keep riding, fair weather friends

[andy gee]

Use it or lose it. About 80% of the people I regularly see on the bike
paths/routes have gone missing since the temperature went below
freezing. That seems to be the big cut-off point.

But that means that the cars in the bike/car equation are taking
advantage -- four, count 'em four -- cars waiting for lights
straddling intersections between a greenway and a street. Two sets of
lines of cars using bike lanes to set up for "right turn on arrow"
turns.

Oddly enough, the people I didn't think would leave were the after work
training groups, but they're outta here. The one I miss most is the
"heart-on" girl. She comes uptown on the greenway while I'm going down,
and she has one of those heart-shaped red flashers clipped to the left
breast of whatever jacket she's wearing. If you're reading this group,
come back! The wall street crowd has mostly stayed riding, probably a
habit from when our subway got blown up and it stuck because it made
sense. And the chinese food delivery guys ride in anything.

But still, if the bikes aren't using the bike facilities, the cars ride
over the rest of us.

Come back!

--ag

[[email protected]]

andy gee wrote:
> sense. And the chinese food delivery guys ride in anything.

Don't forget the messengers and the bike cops. Motorcycle
cops run for cover at the first hint of bad weather, but not the
bike cops.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3288377

Agreed that people should keep riding. I would caution
beginning riders from attempting to go out in icy conditions,
but if it's just cold, bundle up.

Robert

[Tom Keats]

In article om>,
writes:

> Agreed that people should keep riding. I would caution
> beginning riders from attempting to go out in icy conditions,
> but if it's just cold, bundle up.

Today as I was heading out for an errand, I met my next-door
neighbour riding home. The temps here are hovering just
above freezing (humid temperate-zone coastal climate,) and he
expressed shock that I wasn't wearing a toque, or at least
something to cover my ears. Apparently his ears get really cold.
I don't have any probs there, but my fingertips get very painful
if they're not covered (Reynaud's Syndrome.) I was amazed that
he was getting by with just a pair of knit gloves. I'm using a
pair of full-finger'd cycling gloves with knit gardening gloves
over those, and cheap-o work gloves over those. It ain't pretty,
but it's better than nothing.

Back in October I fastened some strips of inner tube around my
toeclips, to keep my shoes dry in the rain. It works quite well,
BTW. But now there's also the benefit of keeping my toes from
getting chilled too.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

[Zoot Katz]

On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:03:58 GMT, andy gee
> wrote:

>Oddly enough, the people I didn't think would leave were the after work
>training groups, but they're outta here.

Around here they're the first to disappear too. Essentially, they're
drivers whose bikes are made of spun sugar.
--
zk

[[email protected]]

Tom Keats wrote:
> In article om>,
> writes:
>
> > Agreed that people should keep riding. I would caution
> > beginning riders from attempting to go out in icy conditions,
> > but if it's just cold, bundle up.
>
> Today as I was heading out for an errand, I met my next-door
> neighbour riding home. The temps here are hovering just
> above freezing (humid temperate-zone coastal climate,) and he
> expressed shock that I wasn't wearing a toque, or at least
> something to cover my ears. Apparently his ears get really cold.
> I don't have any probs there, but my fingertips get very painful
> if they're not covered (Reynaud's Syndrome.) I was amazed that
> he was getting by with just a pair of knit gloves. I'm using a
> pair of full-finger'd cycling gloves with knit gardening gloves
> over those, and cheap-o work gloves over those. It ain't pretty,
> but it's better than nothing.

Have you tried mittens? I find them to be much warmer. When it is
really cold I use Elk-skin mittens with sheep-skin liners. Otherwise I
have some mittens that are more like 3 fingered gloves, which allows
use of MTB type brakes.

Joseph

[[email protected]]

andy gee wrote:

> sense. And the chinese food delivery guys ride in anything.

A friend and I once went as Chinese food delivery guys to the NYC
Halloween parade. Black pants, black shoes, white shirt, pipe-bike,
paper bags.

