Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I ride everywhere. I kind of hate my commute to work, though. The only way to get there is by super busy streets with those stupid grated bridges that go over the Chicago River. I'm not one to shy away from traffic, but these busy streets also have mad potholes. Not good. Thankfully, I have to work before most people are on the road. But...I get off right when schools are letting out, so traffic is usually pretty bad when I leave. I liked my old commute better. It was twice as long and I could take one of the diagonal streets straight there. I like my current apartment a lot better.

I ride a Dolan PreCursa. It's a track bike with a fixed cog. It's my baby. Sadly, it's sitting lonely in my living room and probably will be for a while. I had surgery 1.5 months ago and complications during recovery have led to some serious shoulder pain. Biking, unfortunately, exacerbates the pain.

Do it! Do it! Winter biking in the city is so much fun!

-Try to stick to streets with heavier traffic. It sounds weird, but you're much better off. The side streets don't get warm enough to melt all the ice and snow.
-I ride with whatever bike I have at the time. I really wanted to get a beater winter bike last year, but I just didn't have the money. My Dolan was totally fine, though.
-Get some sort of buff/balaclava/face mask. You'll need it. Your nose will freeze off if you don't. But you need something that's breathable. I used a regular scarf for the first year or so. The moisture from my breath would soak the scarf and freeze. Not cool. I have this guy.
-Get gloves that are nice and bendy and allow full range of motion. It's even better if you get lobster claws. Your hands will stay so much warmer and you can still reach the brake levers. Plus you can feel like a Ninja Turtle!
-Dress in layers, but wear less than you think you will. You'll be cold at first, but your body heat will get trapped and you'll wind up at work a sweaty mess. It's way more important to have a wind/waterproof jacket. I have the REI Taku. My boyfriend has a similar one by another company. He delivers on his bike all year and just wears a t-shirt under his jacket ALL WINTER. But he's nuts.
-This sort of goes without saying, but ride with a little extra caution. If the ground looks dark, it's probably ice. Brake sooner than you normally would in case you skid. The bumpy snow on the side of the road is probably hard and icy, not soft and slushy like you think it is. Watch for cars skidding.
-Use your lights at all times of the day. Drivers don't think there will be bikers around on the crappy days. Especially at night.
-Above everything else, get a fender, preferably a full set. There are few things worse on a 15 degree day than an freezing cold, wet bum.

This is more opinion, but I think it's easier to ride fixed in the winter. I flipped halfway through the winter and I was so glad I did. You have a lot more control of your skid riding fixed. So if that's an option for you, try it out.

But yeah. Just get out there and do it. You'll find it's a lot less scary than you think it will be. And there's something magical about riding through those really big snowflakes. Honestly, biking in the rain is a million times worse than anything in winter. Except freezing rain. That's the worst, most dangerous thing ever. Thankfully, we don't get too much of it here.

I'm a bike-only girl, and I love it. From home to school and back puts me at 25 miles a day, plus errands and that sort of thing. An average week is around 150 mi. I have a trek 320 that I've tinkered with a bit. It's my two-wheeled girlfriend.

I commute to work all year round, about 10 km a day. Since we don't have drivers license in my family we do most stuff by bike, a normal week we bike around 100 km up to 200 km if we are doing some longer trips, less often in the winter.

I'm a total noob on a bike, but getting there. I use her mostly to get about town and run errands. I take her to the gym/work in the morning too but that's a stupidly short commute (though it *is* at the top of a hill). The other day I guy walked in front of me while on his cell and said to whoever he was talking to, "Whoops, just about killed a cyclist there." I was overjoyed - he meant ME! I'm a CYCLIST!

Here's a pic of what I'm straddling... (Mine's black and gold, but.)

Your bike is so cute, canuck! I keep getting let down by eejits on the internet and thus have no bike. Sad. Though I'd probably be too scared to ride it on the road anyways. What was the name of that place down by the Barras you told me about? I've forgotten but kinda want to seek it out on Saturday morning when I've been paid.

