The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Throw Down the Gauntlet => Topic started by: Ottawa on October 31, 2012, 06:25:29 PM
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We really killed October and during the course of the month enrolled a whole bunch of challenge lovers! In fact - we had a total of 16 participants who cycled their way to a combined 2600 miles! Way to go guys!
We hope to gain on the momentum we have going and encourage EVEN MORE people to participate! It costs nothing at all and is in fact a great motivator!
Please check out the November link below and feel free to sign yourself up. If you participated in October; I have copied over your names. Just start entering mileage.
If you are new - follow the instructions on the Master Summary Spreadsheet. As always; we welcome improvements and tweaks (BTW I lost the mileage chart when I created the new spreadsheet).
Here is the November link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0As4ivvrHB-LkdEktYkJtUU1CTWhRX0FQeVltRkpHY2c (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0As4ivvrHB-LkdEktYkJtUU1CTWhRX0FQeVltRkpHY2c)
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I might jump on board with this challenge
I am a new bike rider and we live in the country. To get to town I would have to cross a busy two lane bridge and I am not up to that challenge yet. I am thinking of putting my bike in the van (we haven't added a hitch for a bike rack yet) and taking it to town with me. Once there, I can park in the lot at the grocery store and use my bike to run other errands: bank, library, post office, organic food store, etc. Each time I do that I would probably save about 10 miles of driving.
I probably won't be logging many miles, but I need to start taking baby steps in the right direction
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I am pretty sure I am not doing anything wrong on my end but I could be wrong. I tried to enter my mileage for this mornings commute to work and I cannot edit my tab.
bcg
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I am pretty sure I am not doing anything wrong on my end but I could be wrong. I tried to enter my mileage for this mornings commute to work and I cannot edit my tab.
bcg
Ditto
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Hey - Thanks guys! I had the access to view only! I have changed it to Edit!! This should clear the problem up...let me know if there are other issues!
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I only got to 80 miles in Oct.
I'm going for 100 in Nov.
:D
These spreadsheets are the bomb! Thanks so much!!
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Looks like we made 2,700 miles in Oct once everyone had a chance to update. Can we hit 3,000 miles this month? I think so!
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For fun, and to inspire competition (maybe) I ordered the November spreadsheet based on total October miles.
Also, added room for more cyclists.
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Hey - Thanks guys! I had the access to view only! I have changed it to Edit!! This should clear the problem up...let me know if there are other issues!
thanks for the quick fix! i love this challenge and the sheets make it all the more fun.
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In! Last month finished with a whimper for me - lots of rain and driving, and drove to make a trip across the state after work. Tomorrow, I ride again!
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In. I've been being a wuss and carpooling far too much
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I'm not in very good shape, so I'm in! I need the boost. I didn't do October, but checked in on the discussion from time to time. Can't wait to get started!
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Count me in. I think I've signed in to the spreadsheet. Happy riding.
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Definitely in! I don't think I need a spreadsheet to motivate me since I love cycling so much, but who knows, as the weather continues to cool maybe it will be a help :)
I generally do 50-75 miles a week since I commute, and it's also my main form of transportation, so I should be able to contribute at least 200 miles to the total. I'm going out of town for a bit during Thanksgiving which will hurt my numbers... guess I'll just have to bike extra other days to make up for it!
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Oh man, I'm in but I'll be doing well to get in half as many miles this month. End of DST x cold weather collabo means not many trips to the city in my future, which really boosted my mileage last month. I do tend to take these little competitions pretty seriously though, so we'll see!
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I might jump on board with this challenge
I am a new bike rider and we live in the country. To get to town I would have to cross a busy two lane bridge and I am not up to that challenge yet. I am thinking of putting my bike in the van (we haven't added a hitch for a bike rack yet) and taking it to town with me. Once there, I can park in the lot at the grocery store and use my bike to run other errands: bank, library, post office, organic food store, etc. Each time I do that I would probably save about 10 miles of driving.
I probably won't be logging many miles, but I need to start taking baby steps in the right direction
Driving to the city and bringing the bike sounds like a super idea. I agree, there are some pretty sketchy bridges in Columbus, especially crossing 270. Once you get inside though, the city is very bicycle-friendly. Good luck!