Joseph

[The Wogster]

Tom Keats wrote:
> In article om>,
> writes:
>
>
>>Agreed that people should keep riding. I would caution
>>beginning riders from attempting to go out in icy conditions,
>>but if it's just cold, bundle up.
>
>
> Today as I was heading out for an errand, I met my next-door
> neighbour riding home. The temps here are hovering just
> above freezing (humid temperate-zone coastal climate,) and he
> expressed shock that I wasn't wearing a toque, or at least
> something to cover my ears. Apparently his ears get really cold.
> I don't have any probs there, but my fingertips get very painful
> if they're not covered (Reynaud's Syndrome.) I was amazed that
> he was getting by with just a pair of knit gloves. I'm using a
> pair of full-finger'd cycling gloves with knit gardening gloves
> over those, and cheap-o work gloves over those. It ain't pretty,
> but it's better than nothing.

I would go with some kind of mitten, and wear a toque, your fingers will
be warmer (seriously). Most of your heat loss is through your head,
this is why most people have hair up there. When the body loses a lot
of heat, it will slow blood circulation to the extremities, because
those are less important, and a body can afford to freeze a finger, but
it can afford to freeze a head, so your fingers get cold.

However if your head is insulated, it will retain heat, and the body can
then open up the warm blood supply to the fingers, and keep those warm
as well.

W

[catzz66]

andy gee wrote:
> Use it or lose it. About 80% of the people I regularly see on the bike
> paths/routes have gone missing since the temperature went below
> freezing. That seems to be the big cut-off point.
>

The worst thing for me in the cold is just the wind. I don't commute,
so I do the same thing I used to do while running which is head out into
the wind and head back with the wind. I just wear a poly skullcap and
helmet for my head and that has worked so far.

[lowkey]

"catzz66" > wrote in message
...
> andy gee wrote:
>> Use it or lose it. About 80% of the people I regularly see on the bike
>> paths/routes have gone missing since the temperature went below freezing.
>> That seems to be the big cut-off point.
>>
>
> The worst thing for me in the cold is just the wind. I don't commute, so
> I do the same thing I used to do while running which is head out into the
> wind and head back with the wind. I just wear a poly skullcap and helmet
> for my head and that has worked so far.

For me it isn't the temperature but the snow. Not just snow but the sloppy
salt laden slush that is hell on the bike. I actually prefer very cold temps
so as to avoid that mess.

[catzz66]

lowkey wrote:
>
> For me it isn't the temperature but the snow. Not just snow but the sloppy
> salt laden slush that is hell on the bike. I actually prefer very cold temps
> so as to avoid that mess.
>
>
>

After reading what some of you go through, I know I don't have much to
bellyache about. My environment is just cold without much snow or ice.
Don't know where I would find studded tires if I needed them in time
to use them though.

[[email protected]]

catzz66 wrote:
> lowkey wrote:
> >
> > For me it isn't the temperature but the snow. Not just snow but the sloppy
> > salt laden slush that is hell on the bike. I actually prefer very cold temps
> > so as to avoid that mess.
> >
> >
> >
>
> After reading what some of you go through, I know I don't have much to
> bellyache about. My environment is just cold without much snow or ice.
> Don't know where I would find studded tires if I needed them in time
> to use them though.

Try the local bike shop. If you wanted them the shop probably could
have them in a week or so even if they had to order them.

In Ottawa, I walked into the shop and 15 minutes and $50 later I was
out the door riding on studded tires.
John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

[Andy Gee]

Zoot Katz > wrote in
:

> On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:03:58 GMT, andy gee
> > wrote:
>
>>Oddly enough, the people I didn't think would leave were the after work
>>training groups, but they're outta here.
>
> Around here they're the first to disappear too. Essentially, they're
> drivers whose bikes are made of spun sugar.

Really. But what's the point of training outside if you're not going to
put yourself in real-world situations? Why not just ride a computerized
simulator?

