I rode today. Did you?

Nice first ride in the COLD.

 

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Permalink Reply by Andrew Bertocchini on February 1, 2013 at 4:47am

Samantha and I tried to ride today. We got all bundled up and our bikes out of the basement. Only to find we could not unlock our gate. By the time we would have gotten the torch out to thaw the gate lock it would have been too late to ride. We are both sorry to say we did not get to ride today. I am going out to get some liquid graphite after work. Stupid Lock !!

Permalink Reply by Sue Clark on February 1, 2013 at 4:54am
I had to wimp out. After getting the biking in shape to ride, and getting the apartment in shape for the latest intrusion of the landlord's mediocre repair staff, I realized that I had to be at work in a shorter time than I could expect to be there by bike. So, no biking.
Permalink Reply by Anika on February 1, 2013 at 5:44am


Diego Rael said:

Rode today, yesterday and every day  30 mile round trip.  Need to get some warm boots that will work with my pedals and some goggles.


I found some nice ones a week or two ago at TJMaxx on Fullerton if that is your area. Very affordable and seem to be getting the job done.
Permalink Reply by Thinman on February 1, 2013 at 5:57am

The ride last night was a cardiac stress test!

If you rode today, then you can say that you ride all year round, in Chicago, in all weather!!  

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on February 1, 2013 at 6:10am

My gate is frozen, too, but it fortunately froze in an open position. ;-)

Rode to the hairdresser.  He was not totally surprised to see me on my bike with helmet, goggles, etc.  Same conversation about how riding is so much better than walking and/or waiting for the bus.

Rode to work.  The people I work with are now surprised if I don't ride.

Sunshine!  I did not realize how much I had missed it

Diego, do you have TOO MANY layers of socks?  You need some room in there for the layers to trap air and for you to move your toes.

Better today with a measly 3 degrees and less wind than last night with more degrees and that wind.  Did I mention I hate wind?
 
Andrew Bertocchini said:

Samantha and I tried to ride today. We got all bundled up and our bikes out of the basement. Only to find we could not unlock our gate. By the time we would have gotten the torch out to thaw the gate lock it would have been too late to ride. We are both sorry to say we did not get to ride today. I am going out to get some liquid graphite after work. Stupid Lock !!

Permalink Reply by Holly on February 1, 2013 at 6:15am

The wind was awful yesterday, especially after 4. I'm impressed by anyone who didn't find riding in that difficult. I thought my tire pressure was ridiculously low. It wasn't. I was just moving slower and using more might to do it.

I tried your wind resistant / rainpants over pants and tights technique, Lisa C. It helped, but my legs are still very cold. I don't know anyone else who has this problem but it looks like I'm shelling out for wool leggings. 

Permalink Reply by E A on February 1, 2013 at 6:17am

My building external gates all froze shut for the past two nights... and stranded me outside! :-( First time that's happened to me in years.. 

My take on winter riding: http://www.bikecommuters.com/2013/02/01/winter-riding-suicidal-just...

Plus - I completely concur with this article: http://grist.org/news/cyclists-are-the-happiest-of-us-all/

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on February 1, 2013 at 6:31am

Don't take all of them off!  Try just one less--probably one less of the regular socks.  

 

Holly, I am sorry.  Today I wore two mid-weight base layers with lined wool pants over them.  No wind-resistant pants.  Tops of thighs were chilly, but not uncomfortably cold.  You might just need more layers than others.
 
Diego Rael said:

Possibly too many layers of socks but I would hate to think if I only wore one pair this morning. I think its the shoes. They say waterproof on them, a pair of New Balance they are but they have no real lining and I got them at the thrift store.

Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on February 1, 2013 at 6:40am

Yup, I tell them I'd rather be pedaling and keeping toasty than freezing while waiting for bus/train.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Definitely! I tell people I'd rather bike 30 minutes and generate heat that stand outside waiting for the bus for 15-20 minutes.


Julie Hochstadter said:

totally!  I didn't ride yesterday and wish I had.  It was soooo cold waiting for the bus and walking.

Michelle Stenzel said:

 It's funny how people act like you're at risk for hypothermia riding a bike in cold temperatures. I think it's riskier to stand inert for 15 minutes waiting on an El platform, but you can't convince them of that.

Permalink Reply by Paul Michael Ignacio on February 1, 2013 at 7:25am

Rode home last night after eight and while it was challenging, I wouldn't call it excruciating.  Definitely the most taxing ride of the winter season, but I didn't have to stop to warm myself, and I made it home only a few minutes later than normal.  The wind was in my face heading north, and steady, but it wasn't howling - just had to go a couple gears down to keep the cranks turning smoothly.  Which brings me to the most important point re-learned last night: wind chill readings are much more important than ambient temperature, since on a bike you're constantly moving in that cold air.  And last night it was well below zero.

So congrats on everyone out there last night.  It's only gonna get warmer and lighter herein.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on February 1, 2013 at 7:40am

Well it does not sound as convincing to say " I would rather be pedalling and staying warm than sitting in my nice cozy heated car".  :D
 
h' 1.0 said:

So the goal of bicycle advocacy is to get people to stop using transit?


 

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 1, 2013 at 7:52am

Doesn't add up for me. 

When it's this cold and you need to wait for a bus, why not use Bus Tracker and delay going to the bus stop until just before the bus is due?  Sometimes transit is the best solution on a particular day, and tools like Bus Tracker make it better.

h' 1.0 said:

So the goal of bicycle advocacy is to get people to stop using transit?

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