Ride It To Work (Every) Day

[ultracyclist]

If you do not mind me asking:

How do you learn the safe techniques for lane splitting? (not allowed here in WI)

How do you midwesterners handle inclement (snow, sleet, pestilence, vermin, dead horses) weather? What mods have you made to your bikes to handle these things?

Regarding weather, what is the deal breaker for the "ride/no ride" decision?

[Mongo]

If you do not mind me asking:

How do you learn the safe techniques for lane splitting? (not allowed here in WI)

How do you midwesterners handle inclement (snow, sleet, pestilence, vermin, dead horses) weather? What mods have you made to your bikes to handle these things?

Regarding weather, what is the deal breaker for the "ride/no ride" decision?

IMO There are no safe techniques for lane splitting. You either do it or you don't. I prefer not to. Lane splitting is illegal here in NE too. If I need to get by a mess I hit the breakdown lane and pass there. I find it much safer (but also illegal). Mostly I sit in traffic like the rest of the lemmings.

I don't ride in sleet/snow or rain at night. Although I've been caught in flurries that didn't "stick" a few times and found that quite enjoyable. Otherwise game on. The only mods I've made to the bike are to accomodate electric clothing. I use a scorpion helmet for the good anti-fog shield they have, Gerbing Union Ridge pants, gloves, socks and a warmnsafe jacket liner. I'm good to 0 degrees F. I actually prefer to ride in the 20sF versus 30sF because I know any spots in the road I see are ice and not maybe ice / maybe puddle.

[burnszilla]

Everyday.

[mtfrench]

The riding season in South Florida never ends, so the elements don't prevent me from riding to work every day. The only 2 exceptions are tropical storms/hurricanes and when the heat/humidity threshold surpasses 90/90.

[99007]

If you do not mind me asking:

How do you learn the safe techniques for lane splitting? (not allowed here in WI)

How do you midwesterners handle inclement (snow, sleet, pestilence, vermin, dead horses) weather? What mods have you made to your bikes to handle these things?

Regarding weather, what is the deal breaker for the "ride/no ride" decision?

What is lane splitting? (haha - just kidding - live in MI so it doesn't work here.)

Bad weather? I commute every day (just 12-15 miles one way on back roads). Well, if it is sleeting or snaining (snow + rain = snain) then I back waay off the throttle, especially in corners. I do not purposely ride in snow or snain, if I think those conditions are likely and I still want to ride, then I will do so aboard my 1982 Yamaha XT550 - lightweight, knobbies and less than $1k invested so if I fall down go boom my wallet won't get too hurt.

I got caught by snow and had to ride the Rockster home after I owned it for two weeks, so it would have been Jan 2005. Wet snow and I dumped the bike at slow speed in the slush. DANG!

Deal breaker for me on my unfaired Rockster or the Yammy is below 20 degrees. I can handle the commute from 20 and above okay.

Like Mongo, I have a Scorpion helmet for the no-fog reason. Got a nice pair of winter gloves last year from ....dang, I can't remeber the brand! I have heated grips on the Rockster which helps alot.

if you like riding all year check out www.yearroundriders.com

[rkasal]

My office is a few steps from my bedroom but when I go grocery shopping, go for coffee, or go to lunch, it's on a bike.

I really feel sorry for people who drive a vehicle to work and have a long commute.

Regards,


Randy Kasal

[henzilla]

Twenty two miles to work everyday somehow turns into 30-50+ on way home unless the weather turns brutal....such as...lightning or an icestorm(luckily very rare). I have not driven my truck to work but once since January! The deal breaker is lightning nearby at time of garage opening, which timing wise has not happened but once this year. Carry raingear on all bikes...usually
As stated earlier, it starts and ends my workday with a great ride. I will miss the commute in two months as I CAN retire. Guess I will just have to go ride anyways!!

[wsteinborn]

I ride except when icey - hit black ice in December of 2005. Oops.