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WooHoo! In! Thanks heaps for setting up the November spreadsheet :)
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I'm in. My goal is to beat my October miles and learn how to bike in the snow.
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I'm in, just tried out biking to work for the first time today (10.9 miles in). This should be good motivation to keep it up. (credit to StashinIt for pointing me to this link)
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I'm in! The NorthWest rainy season has finally kicked into high gear, so this'll be interesting!
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I'm in. I commute to work but it's a very short 10 minute ride (not sure of the distance, will have to look it up). I'm in Toronto so the weather is getting chilly and we just changed the clocks so it's also dark. I've never been a winter rider so this should be fun and invigorating!
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Haha! Good for you Taminator! I too haven't ridden in the Ottawa winter. I must say - it takes a little tweaking to not over/under dress with the layering. I haven't calibrated what I need to wear with the outdoor temperature yet. Today (although -3C and dark) I overdid it slightly by one layer on the upper. It's amazing the heat you generate within the bike clothing cocoon. Even today I had work colleagues say "Weren't you freezing?".
What they fail to understand is that I'm not sitting on a cold seat and shivering in my car waiting for the heat to come on! (Even worse than shivering in a car - letting the car idle BY ITSELF for 15 minutes in driveway as result of the remote starter phenomenon!). I mean come on! I cycled past 3 vehicles in driveways this morning that were getting ZERO MPG as they slowly and ineffeciently defrosted the windshield with gasoline power. The very definition of anti-mustachian and laziness!
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What they fail to understand is that I'm not sitting on a cold seat and shivering in my car waiting for the heat to come on! (Even worse than shivering in a car - letting the car idle BY ITSELF for 15 minutes in driveway as result of the remote starter phenomenon!). I mean come on! I cycled past 3 vehicles in driveways this morning that were getting ZERO MPG as they slowly and ineffeciently defrosted the windshield with gasoline power. The very definition of anti-mustachian and laziness!
I am afraid to say I used to do this back when I lived in a less temperate climate. Bad-ass Ottawa!
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Yeah, I've had co-workers whine about it being so cold out already. I was fine this morning with the layers. I wore my down jacket over a thin, long-sleeve cotton shirt and my winter running pants. Oh and ear warmers and gloves. I wasn't cold at all. Nor did I sweat for once, a nice treat.
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I'm in. I commute to work but it's a very short 10 minute ride (not sure of the distance, will have to look it up). I'm in Toronto so the weather is getting chilly and we just changed the clocks so it's also dark. I've never been a winter rider so this should be fun and invigorating!
Just make sure you wear a bright vest and have flashy lights, you want to be seen
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What a great challenge! Thanks for starting it.
I live in Hamilton, Ontario and found that my commute to work was just warm enough today. I dressed in layers and wore one of those skull caps under my helmet.
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I'll do it! I already bike most everywhere but I'd like to keep track of my miles. I'm in Florida too so I'm still in a T-shirt :P I truly admire everyone's dedication for biking in the snow and freezing weather though. You all are so tough!
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Sorry for seeming like a real ditz, but I am not seeing my tab below to enter my miles. Could someone please explain to me what I am doing wrong. I sure don't want to screw anything up. Thanks!
Nevermind! I figured it out. :)
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I'll do it! I already bike most everywhere but I'd like to keep track of my miles. I'm in Florida too so I'm still in a T-shirt :P I truly admire everyone's dedication for biking in the snow and freezing weather though. You all are so tough!
Right now in Chicago it's in the 40s, and it's great! You have my respect for dealing with Floridian heat, humidity, and frequent rain. I can't even imagine!
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I'll do it! I already bike most everywhere but I'd like to keep track of my miles. I'm in Florida too so I'm still in a T-shirt :P I truly admire everyone's dedication for biking in the snow and freezing weather though. You all are so tough!
Right now in Chicago it's in the 40s, and it's great! You have my respect for dealing with Floridian heat, humidity, and frequent rain. I can't even imagine!
Best thing I ever did was decide to not care about being wet or sweaty. Now there's beautiful weather 10 months out of the year. I have to work on my cold weather skills though. I almost needed gloves today!
Cold weather people, what gear do you use at what temperatures? Also, do you bike while it's snowing, or through a couple inches of snow? I had a rule last year that if it was below 40, I'd drive but I want to change that to no driving this year.
