One roommate had a dead battery this morning. She asked another one of my roommates for a jump, but he couldn't get his car out of its parking spot.

Meanwhile, I had to brush some snow off my saddle before biking to work.

Honestly, given all the difficulties of driving during the winter, I don't know why people do it. :)

I totally agree. I drove to work today, and I think I was colder overall than I am when I ride to work in similar weather. People that don't bike in the winter think it must be brutal and awful because they are comparing a 20 minute bike commute to the 3 minutes they spend freezing their asses off to get the snow brushed off of their car. There is no easy way to explain that a bike ride is actually fairly warm because the body is creating plenty of excess heat.

This morning I had to go out, brush all the snow off of my car, get it started, and then proceed to sit motionless on my butt in a freezing cold car for 3/4 the drive to work, at which point the heat began to kick in and warm the car up detectably. When I get on the bike, I'm warmed up and in the groove within the first mile for sure. Then when I got to work, I had to park out in the middle of a field of cars and walk all the way to the building. On my bike, I ride right up to the door and my bike comes up with me to my cube.

In my defense, I drove today because a coworker wanted to test-drive my car (and he did, and he will be buying it later this week), but I still felt guilty and wondered how the commute by bike would have been. Now my cube feels empty without a bike parked in it today.

I walked to work today since I had to drop the boy off at achool. The shop here is pretty chilly and drafty, and yes, the walk warmed me up quite a bit.

Because last night whle riding from MCTC to the vegan ninja's house (northeast) to buy some wheels, and then back home to 32nd and Grand, not only did I see exactly zero other cyclists, but by the time I got home I was grunting and making all kinds of crazy noises, couldn't feel my feet, fingers, or thighs (despite being properly dressed - two pairs warm socks, two pairs gloves, one of which was of the lobster variety), and when i attempted to get into the warm bath my lovely wife had drawn for me, all i could do was writhe in excruciating pain. I thought I was going to die, and almost started crying.

I love to ride bike, which is why I didn't drive yesterday, but it was absolutely awful. fuck winter.

That is the saddest thing I have heard all day (so far).


Winter can, indeed, kiss it in my opinion.

As far as relating to this thread, I biked in the sun 6 blocks yesterday to meet a friend for breakfast and we took a slight trip afterwards in her car. It had to have been at least 10 degrees colder in her car than it was outside! Ridiculous. It was much warmer all bundled up and riding on my bike, even if my digits were freezing.

Don't be so pessimistic--the day is still young.

But yeah, I'm gonna be walking whenever I can for a little while until I get my fixed gear back together. I tried my geared bike but it's much harder and also I'd like to keep that one in as good of shape as possible.

not sure if that was actual sympathy or sarcasm, but given that one of my toes still kind of hurts, i'll take it. and i didn't mean to be such a downer, but sometimes zeal can give way to a superiority complex, and while cars aren't super great, neither, in my opinion, is winter.

also, the OP kind of made it sound like all there is to it is to step out the door and start pedaling, which omits all the time and effort of bundling up (and finding all of the bundling devices - i can never find my headband).

I drive in the winter because I can't hack on a bicycle when it's below zero. I just can't. I don't find it enjoyable at all. So I don't.

Plus, half the time I have a kiddo who needs transportin'. You knew I was gonna whip that excuse out.

I can hack it if it's not over a 30 minute ride. But, I will try and try and try.

And, for the record, I wasn't being sarcastic. I really did feel sad. Read my blog for proof. I gave you a shout out - kindof.

thanks, i'm sorry i doubted you. a lip pucker and everything.

also, further points, one on either side of the car v. bike winter argument.

i saw exactly zero other cyclists out the other night while i was damaging my nerves.

the next morning, it took no less than twenty minutes to get the stupid hybrid battery to kick in and start the engine. could be we need a new battery. either way, suck.

finally, i remain unbathed.

[edit] turns out i'd already said that about the other cyclists. i would erase it, but i think it warrants a second read.

I rode up to the HC after work to pick up my new winter shoes and HID light I had Jim order for me. There were three other sets of tire tracks on the bridge and associated paths through Ft. Snelling. On the way back, I saw a cyclist crossing the bridge. I think someone should put a logbook halfway across the bridge and find a way to get cyclists (and peds) to sign in. I'm always curious how far people are going, where they come from, if they do this every day, etc.

And someone besides me rides on Nokians in Eagan. Raderlin perhaps? (noted on the trail alongside Pilot Knob where it crosses over 494)

Were you crossing East to West yesterday morning?
I encountered the only cyclist I've ever seen (while
biking myself) on the Mendota bridge yesterday,
around 7:45.

Alfred Lord Tenniscourt sports the Nokians, and rides
that route, so those would be his tracks. The other
(non-Nokian) tracks were mine.

I saw the Eagan unicyclist yesterday afternoon!
He rides 4 miles to work within Eagan. He says
he has yet to get a Nokian on his uni, so he was
carrying it when I stopped to chat.

maybe the pain dulled your vision. I saw a few other cyclists, and I'm in Saint Paul where our regular commuter base is one fourth that of minneapolis. a few people even stumbled into the shop where I work looking for studded tires, balaclavas, gloves, lights, et al. you're not alone out there

Nope; I only crossed yesterday evening at about 4:30 (westbound) and again at about 5:30 (eastbound). Radlerin, are you rolling on wide knobbies of some sort? There was also a set of what looked like 700x28 road slicks, but the MTB tracks were the only other ones I saw in your neck of Eagan.

I saw the Eagan unicyclist this morning on the way to work! Sadly enough, I was in my car at the time. I drove to work today for the last time ever; I'm signing over the title at noon. I did get a picture or two of the commuter on the uni (for once, a benefit of being stuck in a line of cars at a red light) which I will have to post.

Nope, they are fat, slick 26 x 1.50" Kenda Kwest tires with inverted tread.
They are pretty awesome in snow!



Trippy, no?