--ag

[Andy Gee]

catzz66 > wrote in news:3vtl3dF17o1h6U1
@individual.net:

> The worst thing for me in the cold is just the wind. I don't commute,
> so I do the same thing I used to do while running which is head out into
> the wind and head back with the wind. I just wear a poly skullcap and
> helmet for my head and that has worked so far.
>

My commute is NNE in the morning, and SW+E in the evening. NYC wind
patterns are mostly from the NW in the morning, swinging around to S in the
afternoon. On the five or six times a year I get SE in the morning and NW
at night, it's either raining or snowing.

--ag

[SlowRider]

lowkey wrote:
> For me it isn't the temperature but the snow. Not just snow but the sloppy
> salt laden slush that is hell on the bike. I actually prefer very cold temps
> so as to avoid that mess.

Same here, but for different reasons -- I've seen too many cars slip
and slide on icy roads. It wouldn't take much for someone to slide
into me and ruin my whole day/week/month/year...

The moment the roads are clear and dry, you can bet I'll be out there
again...


-JR

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article . com>,
" >
wrote:

> catzz66 wrote:
> > lowkey wrote:
> > >
> > > For me it isn't the temperature but the snow. Not just snow but the
> > > sloppy
> > > salt laden slush that is hell on the bike. I actually prefer very cold
> > > temps
> > > so as to avoid that mess.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> > After reading what some of you go through, I know I don't have much to
> > bellyache about. My environment is just cold without much snow or ice.
> > Don't know where I would find studded tires if I needed them in time
> > to use them though.
>
> Try the local bike shop. If you wanted them the shop probably could
> have them in a week or so even if they had to order them.
>
> In Ottawa, I walked into the shop and 15 minutes and $50 later I was
> out the door riding on studded tires.
> John Kane, Kingston ON Canada

Shocker! An Ottawa bike shop had winter tires _in stock_? What next?
California drugstores carrying sunscreen?

But 15 minutes is impressive for a product selection, two tire changes,
and a transaction. And $50 is a good deal for two mounted studded tires.

I think we had a discussion about studded tires here previously, though,
and they really only work for stuff like riding on ice or thick snow.
For most snow, a knobby that doesn't get packed full of snow (tricky) is
probably the right approach, and the trickiest conditions are probably
those 0C to -5C temperatures with snow on the ground where you're riding
through a half-inch of slush with a strong chance of black ice. There's
not much you can do to improve traction in those circumstances.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

[lowkey]

"SlowRider" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> lowkey wrote:
>> For me it isn't the temperature but the snow. Not just snow but the
>> sloppy
>> salt laden slush that is hell on the bike. I actually prefer very cold
>> temps
>> so as to avoid that mess.
>
> Same here, but for different reasons -- I've seen too many cars slip
> and slide on icy roads.

That too.

> It wouldn't take much for someone to slide
> into me and ruin my whole day/week/month/year...

I recall one winter ride to work in a snow storm. I got off the busy
ploughed street, preferring a deserted unploughed street. Of course the
weather was such that the 'street' consisted of layer of ice/frozen snow
covered by new fallen stuff.

That was still preferable to the main street's combinations of ploughed up
chop and homicidal kar addicts.

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article >,
Zoot Katz > wrote:

> On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:03:58 GMT, andy gee
> > wrote:
>
> >Oddly enough, the people I didn't think would leave were the after work
> >training groups, but they're outta here.
>
> Around here they're the first to disappear too. Essentially, they're
> drivers whose bikes are made of spun sugar.

Odd. One of our largest club rides of the year was two weeks ago, and
last week's club ride was nearly as big.

Mitigating factors are that this is a Saturday morning ride, and it
starts at 9, just late enough to avoid the coldest part of the day and
darkness.

As a person who gives up the bicycle commute for the bus only when it is
snowing or about to snow, I still don't see why it's bad that someone is
a fair-weather commuter. This sort of senseless disdain is like roadies
hating mountain bikers*.

I'd like to see more cyclists out there too, for reasons both selfish
and altruistic. The key bit of evangelism here is to always smile during
your commute. Nobody wants to be like the guy jogging along the road in
full "this is making me healthier, darnit!" agony mode. If you smile
when you ride, people will begin to wonder why you're smiling, while
they're pouting in their cars.

