My Morning Commute

[dasgeh]

@ShawnoftheDread 103644 wrote:

It gave me a surprising smack on the helmet. I meant to post a warning once I got in, but didn’t get the chance.

So it’s your fault!

@TwoWheelsDC 103651 wrote:

Despite buying a new bike for all-weather commuting, I haven’t yet had the chance to get the new wheelset and studded tires yet…figure I’ll be fine on my Randonneur 32s tomorrow morning, but may have to throw the bike on the bus in the PM.

They’re now saying an inch of snow tomorrow morning.

[Phatboing]

@TwoWheelsDC 103651 wrote:

Despite buying a new bike for all-weather commuting, I haven’t yet had the chance to get the new wheelset and studded tires yet…figure I’ll be fine on my Randonneur 32s tomorrow morning, but may have to throw the bike on the bus in the PM.

Part of me wants to do something ill-advised like put the studded tires on the fixie that I’ve only ridden once (yes, there’s a freewheel bailout option, but my commitment to something stupid is usually far stronger to just any old normal thing).

[Powerful Pete]

Having never ever ever ridden in snow before, would it be foolhardy to commute into work tomorrow assuming we do get the 1-2 inches forecast as of now?

I have Vittoria 28s on my commuter… and a pair of thicker off-road tires that I took off my bike as soon as I purchased it that I might be able to find somewhere in the garage. No intention of buying and mounting studded tires yet (assuming they are even easy to find on short notice in DC).

[OneEighth]

You should be fine with those tires in whatever little bit of snow we get. Just take it easy and try not to do anything sudden.

[ShawnoftheDread]

I’m temporarily down to one bike. My Raleigh fixie is going to look cool with studs, though my legs are going to protest.

[worktheweb]

Tomorrow morning likely won’t be too bad. Snow itself isn’t too tough to deal with, just go slow on turns and wooden trail bridges and give yourself plenty of room to stop. Where it gets bad is if it doesn’t clear. On the trails the snow will compact and form ice where tires and feet have gone. On the bridges, that ice can form ruts that can catch your wheel and make it hard to maintain balance. In past years the 14th Street Bridge has gotten very dicey. I’m probably going to slap on my studs tonight, since I have them, but before I did make that investment I had ridden in bad conditions on multiple occasions. Whether it is foolhardy to do so … that’s your call.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@dasgeh 103654 wrote:

They’re now saying an inch of snow tomorrow morning.

I’m not too worried about rolling on city tires on light snow, it’s the potential ice that might develop afterwords that worries me. Frankly, I’m tempted to just take the bus, but that still leaves me at the mercy of traffic.

[Powerful Pete]

Noted with thanks. Will commute to work in the morning and then make a decision on the afternoon leg… in the afternoon.

[dplasters]

Well, Fairfax didn’t plow or treat Lee Highway, or Virginia Center Blvd or really any road on my route. After eating it twice it was time to turn around and call that a morning.

Got my mile + in, first sleaze ride of FS2015 for me.

2″ of snow on slicks… not a great combo.

But I got to cackle at the 3 BMWs I saw spinning those rear wheels muwahahahahahahaha

[TwoWheelsDC]

Well that’s not 1 inch….bus it is then.

[americancyclo]

Oh it was a gloriously fun morning on the bike! 26″x38c tires are great in the light fluffy snow. easy going through falls church, plowing started in ballston, then i caught up with the plow by the italian store. it really makes a difference, thanks Tim!

super fun morning and I was only 15 minutes later than usual. maybe due to all the pictures i took?

[vern]

Damn, I’ve got to get a bike I can ride in the snow. I woke up at 4:30 and couldn’t get back to sleep because all I could think about was how much fun it would be to ride in the snow this morning. Lunchtime will be spent on Craigslist, etc., looking for a cheap bike for the snow.

[Harry Meatmotor]

Man, that was a hoot this morning!!!!

[chris_s]

That was legitimately enjoyable. Moose Mitts rock my world. Biking in boots is easier than I imagined. Should have worn the balaclava though.

Based on the the whiny comments on Arlnow, if I’d driven I would have gotten stuck on a hill, smashed into a bus and had to abandon my car on the side of the road.

[KelOnWheels]

@vern 103776 wrote:

Damn, I’ve got to get a bike I can ride in the snow. I woke up at 4:30 and couldn’t get back to sleep because all I could think about was how much fun it would be to ride in the snow this morning. Lunchtime will be spent on Craigslist, etc., looking for a cheap bike for the snow.

I need to get new tires and platform pedals for my mountain bike so it can be the snow bike. (I wanna get new wheels and turn it into a 1×9 too, but that costs money and stuff.)

[Author]

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