Anyone for a fall/winter commuting challenge?

[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.

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...

[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! 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) 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!!!!

[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.