The Money Mustache Community
General Discussion => Throw Down the Gauntlet => Topic started by: jordanread on July 01, 2014, 11:54:49 AM
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Things are a touch different this month, as I continue to try and add functionality and ease of use to the spreadsheet. In order to add yourself to the sheet, please fill out the following form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1cYgtm6yHwpVxuJU6X5r1_BC9ujSfnuX7_2JcjEcA3wU/viewform (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1cYgtm6yHwpVxuJU6X5r1_BC9ujSfnuX7_2JcjEcA3wU/viewform)
After you fill out your information, you will be added to the spreadsheet. Modify your sheet with your miles/kilometers.
The sheet itself is here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ao9WawExpjLNdGtMbG9NOFl0Nl9fUFYxREZVeXZBN0E&usp=sharing (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ao9WawExpjLNdGtMbG9NOFl0Nl9fUFYxREZVeXZBN0E&usp=sharing)
I'll add some stats a bit later. Happy Cycling. Please PM me if you have any issues.
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Here is the update for June. We had a grand total of 39 participants, with an average distance traveled of 189 miles/person.
We went a total distance of 5,403 Miles, which is about 1.3X the length of the Nile, and prevented the burning of 5403 lbs of C02.
That ways as much as 4 average dairy cows, or just shy of half of an elephant.
Using a 20MPG vehicle as a baseline, we saved $995 in gas not purchased.
Way to rock it.
Happy Cycling!!
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Thanks Jordan, I like the funky little form you put together.
I added myself.
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Sweet, that was a lot of miles in June!
For June I didn't cycle in to work twice. Goal for July is 100% cycling commutes!
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So it looks like ago of the automation is working. Outstanding. I've still got a couple more ideas for the next revision of the document. A spot to put your car stats in, maybe some individual charts, comparison to averages, and removing the limit on participants. Any other features you folks would like to see?
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Goal for July is 100% cycling commutes!
Me too! I'm hoping to obsessively update this spreadsheet to keep myself motivated. Such a tiny commute really (3.5 miles each way), and I chose to live here exactly so I could cycle to work. Pretty silly that I haven't been cycling much recently.....
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I'm joining for the first time! I want to start biking to work (2.7 miles each way) this month, 2-3 days per week to start. The bike is sitting on the back patio just waiting to be ridden!
I still have to drive to pick up the kiddies from daycare at the end of the day (also 2.7 miles each way) for various reasons, but I'll be saving 4.4 miles of driving for each day I ride.
I also plan to walk to work on any half days (like July 3rd) because I'd actually rather walk than ride, but I need to see if I can make it home in time to pick up the car and get to daycare before late fees start ringing in.
We're starting to do more errands by walking since we don't have a bike trailer, and also only one bike. My city seems to be more walker-friendly than bike friendly, or maybe I'm just a scaredy-cat!
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Excellent. It was fun tracking all my miles and not just my work miles last month. We'll see how July turns out.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Last month was my first month cycling to work (never missed once). Couldn't believe how much fun it is. I know 61 miles is nothing huge but everybody has to start somewhere. My goal, by the last week of the month to be riding 10 miles before work all week. I'll probably still take the short 1.2 mile route back to the house in the evening since I work outside and it is hard enough to stay hydrated without throwing a cardio workout in at the end of the day. (I'll probably try to add some strength training though).
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Last month was my first month cycling to work (never missed once). Couldn't believe how much fun it is. I know 61 miles is nothing huge but everybody has to start somewhere. My goal, by the last week of the month to be riding 10 miles before work all week. I'll probably still take the short 1.2 mile route back to the house in the evening since I work outside and it is hard enough to stay hydrated without throwing a cardio workout in at the end of the day. (I'll probably try to add some strength training though).
61 miles is an AWESOME start! Congrats! And never missing a day? Even more congratulations there.
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Jordanread, you're amazing!! Thanks for the excellent sheet and stats! Let's get that second elephant half, folks!
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All right, just so everyone is aware, the best month we've had was April 2013. We logged 8500 miles! What say you we try to beat that?
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Thanks sisterx! One thing I have going for me is I'm really hard headed and I set my mind and just do it.
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Thanks for all the work keeping the monthly challenge going and improving the spreadsheet.
I threw my idea in the suggestions box on the tool to create you own sheet. I don't necessarily pay much attention to the CO2 stat or money saved stat by riding a bike but it a nit to my logical brain that all miles are included even when a ride is for fun and doesn't replace a car trip.
So to make the CO2 and $ stats accurate I'd propose a filter/trigger on if a ride replaced a car trip or not.
Either way I like these challenges.
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Thanks sisterx! One thing I have going for me is I'm really hard headed and I set my mind and just do it.
Haha, I'm stubborn as hell too, which is why I either walk or bike every work day of the year. It never even enters my head NOT to do this, no matter what the weather. Helpful, since this was the wettest June on record here. (http://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/eleventh-hour-shower-makes-june-wettest-on-record-for-fairbanks/article_e67109fe-0159-11e4-bfde-0017a43b2370.html#.U7Mds2VEVvo)
I have come to the opinion that there are two types of bike commutes in the rain. There's the "ugh, it's drizzling and I'm getting damp and I hate it" or there's the "wow, monsoon season started apparently, and now I'm drenched so...I might as well hum 'Singin' in the Rain' in my head and start splashing through puddles with a wild grin on my face because it's not like I'm going to get any wetter!" Most of this past month has been the second one, and July is starting the same way.
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I am interested in biking to and from work. I have a couple barriers standing in my way.
1 I have to take my son to daycare, babysitter 2 to 3 times a week. The mileage to and from is more then I could do with a 2 year old and time allotted.
