The Chainlink

Today was . . .

challenging.  In the two years I've biked winters, today was the only time I had to walk the bike for more than a few yards.  Side streets were straight up unridable for me on my 25s.  Main roads, however, no prob!  Except all those cars, that is.  But people gave me the lane, and no issues.  I saw a few others out there today - Bully to ya!

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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on February 9, 2010 at 11:34pm
Bully! Clark was fine on 25s both to and from work. Side streets? No way. Hopefully things will be cleaner tomorrow.
Permalink Reply by nik was here on February 9, 2010 at 11:55pm
... a fun day, first time this season I put a foot down... still rolling on 23s.
this kind of stuff is the closest I come to a sketchy bit of singletrack without leaving the city.
Permalink Reply by Joe TV on February 10, 2010 at 4:02am
Permalink Reply by Amber K on February 10, 2010 at 10:50am
Yeah, side streets were tough going this morning, so I gave up and jumped on Western. It was smooth sailing from there!
Permalink Reply by igz on February 10, 2010 at 11:05am
i had to walk the bike to Kedzie. our side street just wasnt happening. but overall...today's ride was much easier than yesterday's. i actually took a spill yesterday during the commute home from the front wheel coming out from under me as i tried to get on a sidewalk (sometimes necessary in the burbs).

i had a nice tail wind to start with, till i got to the burbs then it was head on. those streets were tough. i have a two mile climb uphill, had the headwind then, and streets were covered white. i had to wuss out and walk it a bit. then took a lane once on the main street...but cars were not too observant of the 3 foot rule.
Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on February 10, 2010 at 11:32am
The side streets in my hood were a little rough, but I was able to go a little ways. I didn't bike yesterday, but to make up for that today, I made sure I wore a skirt and heels on the bike...just to make it a little more challenging. Lincoln Avenue was clear as could be, and the traffic was rather light. Welles Street was a little more slushy, but nothing too bad.
Permalink Reply by Aaron Bussey on February 10, 2010 at 11:37am
Last night while riding down an alley I also encountered the first time I had to walk the bike for more than a few yards. Though my ride home from Humboldt to Lakeview was fairly easy given the blizzard like conditions I was riding through.

Yeah it was intense....Bike Winter!
Permalink Reply by Duppie on February 10, 2010 at 11:42am
Glad to hear that other people rode in today. For the first time in 3 years, I saw NOT ONE other cyclist on my 9 mile commute from the North-side to Union station. It felt a little unreal.

The commute itself was easygoing: Streets were clear and traffic was light.
Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on February 10, 2010 at 12:02pm
Last night a guy in big ford pickup stopped after he passed me on a particularly deep section of Lock St.
I caught up to him as he was rolling down the passenger window. I peer in expecting to be asked for directions or something.

"Hey do you want a ride? you can toss the bike in the back..." I declined but thanked him profusely. I also told him that I was enjoying the ride. Which was mostly true.

I don't ever recall being asked if I wanted a ride in the city before!

I did stop a few times to get some fresh traction, but I never had to walk. 1" x 1 1/4" (which i think is close to a 32?)
Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on February 10, 2010 at 12:06pm
Today I felt like a driver-- stuck behind a car with no room to pass in stop and go traffic on Rockwell for a few blocks. Cermak was cleared of every snowflake, and was closed near Western for reasons I couldn't figure out. So in all one of my easier days.
Permalink Reply by Davo on February 10, 2010 at 1:20pm
Damon was good today except for the snow comming out of the side streets. Its very unnerving to have no option but go through a patch of snow 6" or more without knowing whats in it or underneath it.
Permalink Reply by A.K.A Paul on February 10, 2010 at 7:56pm
The snow wasnt the problem for me yesterday and today. Today I made an amature mistake when I was fixing a flat on my ride: I forgot to check the tire for the cause of the flat. I changed the tube to my spare, filled with air, took off and within a couple of blocks I was flat again. Went to a LBS where they replaced the tube and checked the tire for the cause and didnt find anything. I again took off down the road and within a few blocks of the LBS I was flat again. When I brought it back to the LBS they rechecked the tire and there was a piece of glass embedded like Anderson Cooper with the Marines in Fallujah. I didnt feel so bad after that cause the piece of glass was virtually undetectable (unlike Anderson Cooper), so had I checked I probably woundnt have found it anyway.
Finally I was on the road again!

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