*note that hating triathletes is still laudable and sensible.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article >,
Andy Gee > wrote:

> Zoot Katz > wrote in
> :
>
> > On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:03:58 GMT, andy gee
> > > wrote:
> >
> >>Oddly enough, the people I didn't think would leave were the after work
> >>training groups, but they're outta here.
> >
> > Around here they're the first to disappear too. Essentially, they're
> > drivers whose bikes are made of spun sugar.
>
> Really. But what's the point of training outside if you're not going to
> put yourself in real-world situations? Why not just ride a computerized
> simulator?

Real-world bike races, with few exceptions, happen in warmer weather
(warmer than December, at any rate) and during the day.

In Vancouver particularly, there are ample mountain biking opportunities
even in the winter, and some roadies do that, or they ride the
velodrome, which is indoors, or they just ride rollers.

For my part, I commute throughout the winter, but that's because
dressing for the cold is still better than driving home from work.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

[[email protected]]

Ryan Cousineau wrote:

> I'd like to see more cyclists out there too, for reasons both selfish
> and altruistic. The key bit of evangelism here is to always smile during
> your commute. Nobody wants to be like the guy jogging along the road in
> full "this is making me healthier, darnit!" agony mode. If you smile
> when you ride, people will begin to wonder why you're smiling, while
> they're pouting in their cars.

I always also make a point of giving a thank-you wave or nod to drivers
who notice me and don't pull out in front of me, or otherwise show a
normal level or consideration. I want them to know that I appreciate
their efforts, and giving thanks makes it a personal, which maybe will
help "connect" better on some level. I become not just an obstable, I
become a person. That's the theory at least.

I also say hi or wave, or nod to very cyclist I meet, no matter what. I
don't see that many, unfortunately.

Joseph

[Marlene Blanshay]

Tom Keats wrote:
> In article om>,
> writes:
>
>
>>Agreed that people should keep riding. I would caution
>>beginning riders from attempting to go out in icy conditions,
>>but if it's just cold, bundle up.
>
>
> Today as I was heading out for an errand, I met my next-door
> neighbour riding home. The temps here are hovering just
> above freezing (humid temperate-zone coastal climate,) and he
> expressed shock that I wasn't wearing a toque, or at least
> something to cover my ears. Apparently his ears get really cold.
> I don't have any probs there, but my fingertips get very painful
> if they're not covered (Reynaud's Syndrome.) I was amazed that
> he was getting by with just a pair of knit gloves. I'm using a
> pair of full-finger'd cycling gloves with knit gardening gloves
> over those, and cheap-o work gloves over those. It ain't pretty,
> but it's better than nothing.
>
> Back in October I fastened some strips of inner tube around my
> toeclips, to keep my shoes dry in the rain. It works quite well,
> BTW. But now there's also the benefit of keeping my toes from
> getting chilled too.
>
>
> cheers,
> Tom
>
I know someone with Raynauds, it's pretty painful from what I can see.
But it's much more common among women, i've never known a man to have it!

I get cold hands just because of circulation- i have kind of small
veins. I definitely inherited my circulatory system from my father's
side of the family. Don't ask what it's like getting an IV!

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
The Wogster > writes:

>> Today as I was heading out for an errand, I met my next-door
>> neighbour riding home. The temps here are hovering just
>> above freezing (humid temperate-zone coastal climate,) and he
>> expressed shock that I wasn't wearing a toque, or at least
>> something to cover my ears. Apparently his ears get really cold.
>> I don't have any probs there, but my fingertips get very painful
>> if they're not covered (Reynaud's Syndrome.) I was amazed that
>> he was getting by with just a pair of knit gloves. I'm using a
>> pair of full-finger'd cycling gloves with knit gardening gloves
>> over those, and cheap-o work gloves over those. It ain't pretty,
>> but it's better than nothing.
>
> I would go with some kind of mitten,

I really do find that using multiple layers of gloves is warmer
than singles. And my fingers like to be independent of one another.
If I were to be fancy I'd go for a proper pair of gloves + liners.
In the meantime my current system is adequate, if not elegant.

