My Morning Commute

[jwfisher3]

@cvcalhoun 80920 wrote:

Sorry, but having been #1 in the Tortoise category in Freezing Saddles, I consider my credentials as “official slowest guy on the trail” impeccable! I like to think it’s because I have a 64-lb. bike and do a lot of my riding up either Wisconsin or the Capital Crescent Trail. But I have to admit that I consider it a good day when I’m able to pass a toddler on a tricycle. And alas, this is my fastest pace.

I’m just happy reading that I have some company in the slower pace crowd on the CCT. I get passed by just about everybody and everything, including young women wearing flip-flops and talking on their phone (!) My Surly only tips the scale at about 50lbs loaded up, but I’m guessing I’m not putting that weight differential to advantage.

[Dickie]

I used to make my commute an all out effort on most days as a way to train but then I suddenly got old and tired, and decided it was time to actually enjoy the commute. Now I listen to my body and ride at a pace that feels good. Somedays it’s a tootle, other days I still push it. Last year I tried to ride most days and increase mileage instead of train for a race I was never going to enter…. I was MUCH happier. Also, working a very physical job everyday tires me out before I even get on the bike.

[Geoff]

Windy!
Other than that, a great day for a ride.

[consularrider]

So far it’s been horrible, had to drive to get some work done on our car. Hanging around the shop and then will drive home before switching to the bike and riding to work! I took time this morning to relub the chain after Saturday’s ride in the rain.

[jrenaut]

@Geoff 80988 wrote:

Windy!
Other than that, a great day for a ride.

The wind didn’t bother me too much, but for some reason the sun was really bad – Most of my commute is south, but a bit is east and I felt really blind. I guess it’s been a while since i got out of the house “early” for a change.

[Fast Friendly Guy]

@consularrider 80991 wrote:

So far it’s been horrible, had to drive to get some work done on our car. Hanging around the shop and then will drive home before switching to the bike and riding to work! I took time this morning to relub the chain after Saturday’s ride in the rain.

I wondered where you were! I looked for you. See you tomorrow on the trail (if not later today)

[hozn]

@jrenaut 80992 wrote:

The wind didn’t bother me too much, but for some reason the sun was really bad – Most of my commute is south, but a bit is east and I felt really blind. I guess it’s been a while since i got out of the house “early” for a change.

Sounds like you had a perfect tailwind and will have a fun headwind on the way home. Well, better the headwind when it’s warmer!

[cyclingfool]

I didn’t end up cursing the wind this morning as much as I thought I would. Guess it must be fresh legs; a relatively restful and weekend that, for better or worse, didn’t include any bike riding; and getting used to riding into a 20-30 mph headwind over the last couple weeks.

Ran into arlingtonrider at the bottom of 15th Street by the Tidal Basin. Nice to chat and catch up a bit… and to thank her for her work on the BAFS happy hour even though I won’t be able to attend unfortunately.

[jrenaut]

@hozn 80996 wrote:

Sounds like you had a perfect tailwind and will have a fun headwind on the way home. Well, better the headwind when it’s warmer!

Hmm, maybe that’s why I felt fast this morning…

Though the wind was definitely coming from the side when I was south on 7th through The Mall.

[brendan]

All the folks pedaling east/souteast were smiling pretty big as they flew by. Myself, I am happy enough to be bike commuting not to complain.

[vvill]

@Dickie 80942 wrote:

I used to make my commute an all out effort on most days as a way to train but then I suddenly got old and tired, and decided it was time to actually enjoy the commute. Now I listen to my body and ride at a pace that feels good. Somedays it’s a tootle, other days I still push it. Last year I tried to ride most days and increase mileage instead of train for a race I was never going to enter…. I was MUCH happier. Also, working a very physical job everyday tires me out before I even get on the bike.

For me the effort isn’t so much that I’m training, I just want to get to work (or home) sooner. And with all the short climbs I’d rather get out of the saddle and crest the hill instead of spending an extra 30-60 seconds climbing slowly in the saddle. But yeah I agree if you ride most days you can’t go all out every day, something I’ve learned through experience (aka getting older/tired) too.

[FFX_Hinterlands]

45 with a headwind is better than snow. At least I can test out my best Aero position on the Dutch Bike.

[TwoWheelsDC]

The longest and hilliest portion of my commute is oriented N/NW, so it was a rough ride this morning. Hoping the ride home, going S/SE, will make up for it.

[Terpfan]

@TwoWheelsDC 81010 wrote:

The longest and hilliest portion of my commute is oriented N/NW, so it was a rough ride this morning. Hoping the ride home, going S/SE, will make up for it.

Ditto. Although my hilly part wasn’t so bad because the hills blocked the wind. It was the MVT and then Tidal Basin stretches into the wind that were just plain annoying. I’m just hoping it keeps up until tonight so I can literally just sail home with my big backpack.

[brendan]

@TwoWheelsDC 81010 wrote:

The longest and hilliest portion of my commute is oriented N/NW, so it was a rough ride this morning. Hoping the ride home, going S/SE, will make up for it.

I haven’t decided if a headwind is worse on the downhills (where you lose so much more speed and/or have to put a lot more effort in to keep up your still-air speed) or on the uphills (where it adds some insult to injury…but doesn’t really slow you down *that much*, especially on the higher grades). In general, though, that whole velocity-squared thing kinda sucks.

B

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