2 I have no shower at work. Going home wouldn't be a problem but riding to work I would get sweated and need to change, shower etc... I work in an office setting in which we have clients coming and going.
Any suggestions for number 2 other then a baby wipe bath not interested in smelling like baby wipes all day.
My only thought is to ride home from work but then I would have to get a ride the next day from my wife or drive to pick up my truck which defeats the purpose.
Any input appreciated. I would like to join the challenge but have not in my own mind found a way for it to be possible.
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I am interested in biking to and from work. I have a couple barriers standing in my way.
1 I have to take my son to daycare, babysitter 2 to 3 times a week. The mileage to and from is more then I could do with a 2 year old and time allotted.
2 I have no shower at work. Going home wouldn't be a problem but riding to work I would get sweated and need to change, shower etc... I work in an office setting in which we have clients coming and going.
Any suggestions for number 2 other then a baby wipe bath not interested in smelling like baby wipes all day.
My only thought is to ride home from work but then I would have to get a ride the next day from my wife or drive to pick up my truck which defeats the purpose.
Any input appreciated. I would like to join the challenge but have not in my own mind found a way for it to be possible.
I'll be cycling to work and then home and then taking the car to get my little ones from daycare. My work and daycare are both exactly 2.7 miles from home, in the complete opposite direction.
I'm not sure how far your ride is, but I was a little sweaty this morning when I got in. I let my body cool down for about 20 minutes or so, put on fresh deodorant, then changed into my business clothes, which I had stuffed into my backpack. (I also have the luxury of an office, so I was able to close my door while I sat in my cycling clothes). I imagine I will get more sweaty and have baby wipes on hand if I need them. I use them quite often to wipe my hands and never notice a lingering smell.
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I'm not sure how far your ride is
My commute is 7 miles one way.
Dropping off at day care is over 15 opposite direction for both locations. My mom watches one day and a daycare does the other.
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I am interested in biking to and from work. I have a couple barriers standing in my way.
1 I have to take my son to daycare, babysitter 2 to 3 times a week. The mileage to and from is more then I could do with a 2 year old and time allotted.
2 I have no shower at work. Going home wouldn't be a problem but riding to work I would get sweated and need to change, shower etc... I work in an office setting in which we have clients coming and going.
Any suggestions for number 2 other then a baby wipe bath not interested in smelling like baby wipes all day.
My only thought is to ride home from work but then I would have to get a ride the next day from my wife or drive to pick up my truck which defeats the purpose.
Any input appreciated. I would like to join the challenge but have not in my own mind found a way for it to be possible.
1. Continue to drive on the days you have to drop off your son. The primary goal is to replace at least some of your driving with biking. Don't worry about switching 100%. Even once a week will be better than never biking.
You could also drive partway and bike the rest. I do this in the summer when I have to get two school age kids to/from summer camp. We drive to camp and I bike the rest of the way. You could even start by dropping the kid off, driving part of the way to work and then biking the rest of the way in. This option is actually way less of a PITA than it seems. Trust me.
2. Baby wipes are available in unscented forms. You could also just use a regular washcloth. Make sure to wipe down with cold water to help you cool off faster.
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Just joined! I started biking to work in May. So far I'm loving it!
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I am interested in biking to and from work. I have a couple barriers standing in my way.
1 I have to take my son to daycare, babysitter 2 to 3 times a week. The mileage to and from is more then I could do with a 2 year old and time allotted.
2 I have no shower at work. Going home wouldn't be a problem but riding to work I would get sweated and need to change, shower etc... I work in an office setting in which we have clients coming and going.
Any suggestions for number 2 other then a baby wipe bath not interested in smelling like baby wipes all day.
My only thought is to ride home from work but then I would have to get a ride the next day from my wife or drive to pick up my truck which defeats the purpose.
Any input appreciated. I would like to join the challenge but have not in my own mind found a way for it to be possible.
I don't have a shower either, and I ride about 9.5 miles in. With a back pack, I'm definitely sweaty. That being said, allotting a cool-down is essential. You have to give yourself a few minutes (I usually take about 15) in order to stop sweating. After that, a quick wipe down with a damp wash cloth (or just your cycling clothes if they are cotton ish) and a fresh application of deodorant works wonders. Doesn't work unless you cool down, though.
Some other options that I've seen people do is to join a YMCA or 24hr Fitness if one is close, just to use the showers. I'd say try a couple different options your first week, and just start problem solving. Figure out what works for you.
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I filled out the form, but don't see a tab added for me? If someone can help with that, I'm good for about 18 miles/workday. =)
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I filled out the form, but don't see a tab added for me? If someone can help with that, I'm good for about 18 miles/workday. =)
I'll take a look. Give me a moment. It might take a few seconds, but I'll confirm.
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I filled out the form, but don't see a tab added for me? If someone can help with that, I'm good for about 18 miles/workday. =)
Got you added. Not certain why it didn't auto create. I entered the same values (I think) and it worked fine. I'll look more into it. Sorry for the inconvenience.
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No worries. Thanks! Filled in days 1 and 2 =)
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The fanciness is overwhelming!
usmarine1975 - 15 miles with a kiddo is quite a ways. I'd probably just drive that part, then come home & bike to your office (or just drive those days if doing this wouldn't save many miles based on relative locations). I count my blessings for the shower in my office... I think the usual advice has already been suggested so far here.
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... I think the usual advice has already been suggested so far here.
Here is one for you...
A new apartment complex just went up next to my office building. I haven't had an issue with the sweat yet, but I have thought about knocking on a door and seeing if I could come up with some arrangement to borrow their shower. It broke 100 degrees here the other day, and I haven't done it yet, but I could see that being an awesome story.