> and wear a toque

I'm not much of a toque kinda guy. I've been keeping my helmet
cover (purchased from MEC almost a decade ago) on my helmet
since last month; it seems to keep my head warm enough. Plus
it adds some reflectives to my riding garb. If temps were any
colder though, I'd probably be getting ice cream headaches
without some sort of headband or sumpthin'.


cheers,
Tom


--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
Marlene Blanshay > writes:

> I know someone with Raynauds, it's pretty painful from what I can see.
> But it's much more common among women, i've never known a man to have it!

My oldest brother gets it too. I feel for him, cuz he's running
his ranch up in the BC interior where winter temps get pretty arctic.
The pain is akin to that from having a car door slammed on your
fingertips, right on the nails. The relief obtained by holding a
nice, hot cup of tea or coffee or soup is sublime. I guess I tend
to make more coffee stops while out-&-about at this time of year.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

[The Wogster]

Tom Keats wrote:
> In article >,
> The Wogster > writes:
>
>
>>>Today as I was heading out for an errand, I met my next-door
>>>neighbour riding home. The temps here are hovering just
>>>above freezing (humid temperate-zone coastal climate,) and he
>>>expressed shock that I wasn't wearing a toque, or at least
>>>something to cover my ears. Apparently his ears get really cold.
>>>I don't have any probs there, but my fingertips get very painful
>>>if they're not covered (Reynaud's Syndrome.) I was amazed that
>>>he was getting by with just a pair of knit gloves. I'm using a
>>>pair of full-finger'd cycling gloves with knit gardening gloves
>>>over those, and cheap-o work gloves over those. It ain't pretty,
>>>but it's better than nothing.
>>
>>I would go with some kind of mitten,
>
>
> I really do find that using multiple layers of gloves is warmer
> than singles. And my fingers like to be independent of one another.
> If I were to be fancy I'd go for a proper pair of gloves + liners.
> In the meantime my current system is adequate, if not elegant.

Okay, I used MEC in the following for two reasons, I have no affiliation
with the company, just their normal URL is one I tend to remember, they
have product pictures and descriptions, and you do say you have shopped
there before.

Usually I find mittens more liberating then gloves, the advantage of
mittens is that with the fingers together, they share what heat they do
have, try mittens that are a size larger then you normally would wear,
and see if the additional room helps. Make sure they have thinsulate
insulation, it's warmer then anything else for the thickness.

If you really want the 3 layers, switch the garden gloves for something
like these: http://tinyurl.com/bdkv2 wool is a good heat trap, so a wool
mid-layer will make your fingers much warmer, just make sure the outer
layer is nylon or something else that is wind and water proof.

>
>>and wear a toque
>
>
> I'm not much of a toque kinda guy. I've been keeping my helmet
> cover (purchased from MEC almost a decade ago) on my helmet
> since last month; it seems to keep my head warm enough. Plus
> it adds some reflectives to my riding garb. If temps were any
> colder though, I'd probably be getting ice cream headaches
> without some sort of headband or sumpthin'.
>

Well, my usual headgear is a wool toque, and is good to about -5C, there
is a version here http://tinyurl.com/cm4y6, looks better then the one I
usually use. If your helmet is adjustable, you can always put on the
toque and then the helmet over the top, pick a black toque, so that the
colour doesn't show through the vent holes. In colder temps I add a
neck gaiter, but then the back of my neck is usually what gets cold, if
it gets below about -15C I switch to one of these
http://tinyurl.com/d4kzm. I have been walking with it in -20C weather
for hours, without my head getting cold, it does need a hood or parka to
keep the wind off though.

Now I would rather look silly and be toasty warm, then cold and
miserable. With modern, cold weather sports clothing, you can be warm
and dry, even when it's cold and wet out.

W

[lowkey]

"The Wogster" > wrote in message
.. .

> Usually I find mittens more liberating then gloves, the advantage of
> mittens is that with the fingers together, they share what heat they do
> have, try mittens that are a size larger then you normally would wear, and
> see if the additional room helps. Make sure they have thinsulate
> insulation, it's warmer then anything else for the thickness.