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Just about to roll over 5000 miles on the electric bike, 3500 of those in 2012. It's getting chilly, but I prefer it to the rain!
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Mark, I just keep adding layers until I'm no longer too cold. It's hovering around 0 Celsius when I leave in the mornings and so far my heavy Goretex over my light fleece, ear warmers and light gloves have been fine. My ride is only around 10 minutes so I don't have much of an opportunity to warm up using body heat. As for snow, this is my first season making the attempt to ride in it. I'll update when (and if) it snows.
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Cold weather people, what gear do you use at what temperatures? Also, do you bike while it's snowing, or through a couple inches of snow? I had a rule last year that if it was below 40, I'd drive but I want to change that to no driving this year.
There's a separate forum thread about cold weather gear. Lots of good tips:
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/winter-bike-comute
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All you people biking in negative degree weather.. WOW that's F'in cold. The couple of years I lived in Chicago it got that cold maybe 2 or 3 times.. but it's been 5+ years. I think I've forgotten how cold that actually is. Badassity exudes.
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Wow we have really added lots of members this month! Great job everybody! I'll have to step up my game.
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I find the cold itself doesn't bother me that much. I am terrified, terrified, of ice though. Fortunately, in the winter I can easily walk the two miles to work, and then combine shopping into one bus trip usually. I also try to stockpile stuff for winter like a squirrel, so that cuts down on the errands during the winter.
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Maybe we should archive and link the spreadsheets, so we can see how badass we get as the months progress.
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I'm in. I've been lurking but you've inspired me to register & post. I'm a 54 yr old woman in Michigan & love to ride my bike. Work is 7+ miles away. Some days I get a ride to within 1 mile from my husband, then ride home. I'm not yet riding everyday, though my excuses (it's raining, I have to do an errand at noon/after work) are failing the "baddassity" test - I find I do want to be a badass!
Ann
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I just got a bike last week and won't log too many miles because I'm such a newb, but I'm happy to participate and contribute some miles:)
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Welcome to all the new people! Today I worked extra on a Sunday and it rained pretty hard. As I was leaving another teacher said "You rode your bike today!?" I said "Yeah!" He said "But it's raining really hard out!" I said "I know! I love the rain!"
During the next rain storm get out there! Take your bikes through some huge puddles and get nice and wet!
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Biking might just take a back seat for a couple of days. Some teens tried stealing my bike on the weekend. Broke spokes as the back wheel was locked (luckily). It's now at the bike shop getting repairs. And I need to talk to Mr. Police man and my insurance...
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Alright. Off I go on my first ride pretty much since I was a teenager, LOL. Is super short to get started, but I'll add my mileage at end of day:) Wish me luck!
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Alright. Off I go on my first ride pretty much since I was a teenager, LOL. Is super short to get started, but I'll add my mileage at end of day:) Wish me luck!
Good luck and happy pedaling!
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Alright. Off I go on my first ride pretty much since I was a teenager, LOL. Is super short to get started, but I'll add my mileage at end of day:) Wish me luck!
Good luck and have fun.
A dog attacked my pant leg today. Grrrrr. Stupid dog. I'm just glad it didn't bite my leg.
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Today's report: Holy crap is bike riding fun! It felt great! I did far more than I thought I could, 6.5 miles! I am going to be sore, I know this, but popped some Aleve to catch it early.
Quote about dog won't post right? WEIRD!
ACK! That's scary! I did not get attacked by a dog, but did find a lost doberman puppy. Looked maybe 4 months and I felt terrible leaving him behind. I'm loading up the car and going to check to see if he is still there because I won't feel okay until I do. Kind of defeats the not driving part, but can't handle the idea of the poor puppy wandering.
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Today's report: Holy crap is bike riding fun! It felt great! I did far more than I thought I could, 6.5 miles! I am going to be sore, I know this, but popped some Aleve to catch it early.
Quote about dog won't post right? WEIRD!
ACK! That's scary! I did not get attacked by a dog, but did find a lost doberman puppy. Looked maybe 4 months and I felt terrible leaving him behind. I'm loading up the car and going to check to see if he is still there because I won't feel okay until I do. Kind of defeats the not driving part, but can't handle the idea of the poor puppy wandering.
