Minus 5° Fahrenheit - Now That's Cold!

-5 degrees F this morning in Omaha. Windchill was -21 F. Only my toes got cold in my 35 minute ride.

I Can't Put My Arms Down!

In total from polypro baselayer and shirts, ending with fleece sweatshirt under a windbreaker shell, I had nine layers on the top. That sounds like a lot, but with the exception of the fleece, the layers are all very thin, so I didn’t look too bulky.

The bottom was AmFIB tights, polypro baselayer on top of that, then loose workout shorts and then loose workout pants.

For feet I had wool socks, handwarmers on top of the toes, then cotton socks, plastic bag corners, then sneakers. The chemical handwarmers on the feet quickly quit working, as they need air to sustain the chemical reaction.

Hands were kept warm polypro glove liners with handwarmers on the back of the hand, then Louis Garneau lobster claw gloves. My hands and fingers never felt cold.

On my head I had a fleece balaclava over head and mouth (nose exposed), then polypro balaclava over top of head and ears. I taped up the vents on my helmet. I probably could have used an extra layer on the top of the head.

Except for the cold feet, it was an exciting and refreshing ride. I don't think it would have been safe to ride any further with my feet getting cold. I'll need to develop some other foot warming strategy.

Where's The Sweat?

Here's an observation about how well the technical fabrics work (even the cheap ones). Of the nine layers, the seven closest to my skin were the technical "stay dry" fabrics. Next came the fleece, then the Vagabond shell. When undressing for my shower, the fleece was visibly damp. It's amazing to think how well those seven layers wicked away my moisture to that fleece. Wearing cottons and fleeces alone would have made for a miserable ride.

I write this, not to solicit comments or show how hardy I am, but to document what clothing works, and maybe what doesn't work. If someone else finds this information useful, then it's all worthwhile.

Free Socks. Yeah, That's Right!

In November, I wrote about the Plus 3 Network where I can log my bike miles to earn money for charity, and how rider challenges are offered to reward riders with premiums. I had recently completed the SRAM 300 Mile Challenge and earned a pair of free socks, and was speculating about how and when the socks would arrive.

I am ecstatic to report hat my new socks arrived last week. Inside the package with the socks, there was a nice, signed card from the Plus 3 team, Letitia Joe and Rick, congratulating me on my success.

Coincidentally, Letitia found that blog entry, commenting that the socks had been sent, and hinting about seeing a picture of the new socks.

Here they are. The socks are so festive looking, they fit right in with the Christmas decor. I hung them "with care" on my hearth, in hope that St. Nick might cram some cool bike stuff in them.

I'd highly recommend that all cyclists, runners and hikers sign up at Plus3 Network and start "Making It Count."

Thanks for the socks.

When I Ride, I'm A Stud (...ded Tire User)

I picked up my studded Innova 700x35 tires from the Highgear store this evening (staffed by MOD) and put them on the bike.

I've taken the rear wheel off only once before to change a flat, and the front wheel has never come off. I always seem to have a little trouble getting the rear wheel off and on, but eventually managed.

A fun point came when I managed to put the tire on the rear rim without using the tire levers. As I mentally patted myself on the back, I took a look at the tread pattern, seemingly directional, and wondered if it mattered. Slowly I spun the tire around, angling it just so in the light so I could read the markings on the sidewall, and saw that, indeed, there was a directional indicator. Darn! With a 50/50 chance of getting it right, Mr. Murphy had directed me to mount it backwards.

After getting both tires mounted and the wheels back on the bike, I took it for a test ride up and down my street. I'm amazed at how noisy the tires are. As others have described the noise, it sounds like I'm riding on gravel. I'm hoping the noise will abate a bit once the studs have worn down a little.

The ride also feels a little squishy. I don't know exactly what that means. I think since the tread is so different from the road-like hybrid tires I normally ride, there's a little more side-to-side give. I'll get a better feel for this during my next few commutes.

I'm a little annoyed with a little rubbing sound I hear from the rear wheel. I am not sure where it's coming from, but I think it might be from a close clearance with my fender. Maybe that will subside a bit, too, when the studs wear down.

The roads are damp right now from some rain earlier this afternoon. The overnight low looks to be around 20F, so if we get any slick spots on the lesser traveled lanes, it's likely that I got the studs on just in time.

I expect the resistance added by both the studs and the more aggressive tread will slow me down and make me work a little harder. I guess that equates to a more intense workout.

The Importance of Bike Lights and Fake Crack

According to a news report from WOWT, an Omaha cyclist was recently pulled over by police for not using lights as specified by Nebraska state law (Section 60-6,318). The statute states that when riding at night, a cyclist must equip the bike with a front facing light that is visible from 500 feet. A rear light is optional, but the bike must have a red reflector meeting certain DMV standards.

According to the report, the cyclist was pacing nervously, and when asked if he was hiding anything, invited the police officers to search him where they found 1.1 grams of crack cocaine and 0.8 grams of "fake crack."

The cyclist was arrested on charges of possessing crack cocaine, and for not having the required light.

The lessons to be learned here are:

• Use a good headlight on your bike when riding at night. It will help you see, help you be seen, and avoid traffic tickets.
  
