How Was Your Commute Today?

[Melalvai]

A friend of mine commented that her bike has become her "lazy way" of transportation. I said "Isn't that funny! I know I kept intending to walk or even drive this winter but it was just easier to bike, even in the bitter cold."

How I miss that bitter cold... It's still easier to bike than to walk or drive.

[redrhodie]

My commute was great. The new bike path extension has been working out. The virgin asphalt is dreamy smooth. It seems to take me a few more minutes, which is weird. Not sure if it's a little longer, or if I'm a little slower for some other reason. Anyway, it hasn't been busy, so that's been nice. The official opening ceremony is later this week, so that might make more people know about it. For now, it's mine. All mine.

[RadicalEdward]

Bought a bike computer this week and got it working this morning
WOOH!! 55km/hr!!
(Just ignore the 9km/hr up that hill..) :P

Need to figure out how to pull out the average speed and distance and stuff


A Beautiful ride this morning - a layer of Frost on everything
I don't envy you lot the heat, it'll hit us here soon enough *sigh*

[redrhodie]

My car's brake light came on yesterday, so I brought it to the mechanic today, which is 5 miles from work. Whenever I have car work done, I bring my bike along and ride to work. It's much shorter than my regular commute, so I think of it as not riding. I came very close to not wearing bike shorts today. I'm so glad I didn't.

When I got to the shop after work, my car was not ready, and would not be until tomorrow. And, they wouldn't let me take it because it was too dangerous to drive. So, I had to ride another 10 miles to get the bus. Not a big deal, but I had been thinking of this as a non-ride day. I ate a puny lunch, about half the calories I usually eat for lunch, and I was dehydrated. I blame my current emotional state for both of these. My appetite is off, and I forgot to drink enough. Had I known I would be riding 15 miles instead of 5, I would have used some chamois butter, and eaten more. I also didn't have bus fare. Luckily, my lbs is right down the block, and they generously gave me some cash. Love those guys.

I had to wait almost an hour for the bus, and it went a really crazy route, looping through the community college, which I'd never even seen before. Had I known it was going to do that, I would have gotten off at the first stop and just ridden from there. That would have been faster, for sure. It ended up taking me 2 1/2 hours to get home.

Well, I'm beat. At least I didn't go postal on anyone.

[AnnB]

Hello All, I'm new around here, just found this website a week or so ago. I have been commuting daily to work since May. I'm amazed and how much better (more energized) I feel with even a small ride to work and back. My commute to work is a tiny .71 miles, but generally I try to get an extra six to twelve miles in after work. I own a brand new in May 2011 Specialized Vita Elite, it's a hybrid and perfect for commuting. Although I do feel, every so often, the need for a fast & light road bike (maybe next year). My dream is to get in shape enough so that I can take a bike tour of New Zealand. I guess my reason for hanging about here is to get some winter biking tips - I've gotten some good ones already from lurking about. I plan on biking as much as I can until it snows out.

[azfiddle]

I'm trying to commute once a week. It means leaving half an hour earlier, and it's always a bit stressful even though I feel great when I get to work. I've got my change/clean-up routine down to less than 10 minutes. .... but I've got to say, riding home when it's 100 degrees leaves me ready to collapse when I get in the door.

Today the humidity was reasonable (17%) and the clouds moved in as I rode home, but I then I had wind all the way home. I'm not sure which I prefer- blazing heat with calm or more favorable winds, or overcast with wind.

[tzvia]

Crap. Earlier this week, nice cool morning ride. For two blocks. Then my bike started feeling like it was hinging in the middle, then it felt heavy and dead in the back. Shoot, flat. No time to change it so I turned around and walked briskly home and took the truck to work.

Took the time that evening to rotate the tires (they have about 1600 miles on them and the back is more worn than the front but still serviceable.) The rear tube was not only flat from a rather large 1/2" by 1/8" wide shard of glass stuck in the tire, but it looked chaffed and had many tiny cracks like it was dry so I replaced it. Had to use pliers to get the glass out of the tire, and patched it from the inside. It felt good to ride it on Friday.

Our weather has been mild for the San Fernando Valley/L.A. I don't think it's been 108f yet, and has maybe hit 100 once or twice all month. The humidity is high though and I sweat bullets going home.

And I think it is time to start looking into new 700x28c tires...