First commute of the year

[5555624]

@pfunkallstar 12576 wrote:

I think an interesting question is exactly when one should stop biking?

Since I moved here, I can’t recall it ever being too cold to bike in this area. (I used to say “never,” but I am sure someone will look up some record low and I might agree it’s too cold.)

[Dirt]

Obviously I’m a complete junkie with this stuff. I can stop riding my bike any time I want. *Reflexively scratching my track marks.*

There are, however, some conditions where I will not ride. There’s a point in a snow storm where road conditions are bad enough that cars are really struggling to move and drivers are making questionable decisions to move their vehicles. Even though I’m mobile, agile and having no problems getting around, I’ve had a few commutes in the last few years where I turned back and worked from home. I would love to never add to my encyclopedic knowledge of how a car hood feels when I bounce off it…. though usually the times that has happened in the snow have not been so bad because speeds are slow, my clothes provide some padding and the snow makes for a somewhat softer landing.

Snowpocalypse limited riding distances quite a bit since it was quite a while before the trails were passable by bike. Made for great XC skiing and snowshoeing though.

[KLizotte]

Everyone please take the possibility of frostbite seriously.

I used to teach figure skating many eons ago and developed the beginning stages of frostbite (also known as frost nip) in both feet one day after standing on the ice for only an hour in an unheated indoor rink in MA (so no wind to contend with). Sure, my feet felt cold but not much more so than usual while coaching. When I went to take off my skates I was surprised to discover my feet had swelled up and had turned a funny purplish color. Not long afterward I was in *agony* as blood began to flow back to my feet and they swelled up to the size of balloons and turned lobster red. When leaving the rink I actually had to walk through the snow with bare feet because I could not put my boots or socks on. I could not wear shoes for the rest of the day and still had after effects the next day forcing me to hobble around painfully.

Fortunately no long-term damage was done but now I am careful about my feet since I know how quickly and unexpectedly frost nip can occur. Since cyclists aren’t exercising their feet like runners (or skaters) it is difficult to keep them warm and frost nip/bite can occur without you knowing it right away. This is particularly true since cold will seep through the bottom of clipless shoes via the clip.

Stay warm out there!

[5555624]

@Dirt 12586 wrote:

There are, however, some conditions where I will not ride. There’s a point in a snow storm where road conditions are bad enough that cars are really struggling to move and drivers are making questionable decisions to move their vehicles.

While the temperature won’t stop me, snow and ice can. As you point out, it’s normally not because I can’t get around, it’s because others can’t. As I told someone once, if I can go faster and straighter on my bike than you can drive, you should not be out on the road.

[OneEighth]

As a former year-round motorcycle commuter, I remain convinced that how fast and straight people can drive their cars has more to do with competence/ability than with conditions…
Just check out traffic around here when it rains.

[Overtone]

I missed out on the fun-in-the-cold this morning. Had a breakfast meeting at the Pentagon so was on the metro – but what a disaster that was! Wish I’d been on the bike. For those of you lucky enough to ignore metro goings-on, the deep cold overnight snapped a rail just N of pentagon station. Major delays on blue and yellow and major crowds and little information from the authorities. Then both red and green lines had single tracking for their own reasons on top of it. Looking forward to riding home tonight… cold fingers are better than being a stressed out sardine.

john

[rcannon100]

Just give me traction (no ice and snow covering the paths) and not crazy winds (like yesterday that make your entire ride as if uphill). Cold. What cold?

Used to jog cross country in the middle of winter in the middle of Ohio. By the end of the run ice would be crusted over the beard keeping me nice and warm. Beards good. Highly recommended.

And a skull cap under your helmet. Amazing how hot those things can be.

Drove down to Alexandria Sunday. Remember Sunday? Almost 50 degrees. Looked over on the MV trail and there were newbies — did I say 50 degrees??? — in long tights and full jackets! :rolleyes:

[consularrider]

This morning my backyard temperature reading was 15.8°F, my third coldest ride in my five winters of commuting in the DC area. I managed to miss the single digits during the second week of 2009 since I stayed home with a cold.

And we’ll have 50° temperatures again by Saturday.

[eminva]

Apparently, I have been bicycle commuting too much. Last year, I took Metro about 40% of the time I came to the office. Through my employer I can designate pre-tax dollars for public transportation. It has been tough to get a handle on how much to designate each month, and for the last few months, I’ve been dropping my set-aside because it keeps proving to be too much. Today I got the following message from WageWorks, which just started loading this money on a debit card (“The Transit Commuter card”), which I am supposed to load onto my farecard at the Metro station:

Dear [eminva],

Our records indicate that you did not use your new Transit Commuter card last month. Your Commuter benefit is intended to be used each month to pay for your daily commuting costs. Please be sure to use your card and enjoy your pre-tax benefit.

Thank you,

WageWorks Customer Service

Guess I better take Metro one of these days so I can load up the farecard . . . or at least walk over to the station at lunch time.

Liz

[Justin Antos]

I started double-socking in November!

[Arlingtonrider]

I just got home from my first commute of the year, and am now kicking myself for leaving the bike in the basement from January to mid-April last year.

Stayed toasty warm both ways by adding Moose Mitts, and for the exceptionally cold morning –chemical toe warmers in my running shoes and a skull cap beneath my biking helmet. Other than those additions, wore my usual cold weather get-up, which includes a face shield and 2nd pair of socks.

Thanks, everyone, for all the great info, advice and encouragement. It was a great ride in and a gorgeous ride home!

[PrintError]

I look at it this way, if it’s too miserable with snow/ice to be out on my MTB, then I REALLY don’t want to be out in my car putting myself and my family at risk of the countless acts of stupidity of NoVA drivers. I stay home.

Although the day after the January snowstorm, I rode to work anyway. Cars were barely moving, and I had a blast pedaling past a few.

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