Gloves are one one of those things I go cheapo on because I know I'll end
up losing them. Plus hand warmth has never been an issue for me - good
circulation I guess.

The gloves I do use are those glove/mitten hybrids where you can flip up
and velcro the mitten part and have a 'glove' with exposed finger-tips. It's
convenient for fiddling with the bike.

[The Wogster]

lowkey wrote:
> "The Wogster" > wrote in message
> .. .
>
>
>>Usually I find mittens more liberating then gloves, the advantage of
>>mittens is that with the fingers together, they share what heat they do
>>have, try mittens that are a size larger then you normally would wear, and
>>see if the additional room helps. Make sure they have thinsulate
>>insulation, it's warmer then anything else for the thickness.
>
>
> Gloves are one one of those things I go cheapo on because I know I'll end
> up losing them. Plus hand warmth has never been an issue for me - good
> circulation I guess.
>
> The gloves I do use are those glove/mitten hybrids where you can flip up
> and velcro the mitten part and have a 'glove' with exposed finger-tips. It's
> convenient for fiddling with the bike.
>

Depends on the temps, I have a pair of thinsulate gloves that work well,
down to about -10C, I also have a combo pair -- like you do, which is
good, for me, to about -25C.

The issue is that Tom, does have a problem with fingers that get cold,
and when they get cold, they get very painful. So something a little
warmer is recommended. The important part there, though, and it can't
be stressed enough, keep the head warm, and the extremities will be
warm, let the head get cold, and everything gets cold.

W

[Marlene Blanshay]

Tom Keats wrote:
> In article >,
> Marlene Blanshay > writes:
>
>
>>I know someone with Raynauds, it's pretty painful from what I can see.
>>But it's much more common among women, i've never known a man to have it!
>
>
> My oldest brother gets it too. I feel for him, cuz he's running
> his ranch up in the BC interior where winter temps get pretty arctic.
> The pain is akin to that from having a car door slammed on your
> fingertips, right on the nails. The relief obtained by holding a
> nice, hot cup of tea or coffee or soup is sublime. I guess I tend
> to make more coffee stops while out-&-about at this time of year.
>
>
So i guess it runs in families... sounds painful.

[Mike Latondresse]

(Tom Keats) wrote in
:

> I'm not much of a toque kinda guy. I've been keeping my helmet
> cover (purchased from MEC almost a decade ago) on my helmet
> since last month; it seems to keep my head warm enough.
>
>
Tom I just got one of them because I was sick of stuffing an ear band
under my helmet but I find that by the end of my commute it is sopping
wet...does that happen to you.

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
Mike Latondresse > writes:
> (Tom Keats) wrote in
> :
>
>> I'm not much of a toque kinda guy. I've been keeping my helmet
>> cover (purchased from MEC almost a decade ago) on my helmet
>> since last month; it seems to keep my head warm enough.
>>
>>
> Tom I just got one of them because I was sick of stuffing an ear band
> under my helmet but I find that by the end of my commute it is sopping
> wet...does that happen to you.

No, but mine is an older model which they don't sell any more
(doesn't have the built-in visor*, and the neck flap is shorter
than on the new ones.) I may have sprayed ScotchGuard on it at
some time.

In warmer temps it does seem to trap persperation, which ends
up in my plenteous hair rather than the helmet cover. In these
current refrigerator temperatures it's quite comfortably cool.


cheers,
Tom

* I can stretch it over the helmet's visor, but it can be
an Herculean struggle.

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

[Zoot Katz]

On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 19:32:06 GMT, Ryan Cousineau >
wrote, in part:

>> Around here they're the first to disappear too. Essentially, they're
>> drivers whose bikes are made of spun sugar.
>
>Odd. One of our largest club rides of the year was two weeks ago, and
>last week's club ride was nearly as big.