Oh, and intense lightning, too.

Other than that I am on 2 wheels.

Saturday my car suffered a computer meltdown (115,000 miles). Don't know what it will cost - the dealership had to go buy mmore adding machine tape to tot it all up I guess.

If it gets too high I'll let them buy the car, and I'll ride the bus on icey days.

[godzilla]

I have ridden to work every day since May. I am terribly depressed because I won't ride tomorrow. My dear old 85 K100 has a headlight problem somewhere in the wiring. (see the post in the K-Bike section.) This will be the first day I haven't ridden to work since May. The reason I parked it for a few days in May, was, well the same very intermiitant headlight problem and I was working 16-hours days, ocming home late at night.

I'd risk it tomorrow, but it is suppsed to rain and I don't feel safe without the headlight announcing my presence to unsuspcting cage drivers.

Other than when the bike is down (very rarely), I ride every day (17 miles each way) unless the roads are icy. I know I could defeat the cold with more clothing or electrics, but I don't like that feeling of the bike fishtailing on Black Ice.

Tomorrow I take my 87 Chevy Sprint and make an appointment to have the electrical system fixed on the K.

I am so sad.

[99007]

I have ridden to work every day since May. I am terribly depressed because I won't ride tomorrow. My dear old 85 K100 has a headlight problem somewhere in the wiring. (see the post in the K-Bike section.) This will be the first day I haven't ridden to work since May. The reason I parked it for a few days in May, was, well the same very intermiitant headlight problem and I was working 16-hours days, ocming home late at night.

I'd risk it tomorrow, but it is suppsed to rain and I don't feel safe without the headlight announcing my presence to unsuspcting cage drivers.

Other than when the bike is down (very rarely), I ride every day (17 miles each way) unless the roads are icy. I know I could defeat the cold with more clothing or electrics, but I don't like that feeling of the bike fishtailing on Black Ice.

Tomorrow I take my 87 Chevy Sprint and make an appointment to have the electrical system fixed on the K.

I am so sad.

Our survey says: Headlights are important! Suffer a couple days in your Chevy, a small price to pay for illumination Grasshopper.

[The_Veg]

Just saw my post from 2003 in this thread. I'm still unable to ride to work due to equipment I must carry, and also due to wearing a uniform that I wouldn't want to crash in (too many hard or sharp bits attached to it- very similar to firefighter or paramedic attire), even in a heavy riding-suit.

But maybe the next job...

[99007]

[QUOTE=The_Veg;248976]Just saw my post from 2003 in this thread. QUOTE]

My oh my how the time do fly!

[Klay]

I never drive a car to work in the summer. The winters are too severe with snow and ice here in Minnesota in the winter to ride, so I switch to a car. I think that makes me about a 60/40 bike/car commuter. Maybe 2% of the time I ride a bicycle. I'm glad to be free of the car most of the time. Some people like to save the bike for recreation, but I never seem to burn out on riding.

[westofone]

I had this horrendous 25 mi (each way!)ÔÇö commute up and down the Silverado Trail to Calistoga. That's 250 mikes a week! WellÔÇö it IS sort of beautiful ( do you catch the sarcasm??)ÔÇö the only thing that bothered me was the cold, dark mornings. I was on a naked Triumph, so the first thing I got was a "fog shield"ÔÇö a thing that velcros into your full-face helmet between your nose and mouth. It worked!ÔÇö kept breath from fogging up the shield. Next, went to the nearest BMW dealer to buy electric socks and gloves. Now I'm feeling pretty cozy on those dark mornings. ButÔÇö I kept thinking about that RT I saw at the dealer. On my next free day I went for a test ride. I'm sold! I've never been on a BMW before, but, I like the feeling! Havn't needed the fog shield, electric gloves or socks since!

[AirForce]

Been doing it since I started my new job in March. 12,000 miles on the GS this year, so far, and only 2000 on the truck.