Fall and Winter Commuter Challenge!

[lph]

ah, well, I'm not really signed up for this but it seems that this is where we go to gripe about our winter commutes so here I am

Made a bad decision yesterday about my commute. Several, actually. The day before yesterday I rode home in WAY too much clothing, on my heavy winter bike with full studs - on bare roads in a very unusual warm wind. Got home snorting like a walrus and soaked in sweat and tossed all my bike gear in the wash. Bingo, yesterday morning my winter jacket and tights were still damp, and the temperature had dropped. Oh well, still just around freezing and the temps were going to rise again, so I layered up with other stuff and took my mtb w/o studs. Got 10 yds before I realized I NEEDED studs in front at least, turned around and grabbed the studded front wheel off my winter bike. My dh laughs at me cause I spend more time getting ready than he does on his entire commute.

Even after a full day of warm weather it was sooo slippery out and I had to take every turn at a snail's pace and remember to only use the front brake if possible. I really missed studs in back as well. And my ride home got delayed for a million reasons, all stupid, so by the time I rode home I was hungry, tired, and it was dark and COLD out. I was literally skating all over the place with frozen feet and hands and chattering teeth by the time I got to where I was headed.

Uerg. Just needed to gripe. I hate it when I miscalculate both food, clothing and bike like that.

[ginny]

So, I'm not signed up either, but as I'm commuting everday this winter in windy wyoming - albeit about 1/2 mile - I thought I would chime in. I rode in today on snow and ice for the first time. It was kind of like driving a 2wd car on snow/ice. Interestingly, with all the hats and balaclava, I forgot my helmet on the one day I am most likely to crash ... duh! So, I will check in with Performance and LBS on studded tires today. I will probably be needing them all winter. Do you guys have separate wheels that you have all fixed up that you just switch out for the studded/not studded tires or do you change back and forth with tires on the same wheel set? Or do you pick one for the winter and stick with it? I'm such a newb!
Thanks!

[kfergos]

Welcome ginny! I ride on studded tires all winter -- I just stick with them. It works OK. You get a good work out riding on those! ...But it seems like if you could afford to have an extra wheel set lying around, I'd go with switching those out if I could. In my experience studded tires tend to be significantly more difficult to get on and off than your average tire.

Speaking of studded tires, ladies, what do you think: I have Hakkepelita (forgive the spelling disaster there) 700x40C studded tires right now. I'd like ones with a reflective stripe, and the Schwalbe Marathon Winter HS 396 has that, but my LBS tells me they can only get it in 35C. Would the difference in width make you rethink the swap?

[SouthernBelle]

Hmm, we need to bump this up!

I did get in 2 days this week. I'm having trouble with my fingers in the cold, suspecting Reynaud's, so Tuesday my hands were in real pain by the time I got to the office.

Wednesday was better.

I'm off to Chattanooga today. That would have been a REAL commute.

[Eden]

We've had a pretty warm, dry start to winter out here. It's rained a little, but nothing like November usually is... It is starting to get cold though. Of course, even our cold is nothing comparable to a lot of places, but it's in the 30's out today... brrrrrrr
I continue with my typical commute, but on my off days (T&Th) I mostly ride indoors, as my coach gives me these really complex workouts that I'd have trouble doing on the open road...

[kfergos]

Reporting in on my first week back riding after getting the flu...

Mon - 2/2
Tues - 1.25/2 (rode 4 miles to the bike shop in the evening, rather than the full 13.25 home)
Wed - 0/2 (doctor's appointment required driving there)
Thurs - 2/2
Fri - 2/2

Total rides: 7.25
Total miles: 98.6

With putting studded tires on, my average speed is now down from 16 to 14 mph. Ah well, all the better to gaze at the frozen scenery.

[out_spokin']

Long time no post -- I've been a traveling fool. Decided to spend tiny extra time getting ready for my bike commute instead of on the intertubes!

This is one of the reasons having you all on here is such a great thing - it would've been so easy to just blow it off after so many days away from home at a time.

So, with just a week to go before the halfway point in our challenge, I'm doing great! I finished November at 73% of my office days, and it actually felt weird to drive to the commuter lot the other day - and even my regular bus driver was asking where my bike was.

And now the long delayed photos of my reflective Schwalbes...which I LOVE. First time I've actually noticed the ride difference in a similar tire size/tread. Plush, quiet, and as you can see, pretty nicely bright!