How Was Your Commute Today?

[pfunk12]

Good for you, 7! Glad to hear you got back out there. I had a weird morning commute. I forgot to recharge my headlight last night. My dog was sick so I left a message for the vet, talked to the vet, helped my daughter with French homework, etc. Was too busy so I completely forgot about the light. So this morning, after riding only 15 minutes, the light went out. I stopped to put a back-up light on but it was so dark and a little foggy so the back-up light didn't help much. There were times when I honestly could not see the trail and I had no idea if I was still riding on it. The ride home was interesting. I almost got knocked off the bike when a gust of wind coming off the Potomac River almost blew me over. I lost control for a few seconds! Another There was a fierce headwind for most of the ride. No fun at all. But I ended up riding with a young guy who commented that he needed an electric assist bike. The two of us commented about how we got passed last evening by a guy riding one of those. I was doing 19 going uphill and when he blew by, I felt like I was standing still. Very demoralizing.

[divingbiker]

You should have said something. We could have gotten the Xtracycle up to your house somehow, 7.

I fought the headwind today, too, but I really enjoyed my ride. It's been a long time since I've done a roundtrip commute. I've been wimping out and hitching rides home.

[blackhillsbiker]

About 9 below this morning. About 9 above this evening. It's amazing how much warmer that felt.

Deb

P.S. I LOVE my new goggles!

[lph]

Oh fardling barbling @$£€!"#¤%

The rear wheel on my poor ancient Kona has been wobbling and clunking and groaning and complaining since a snow storm last winter. So I took it off AGAIN, took out the axle and bearings AGAIN - I've done this at least 4 times now - and carefully pieced it all together again with the correct spacers according to an "exploded" diagram I found on the Shimano site. It's still worn, but miraculously, has now shut up and is scarcely wobbling.

But today the right shifter lever gave up the ghost. It hasn't sprung back on it's own for a while so I've had to tap it back every time I shift, but still usable. Now it's dead and I had to get by with the 3 front gears for the hilliest 10 km of my commute

Yeah, I have another mtb, but it has disk brakes so the wheels aren't interchangeable, so I'll have to spend time switching the studded tires. I hate that. They're full of snow and filthy and it's cold out and my hands will get sore and I want to go lie on the couch and watch tv


Boy, don't I sound a real grouch

[blackhillsbiker]

Now that it's finally warmer (around 30), I got sick so I didn't ride today. I'm hoping to tomorrow.

Deb

[Ambikes]

Today was a good commute for me. Temperatures have warmed up to above 0F (I think it was about 5 today) and the wind went away. That's pretty nice for here this time of year.

Monday, however, was the worst commute ever. The temperature was around -30F with windchill in the -40s. The wind was blowing so hard and it was so cold that I got a brain-freeze headache from the outside in! Plus, the lube on my bike was not doing it's job, so it felt like I was pedaling a dump truck. And my toes and fingers froze. It was the longest 2km I have ever ridden. At least I know now not to try that again

[pfunk12]

Wow. Just wow.

Monday, however, was the worst commute ever. The temperature was around -30F with windchill in the -40s. The wind was blowing so hard and it was so cold that I got a brain-freeze headache from the outside in! Plus, the lube on my bike was not doing it's job, so it felt like I was pedaling a dump truck. And my toes and fingers froze. It was the longest 2km I have ever ridden. At least I know now not to try that again

[mizzbananie]

Today was a good commute for me. Temperatures have warmed up to above 0F (I think it was about 5 today) and the wind went away. That's pretty nice for here this time of year.

Monday, however, was the worst commute ever. The temperature was around -30F with windchill in the -40s. The wind was blowing so hard and it was so cold that I got a brain-freeze headache from the outside in! Plus, the lube on my bike was not doing it's job, so it felt like I was pedaling a dump truck. And my toes and fingers froze. It was the longest 2km I have ever ridden. At least I know now not to try that again

oh man.. i'm in calgary, and i just couldn't ride last week. couldn't. my commute is 15km, and i figured i'd be dead before i made it. tho.. sure as heck i saw 3 people on the path who did their commute despite everything.

congratulations for giving it your best. i'm glad you lived to tell the tale.

[lph]

it felt like I was pedaling a dump truck.

Love that expression You'll try it again, I just know it.

It was - 10 C this morning and windy, and even a bit colder and windier coming home. I had dressed well, though (took me 20 minutes, but hey, I was warm!) and I felt this sweet sense of kinship with the other bundled up bike riders out there, crunching along in concert on our studded tires There's not much snow but everything slows down a bit in the cold, so you sort of have time to look around and catch peoples eyes.