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Thanks for the suggestions.
I think my first ride will probably be on the way home. I drive a truck (not so mustachian but necessary for my rental business on the side) So I can put my bike in the back and ride home. Give me the feel for the full ride and also cover the whole worried about shower deal.
I like the idea of driving part of the way and biking the rest. That will be a good way to break myself into riding. My eventual goal would be to ride the days that I go straight to and from work. Save the times I have to be somewhere afterwards.
I ride my motorcycle as much as possible (again not so mustachian) Just can't give up the 1983 V65 Magna had it for a long time and I like it. My initial goal is to Ride at least 1 day a week.
We have a gym in the same strip as my office is in a strip mall but they have no shower.
I don't have too many houses around for the option of borrowing a shower. Will be interested as to how that works out for you.
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I ride my motorcycle as much as possible (again not so mustachian) Just can't give up the 1983 V65 Magna had it for a long time and I like it. My initial goal is to Ride at least 1 day a week.
At mid-40 mpg, that's not so unmustachian, although I'm sure others might disagree. Mike over at Lacking Ambition (http://lackingambition.com/) rides a motorcycle a lot and it has fit his low-consumption lifestyle very well.
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I ride my motorcycle as much as possible (again not so mustachian) Just can't give up the 1983 V65 Magna had it for a long time and I like it. My initial goal is to Ride at least 1 day a week.
At mid-40 mpg, that's not so unmustachian, although I'm sure others might disagree. Mike over at Lacking Ambition (http://lackingambition.com/) rides a motorcycle a lot and it has fit his low-consumption lifestyle very well.
Bakari (http://biodieselhauling.blogspot.com/2012/02/chapter-iv-in-which-i-recommend-that.html) has a decent article about motorcycles too, and I know he rides his regularly. Biking is still my favorite, though.
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My initial goal is to Ride a bicycle manual power once a week. Maybe more later. I do enjoy the motorcycle but I could afford to burn a few calories.
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Well, just joined and added myself to the spreadsheet. I just got my bike a couple weeks ago at a swap meet, it has been more than five years since my last bike ride. Now, I know I am out of shape a bit, but I have been walking to work and school for quite a bit now, but after a mile I was about ready to pass out. Originally I had planned to ride around 50 blocks there and back; that definitely wasn't happening today. Eventually I will need to ride around 12 miles to get to the office I need to get to, and I need to do that in about an hour so I have a long way to go.
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I sporadically bike to work 20 miles round trip and mountain bike 2-3 times a week. I would bike daily if my office had a shower instead of having to walk in sweaty with helmet hair.
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Whoah! Love what you've done with the spreadsheet. Automation is excellent!!
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Finally seem to be on the mend again after some pretty dire wound infections post bike crash that laid me out for three days. That said, ankle on that leg is swollen as all get out after work and biking and kitchen stuff had me on feet nearly all day.
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Get (all the way) well soon TGC!
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Whoah! Love what you've done with the spreadsheet. Automation is excellent!!
It's only going to get better. I've gotten some good feedback so far, and most of the requests will be implemented next month.
Finally seem to be on the mend again after some pretty dire wound infections post bike crash that laid me out for three days. That said, ankle on that leg is swollen as all get out after work and biking and kitchen stuff had me on feet nearly all day.
I was curious why you didn't already have 100 miles. That explains it. Might even help me beat the average this month (just my own personal goal), at least until Russ updates his stuff.
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OK, I'm back in! I just moved and I'm now 0.3 miles from work, so I won't be logging commuting miles anymore...but my new town has a great network of rail trails and today I hit a record for my daily mileage - 17.5 (sure, not much compared to some folks here, but my previous record was 12.something...) to get to a social gathering and back.
The miles go by so much faster on trails - they are like bike highways compared to the big-city streets I'm used to!
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...at least until Russ updates his stuff.
Too late... :p
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...at least until Russ updates his stuff.
Too late... :p
Ah crap. I'm going to have to find some fun rides to do this month.
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I'm in too! I just bought my first bike a month or two ago (as a direct result of MMM peer pressure) and I'm totally loving it. I only bike 2 or 3 times a week (it's mid-winter here and I've got a free bus to work so my milage is a little low), but it's a start. Next project is home-made panniers so I can start using my bike to do the supermarket run on the weekends...
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Well I finally grew some balls and did it. I drove 5 miles to work and biked the remaining 2 miles. Feels great to know I could do it. Only have to ride 2 miles back. First time riding this bike (got it for free from a tenant that moved out couldn't pay their rent) Need to get the tires checked out seem to lose a little pressure and I need to adjust the seat and oil the chain. It went pretty good. Stayed in the top half of the gears and my road to work is up and down. On my way to riding 1 day a week and maybe beyond. Did the 2 miles in just under 15 minutes.
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Well I finally grew some balls and did it. I drove 5 miles to work and biked the remaining 2 miles. Feels great to know I could do it. Only have to ride 2 miles back. First time riding this bike (got it for free from a tenant that moved out couldn't pay their rent) Need to get the tires checked out seem to lose a little pressure and I need to adjust the seat and oil the change. It went pretty good. Stayed in the top half of the gears and my road to work is up and down. On my way to riding 1 day a week and maybe beyond. Did the 2 miles in just under 15 minutes.
Awesome job usmarine!! I was all excited to finally bike in this morning (had so much to do earlier this month I could only do errands, not commute), stepped out off my porch, smiled, grabbed my coffee, and immediately rolled my ankle walking go get the bike. grrrrr. Quite swollen, but hopefully it'll be good tomorrow. It's a great week for it here in CO. Cloud cover, nice and cool, and way better than the couple of 100+ days we've had lately.