Me and my bike when CicLAvia shut down 7.5 miles of Los Angeles streets. One of the coolest bike rides ever.


I used to ride everyday as my only form of transport. Then I got a job that required being able to drive to many locations quickly at the drop of a hat. Sucks, but I still ride whenever I can.

Glasgow Bike Shed! Apparently they're quite cheap out there... and good folk! I think it's a not-for-profit type thing so they shouldn't be out to rip you off!

So I figured out why biking to work was so hard.. Not only is the front tire bent, but the brake pads are grinding on the wheel, and the aluminum pin snapped off. So I rode 6 miles with a bent tire and the brakes on.. yeah!

You must have gotten a great workout, though!

Loves my bike. My brother put her together in '05 for me before I went on a cross country trip for http://www.bikeandbuild.org She is a Surly Cross Check frame with some old Mavic wheels and and an ancient Campy hardwear set. Lock her up with two locks everywhere I go. She is my heart and soul!

Right now she is only getting about 10 miles a week on her. Going to put some fat tires and fenders for the winter on her and see how winter riding goes.

The roads in New Brunswick, NJ are horrific for riding. One of the city's nicknames is "The City of Broken Glass" and everything gets stolen here to boot :(

This is her a long, long time ago. Bar tape is now green to match her paint :)

Is it a green Cross Check? Looks black in the photo, in which case it would match mine - black bike, orange bar tape. Lovely bicycle altogether.

we had a period without a car so kitted ourselves out as a family with bikes. I've cycled in cities and ruraly and have to say countryside cycling, which I do now, is WAY more scary. The ammount of near misses we've had, people hammering past us with the kids ffs!

Love it though when my lungs are behaving :D

Borrowing a friends bije doggie trailer next week for a test drive... I have a yen for cycling the pups away for some cool walking :D

Yea she is a dark green. Everyone always thinks she is black. So I guess we have sister bikes!

Thanks for all the awesome advice! I definitely am going to do it. I also read elsewhere on the internet, a tip to sprinkle cayenne into your gloves and socks to keep your extremeties warm. Huh. interesting. I'd be a little afraid of getting pepper underneath my fingernails, which would end up in my eye, for sure.

I've tried this. Don't do it. It doesn't work, unless your goal is burning yourself where ever you may scratch.

It's a really nice dark green though. A former roommate had that color. My boyfriend has the blood red one. I thought about the beef gravy, but decided black was classier.

I love bikes. It is pretty easy to get around in Madison.

the commuter (14 miles round trip)


the getter (good for groceries as well as beverages)


the ice bike

the getter is gorgeous. I'm so jealous of your variety.

I like this thread, I also commute daily as well. It’s around 51.5 km a day across Philadelphia and into the suburbs.

My commuting/racing/long distance bike:

Bike twin! Sort of. Mine is a TCR but slightly different color pattern. 2008, I think. I've put 4k miles on her and I love her.

Just did a little 15 mile ride this a.m. since our Saturday ride looks like it will be rained out.

So, my seat was stolen today. How much money am I looking at spending to replace it? It wasn't anything special but I am overworked and severely underpaid.

The bike shop usually has a bin of stock saddles customers had replaced, usually never ridden. If they're friendly, they might give you one. If not, haggle $20 or less.

Cool, thanks! Hopefully my bike shop will be nice to me since I've thrown down more cash there than anywhere in the city.

HI fellow vegan bikers.
I love my bike and I love biking. I have a brown Surly Steamroller (fixed) that I pretty much ride everywhere as long as it's not raining or snowing.
Mostly I ride to get around the city (I live in NYC) but the past few years I've started getting into doing organized rides and have discovered I kinda love it.

A month ago I did my first century. Now I want MORE!

Ahh good to hear, Im loving mine as well. Bought it last year and put ~5k or so on her so far this year.



uh oh, the long distance bug is dangerous :) Youll be signing up for brevets/double centuries before you know it.