So "Who's Riding" to work?
Since I am one of the flat-landers who can only get to the hills a few times a year, I'm forced to only read about all the awesome rides you Hills guys can take whenever you please.
But I do get an 80 mile commute every day that is typically done on a bike, and often times a good portion of the ride home is on dirt. If anyone is riding between Platte and Armour from 8am to 8:40am or from Armour to Platte from 5pm to 5:40pm, you are welcome to join me!
Typically rally week is the only time I see another bike out here. Couple weeks ago I met a group of 4 guys on farkled out GS's though, which was cool.
Who else commutes on their bikes? The challenge i make to you is to see if you can commute consistently on a bike and maybe even be nuts enough to do it in winter, at least on occasion. My other vehicle gets 14mpg so i'm not really a greenie, but the benefits to taking a motorcycle to work instead of a cage speak for themselves.
So who else commutes?
How about in the winter?
Two years ago i missed only 2 day all winter due to icy roads. Last year sucked. I actually understood those who lament waiting for riding weather. I constantly hear :"isnt it cold", not with the right gear. I dont even own heated gear but I am thinking of heated gear now as a GS has way less protection than the RT did. I am still looking for a reasonable side car so i can ride regardless of weather. I am hoping that i can call on Hank to set it up, now that i know "he's the man". I worked with a guy who rode his Ural Patrol most of the winter in Bismarck. He says the 2wd is unessesary 98% of the time. So a hacked GS is my goal.
Oh no, I'm not "the man" when it comes to hacks. I don't know a hack from a hole in the ground.
Lee Bruns (a member here) is THE MAN when it comes to hacks.
Quote from: Hank on October 25, 2011, 06:46:27 PM
Lee Bruns (a member here) is THE MAN when it comes to hacks.
+1 here. Lee is a sidecar wizard!
I think I need a hack too but the cost of a nice chair is keeping me patient. Thinking about putting one on the Silverwing. When Lee let me take his for a spin I was instantly hooked. And I love those new orange patrols. If they would do 70mph all day long and get just a bit more reliable, I'd just have to have one.
Coldest I've ridden was about 30 miles at -12 Fahrenheit on my KLR with heated gloves. Not something I would do everday.
Sorry Hank and Lee, not sure how i mixed you guys up (since i have not meet wither of you yet)...... Loingrader, i have missed 2 sidecars from Urals for $800 and $1000 in Denver over the last couple of years. Now that i have the money ready in the bank, what are the chances that one will come up that cheap?
Since we got sidetracked by sidecars, this is local to Rapid... and looks fun
http://fortcollins.craigslist.org/mcy/2592582028.html
.....when I turn the bars over to some "moron" who'll drive me around in a casket, just shoot me. :o Sincerely, Joni
My 'commute' takes literally 5 minutes. Since I'm an ATGATT kinda guy, I just don't enjoy spending 10 mins gearing up for a 5 min ride. I take the cage most days. :P
Now, if I had a 40 min commute + some dirt, I would surely ride to work much more!
I ride to work most days, I avoid rain. I did once make it through the winter, riding ocassionally, but really not very safe here in the Urban North. I would be more likely to ride more often in a rural area where I didn't have to worry about 70 mph traffic on frozen roads. Old Minnesota saying, "No such thing as bad weather, only bad preparation". I rode my bicycle through the winter a couple of years ago, about 40 miles a week, snow tires with studs. Slowed me down, and I fell a few times. Great workout though, fun way to stay active.
hank, you obviously need a stich.
dr. psycho, somedays i wish i lived closer so i could ride my bicycle. i loved riding in urban environments. add snow and some studded tires and i bet that was a blast.
I have a commute of 54 miles one way. I drove my truck to work for the first time since 12th, only because I'm trying to kick bronchial pneumonia. It didn't work. Back to the bike on Sunday. Hopefully the second antibiotic change and the steroids will knock this bug out.
All this talk about commmuting reminds me of Aerostichs "Ride to work" day (Ride to work, Work to ride...). I love those guys catalog. If I remember right, last years Ride to work day was while we on our way to FnF. Ironic.
30 degrees this morning. Stich suit and heated gloves and i was comfy on the wee. i'm amazed at how good the wind protection is on this little bike.
My commute is a total of 1.1 mi. Not very adventurous either. Had to slow down for turkeys a couple of times this summer tho... that counts for something, right?
only 1.1 miles but you make about 10 times more turns than i do on my 40 mile commute. i make 2 if i take the direct route.
I have considered changing careers to be able to commute on a bike ???
The best I've come up with is using the bike for estimates and small repairs. It's good enough to write it off, but not enough to scratch my itch.
I think I could get alot accomplished if....err....when I get a utility sidecar ;D
So the ride to and from work was cold today. Really, felt colder then 25. But in my defense, i am a wuss. Thinking about heated gear, but 300 for a liner and controller, plus another 200 for gloves is crazy talk. is it worth it?
Well, my commute is 11 miles and is up and down winding and beautiful Nemo Road. I can't complain at all. And then, many times I ride the different trails home from the Black Hawk and Piedmont areas. On any given day I might be stressed out at the end of the day, but by the time I'm home, especially when I'm riding trails home, I'm as happy as can be. The downside is I have more snow and the roads stay slippery longer, especially on the shaded curves, and then when its not slippery, they put boatloads of sand down to make it more fun! And I can't forget to mention the suicidal deer. But hey, I'm not complaining, I love my commute. LD
Quote from: jacin theis on November 16, 2011, 06:30:32 PM
So the ride to and from work was cold today. Really, felt colder then 25. But in my defense, i am a wuss. Thinking about heated gear, but 300 for a liner and controller, plus another 200 for gloves is crazy talk. is it worth it?
I just have a Kanatsu (sp?) vest from Aerostitch. Got it for $125 several years ago and it is Great!!! Can't beleive I rode without one for all those years? It doesn't feel hit, but if you turn it off you get cold fast. Definately worth the $$$ IMO.
i just wear a fleece vest under my stich and have some widder heated gloves. that is all i need to stay tolerable for 40 minutes or so down to about 10 f.
if there is a big crosswind my face and neck/head get cold but if no wind, or head/tailwind, i'm good.
thinking warm thought's helps a ton as does riding in the daylight. it seems about 10 degrees colder to me when it is dark.