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Thanks felt good to do it. Will try to add miles over the next few weeks until I am riding the full 7 miles.
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Bike was in the shop these last few days. Gonna have to push hard to keep up now.
Thanks for the new sheet Jordan
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Bike was in the shop these last few days. Gonna have to push hard to keep up now.
Thanks for the new sheet Jordan
Not a problem. Just wait until you see next month's :-)
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Need to get the tires checked out seem to lose a little pressure and I need to adjust the seat and oil the chain. It went pretty good.
Congrats! Technically it is probably the tubes, not the tires, that are causing a slow leak. Is it getting flat after a few hours or just losing a few pounds of pressure overnight? Submersing the semi-inflated tube in water can help find very small holes. When I started biking I would swear that my tires were too worn and that was causing leaks, but a few thousand miles later one of them at least is still going strong.
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Yea I said tires but I am certain it is the tubes. The tires basically look unused. Yea they could afford a new bike but not their rent. Granted it's not an expensive bike.
As I was riding it seemed like the rear tire lost a little pressure. I have patched a tire back in the day as a kid so I may have to break out those skills once again or go to the local bike shop that fixes donated bikes for those who can't afford new ones to see if they can help me. I just donated 2 other bikes to them. They might hook me up for cheap or even allow me to help out here and there.
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Things are crazy at work right now (one-a-year production run for 4-6 weeks) but once that's over, I will be hitting the bike hard.
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We have an organization that fixes bikes in my city and takes them as donations for those who can't afford. I found out the evening they are open and think I will volunteer to help when I can. Win win I get to help the organization do whatever they need and can possibly get my bike tuned up for reasonable cost. I donated 2 bikes I got from rentals there already this year.
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Well, the few rides I have been on have definitely been getting better (although it is still pretty clear how out of shape I am.) I just bought one of those odometer/trip meters so that I can better track my mileage. So my goal is to push the odometer to over 100 by the end of the month. Since it only reflects part of the rides I have done so far, it only has 3.5 miles on it, 96.5 to go for the next two weeks.
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We have an organization that fixes bikes in my city and takes them as donations for those who can't afford. I found out the evening they are open and think I will volunteer to help when I can. Win win I get to help the organization do whatever they need and can possibly get my bike tuned up for reasonable cost. I donated 2 bikes I got from rentals there already this year.
That's awesome!! There was some crazy guy in Colorado Springs who used to do that. Not a formal thing in the least. I think he was squatting in a warehouse that he took over. You could bring a bike down, dig through his bins of spare parts, and he'd tell you how to fix your own bike. I went there when I was about 14. Guy was off his rocker nuts, but he knew bikes. I love little places like that.
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Hi All,
Just added myself and filled in my sheet for the month, but I am not showing up on the master summary. Do I need to save or do anything specific on my own sheet to make sure it tracks with the totals?
Thanks,
-winston
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Hi All,
Just added myself and filled in my sheet for the month, but I am not showing up on the master summary. Do I need to save or do anything specific on my own sheet to make sure it tracks with the totals?
Thanks,
-winston
Did you add yourself through the form? Or manually?
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Hi All,
Just added myself and filled in my sheet for the month, but I am not showing up on the master summary. Do I need to save or do anything specific on my own sheet to make sure it tracks with the totals?
Thanks,
-winston
Did you add yourself through the form? Or manually?
I used the form where i gave my username and unit of measurement. I hope I did this correctly. Thanks for replying.
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Hi All,
Just added myself and filled in my sheet for the month, but I am not showing up on the master summary. Do I need to save or do anything specific on my own sheet to make sure it tracks with the totals?
Thanks,
-winston
Did you add yourself through the form? Or manually?
I used the form where i gave my username and unit of measurement. I hope I did this correctly. Thanks for replying.
Shit. You did everything just right, but we managed to hit the built in limit on the number of users. This is going away next month, but let me see if I can't get you added. When I inherited the sheet, there was a set range on the Master List, and I figured we'd hit the limit eventually, so next months can take any number of users. I guess we're better than I thought. Just keep updating your sheet and I'll add you to the Master List once I arbitrarily extend that bit.
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I miss my bike! Driving sucks.
I'm on day 3 of clown car commuting due to signing the kids up for a specific summer camp across town. Not only do I have to drive, but I have to negotiate the most congested section of the city to get there, and back, every day.
The camp has been great for them, but I can't wait till it's over.
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Hi All,
Just added myself and filled in my sheet for the month, but I am not showing up on the master summary. Do I need to save or do anything specific on my own sheet to make sure it tracks with the totals?
Thanks,
-winston
Did you add yourself through the form? Or manually?
I used the form where i gave my username and unit of measurement. I hope I did this correctly. Thanks for replying.
Shit. You did everything just right, but we managed to hit the built in limit on the number of users. This is going away next month, but let me see if I can't get you added. When I inherited the sheet, there was a set range on the Master List, and I figured we'd hit the limit eventually, so next months can take any number of users. I guess we're better than I thought. Just keep updating your sheet and I'll add you to the Master List once I arbitrarily extend that bit.
All right, you should be set. Sorry for the inconvenience.
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I miss my bike! Driving sucks.
I'm on day 3 of clown car commuting due to signing the kids up for a specific summer camp across town. Not only do I have to drive, but I have to negotiate the most congested section of the city to get there, and back, every day.
The camp has been great for them, but I can't wait till it's over.
I have been sucking this month, too. These last 3 weeks have been sunup to sundown tasks, without having enough time to bike between them. Ideally, I should be done this week, and can get back on the bike soon. I did manage some fun weekend trips and getting the GF used to running errands via bike, so that's good, but my commute has been shot.
