Fall and Winter Commuter Challenge!

[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!

[SouthernBelle]

That's looking good.

I'm in the process of re-doing some vintage steel to use as a commuter, waiting for some parts to come in. But I should go ahead and order some Marathons since that's what I want to use.

[kfergos]

I'm going to have to change my goal. On Tuesday nights I can't ride home because I have an ongoing commitment elsewhere, and now that my commutes take >1 hour, I won't be able to make it home in time to leave. Anyway, I'm aiming for 9 commutes a week, every day except Tuesday night.

M - 2/2
T - 1/1
W - 2/2
Th - 2/2
F - 2/2

Total commutes: 9

Monday was 8F; Wednesday was steady 25-mph headwinds; Friday was pouring down rain in an ice storm. What a week. Friday convinced me that my Novara jacket is just not waterproof enough; I think (after reading the discussion in the apparel section) I'm going to try out the Showers Pass Elite.

[bikerHen]

Sadly I think the weather is finally forcing me onto the trainer. We had a really wet snow yesterday and now we are heading into an artic freeze. The shoulder are covered with fist size chucks of ice and lots of icy ruts. My bike handling skill are just not up to that kind of riding. bikerHen

[out_spokin']

We've made it halfway to the next equinox! Congrats to all you hard core northern hemisphere folks who've been riding in any way, shape or form into the winter months...

Fittingly this morning was my coldest ride of the year so far, 9F/-13C, calm and clear, full-on lights needed both ways.

I had my first epic commute of the season last Thursday - a bit of snow helped create a couple of accidents which made the bus portion a total parking lot, stop & go for over an hour, doubled the usual time. I was warned there were crazy winds but was so tired of sitting that I wasn't going to bail on the ride home -- steady hard headwind, with additional 25-30 mph gusts! I had to use my granny ring the second half of the ride, which was also double the usual time....gotta love those stubborn moments of wanting my goal enough to put up with the "wow, this really isn't fun right now" thoughts!

Peace to you all and happy holidays!

[bikerHen]

As of last Thursday I am so out of the commuting challenge. Wednesday/Thursday Spokane received almost 30" of snow, setting a new all time record for the amount of snow falling in a 24 hour period. While we are use to snow in these parts, it usually doesn't fall all at once. Spokane was almost shut down Thursday. We could only get to work with our 4 wheel drive Bronco and even that was a bit exciting. Now that the plows are catching up with the snow, the streets are all reduced by a lane or two. No room for me even if I wanted to give it a try. The temp is staying well below freezing, it was -2 yesterday morning. So none of the snow is melting anytime soon. In fact it's snowing right now. On the up side, we will definitly be having a white Christmas! bikerHen

[Grog]

I've been out too ever since it started snowing. I don't have anywhere to go to anyway.

back in the new year!

[out_spokin']

Reasons to love a winter commute part 67....So last night was a treat....a relatively balmy 33 degrees, and after getting to see a beautiful sunset on the bus I rode towards the pitch black silhouette of the mountains, watching first Jupiter and then the gorgeous crescent moon set behind them. If you don't happen to have mountains in the way, you'll get even more of a show, since Venus, the moon, Jupiter and even little Mercury are all getting closer together after sundown the next couple of nights in the southwest sky.

Oh and the other evening I crossed paths with a pair of foxes in their winter finery...life is good!

[Eden]

I'd forgotten about this thread... We've had some real winter weather around here for a change. I did a few snow rides on my cross bike. So long as is was packed snow it was OK.... the day it started to melt it was pretty hard going. That day I rode in, but ended up taking a shuttle bus downtown and riding up mostly on the sidewalk (thank you to all those who shoveled!).

[kfergos]

Anybody still commuting by bike? I was out of the saddle for a couple weeks on vacation -- who'd've thought Seattle would be as snowy as Boston? -- but I rode to work on Friday and I'm back to it as usual on Monday, snow, sleet, ice, or rain be darned! I trust I'm not the only crazy commuter still pushing pedals in January...