Thats the great thing about biking ... no matter how bad the hills/wind/weather you rarely have regrets :)
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Man, I meant to start this early in November since I saw the last one from October. I'm in starting tomorrow, since I'm already at work.
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Bike back from bike shop :) Repaired and ridden home.
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Bike back from bike shop :) Repaired and ridden home.
Excellent! Happy Riding!
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This weekend I took the back end of my car apart to replace wheel bearings, suspension bushings, shocks, and upgrade to disk brakes from the junkyard. Planning on riding my e-bike to work and back all week while I finish the project over the next few nights. Well, Monday morning, the intermittent cutout that had been happening on the rare cold morning turned into a totally non-functional motor. Whoops. Rode back home (the ride of shame) and drove my lady's car to work.
Now I'm back on the standard bike, and the weather is quite nice! Light rain, 50 degrees. Perfect Seattle commuting weather!
Once I get the car back together, I get to take apart the hub motor and replace the hall sensors. For science!
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I biked to work this morning. Temperature when I left my house was -6°C and the roads were mostly packed snow. Even though my rear derailleur refused to work it only took me an extra 15 mins to get to work vs a regular good weather day (14km distance). I even made it the whole way without falling, until I get to my office and go into the underground parking where my glasses instantly fog up and I slip out on the wet polished concrete floor and smash my thumb and knee on the ground :(
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That sounds horrible!
And it's exactly why I'll stop biking when the roads get icy. Ice terrifies me.
I'm happy Ottawa has been snow-free so far!
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Well, I finally got off my butt and back onto my bike and biked to work for the first time in months. I felt shamed seeing all the old grannies still biking around Ottawa while I sat in my car with bum-heater on.
I'm still a cold-weather biking wussy pants. Hopefully a few more times and I'll get over that...
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That sounds horrible!
And it's exactly why I'll stop biking when the roads get icy. Ice terrifies me.
I'm happy Ottawa has been snow-free so far!
It actually was a really good ride except for the falling part, didn't mean to sound like a complainy-pants. I typed that response about 10 mins after I got in and I was still in alot of pain which may explain my slightly negative tone.
Anyways I'll be doing it again in the future although I'm considering some new gloves as my fingers were quite numb. As far as the ice goes the key is to just go straight and avoid stopping or turning suddenly. And above all go slow as it's easier to maintain control and also if you do end up bailing to minimize injury.
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My bike has recently had trouble down-shifting (i.e. shifting to the bigger-sized gears).
Turns out the most common cause of poor shifting is a stretched cable. Fortunately, derailleurs have small adjustment barrels. If the derailleur is hesitating shifting toward the spokes, turn the barrel toward the spokes in 1/4-turn increments until the shifting occurs with each click. Do the opposite if the derailleur is hesitating shifting away from the spokes.
I've been a commuter for over 5 years and I just realized this today! Hopefully you can learn from it too! Literally only took 10 seconds, and saved me a couple bucks not having to take it into the bike shop.
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I've been a commuter for over 5 years and I just realized this today! Hopefully you can learn from it too! Literally only took 10 seconds, and saved me a couple bucks not having to take it into the bike shop.
5 years! I've been commuting 3 months and I learned this weeks ago ;-)
On another note, my cable is getting frayed where it connects to the front derailleur. Is this something I need to fix? i.e new cable?
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I biked to work this morning. Temperature when I left my house was -6°C and the roads were mostly packed snow. Even though my rear derailleur refused to work it only took me an extra 15 mins to get to work vs a regular good weather day (14km distance). I even made it the whole way without falling, until I get to my office and go into the underground parking where my glasses instantly fog up and I slip out on the wet polished concrete floor and smash my thumb and knee on the ground :(
Yikes! I am too chickenshit to ride in ice or snow.
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On another note, my cable is getting frayed where it connects to the front derailleur. Is this something I need to fix? i.e new cable?
you don't need to, but a new cable's like 3 bucks and it'll save you getting stuck in one gear when your fraying cable eventually snaps.
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On another note, my cable is getting frayed where it connects to the front derailleur. Is this something I need to fix? i.e new cable?
you don't need to, but a new cable's like 3 bucks and it'll save you getting stuck in one gear when your fraying cable eventually snaps.
Ah, guess I'll try replacing it this weekend.
