How Was Your Commute Today?

[Melalvai]

Me too! I'm actually thinking about a winter bike, not just winter wheels. Even though there's a big storm coming our way, I went ahead and took off the studs this weekend. There were quite a few days where I was happy to have them, but there were far more days when I was wishing for a separate wheelset or a winter bike. Plus having separate wheels puts less wear & tear on the special tires-- only use them when they are needed instead of all winter.

Even if we get a lot of snow, I don't think it'll last very many days, and I'll just walk until the streets are clear.

Boy howdy I was fast and quiet with my regular tires. Then even faster when I came home and had that wind at my tail!

Edit: By the way my back is fine now. I took 2 weeks off the bike and no exercise. Slowly ramping back up the exercise now, carefully carefully. Biking to work is no problem.

[shootingstar]

Me too! I'm actually thinking about a winter bike, not just winter wheels. Even though there's a big storm coming our way, I went ahead and took off the studs this weekend. There were quite a few days where I was happy to have them, but there were far more days when I was wishing for a separate wheelset or a winter bike. Plus having separate wheels puts less wear & tear on the special tires-- only use them when they are needed instead of all winter.

Even if we get a lot of snow, I don't think it'll last very many days, and I'll just walk until the streets are clear.

Boy howdy I was fast and quiet with my regular tires.

I haven't graduated to studded tires. While it MIGHT get me cycling more often during the winter with ice and snow on ground, the faster wear down of the studs and going slower (when already I'm slow enough in the winter), I kind of wonder.

My partner has been riding on his studded tires for last 2 winters and they are wearing down fast. The winters in our region can be quite cold (this morning was -15 degrees C) down to -20 degrees C or even -25 degrees C is not unusual at all. We get enough snow which then melts, dries off (because prairie air is drier) and then snow again, and on and on the cycle of weather happens at least 10 times during 1 winter. So I fit in cycling whenever the paths and roads allow me to cycle safely and allow me to BRAKE safely soon enough without sliding.

Or be able to cycle and if I should fall, it is not in an area in the path of a car or hitting a bunch of joggers/other cyclists. Sometimes it's best not to brake when cycling over thin ice/snow ...so that's why bike paths are more desirable.

[carlotta]

I think we're about to get the storm you had earlier this week....I got snowed on a little toward the end of the commute tonight (the fluffy, floaty, snow that's fun to ride in), but anything we get here this late in the year should melt fast like you said and there's always other ways to work (train here) for a day or two.

Today was actually a great commute day-- the last two were windy/crappy/cold, and today was just cold with the bit of snow

I still have very, very little wear on the studded tires (schwalbe marathon plus), the rubber is hardly showing any wear, and the studs aren't as shiny as they were when they were new but they're carbide steel so they're tough and still plenty studdy to grip ice. I've lost maybe 4 studs between the two tires over three winters now so I've been pretty happy with them. A snow-bike would be handy, but there are already 4 bikes living in our 1-bedroom apartment (fiancee's bike, plus my fixie, commuter, road bike) and I'm not sure a 5th would be welcome (plus a newer-than-20-year-old road bike is probably next in line). I think the wheels on my commuter might be getting close to replacement, so I may just get new wheels a little earlier than necessary and keep the old ones with the studs....they wouldn't get more than 3-400 miles/winter unless we get dumped on so they should be fine.

[Triskeliongirl]

I had a great commute today. I actually had taken quite a long break from commuting after too many accidents, but was pleasantly surprised when I tried a dry run on the weekend to see how much improved our roads are, and that the previously loose dogs were restrained. I tried once during the construction, and that was awful, but now the surfaces are much improved so it was worth it. There is still one mile that is a bit risky with the cars, but I just really focus during that mile and I am OK. It is so effecient. I get in earlier than when I had to first drive to the gym. I am so glad I came back to it.

[Melalvai]

I'm sorry you've had some accidents. Hope you are healing well and glad you are back on the bike. It is hard and scary to start back up again. Company helps, if that is an option.

I've been commuting through the snow. It's fun!

Disclaimer: that photo was staged. After I got the picture I walked down that street, and the next. Then I reached a minor arterial that had been plowed. When I got to my destination--I walked the last half block and the parking lot, that hadn't been plowed yet. When I came home, everything had been plowed.

Then it snowed again.

The studded tires didn't help much in this stuff. It's been warm enough that once the streets are plowed, they are clear down to the pavement, no packed ice to deal with. That's where the tires really help.

[inestrozar]

Had a great commute this morning! Weather was nice and my music was catchy. The way home is all uphill but with the lack of wind and rain today I know it will be nice. On my last hill there were some barky little dogs that were driving me nuts because they kept chasing me. Now the road is under construction and the dogs owner does not let them out (yay)! The only downside is that they were replaced with bunches of men working on the road. After a few days of riding through the lewd stares and nasty comments I long for my barky dogs
Total miles for my commute is fourteen, seven downhill and seven uphill. Takes me thirty minutes to get to work and fifty minutes to get home.

[Melalvai]

I haven't used the new bike lanes in a couple months, at first because they weren't plowed and then when the snow melted they were full of gravel and trash. I was going to take a picture of it and then when it was dry I was going to call the city and let them know the bike lanes needed swept. But before I got around to it, the city got them swept! I was completely surprised and impressed!