I rode today. Did you?

Nice first ride in the COLD.

 

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on December 22, 2010 at 6:00am
Sorry Iggi. What did the X-Rays say? Was this the Black Sheep Commuter?

iggi said:
ego's bruised. arm hurts like a bitch. chain popped. bar end cap smashed to bits.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
Hope nothing's broken (body or bike).

iggi said:

spent the morning so far with the Wood Dale fire department, paramedics, and a police officer.  Wood Dale Rd sides are covered up in slush, cars were not giving the adequate space today. i decided to take to the sidewalk...only the sidewalk didnt want to take me. it was a complete sheet of ice.  it was nicely plowed/snowblowed...but no ice treatment. i wiped out. i followed the philosophy of holding onto the bars. my left shoulder and arm took the hit. it happened almost in front of the fire department station. i eventually made it in through a call to the police, and they opened up to accept me and check me out.

 

i advised the city they gotta get someone to address the ice, but they pawned it off on the county's responsibility. im concerned other cyclists might encounter the same scenario.

Permalink Reply by Joe Muldoon on December 22, 2010 at 6:15am

Had the nice guys at Dutch Bike Co put some Marathon Winter studded tires on last night. I didn't even notice any ice this morning. They're heavy and loud and slow, but, seriously, who cares in these conditions? 

 

Sorry to anyone who had issues this morning. Hate to hear those stories... I wiped out on black ice and slid through an intersection one morning about three years ago at the beginning of winter. This is my first winter back at it, so I know how a fall can effect even the most ardent riders. This time around, I'm taking it slower and safer, and hoping to make through the winter. Why? Because I prefer riding to the crowded and often late trains/buses, and because I've lost 20 pounds and feel great, and I'm saving money over driving.

 

I wish you all the best of luck and a happy and safe holiday season.

Permalink Reply by igz on December 22, 2010 at 6:16am
no xrays, werent warranted really.  it was the black sheep.  she has taken me down twice now. riding so high up has its...er...downfalls
Kevin Conway said:
Sorry Iggi. What did the X-Rays say? Was this the Black Sheep Commuter?

iggi said:
ego's bruised. arm hurts like a bitch. chain popped. bar end cap smashed to bits.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
Hope nothing's broken (body or bike).

iggi said:

spent the morning so far with the Wood Dale fire department, paramedics, and a police officer.  Wood Dale Rd sides are covered up in slush, cars were not giving the adequate space today. i decided to take to the sidewalk...only the sidewalk didnt want to take me. it was a complete sheet of ice.  it was nicely plowed/snowblowed...but no ice treatment. i wiped out. i followed the philosophy of holding onto the bars. my left shoulder and arm took the hit. it happened almost in front of the fire department station. i eventually made it in through a call to the police, and they opened up to accept me and check me out.

 

i advised the city they gotta get someone to address the ice, but they pawned it off on the county's responsibility. im concerned other cyclists might encounter the same scenario.

Permalink Reply by Liz on December 22, 2010 at 6:17am
I rode a lot less last winter since I a was a single bus ride, the stops where less than 1 block to both my apartment and my office, now I'm 2 buses/1 bus 1 train, with 4 blocks to the bus and 2 blocks from the office.  Also I've noticed the sidewalks in the areas I walk now are not shoveled and salted as well as lakeview, so I've been riding a lot more this winter just because its easier than walking and waiting for the bus and then waiting for the transer.  The next place I live will definately be a 1 bus or train to work location.

Spencer "Thunderball" Thayer! said:

Nope. I did bike winter the first five years in the city. Then I moved and my winter beater was stolen. Now it's just a single bus from my door to my office. Can't beat that. So I ride on Fridays or on special occasions. But I worry about my pretty bike and that winter yuck.

Permalink Reply by Vo1k1 on December 22, 2010 at 6:33am

Similar feelings here, the bike commute beats the car or CTA on several fronts for me, so I'm focused on getting to work and home reliably and safely. 

