cold - so go figure. Course there isn't much additional wind-chill when walking...

[Tri Girl]

I have all the right warm winter clothes to ride in- just not the right attitude.

I haven't lived in the desert for 18 years . You'd think I'd be acclimated to this cold, but after almost 2 decades, I just don't think that's going to happen.

[blackhillsbiker]

I hate that first step out the door and onto the bike. Once I get going, I'm always glad I did. It's why I'm not much of a swimmer. I can't make myself get into cold water. Maybe I like cycling better because I don't have to strip off all my nice, warm, wooly layers to do it.

Deb

[Crankin]

Well, today I noticed that the real cold is bothering me more than usual. I think maybe because it was so freaking warm this year. And i didn't even ride today! I just have to acclimate. I, also am no longer a desert rat, after 20 years. I have the right clothes, too. But I think I've reached my outer limits for riding, in low 30's. I don't think I would like my hair freezing. What's the point? Being miserable is not my idea of fun. I ran on the treadmill in my nice warm loft today.
It's just that weird time of year between the end of the better riding weather (i.e. 40s) and the beginning of the nordic ski season. Hey, in 4 weeks, today's temperatures will feel balmy.

[7rider]

Grrrr.
3 miles from home - I'm on a dark MUT and it's nearly full dark - and my headlight blinks out. Completely. Utterly. Went from bright high-beam glorious light flooding the trail, to....nothing.
Normally, the Li-Ion battery has a light that lights up when it is going weak. But it didn't this time. The light just blinked out without warning.
I'm hoping it's only that the battery is dead. It's on the charger now.
I don't have a spare battery for this light and don't normally carry a spare light. But I felt utterly exposed with no headlight (just my blinking LED on my helmet), despite the 3 lights I had on my back.
Perhaps I need to carry the Dinotte as a spare.....

[Melalvai]

Grrrr.
3 miles from home - I'm on a dark MUT and it's nearly full dark - and my headlight blinks out. Completely. Utterly. Went from bright high-beam glorious light flooding the trail, to....nothing.
Normally, the Li-Ion battery has a light that lights up when it is going weak. But it didn't this time. The light just blinked out without warning.
I'm hoping it's only that the battery is dead. It's on the charger now.
I don't have a spare battery for this light and don't normally carry a spare light. But I felt utterly exposed with no headlight (just my blinking LED on my helmet), despite the 3 lights I had on my back.
Perhaps I need to carry the Dinotte as a spare.....

[DebW]

I put on my studded tires yesterday since morning temperatures have been consistently below freezing, though the roads are still dry. The snow and ice will be here soon enough. I should be riding every day this week - only 2 miles each way to work.

[DebW]

Grrrr.
3 miles from home - I'm on a dark MUT and it's nearly full dark - and my headlight blinks out. Completely. Utterly. Went from bright high-beam glorious light flooding the trail, to....nothing.
Normally, the Li-Ion battery has a light that lights up when it is going weak. But it didn't this time. The light just blinked out without warning.
I'm hoping it's only that the battery is dead. It's on the charger now.
I don't have a spare battery for this light and don't normally carry a spare light. But I felt utterly exposed with no headlight (just my blinking LED on my helmet), despite the 3 lights I had on my back.
Perhaps I need to carry the Dinotte as a spare.....

I had a MiNewt fail on the bulb/head, battery was fine. Ended up buying a new head. Maybe you can find someone else with the same light and try your battery on their light.

[7rider]

I had a MiNewt fail on the bulb/head, battery was fine. Ended up buying a new head. Maybe you can find someone else with the same light and try your battery on their light.

Looks like it was the battery after all. Whew!
I charged it up, attached it last night, and it's working fine.
Double whew!
Mental note to self: Regular battery charging, and DON'T rely on that little indicator light...which does not appear to indicate anything!

[pfunk12]

Glad to hear that it was just the battery. I concur on the note to self. I have gotten into the habit of recharging the battery every evening. By the way, without the wind this morning, it was a balmy 20 degrees. Another toasty ride.

Looks like it was the battery after all. Whew!
I charged it up, attached it last night, and it's working fine.
Double whew!
Mental note to self: Regular battery charging, and DON'T rely on that little indicator light...which does not appear to indicate anything!

[DebW]

Looks like it was the battery after all. Whew!
I charged it up, attached it last night, and it's working fine.
Double whew!
Mental note to self: Regular battery charging, and DON'T rely on that little indicator light...which does not appear to indicate anything!

Even if you don't get the indicator light, you should notice the step-down to a dimmer level as the battery gets low and attempts to preserve power. Though the last time that happened to mine, I had less than 5 minutes before it shut off and I had to ride home on my backup light. Always have a backup light, even if it's a cheap dim one.

[Melalvai]

The nice thing about a cold snap is that when it's over, 30F feels SO warm!! I don't have to spend 20 minutes getting dressed for a 15 minute ride. (Slight exaggeration. Only the 1st time, after that I could always easily find my long johns on the floor where I left them when I got home.)

[7rider]

Even if you don't get the indicator light, you should notice the step-down to a dimmer level as the battery gets low and attempts to preserve power. Though the last time that happened to mine, I had less than 5 minutes before it shut off and I had to ride home on my backup light. Always have a backup light, even if it's a cheap dim one.

Well, that's the head scratcher. I didn't notice any step-down in power (maybe I'm just clueless!). It went from full-on bright, to nothing. Like a switch was thrown. I don't know if maybe my powering up from low-beam to high as I prepared to enter the dark MUT was the straw that broke that camel's back. I didn't ride today (ran in the a.m. and a retirement party to attend this evening), but tomorrow will be the next test. I do know I'll be packing the Dinotte in my pannier, tho!

[malkin]

The nice thing about a cold snap is that when it's over, 30F feels SO warm!! I don't have to spend 20 minutes getting dressed for a 15 minute ride. (Slight exaggeration. Only the 1st time, after that I could always easily find my long johns on the floor where I left them when I got home.)

I didn't even think it was an exaggeration. Some days, I have trouble smoothing out all the wrinkles in the leg layers.

[colorisnt]

No today's ride, but yesterday's. A cool 22 degrees and it felt GREAT. I had a great time riding to/from school and did a great job in a higher gear going up my hell hill coming back. Just me and the road. I love that quiet.

I thought I would chicken out in the cold, but I loved it.