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If you get a cheapo cable, make sure you ask for one of these (http://wheelsmfg.com/cable-crimps.html) to crimp on the end to help keep it from fraying again. They usually don't come with the lower-priced cables, but if you ask the shop staff nicely they'll probably give you one for free. Other options are shrink tube or soldering (my favorite), but the cable crimps are the easiest.
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My bike has friction shifters and I always feel like they aren't working quite right. I have to try paying attention some time when I am not riding down a busy road on my commute and see if they are successfully running through the whole range of rear gears.
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My bike has friction shifters and I always feel like they aren't working quite right. I have to try paying attention some time when I am not riding down a busy road on my commute and see if they are successfully running through the whole range of rear gears.
Just lift up your bike with one hand and spin the pedals with the other. Keep the pedals going while at the same time test out the shifting. It's a little bit of a balancing act but easy enough. Personally I tie a rope between two trees suspending the back wheel off the ground 6 inches so I can use both hands. There are plenty of was to rig it up, including stands that are designed to do maintenance on your bike.
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You could do that, but sometimes it'll shift fine when there's no load on it and then have a problem when the drivetrain is actually propelling a person.
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If you get a cheapo cable, make sure you ask for one of these (http://wheelsmfg.com/cable-crimps.html) to crimp on the end to help keep it from fraying again. They usually don't come with the lower-priced cables, but if you ask the shop staff nicely they'll probably give you one for free. Other options are shrink tube or soldering (my favorite), but the cable crimps are the easiest.
Especially if you're riding through the winter, it's worth paying a little extra to get a stainless steel cable (and other bike hardware, when you're replacing it). Definitely put little cable crimps on any cable missing them. Every bike store I've even been to will give them to you when you make another purchase.
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Got honked at for the first time today while riding home. White Lexus and an old white man. He honked at me as I passed him in the bike lane at a red light because he thought it was unfair that I passed him since it was making it harder for him to turn right into a gas station. I'm pretty sure he assumed anyone biking in my area was a poor drunk black person he could bully.
I have to admit, I pulled into the gas station behind him and asked him why he honked at me. He also told me that since I was not buying gas like he was then I was not paying the taxes to support the roads and should not be using them (no I was definitely not riding on a fricking highway that gas taxes would go to support). I just told him (pretty calmly) that I had the right to ride in the bike lane and that when the lane ends I have to merge into traffic and that riding up on me from behind and honking is not especially helpful for me (I had a high visibility class two PPE vest, rear blinking light and front blinking headlight so he could definitely see me). God I love south carolina, hahaha, I think he was still a bit upset over last tuesday.
His wife in the front seat looked embarrased as hell and said she thought he was just trying to be safe and make sure he did not hit me since many bikers ride without lights or vests. He piped in that the rider that was killed recently here was probably the one at fault and that bikes should stay off the damn roads. I totally wanted to ask him if he felt that women who get raped were totally asking for it by acting all sexy so that the poor men couldnt help themselves too, but I did not want to get upset or do anything other than raise some bike safety awareness on my commute route.
Sucks too because I have actually gotten tons of friendly waves and people backing their cars up out of my way at intersections and stuff. I'm wondering if it motorcycle riders in their trucks for the winter or something (motorcycling is huge down here).
Anyway, figured this was a good place to vent about the situation!
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He also told me that since I was not buying gas like he was then I was not paying the taxes to support the roads and should not be using them (no I was definitely not riding on a fricking highway that gas taxes would go to support). I just told him (pretty calmly) that I had the right to ride in the bike lane and that when the lane ends I have to merge into traffic and that riding up on me from behind and honking is not especially helpful for me (I had a high visibility class two PPE vest, rear blinking light and front blinking headlight so he could definitely see me). God I love south carolina, hahaha, I think he was still a bit upset over last tuesday.
Sucks too because I have actually gotten tons of friendly waves and people backing their cars up out of my way at intersections and stuff. I'm wondering if it motorcycle riders in their trucks for the winter or something (motorcycling is huge down here).
Anyway, figured this was a good place to vent about the situation!
Nutjobs abound! Imagine living his miserable existence if he is reacting like that? I'm glad that you are getting lots of positive reinforcement too.