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Thanks jordanread. The spreadsheet is pretty darn sweet by the way.
I will keep logging the miles (on my bike and on the sheet).
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Quick question so I don't screw up the new sheet- Is the form supposed to automatically add me to the summary sheet as well? Or is that DIY? I created my sheet but I can't find my name in the summary tab list.
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First ride in 11 days for me (sickness, then a wound infection, then a broken bike). I still don't have my proper bike yet, but managed to ride 3 miles with the kids on this:
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Quick question so I don't screw up the new sheet- Is the form supposed to automatically add me to the summary sheet as well? Or is that DIY? I created my sheet but I can't find my name in the summary tab list.
Hi,
I had the same problem, and jordanread set me up. July's spreadsheet can only handle so many new users, so he had to add me to the summary sheet (it wasn't automatic).
If you use the form to sign up and update your page of the spreadsheet, I'm sure you will be added to the summary page soon!
Hope this helps.
-winston
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Quick question so I don't screw up the new sheet- Is the form supposed to automatically add me to the summary sheet as well? Or is that DIY? I created my sheet but I can't find my name in the summary tab list.
I got you added. Just for the record, I think we broke our previous record for number of participants.
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Ouch, I just got into my first bike entanglement.
Was cruising along 20mph (ish, it was right at the bottom of a quick down slope) through a tunnel underpass. I was behind and a bit to the right of the biker in front of me.
They start braking hard and veer right. I brake hard, shout, shout, veer right and slam in to the wall and go tumbling off my bike.
The other biker was thankfully okay.
Got a big burn on my bottom, and some cuts and swelling in a few fingers. The seat of my bike came off the rails, and no amount of pulling or bending can get it fitted back on. I tied it down to the rails and shakily made my way back home.
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Ouch, I just got into my first bike entanglement.
Was cruising along 20mph (ish, it was right at the bottom of a quick down slope) through a tunnel underpass. I was behind and a bit to the right of the biker in front of me.
They start braking hard and veer right. I brake hard, shout, shout, veer right and slam in to the wall and go tumbling off my bike.
The other biker was thankfully okay.
Got a big burn on my bottom, and some cuts and swelling in a few fingers. The seat of my bike came off the rails, and no amount of pulling or bending can get it fitted back on. I tied it down to the rails and shakily made my way back home.
Ouch! I hope you're not too sore today. Take it easy for the next couple days. I learned last summer that crashing a bike can cause whiplash. Or rather, hitting the pavement hard can cause whiplash . . .
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First ride in 11 days for me (sickness, then a wound infection, then a broken bike). I still don't have my proper bike yet, but managed to ride 3 miles with the kids on this:
Sorry to hear you were out of the saddle so long. I hear you on the sub-par backup bike, but at least it's something!
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I miss my bike! Driving sucks.
I'm on day 3 of clown car commuting due to signing the kids up for a specific summer camp across town. Not only do I have to drive, but I have to negotiate the most congested section of the city to get there, and back, every day.
The camp has been great for them, but I can't wait till it's over.
My oldest is in a summer camp for 2 separate weeks, and I have the opposite problem because the bike is my only practical option. When I signed him up, I knew that this day camp was less than 5 km away from our house, and that it was the opposite direction from daycare, but I forgot to consider that it's at the top of an exceptionally steep and tall hill - in the last 500 m we go vertically upwards 50 m, which makes it a 10% grade. We usually have the cargo bike and we just walk up the steepest part, although I was able to ride the whole way once when I brought my fast bike with the (empty) trail-a-bike to pick him up at the end of the day. It has given me a huge bump in my weekly mileage, which makes for a fun adventure.
Hope you're back on your bike again soon!
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I'm brand new to the forum and am late to the game, but I just added my name manually to the spreadsheet. Hope that is not messing things up.
Just started biking home from work 4 days a week and I love it!
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I readjusted my mileage. I did a map of my route on Google and it differs from what my odometer on the truck states. A couple reason's for this. I may not have started looking at my odometer right away and the route may be a little different then what I take with the truck.
What do you use to track your mileage if you do not have a measuring device on your bike?
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I readjusted my mileage. I did a map of my route on Google and it differs from what my odometer on the truck states. A couple reason's for this. I may not have started looking at my odometer right away and the route may be a little different then what I take with the truck.
What do you use to track your mileage if you do not have a measuring device on your bike?
Google Maps afterwards. A bit annoying to try and approximate off-road bike trails, even when they're "mapped" on their system, but good enough. If you ride the same routes a lot, just write them down so you remember route x is 2.3 miles, etc.
If you have a smartphone with GPS, RunKeeper or Strava are popular choices.
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I'm brand new to the forum and am late to the game, but I just added my name manually to the spreadsheet. Hope that is not messing things up.
Just started biking home from work 4 days a week and I love it!
I went ahead and got everything fixed. All you need to do is update your sheet, and the master will be updated automatically.
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I readjusted my mileage. I did a map of my route on Google and it differs from what my odometer on the truck states. A couple reason's for this. I may not have started looking at my odometer right away and the route may be a little different then what I take with the truck.
What do you use to track your mileage if you do not have a measuring device on your bike?
Google Maps afterwards. A bit annoying to try and approximate off-road bike trails, even when they're "mapped" on their system, but good enough. If you ride the same routes a lot, just write them down so you remember route x is 2.3 miles, etc.
If you have a smartphone with GPS, RunKeeper or Strava are popular choices.
I have a smartphone with Republic but I opted for the $10/month plan. My thought is Google Maps will work enough for now.
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RunKeeper works without a data connection. I used it for months on a phone without a data plan.