How many of those riders regularly drive to the start of the ride?
How many of your club's racers ride to the races?
How many are regular bicycle commuters and utility cyclists?
--
zk

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article >,
Zoot Katz > wrote:

> On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 19:32:06 GMT, Ryan Cousineau >
> wrote, in part:
>
> >> Around here they're the first to disappear too. Essentially, they're
> >> drivers whose bikes are made of spun sugar.
> >
> >Odd. One of our largest club rides of the year was two weeks ago, and
> >last week's club ride was nearly as big.
>
> How many of those riders regularly drive to the start of the ride?
> How many of your club's racers ride to the races?
> How many are regular bicycle commuters and utility cyclists?

I can't speak for all my club-mates, but I'll try to sketch in answers
to some of your questions:

1.
Probably a majority of riders on most of the club rides do not drive to
the start of the ride. They live anywhere from 1-10 km from the rally
point, and thus driving would be pointless. I know of one rider who
routinely rides about 20 km from his house to the rally point.

I do not ride to the rally point, but I live about 30 km away, have no
real shortcut home from the ride, and I drive my wife to and from work
downtown right before and after the ride.

2.
It depends a lot on the race, but I would guess that most ride to the
weekly training crit at UBC, again because they probably live within 10
km. I ride to the weekly training crit at UBC from New Westminster, and
I dual-mode it back to Port Moody after (bike to Skytrain, bike from
Skytrain). I rode to some other races this year, though not all of them.
I tend to drive to races in the valley, but I think I rode to the crit
champs in North Vancouver, and the Yaletown GP.

3.
Regular? I would bet that almost every member of our club would ride to
work if they had access to shower facilities. I know that seems to be a
pretty key dividing line between the commuters and the non-commuters.

I don't know how much utility/commuter riding most of the other riders
do, but the short answer would certainly be "a lot more than the average
Vancouverite," and I'm quite confident about that. For my part, I
basically ride to work every day. I don't have access to the family car
for that trip more than once a month, and I probably take the bus to
work about once a month, too. A friend in the club just noted that he
had done 90 days of commuting only by bicycle, and the streak ended
because he was sick.

I am also a contingent utility rider. 3/4 of the year, I will take the
bicycle in preference to the car for typical errands. The usual reasons
I don't take my bike are that the errand precludes it (heavy/bulky
object, have to dress nicely), a family member is coming with me (often
including my mother-in-law, who is a nearly-blind pensioner with poor
balance), or because the weather sucks, I'm tired from having just
ridden home from work, or I have all of my bikes in a state of disrepair
(which happens surprisingly often).

These club racers are, after all, people who like to ride. Most of them
are putting in 10-20 hours/week on a bicycle, and commuting is very
attractive since it lets them slot time on the bike into otherwise
wasted moments. The major commuting obstacles faced by most people--bike
skills, confidence, and a desire to ride--are not issues for them. The
problem usually comes down to having jobs with implicit dress and
hygeine codes, and no shower facilities.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

[Eric Babula]

Ryan Cousineau > wrote in
:

The problem usually comes down to having jobs with
> implicit dress and hygeine codes, and no shower facilities.
>

Then, do what I do: Shower in the morning, before riding the bike to
work. Arrive to work early (i.e. 5:30am - before most others get there).
Sit for a good half hour or so, until I stop sweating. Change in the HC
bathroom stall. Use refreshment towels (Old Spice Cool Impact, or
similar) to clean up sweaty areas. Reapply deoderant/antipersperant. Put
on work clothing. Spray on a little cologne. Fix hair in mirror. Start
day (around 6:30am). Get in a good 1 1/2 hours of work before most
people get there!

There are ways, if you want to.

--
Eric Babula
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention
of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body.
But rather, it’s to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up,
totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, 'Wow! What a ride!!!'

[Ryan Cousineau]

In article >,
Eric Babula > wrote:

> Ryan Cousineau > wrote in
> :
>
> The problem usually comes down to having jobs with
> > implicit dress and hygeine codes, and no shower facilities.
> >
>
> Then, do what I do: Shower in the morning, before riding the bike to
> work. Arrive to work early (i.e. 5:30am - before most others get there).
> Sit for a good half hour or so, until I stop sweating. Change in the HC
> bathroom stall. Use refreshment towels (Old Spice Cool Impact, or
> similar) to clean up sweaty areas. Reapply deoderant/antipersperant. Put
> on work clothing. Spray on a little cologne. Fix hair in mirror. Start
> day (around 6:30am). Get in a good 1 1/2 hours of work before most
> people get there!
>
> There are ways, if you want to.