• Optionally, consider using a headlight or flasher even during the day. Being seen during the day is a good thing.
  
• Consider a red rear light and/or flasher, but don't remove your reflector. It's the law, plus there are cases where a reflector will be seen where a light won't be. If you plan to ride frequently in the dark hours, consider even more reflective surfaces.
  
• Exercise your constitutional rights. Don't invite the police to search you (even if you have nothing to hide). Remain friendly and polite.
  
• Carry only "fake crack." The real stuff will get you into trouble.
  

Bike & Ride - Omaha World Herald

Published Saturday December 6, 2008
Omaha World-Herald

'BIKE & RIDE': Metro Area Transit offers a "Bike & Ride" program that allows users various options, such as riding to work and biking home or riding to a bike trail connection for an extended, scenic ride. All but the short MAT buses are equipped with a front-mounted rack that holds two bikes.

Daniel Lawse, co-chairman of the Green Neighborhood Council of the Green Omaha Coalition, called the program "a fantastic improvement to Omaha's bus system. . . . Having bike racks on buses increases the mobility of Omaha residents who use public transportation - and it may encourage new people to use public transportation due to the new options available."

Instructions for using the racks as well as information on which bus routes connect to trails and to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge are posted on the MAT Web site, www.metroareatransit.com. Also listed are do's and don'ts, including: "Don't forget your bike on the bus!"

There is no charge to use the rack; riders will pay standard fares: $1.25 for regular fixed-route service with 5-cent transfers. Express ridership is $1.50 per trip.

Source: http://omaha.com/index.php?u_page=3940&u_sid=10506542

MAT Makeover With New Trip Planner

Quite randomly, I clicked onto the Omaha Metro Area Transit web site and was surprised to see a major enhancement to the bus service web site.

In addition to a new look and feel on the same old content is a brand new interactive trip planner. Gone are the days of looking at a digitized copy of the printed bus schedules trying to figure out where on the line your stop is, and here are the bright, new days of planning a trip online.

While there still seem to be a few kinks to work out, the planner tells me what I need to know. I can tell the system where I am, and where I want to go, and when I want to get there. The system will respond with step by step instructions of where to go, when to be there, and how long the trip will take. The trip info also details transfers and walking distance.

Even if you don't know exactly where you want to go, the system can help make suggestions for destinations like "Grocery" or "Train Station."

I've seen systems like this in other larger cities, so it's cool to see MAT rising to the challenge of transforming Omaha into a more accessible community though easy to use public transit.

Snow's Coming! What's A Commuter To Do?

OK, most resourceful, wise, and experienced Omaha cycling community, how does a beginning, but rather dedicated cycling commuter deal with riding on snow and ice covered roads?

I started bike commuting back in July, having logged over 1,300 miles of combined commuting, errand, and pleasure rides. I'm having so much fun, that I can't stand the thought of giving it up just because of some frozen precipitation. I don't know that I'd want to try to plow through fresh snow, or try to ride during a storm, but even when it's clear out, ice patches can form, especially on the side streets I utilize for my commute.

With daily morning rides in the 20s to 30s (F) for the better part of a month, I've already proven to myself that cold is no problem with proper clothing (and my new lobster claw gloves). However, the thought of wiping out on ice really frightens me. I also am concerned about dealing with sharing the roads with cars having a hard time keeping their own course.

According to the National Weather Service, Omaha has seen anywhere from 20 to 30 inches of snow for the past few years. Despite that, I want to keep riding. It's fun. It saves money. I like the free downtown parking. It helps keep me from getting too fat.

In my reckoning, there are a couple of ways to handle this.

• Build an ice bike
• Outfit my existing bike for ice riding

Build an ice bike - pros

• save wear and tear, salt and sand from my normal Trek 7300
• can use alternate geometry for better handing dangerous condition. Ie: a shorter frame to be closer to the ground in event of fall or slip
  
• if all the ice clears up, can easily switch back to regular bike
• could build as single speed, or with lots of money, internally geared hub
• could build with drum brakes for easy braking without damage to rims, discs

Build an ice bike - cons

• I like riding my regular bike
• have to obtain a new/used bike. Cost of tuning it up.
  
• have to customize with new accessories. Ie: fenders, rack, lights, etc
• if going with fancy hubs, drum brakes, etc, could get expensive
  

Outfit existing bike for ice riding - pros

• I like riding my regular bike
• no need to buy new accessories, just studded tires

Outfit existing bike for ice riding - cons

• risk of damage by salt, sand to frame, rims, drive train, etc.
• can't easily switch back to regular riding during dry spells without changing out studded tires for regular
• regular bike is tall. Falling might hurt.
• not sure if studded tires will clear my fenders
• I've read accounts of shifters, derailleurs freezing up with frozen mess
  

So, bike dudes, please reply back with your stories and advice on how best to handle the winter commutes. Even if you trade the bike for a bus or car on select days, I'd still like to hear from you. Even if I ride the bus in, that's still a day I don't have to deal with driving downtown, so that's still a win to me.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluenettle/385014824/