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So... I didn't clean my bike after all the winter riding and now it's a bit creaky. Oops!
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Ugh. I majorly slacked last week due to lack of sleep. Slacked in ALL areas, not just biking. Back at it this week, just in time for it to heat up again - yay.
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So... I didn't clean my bike after all the winter riding and now it's a bit creaky. Oops!
Chain creaky (easy) or bottom bracket creaky (not so easy)?
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Could be the bottom bracket, but I'm hoping a cleaning and tightening of pedals will do the trick...Could be wishful thinking. :)
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I had to have my bottom bracket replaced after this last winter, it was pretty brutal.
At least if it comes to that the BB is not that expensive of a part. I had the LBS do mine... the owner is quite Mustachian and half the time just charges for the parts and not labor (!! I hope he stays in business, but he's been there for several years now), so I am often tempted to out-source repairs that require specialized tools that I don't have.
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The bike that's now my backup bike is what I ride through a good portion of the winter and the bottom bracket definitely has slop in it when I finally cleaned it up. I may try working on it myself, but as it's my backup, it's low priority.
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Pindystache, your LBS owner is badass! I would also support him if I were you.
goblinchief, using a backup winter bike is a smart play. Next year, I'll use the old cruiser.
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Will there be an August Challange? I just bought a new bike and took 2 others in for repair. I have road my new one the last 2 days and will be going out again today but I need to get some endurance back :-). I think a challenge would be right up my alley so just curious. The repairs were out of my wheel house and I worked a deal I felt comfortable with my new purchase. Going forward with everything being upgraded I plan to find or build my own bike stand and do my own repairs.
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Will there be an August Challange? I just bought a new bike and took 2 others in for repair. I have road my new one the last 2 days and will be going out again today but I need to get some endurance back :-). I think a challenge would be right up my alley so just curious. The repairs were out of my wheel house and I worked a deal I felt comfortable with my new purchase. Going forward with everything being upgraded I plan to find or build my own bike stand and do my own repairs.
There is a new challenge every month. August is probably going to be posted a couple of days in advance, since I'm going to be camping in the mountains a few days prior.
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Thanks for the challenge. This is my first post, but have read the fourm for quite some time. I ride every day to work, so I have just signed up for this challenge. I look forward to seeing the resaults as they come in.
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Thanks for the challenge. This is my first post, but have read the fourm for quite some time. I ride every day to work, so I have just signed up for this challenge. I look forward to seeing the resaults as they come in.
Look forward to having you around.
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FYI - fixed the sum formula for the "ever" mileage - noticed that June was showing more miles "ever" than July which didn't seem right.
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Going forward with everything being upgraded I plan to find or build my own bike stand and do my own repairs.
If you're okay with possibly scuffing a saddle up, flipping the bike over works for nearly all fixes, but having a stand would be nice.
The simplest DIY stand design I've seen is a threaded pipe+pipe elbow attached to a solid wall or fence. Remove the seat post, lift bike, tighten seatpost clamp to secure bike. I think it was someone around here that posted it, actually.
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Blech. Going on vacation for a week and a half, and now being sick, has really destroyed my mileage for this month. BUT, my MIL is in town visiting and usually having visitors means more car trips, since we've only got mine and my husband's bike. But since she drove up, she brought their bikes (FIL will be flying up later) so that we can all still bike around town. So excited about that.
My in-laws are the ones who gifted the bike trailer to us for the tiny human (for Christmas), and since we've been telling them for months how much she loves it I think they were super excited to see her in it.
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Wow this is fun! I haven't enjoyed myself getting to and from work/everywhere in a long time.
BTW, my new bike is perfect. Just ordered some collapsible baskets to stow my stuff. Has anyone tried the Wald 582 folding rear baskets?
I am also really impressed with everyone's mileage. I need to pick it up :)
-winston
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Just ordered some collapsible baskets to stow my stuff. Has anyone tried the Wald 582 folding rear baskets?
Pretty sure a few people around here are using those and liking them.
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Will find out if I actually do it. I am thinking I may try to bicycle the whole way to and from work tomorrow. About 7 miles each way. The most I have done yet is a cumulative of 6.5 round trip. Here's hoping the weather is good and I don't die. Will let you know tomorrow. Gotta step it up or I am gonna get kicked out of this group. Or get face punched a few times.
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OK this is crap! I've been such a wimp! My goal this month was to get to a point where I was riding ~10 miles every morning. It has not happened yet. I've had my alarm set (I hit the snooze button and stay in my nice soft bed while my waistline gets bigger and my body gets weaker) and water bottles loaded up. If I don't come back and report about an awesome morning ride tomorrow please don't hold the face punches!
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I DID NOT DIE
I made the 7.3 mile trek to work this morning on my Huffy freebie bike that still needs to be adjusted and looked over. I didn't make it to the bike shop had to watch my son. Planning to go next week. Rear tire def need's a patch or a new tube stopped to put air in the tire and it doesn't hold the pressure as it should. So essentially riding with an improperly inflated rear tire.
Good news is I made it and actually quite enjoyed the trip. Beautiful morning beautiful views and as I stated I made it. Feeling pretty bad ass about right now. Yea I know it was only 7.3 miles and I still have 7.3 to go on the way home. But let me enjoy my victory for a minute.
I gave myself extra time in case and am just now finishing up my cool down period before I go to change for the day.
One other thing I need to do is research how to actually use the gears. I can shift between gears but I am certain that there is a method and a manner in which to use the gears to your best advantage. At this point I just shift down when I need the load to be easier especially on the uphills. Which I now know I have 5 really good ones. The downside is a blast.