 

But man, I recall reading that studded tires sound like a swarm of bees on dry pavement, mine are just like that, a loud, slow swarm.

Joe Muldoon said:

Had the nice guys at Dutch Bike Co put some Marathon Winter studded tires on last night. I didn't even notice any ice this morning. They're heavy and loud and slow, but, seriously, who cares in these conditions? 

 

Sorry to anyone who had issues this morning. Hate to hear those stories... I wiped out on black ice and slid through an intersection one morning about three years ago at the beginning of winter. This is my first winter back at it, so I know how a fall can effect even the most ardent riders. This time around, I'm taking it slower and safer, and hoping to make through the winter. Why? Because I prefer riding to the crowded and often late trains/buses, and because I've lost 20 pounds and feel great, and I'm saving money over driving.

 

I wish you all the best of luck and a happy and safe holiday season.

Permalink Reply by Holly on December 22, 2010 at 7:58am

Hmmm...

I just don't know. I have about 10 minutes to decide. It sure looks wetter out there than it did this morning now that we had some sunshine.

Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on December 22, 2010 at 8:19am
I always carry a CTA card with me and usually 20-30 bucks. In my mind, if it gets terrible, I can either put bike on bus rack or in back of a cab. That gets me on the bike. I've never had to give up once started on the bike, but I'm sure the day will come . . .

Holly said:

Hmmm...

I just don't know. I have about 10 minutes to decide. It sure looks wetter out there than it did this morning now that we had some sunshine.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on December 22, 2010 at 8:34am

+a lot. Having a back up transport is always a good idea, whether you use it or not


in it to win it said:

I always carry a CTA card with me and usually 20-30 bucks. In my mind, if it gets terrible, I can either put bike on bus rack or in back of a cab. That gets me on the bike. I've never had to give up once started on the bike, but I'm sure the day will come . . .

Holly said:

Hmmm...

I just don't know. I have about 10 minutes to decide. It sure looks wetter out there than it did this morning now that we had some sunshine.

Permalink Reply by Shay on December 22, 2010 at 8:50am
I also always carry my CTA card with me, no matter what the weather.  You never know when you may get a flat that's inconvenient to fix, get hit by a car, or whatever.  I like to know that I can get home no matter how far away from it I am.

Duppie said:

+a lot. Having a back up transport is always a good idea, whether you use it or not


in it to win it said:

I always carry a CTA card with me and usually 20-30 bucks. In my mind, if it gets terrible, I can either put bike on bus rack or in back of a cab. That gets me on the bike. I've never had to give up once started on the bike, but I'm sure the day will come . . .

Holly said:

Hmmm...

I just don't know. I have about 10 minutes to decide. It sure looks wetter out there than it did this morning now that we had some sunshine.

Permalink Reply by JD Churchill on December 22, 2010 at 12:54pm
dudes i crashed the other day going over some old railroad tracks.  is this a common mishap?  or is this something that is only a problem in the winter conditions?  i feel like i have gone over tracks before and not eaten shit, but this time was pretty bad.  taco'd my back wheel somehow . . .
Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on December 22, 2010 at 1:05pm
Tracks will be more slippery when wet or icy, whether summer or winter. Always a preferred policy to cross as perpendicular as possible. Extra points for a little up unweighting as you cross. Sorry about the crash and damage. And don't call me "dude." :-)

JD Churchill said:
dudes i crashed the other day going over some old railroad tracks.  is this a common mishap?  or is this something that is only a problem in the winter conditions?  i feel like i have gone over tracks before and not eaten shit, but this time was pretty bad.  taco'd my back wheel somehow . . .
Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on December 22, 2010 at 1:54pm
Serge. Did you just call me "dude?"

Serge Lubomudrov said:
Yep, that dude Kevin is absolutely right: you should try to cross the tracks under an angle as close as possible to 90°. 

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