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So sorry that you had that experience Matt F. Honestly some people think the world is created for them! I think that you did a great thing by talking to the man, but I wouldn't have done it myself as I would have felt a tad vulnerable. Sometimes people need to see that there is always the flip side. If ever cornered by someone who felt I wasn't paying my dues by not driving a car.... (idiotic I'm sure) I'd happily point out that the fact that I am making sure that traffic is less congested so that they can get around easier, I'm not queuing up for petrol in a car so that they don't have to wait as long, as well as not taking up a car park space so that there are more to go around. There is always a flip side. Some people don't see the value in things, unless they can see an immediate value to their own lives.
But yes, I probably wouldn't get the same reaction as you did, being that I am a woman, with two children in riding aboard with me. I have had loads of positive interactions. Most people won't curse or honk at two preschool children waving and smiling at them.
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I just added myself to the spreadsheet. I've been biking to work since March, just after it got nice enough out to not discourage me. Preparing for my first buffalo winter on a bike! I have a bunch of warm clothes (still hope to find some nice long underwear though). I got some mountain bike tires for my hybrid commuter, I still need to throw those on my bike. It's about 2 miles each way, there's a little extra for going out of my way to avoid traffic (I track it on endomondo, copying it here).
November is a little sucky because I drove on the 1st for some errand-running that was out of biking distance and thanksgiving is taking away some miles. As it's been getting colder, I've been getting in fewer miles each month :\ Everyone keeps asking me how long I'm going to keep riding as it gets colder, I just keep saying I'm trying to go all winter, but probably won't ride in a white-out! Last year was very mild and I have no doubt that I could've ridden daily all winter. But that was not normal. That was our first winter in this location though so I have yet to see how bad it gets (we're a teeny bit north of the city and shouldn't get as much lake-effect snow).
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I've been biking 3 days a week pretty consistently this fall, but I am a little unhappy that it gets dark so early now. The bike path I use as part of my summer route doesn't have lights, so on the way home I've had to switch to a much busier road instead (unless I leave work by 4pm). The stop lights add a few minutes to my ride, and it's generally not as relaxing. I'm glad I was able to find something that doesn't add that much extra time & distance, though.
I'm not in the spreadsheet, though. You guys have fun.
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On another note, since I started bike commuting a couple of months ago (... and started packing healthier lunches, and avoiding free processed work snacks, and taking a fitness class off of Groupon) I've dropped 20lbs. Hurrah for bike commuting (and other things)!
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I am both much larger than average and somewhat a fan of bicycle racing. I hear and see wattage quoted regularly during televised races so I wondered what mine was like. Here is a nice website http://bikecalculator.com/ (http://bikecalculator.com/) according to this site I average between 230 and 349 watts on my commute. Pretty neat stuff.
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jwystup, welcome aboard. I grew up in Amherst (Buffalo suburb). We road bikes everywhere growing up until around early December, and started up again in early March, but I know some of the people on this board ride right through much worse conditions than I ever had. Not sure if you are new to Buffalo, or just biking in Buffalo, but let me know if you need any suggestions for things to do in the area.
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PSA. We just passed our combined October mileage! Predictions on where we will end? Current pace is ~4,442.
I'm making my prediction of 4,588.
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jwystup, welcome aboard. I grew up in Amherst (Buffalo suburb). We road bikes everywhere growing up until around early December, and started up again in early March, but I know some of the people on this board ride right through much worse conditions than I ever had. Not sure if you are new to Buffalo, or just biking in Buffalo, but let me know if you need any suggestions for things to do in the area.
Thanks, we're actually pretty close to Amherst, in Tonawanda. People keep asking me how long I'm going to keep riding and I have no real answer! I grew up an hour south of Buffalo, so I'm pretty familiar with the area and the weather, but I don't know if I can keep up the riding once the snow gets bad (that's the goal, but I might end up with a 2-month break). My commute isn't too far, so I might be able to do it, as long as I don't wipe out!
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On another note, since I started bike commuting a couple of months ago (... and started packing healthier lunches, and avoiding free processed work snacks, and taking a fitness class off of Groupon) I've dropped 20lbs. Hurrah for bike commuting (and other things)!
Excellent! I've also dropped some pounds since cycling became my primary mode of transportation last spring. (I also started running last winter and plan to take up swimming in spring 2013...Decided to put off lessons until more debt is paid down. :)).