My new goal is to now bike 1 day a week to work if not 2. I am thinking I could pretty regularly bike 2 days a week. Ok celebratory post is over gotta get dressed for work.
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Congrats on biking to work. Keep in mind that only doing 1-2 days a week will make it harder to build strength and conditioning, though I certainly don't want to come off as being all or nothing about it.
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No your not coming off as all or nothing. Once I get to two days I can re evaluate that goal but at this point I drive and pick up my son at daycare at different times and with baby number 2 on the way this may change but it limit's my ability to ride every day. Once Baby #2 is born hopefully we can make a weekend ride a family event getting a third ride in as well.
I am also doing other exercises cycling to work is not my only form.
But yea if I can do more I will try too.
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OK this is crap! I've been such a wimp! My goal this month was to get to a point where I was riding ~10 miles every morning. It has not happened yet. I've had my alarm set (I hit the snooze button and stay in my nice soft bed while my waistline gets bigger and my body gets weaker) and water bottles loaded up. If I don't come back and report about an awesome morning ride tomorrow please don't hold the face punches!
This has been a crappy month for me too. It feels like such a catch-22. I sleep better when I ride, which makes it easier to get up and ride again. Haven't slept well this entire month. Grrrr. Next month is going to be way better.
I DID NOT DIE
[...]
One other thing I need to do is research how to actually use the gears. I can shift between gears but I am certain that there is a method and a manner in which to use the gears to your best advantage. At this point I just shift down when I need the load to be easier especially on the uphills. Which I now know I have 5 really good ones. The downside is a blast.
Congrats on being still alive!! As far as gears go, I'm still trying to figure out my sweet spot. I usually have a tendency to stick with the harder ones and stick with a super slow, super hard cadence. I always feel like I'm being more productive. The data doesn't necessarily add up though. I've tried switching and keeping a higher cadence, which makes it seem like I'm slacking, but my times and average speeds improve (at least on my way too work). If you have an android phone, and have My Tracks installed, there are a few non-default settings which breaks down the map based on your speed. Your route is color coded based on where you are at compared to your base line. It's been fun.
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An overly hard cadence invites knee problems.
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Congrats on being still alive!! As far as gears go, I'm still trying to figure out my sweet spot. I usually have a tendency to stick with the harder ones and stick with a super slow, super hard cadence. I always feel like I'm being more productive. The data doesn't necessarily add up though. I've tried switching and keeping a higher cadence, which makes it seem like I'm slacking, but my times and average speeds improve (at least on my way too work). If you have an android phone, and have My Tracks installed, there are a few non-default settings which breaks down the map based on your speed. Your route is color coded based on where you are at compared to your base line. It's been fun.
+1 to the congrats. An under-inflated tire is a very sure (maybe the best aside from having to carry the bike?) way to increase the intensity of a cycling workout! I also share your dilemma about not having time to drop off/pick-up the bike. This is what eventually led me to pick up a back-up.
@Jordan - I have the same natural inclination to "mash" my way up hills and have also been trying to use lower gears and increase my cadence.
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An overly hard cadence invites knee problems.
Yeah, I'm aware that it can potentially have negative effects, especially as one gets older. I make it a point to keep my joints strong and healthy, so I'm not worried about it right now. That being said, I'm still collecting data, but initial observations seem to be that an easier cadence makes me feel less bad ass (like I'm slacking or something), but my average speed seems to go up a few points, I don't slow down nearly as many times on my way to work (gentle uphill for 9.5 miles), and I keep dropping time.
@Jordan - I have the same natural inclination to "mash" my way up hills and have also been trying to use lower gears and increase my cadence.
I actually just push going up hills, but I have a tendency to "mash" my way downhill, and on flats. So much so that I for a while was thinking about looking into a bigger 3rd gear on my front crank. For now, I'm just doing research and experimenting. I need to figure out the most efficient method before I switch my once-a-month 150 mile round trip commute to bike. :-) Plus I need to stop sucking so bad at jumping on the bike for work.
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An overly hard cadence invites knee problems.
Yeah, I'm aware that it can potentially have negative effects, especially as one gets older.
I'm your age and already have problems, hence the warning!
Good luck with the 75 mile ride. I know Russ does that semi-regularly. I love long rides, but it's hard to justify the time away from family right now.
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Well... I did it. I did two five mile loops around town this morning. Took around 45 minutes. I think maybe I was pacing it to slow because I really didn't feel it was much of work out (my but hurts though). But I guess I'm not supposed to fall on the ground barely conscious like I do after my crossfire workouts. I do have a question about cadence. Do I count full revolutions of one foot? Or do I count like left right left right? Sorry noob.
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Well, first week of bike commuting is in the bag. Started off easy with 3 days this week (31 miles/1500' of climbing a day adds up quick). While a solid aerobic base definitely paid off, I'm really looking forward to commuting daily once I ramp up over the next couple of weeks.
It's been a very welcome change to look forward to my commute instead of dreading traffic, and I don't need to go for a run when I get home!
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Jordan, gearing is generally based around cadence. Beginner bikers are something around 70 RPM and experienced bikers are closer to 90 or 100. Generally this is the most efficient way to have your muscles translate to moving. Gearing low does indeed feel like you are doing more work, because you are. But pedaling more efficiently means you can build endurance and go faster, father and longer. Which means more badass rides.
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Congrats CaliGator!
Hedge--cadence is counted by a full revolution of a single leg, i.e. count each time your left knee reaches the top of its cycle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PjoUXAgh30
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I felt the same way originally about pushing in a higher gear vs what felt like slacking. But then the great Sheldon Brown's Pinache eagle swooped down on my handlebars, lowered my gear, pecked my damn wrist, and reminded me otherwise that it is not as efficient: http://sheldonbrown.com/gears.html.
