My Morning Commute

[Vicegrip]

@dkel 74415 wrote:

I did an extra-late commute from Falls Church to Vienna on the WOD at about 10:30, and by then it seemed like a normal, rainy commute. If temperatures go up as planned, things should be fine for the evening ride, or sleaze, or whatever. My only problem is that all this weather has caused my bike to be encrusted with grit everywhere, particularly where I notice it the most: drivetrain, rims…really frustrating, really time-consuming to clean up, really going to destroy the brakes in short order.

I spray it off with the hose before anything dries. Once in a while if the drive train is real gunky I will spray the drivetrain with simple green. I use a clean 2 inch paintbrush over everything but the drivetrain. Use second drive train only paintbrush on the chain and other greasy bits then rinse the entire bike. 3 min tops. I do it before I come in from the ride. Am already where where wet is going to get. Take a dry rag to the bike and some chain lube to the chain and ready for the next ride.

[KayakCyndi]

@consularrider 74393 wrote:

Must be nice to be young and resiliant, when I fall things get damaged (usually body parts).

Yep, last time I fell (Saturday) my clothes were fine, my hamstring not so much. Fortunately stuck in Germany so not riding is less painful than it would be if I was home and enduring looking at my bikes and riding the metro.

[ebubar]

@dkel 74415 wrote:

My only problem is that all this weather has caused my bike to be encrusted with grit everywhere, particularly where I notice it the most: drivetrain, rims…really frustrating, really time-consuming to clean up, really going to destroy the brakes in short order.

Indeed. I just did a thorough cleaning and installed a new chain and cassette. Previous set was worn prematurely from rain riding. Now that the nice, clean, new one is on I don’t want to rain ride! On the plus side, my sleazey test ride was butter smooth with no chain slipping/skipping! And I can now change a cassette and chain!

[vvill]

@ebubar 74445 wrote:

Indeed. I just did a thorough cleaning and installed a new chain and cassette. Previous set was worn prematurely from rain riding. Now that the nice, clean, new one is on I don’t want to rain ride!

This is why it might be good to have a n+1 rain bike!

[ebubar]

@vvill 74454 wrote:

This is why it might be good to have a n+1 rain bike!

Indeed that’s why i’ve cleaned out the basement apartment storage and moved the wife’s bike down there. We now have room for another one inside the apartment! Windsor Tourist and Nashbar TR1 are top of the list.

[cyclingfool]

Rainy ride home. It was a ride characterized by dying batteries and a minor mechanical issue… I forgot to charge my primary headlight’s battery at work today, so I had to run it at low power to try to nurse it home. Didn’t quite make it, but I did at least bet back to where there were streetlights to see by, and I had my lower power headlight. GPS batteries all but died, in fact I thought they had, but surprisingly my whole track was there when I hooked it up to my PC.

The mechanical issue was a left crank arm that seemed to be coming loose mid-ride. I pulled to side of trail and tightened it up a few hundred feet short of the 4MR on the MVT. Thanks to whomever stopped to make sure everything was OK. Perhaps it was one of you, in which case I say nice to have met you.

[Jason B]

Beautiful day that we have earned. Don’t forget to lube your chain. After two days of heavy rain, there ain’t nutin left. Also pick your route careful for AM. Wind is fierce.
Enjoy the sun.

[Jason B]

How good did it feel to not have to hang your clothes to dry, peel off twenty layers, or check for torn clothes due to falling on ice???
Today was a nice one. Took the roady out and did some hills to celebrate.

BTW, Thanks Spokes for doing an awesome job fixing my bike!!!

[consularrider]

A really nice morning to be out on the bike! I changed my routine to be able to claim another bridge (Chain Bridge and Key Bridge). Instead of heading east-southeast on the W&OD/4MRT, I headed north up Patrick Henry/Little Falls/Dittmer/Old Glebe/Rochester and had the pleasure of riding down 41st St to Chain Bridge. Then on the C&O Towpath into Georgetown (has anyone reported that they closed the pedestrian bridge to 34th St?), back across the Potomac on Key Bridge and into Rosslyn. I had five cars run the light at Lee Hwy and Lynn while I was trying to cross in the crosswalk heading south and then another when I was going west. I fully support massive red light photo enforcement! And they say the cyclists are scofflaws! 😡

[rpiretti]

Very nice commute but the dang 85% humidity level royally sucks. Was surprised to see so much thick ice out there in drainage ditches and a thin sheet on the bridges. Saw Dickie today so that was awesome.

[pfunkallstar]

I didn’t notice the humidity, but the ability to feel my fingers and toes was really welcome!

[cyclingfool]

Exposed legs! Ah, how nice it was to ride with legs exposed from knee to ankle! No tights!!!

It might not have have made me faster, but it sure made me FEEL faster.

[aguy7]

I’ve never seen as many cyclists during my commute as I did this morning, even with the cold (though it was beautifully sunny and still). Everywhere I looked folks on bikes! Love it.

[MattAune]

I must be doing it wrong. I saw no sun, very few bikes, and in no way could I have not worn full tights.

[Subby]

There was still ice in spots on the WOD and I still needed a balaclava…so let’s not go full nudist earth bike commuter just yet.

[Author]

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