Like you, Eric, I have a workplace that can accommodate my habits. Some
people don't.

True, one can often work around. In the extreme case, if a bike commute
was really a key priority for a person, they might switch jobs, or even
careers.

The thing to understand is that there are some things in life that are
better than commuting to work by bicycle, or at least that compensate
one amply for that lost opportunity.

My house is too glassy for stone-casting,

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos

[Eric Babula]

Ryan Cousineau > wrote in
:

> In article >,
> Eric Babula > wrote:
>
>> Ryan Cousineau > wrote in
>> :
>>
>> The problem usually comes down to having jobs with
>> > implicit dress and hygeine codes, and no shower facilities.
>> >
>>
>> Then, do what I do: Shower in the morning, before riding the bike
>> to work. Arrive to work early (i.e. 5:30am - before most others
>> get there). Sit for a good half hour or so, until I stop sweating.
>> Change in the HC bathroom stall. Use refreshment towels (Old Spice
>> Cool Impact, or similar) to clean up sweaty areas. Reapply
>> deoderant/antipersperant. Put on work clothing. Spray on a little
>> cologne. Fix hair in mirror. Start day (around 6:30am). Get in a
>> good 1 1/2 hours of work before most people get there!
>>
>> There are ways, if you want to.
>
> Like you, Eric, I have a workplace that can accommodate my habits.
> Some people don't.
>
> True, one can often work around. In the extreme case, if a bike
> commute was really a key priority for a person, they might switch
> jobs, or even careers.
>
> The thing to understand is that there are some things in life that
> are better than commuting to work by bicycle, or at least that
> compensate one amply for that lost opportunity.
>
> My house is too glassy for stone-casting,
>

Don't get me wrong. I'm not stone-casting. Just offering another, maybe
unthought of, solution to the problem of not having a shower.

We don't have a shower at work, even though I begged and begged when we
were designing this office. But, I did a little asking around RBM and
RBS and found a different solution - using the bathroom stall and Old
Spice towels. Works for me. I sweat quite a bit when I ride, and, so
far, no one has complained to me about me smelling bad at the office.

Of course, some may not have the flexible schedule that I do. That's
true. So, coming to work at 5:30am might not be feasible. I was just
trying to air my story, in case the shower thing was the only thing
stopping people from bike commuting.

YMMV,

--
Eric Babula
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
The Wogster > writes:

.....

> If you really want the 3 layers, switch the garden gloves for something
> like these: http://tinyurl.com/bdkv2

Yeah, that looks intriguing.

> wool is a good heat trap, so a wool
> mid-layer will make your fingers much warmer, just make sure the outer
> layer is nylon or something else that is wind and water proof.

If it's raining my rain cape adds yet another (waterproof) layer
to my handwear.

I'm contemplating getting another rain cape just for winter,
and going gung-ho on waterproofing it with the parafin + white
gas trick. ScotchGuard eventually wears out, especially if
it's been handled. Although I note there's a CampMor[tm]
waterproofing product that I've yet to try.

.....

> Now I would rather look silly and be toasty warm, then cold and
> miserable. With modern, cold weather sports clothing, you can be warm
> and dry, even when it's cold and wet out.

I'm just a Vancouverite who hasn't learned the meaning of
deep-freeze cold. But I sure know "wet". All we need here
are dry outer layers; any old inner layers take care of
the rest, as long as they're dry. The only above-the-neck
discomfort I experience at refrigerator temperatures is a
runny nose. But my fingertips sure get sore! I cringe at
the thought of making a snowball.

So, we don't really need high-tech spacesuits here. Drysuits
maybe, but not spacesuits :-) Another mere couple of months
and it'll be spring again anyways. Watch for the Victoria BC
flower count this coming February.


cheers,
Tom

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