(no subject)

[aedifica]

I was noticing over the last few months that this must be a community whose members are mostly in the northern hemisphere, since everyone got quiet when the northern hemisphere moved into winter. :-)

It's mid-Spring where I live, and I've been biking to and from work for the last few weeks. Until today I've been riding my hybrid (full shocks), but today I got out my road bike (no shocks) for the first time this year--and rediscovered how much bumpier* the roads are without suspension! *Now* I remember why I mostly just ride the road bike on paved trails, not actual roads...

Are you riding much so far, this year? What's it like where you are?

* Around here, winter causes potholes. It may be different where you live. This winter it got bad enough that I overheard someone make a tongue-in-cheek reference to the unusual level of asteroid activity we've been having lately. *grin*

Comments

[ilanarama]

I managed three or four lovely mountain bike rides before a stress fracture in my foot (from running, not from riding) sidelined me. Now I'm on crutches and no riding or running other than the stationary recumbent and pool running, and the weather is beautiful. Sigh.

[aedifica]

Oh, ouch! I hope your foot heals well and quickly so you can get back to riding. :-)

[dragonfly]

Two seasons: snow removal and road repair!

We've had a cold wet spring, so I only got on my bike a few weeks ago. I got bike-related Christmas pressies I've had to wait this long to use, so yayy!

I drink sodas from liter-sized bottles, and have had to search hard for a bike drink holder that would fit that size. Now I have one, only to find that my bike lacks boltholes in the bar to attach it (or most of the standard ones) to. I suppose I have to go to a bike shop and have them attach it for me?

Also, the rear view mirror that sticks on my helmet keeps falling off. I need better adhesive.

[aedifica]

I think the seasons here are road removal and snow repair. :-)

Good luck with having the drink holder attached, and finding a better adhesive! Those both sound like things that would make riding significantly better.

[dayblaze]

Boston area, hybrid, no shocks. The roads are...okay? I mostly just try to avoid the ones I know have potholes.

I've been biking since March 1st. For all of March and April I did about 2 miles a day, just to and from work. The past week or two I've been stepping it up. Just got back from a 9 mile loop.

I've been tracking my routes using RunKeeper -- anyone else using this? If so, want to be street buddies or whatever it's called?

[aedifica]

I've been looking enviously at Boston's weather since early spring--I have a friend in Cambridge. I think y'all got warmer weather earlier than I did.

I haven't heard of RunKeeper, I'll have to check that out.

[copracat]

It's Autumn here and I'm busy being proud that I've continued to cycle to work almost every day. It's twilight when I leave work now, but there's only one stretch of the commute that's worrying: parked cars on the left, moving traffic on the right, low visibility - eek!

Winters here aren't snowy, just miserably cold and wet. I plan to keep riding to work but I'll have to start getting some waterproof or water-resistant gear. And some plastic bags for my feet! And maybe a chain guard for the treadly.

[aedifica]

I'd be interested to hear what solutions you come up with for riding in the cold wetness (or the wet coldness). So far I can dress for cold, or for wet, but not for both.

Low visibility is scary. Do you have bright reflective things you can wear? (I have a bright bright bright fluorescent yellow cycling jacket, and I do feel more confident in it because I know drivers will see me!)

[copracat]

Yes, I have front and rear lights, reflectors and a bright yellow vest with reflector strips to make me visible. It's my eyesight (which passed the driving test eye test even without my glasses) that concerns me in low light.

One problem as I understand it is that it's hard to combine materials that keep you waterproof and warm that also breathe. Although I guess you could spend a lot of money on mountaineering gear! At the moment I'm wearing a light denim jacket. It's mostly water repellent in light rain and dries pretty past during the day, in a warm building. I can leave it unbuttoned if I get too hot. What you really need is a basket so you can take layers on and off during your ride!

[aedifica]

Visibility: I did think about whether that was what you meant, but decided the other was more likely. I'm sorry!

[vlion]

It's been hideously rainy most of the time. I am somewhat put out by this. Rain is not okay. I am supposed to be Getting Outside and Biking.

[aedifica]

Oh dear. I hope you get your preferred biking weather soon, and lots of it! (In ways that will not hurt anything that might need other weather, that is. Perhaps a sunny bike path with rain on each side, if the land needs rain?)

[roadrunnertwice]

Been going all winter, and the bike's been holding up heroically the whole time. It's about ready for its spring overhaul, though, and since tomorrow looks like a cloudy Saturday, I reckon the time has come.

(I keep thinking the hubs are finally about to croak it, and they keep holding on for one more season. At this rate, the headset will give out before they do.)

[aedifica]

Congrats on biking through the winter, and hooray for your heroic bike! I saw your post from yesterday. I sometimes feel a little ashamed that I have absolutely no desire to do my own bike maintenance, but then I content myself with the knowledge that I do my own computer maintenance and that's good too. :-)

[sporky_rat]

Been riding to work (been Biking to Rivendell, even). Roads are...okay, they've been repaving a lot. I've got a ...I'm not sure quite what it is, but it's a cruiser with gears and really wide tires. I can navigate loose gravel with ease.

[aedifica]

Does Rivendell have good roads? *grin*

Yeah, I discovered the first time I rode my road bike across a sandy patch (left over from winter sanding) how much nicer wider tires are on loose ground. One more reason to use my hybrid, not the road bike, for commuting!

[darkemeralds]

I rode to work (and everywhere else) all winter long, but there's not much to say about a daily commute.

I know just what you mean about the shocks on a hybrid. I don't otherwise like riding my hybrid (I vastly prefer my Omafiets), but the smoothness of the ride is pretty nice.

[aedifica]

I usually don't have anything to say about my commute, either... but I've been thinking I might try to find more to say about it, to see if more frequent posts get the community going again.

[darkemeralds]

Good thought. There's such a diversity of bike riders here that I've hesitated to make any "cycle chic" type posts, and I'm not sure how welcome mere bicycle photos would be, but I'll start thinking of more ways to contribute.

[aedifica]

I don't think anyone would find cut-tagged bike photos objectionable! And since I'm not sure what you mean by "cycle chic," I'd be curious to see that kind of post too. :-)

[darkemeralds]

In a nutshell, really more about the clothes one wears to ride a bike in, than about the ride or the bike.

Part of the biking-as-a-normal-everyday-activity trend.

[aedifica]

Oh! I can't speak for sara who started the comm and maintains it, but as far as I'm concerned that would be really cool, actually. I'm all about biking as a normal everyday activity.