I also have to admit that I have a certain amount of pride in being one of the last three cycling to work/school. Only three bikes left in the racks come November. Two and a half years ago, I was ill and couldn't even walk to work without feeling exhausted. I love now.
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Cyclists - don't forget to bring some basic tools with you. I'd recommend at minimum: multi-tool, pump, tire levers, patch kit. My multi-tool is pretty good, not only has allen keys but spoke wrenches and a chain-tool.
The reason I say this is yesterday I had two different mechanical issues on the way home. First my chain snapped, then I got a flat. Both of these issues I was able to fix no problem as I had everything I needed in my backpack.
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Cyclists - don't forget to bring some basic tools with you. I'd recommend at minimum: multi-tool, pump, tire levers, patch kit. My multi-tool is pretty good, not only has allen keys but spoke wrenches and a chain-tool.
Good call! I have all but the multitool. I had my brother ( a bike tech) walk me through changing my tire and patching my innertube so I'd know how to do it and be prepared if I had to on the side of the road, but I haven't had to do a chain repair yet. I should look into that one.
Thanks for the tips!
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I have got to learn how to do some maintenance other than chain lubing at some point. I am still at the stage where if I have a problem, I will use my phone to call my wife who leaves after I do in the morning and gets home after I do in the evening and say "um honey, can you come pick me up at the corner of so and so"
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This morning was my first and last attempt to ride in snow... completely wiped out!!
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@KC - ouch! I hope you're well. My first snow ride of the season today also - and there were moments of slipperiness for sure! I found the bike paths to be great - normal speed no problem. It is the pressure of car tires and stupid salting that causes the formation of ice on the roads. This is the dangerous place to ride. Try to go on as much virgin snow as possible - i.e. bike paths and backroads!
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Thought I'd show you the local biking scene! Not sure if the upload picture will work...it is about 70KB
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Nice job in the snow! I enjoyed a sunny commute this morning, mowing down frost on the bike path. It made a pleasant sound :)
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On this, my 6th day of bike commuting, I registered for the November challenge.
I have been tracking my mileage with a combination of the CycleTracks and SportsTrackLive Android applications. From the developers' website, "CycleTracks uses smartphone GPS support to record users' bicycle trip routes and times, and display maps of their rides, in order to help transportation planners make informed decisions about bicycle use in the community." CycleTracks is neat because while it is developed and maintained by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) it shares data with other cities including:
- Austin, TX
- Monterey, CA
- Raleigh, NC
- Fort Collins, CO
- Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
- Seattle, WA
- Salt Lake City, UT
As a resident of Seattle I'd like to do whatever I can to help improve bicycle facilities in the city. CycleTracks is available for Android and iOS at http://www.sfcta.org/content/view/1159/556 (http://www.sfcta.org/content/view/1159/556).
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Yikes, KC!
I'm lucky. Our temperatures are below 0 C but we've had very little snow.
Almost the end of the month, and for the first time ever I've bike commuted in November. Thanks for starting the challenge and making up the spreadsheet, @Ottawa.
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So November is almost over and it has me thinking about my goals for next month, one more commute and I'll have reached my goal of commuting 3x a week. So of the 20 working days I'll have commuted by bike 12x or 60% of the time. Clearly there is room for improvement.
Many of the miles I put on this month were for recreational purposes/fitness. I needed to do this to get in shape to up my number of commuting days. In January I think I'm going to focus on commuting i.e. pedaling for profit.
I'm thinking about setting a personal goal of commuting by bike 15x in December. There will be a total of 18 working days so I'm going to allow myself 3 days off (83% of work days commuting by bike). I don't have plans for any recreational rides unless my co-workers want to set something up. Therefore, I assume January will consist of fewer total miles.
What are your goals for next month?
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After a nice long Thanksgiving break, I'm finally back in the saddle. Tragically, I won't hit the 300mi mark, and since next month is also filled with holidays, I probably won't make it then either. But someday!
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Tomorrow(friday) it is suppose to be -14 °C in ottawa (feels like -20 °C with wind). I'm posting here so i don't wimp out!
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Great challenge! I've been biking to work and back since April, rain/wind/snow/hail. I anticipated having to call it quits for the season by the end of the month, but now that the bike path is icy, I take the main roads which are fine, and I aim to use my bike until end of December (which would be a new personal record for me).