I wanted to post that today marked the 1 year anniversary of me biking to work (+public transportation). Some stats:
AVERAGE ROUND TRIP COST: $6.72
TOTAL COST: $772.52 (including bike purchase, parts, fares. carpooling the vast majority of balance)
MILES BIKED: 1770
CAR MILES SAVED: 9,177.0 (realize that moving would lower this nearly 100%..but a potential work from home scenario seems like a more nobel goal right now than moving 2 kids from their classes and family from home. Exercise in progress..)
CAR COSTS SAVED: $2,753.10 (@ .30/mi est)
One more thought before I sign off - I suggest you check out that Jacob podcast from Tues. if have not already. Good night!
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One more thought before I sign off - I suggest you check out that Jacob podcast from Tues. if have not already. Good night!
You have a link for it?
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One more thought before I sign off - I suggest you check out that Jacob podcast from Tues. if have not already. Good night!
You have a link for it?
http://radicalpersonalfinance.com/25/
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Congrats CaliGator!
Hedge--cadence is counted by a full revolution of a single leg, i.e. count each time your left knee reaches the top of its cycle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PjoUXAgh30
Thanks. Those guys are pretty funny
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Volunteered at the non-profit bike shop in my City yesterday. Wow the things I will be able to learn. They help kids that are old enough build their own bike from bikes that are donated. They recycle everything on a bike. I should go from a novice to an expert in no time. That's good because I have a bike that I found I want to fix. I may take it next time to see if it is fixable. Looks like it was hit by a car. I have another to donate and the one I am currently riding. I live in the City and it's amazing how many bikes are dumped, damaged, stolen etc... No worries I keep mine all inside and locked. Going to try and ride tomorrow and Friday this week. 2 days.
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That's awesome USMarine! Inspiration for me, as I've been meaning to do something similar for quite some time now... kick in the butt needed.
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Whoo, 100% of my commutes this month done by Bicycle!
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Congrats! same here, now that you say it... I think 600 miles is a personal record for me too, happy to have accomplished 20% above my own personal monthly goal!
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I managed to cycle about 50% of the time....70 miles in total & a huge improvement on last month when my bike died after a couple of days. I have some vacation in August, but I'll be trying to get closer to 100% of commuting by bike.
Very impressed by some of the huge mileage racked up by those at the top of the spreadsheet! Great work!
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I think my two older goblins racked up 100 miles on their own. Maybe I should track that next month :P
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100% bike commute is nothing new for me. Sounds like a brag, but really it's just because I live only a mile from work so it would be beyond stupid to drive. (Although, I know a few people who do....) What I'm please by is that I made it almost 75 miles this month, despite being on vacation for nearly 2 weeks and taking a couple of sick days. Woo! Might add in a short bike ride this evening to get myself over 75 miles. :)
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So I failed my goal of <100 miles on the month. (I know not a big feat for some of you but I've just started 1.5 months ago). I'm going to try again in august even though it will be a short month for me due to leaving for a weeks vacation tomorrow right after work :). I did however get 100% on the commute this month too.
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I reached my goal of commuting to my office once a week for the last 2 weeks. My goal for next month is going to be to double that. 2 days a week here I come. And hopefully add some rides other then to and from work. I am also planning to at least volunteer at the local non profit bike shop twice a week to learn how to fix, repair, and even set up my bike. My goal next month is to take 2 of the junkers I now have and get a 2nd bike in working running order so that I have a spare in case one goes down. I would also like to get my little brother with the big brother big sister program a bike so that he and I can do some bike riding as well. My wife is due in September so she won't be on a bike any time soon. Maybe after for a bit.
I used run keeper today to track my ride and I ride a mile in just over 5 minutes. I kept an average pace of 10.77 mph. I have some hills on my commute so I might be able to lower the minutes over time and increase my speed. I am currently riding a Huffy Mtn Bike. In time I might need to change that up as well.
What does everyone ride maybe that can be a question for the next month.
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That was fun...I want to go 100% commute by bike in August! Rode to work today, so I am happily on track (so far).
Good work to everyone in July. Keep it up. Maybe we could break 10k for August.
When is the new spreadsheet going up?
-winston
Edit: I think it would be neat to see pictures of everyone's main commuter next month. A little commute inspiration.
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I am currently riding a Huffy Mtn Bike. In time I might need to change that up as well.
What does everyone ride maybe that can be a question for the next month.
This was our question last November. I'm all for repeating, as we have quite a slew of new folks on now and folks may have switched their ride, but the old responses are still up:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Am6vo25oYklGdHFib3NxX21ZcFJCQ1NiVmZTc0NudGc&usp=sharing#gid=1
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Edit: I think it would be neat to see pictures of everyone's main commuter next month. A little commute inspiration.
Again, it's a bit old, but there was a "bike porn" thread going for a while.
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/off-topic/bike-porn!-post-your-bike-here!/
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August challenge?
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I believe he didn't get it posted before vacation
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Sorry all, I ran into an issue with getting some of the new functionality working correctly (pretty much the sorting on the main page), and wound up spending a day last week on some really cool per-user historical reporting. I'll have the August Challenge up in a few hours.
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Jordanread, why are you so awesome? Thanks for doing the sheet each month! You rock!
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Jordanread, why are you so awesome? Thanks for doing the sheet each month! You rock!
+1
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Jordanread, why are you so awesome? Thanks for doing the sheet each month! You rock!
I guess I was just born that way. :-D
New challenge is up!
http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/august-cycling-challenge-2014/ (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/august-cycling-challenge-2014/)