Swiper: yep, -19 tomorrow morning with the windchill... I'll have a thought for you as I freeze my ass going down Aylmer Road my friend!
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@ swiper - good for you! I upgraded my gloves for this morning's ride and didn't find it too bad! The 10km/h wind in my face took a km or two to get used to...but the balaclava really helps here. I'm thinking about getting some ski goggles. BTW - the OMBA (Ottawa mountain bike association) has a commute thread going at the moment here and has some good tips for sure:
http://ottawamba.org/forums/showthread.php?7635-The-Bike-Commuter-Thread (http://ottawamba.org/forums/showthread.php?7635-The-Bike-Commuter-Thread)
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i rode to work today for the very first time!! and it was fun, and i didn't die!
i live at the top of a mile-long hill, so i will probably end up either walking or taking the bus for the last mile home, but hey, gotta start somewhere, right?
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Great challenge! I've been biking to work and back since April, rain/wind/snow/hail. I anticipated having to call it quits for the season by the end of the month, but now that the bike path is icy, I take the main roads which are fine, and I aim to use my bike until end of December (which would be a new personal record for me).
Swiper: yep, -19 tomorrow morning with the windchill... I'll have a thought for you as I freeze my ass going down Aylmer Road my friend!
Fun times! I made it in; wasn't as bad as I thought.
@ swiper - good for you! I upgraded my gloves for this morning's ride and didn't find it too bad! The 10km/h wind in my face took a km or two to get used to...but the balaclava really helps here. I'm thinking about getting some ski goggles. BTW - the OMBA (Ottawa mountain bike association) has a commute thread going at the moment here and has some good tips for sure:
http://ottawamba.org/forums/showthread.php?7635-The-Bike-Commuter-Thread (http://ottawamba.org/forums/showthread.php?7635-The-Bike-Commuter-Thread)
Thanks for the link, I'm much slower these days due to ditching the bike shoes in favor of heavy winter boots.
i rode to work today for the very first time!! and it was fun, and i didn't die!
i live at the top of a mile-long hill, so i will probably end up either walking or taking the bus for the last mile home, but hey, gotta start somewhere, right?
Congrats on the first ride in! It gets much easier as you turn it in to a habit.
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Attached is are our famous Ottawa river steam baths. And a bit of badassity on being the only one in the bike cage today.
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Good on you Swiper. I was bloody cold driving my car.
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It was a balmy -12 in Toronto. The bike racks have thinned out but there's still a few die-hards. As for December goals, I think I'm just going to keep riding as long as I can. We don't typically get a lot of snow downtown, where I live and work, so it should be doable.
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Good on you Swiper. I was bloody cold driving my car.
LOL! I have to admit, me too! We probably would have been warmer on bikes!
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First snow-on-the-roads ride on my way home today! It's lingering around freezing and I didn't think there was going to be any sticking, but the ground was white! Not much, but enough to be a little careful. Winds were opposite today, so I got a nice push TO work and wind in my face on the way home :\
Side note, the news just mentioned all of the car accidents that happened today because of the snow. *sigh* Just ride your bike! :)
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No snow here yet in Yokohama so I'll be riding 4 days a week like usual and taking the train the other day. My goal is to keep riding my bike extra on the weekends.
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October? CHECK.
November? CHECK.
December -- now it starts getting difficult. I can handle the cold but I'm concerned about snowy/icy road conditions.
Biking to work since 11/19/2012 - no car since then.
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Should I make the December spreadsheet or has someone done it already?
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Go for it Yolfer. I'll do next month...perhaps we could even have a roster of SH Maker! :-) For the November one, I just kinda ripped off the October one. Thanks!!
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Should I make the December spreadsheet or has someone done it already?
Please do! These have been great motivators for me.
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Should I make the December spreadsheet or has someone done it already?
Please do! These have been great motivators for me.
I'm in! Let's keep this ball rolling!
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Sorry for the delay! Here's the spreadsheet for December:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Am8qaK8Qf80edHVEZElEYUdPZGZuUW01eW5kb01vb2c
I'll start a new comment thread here in the forum!
Great job everyone! I'm very impressed at what we're accomplishing together (and super-impressed at the cold-weather riders)