2009 bike mileage challenge

[Lug_Nut]

No gauge needed, use a tape measure. The standard link length is 1/2 inch. Line up a pin with the 1 inch line (more accurate than the zero end of the tape). Look at the 8, 8 1/2 or 9 inch mark to see if the associated chain pin also lines up. If the pin is more than 1/8 inch from the tape line where it should be, replace the chain.

[Mike T]

Gauges are so much sexier though.....I do know the inch rule but I am too lazy to do it.

So I am at 600 km and will see if I can get one ride in this coming week (I have to go away for 4 days to a conference at Whistler BC).

[theholycow]

Digital calipers are sexy, cheap, and useful for other stuff besides high-precision chain wear measurement.

[Mike T]

Good idea, I could use that on brake calipers and other things too...

Didn't manage to ride at all last week but three rides this week looks on the cards.

[Mike T]

Two down one to go. Damned wind was fickle today, in my face one minute and pushing me along the next. The ride home was pure headwind! 702 km total in 2009.

[Mike T]

Friday was better. I averaged 30 km/h on the way in despite a headwind and smoked by another commuter cyclist, who responded but could not keep the pace up! <evil laugh>

[Mike T]

I was sightly quicker today, like a minute over a ~50 minute ride.....after 800 km I am starting to get into shape.

[Lug_Nut]

And I... well, I slacked off in May. Monthly miles are 120 and a few tenths.
Good ride this morning however. I felt good (after a week off...). I was surprised to see that the speedo was reading 28 mph a stretch where I usually barely make 22.

[Mike T]

Average speed today was 30.4 km/h on the 26 km ride into work, including two dead stops for freakin' stoplights. It was 35 C (95 degrees F) on the ride home, unusual for here.

[Mike T]

I had a better ride on Friday: 31.9 km/h average speed (20 MPH) and felt like I had a lot more there. I hope to hit over 34 km/h on this 26 km ride this year sometime. It should be possible......

My bike speedometer is one of these self-stopping and starting ones so if (more like, WHEN) I hit stoplights, the average speed and elapsed time suffers a bit more than it did when I had the manually operated one a couple of years back.

[Mike T]

32.6 km/h today. Getting closer, but there is a law of diminishing returns.....

[cat0020]

My wife and I rode our bicycles 16 mile one way to watch the Philadelphia Bike Race and then rode our bikes back home.. it might be the last time a bicycle race of its caliber be held in Philly.

[Lug_Nut]

Isn't the CoreState criterium held annually in Philly?

<edit> apparently past tense, should be "Wasn't", not "Isn't".<end>

[cat0020]

The bike race in Philly has not been CoreState for a few years.. likely since the last millinium.. it used to be 3 events over 3 different dates/cities, but down to just 1 event since 2006.. there may not even be a race next year.

[Mike T]

16 miles is exactly what each of my one way commutes is! How was the race? Was anyone who will be riding Le Tour there?

[Mike T]

1300 km and finally I am starting to shed some weight. Down to 216 lbs now (height is 6'3")

[Mike T]

The bad news is I have been consistently just below 30 km/h in average speed recently, it might have something to do with the heat!

[Lug_Nut]

Oh the shame....
It's rained in New England daily but for perhaps 10 days in June. I don't ride in the rain.
The nice days for riding are also nice days for working on completing my most recent diesel conversion, and driving gives me another 1/2 hour of working time before darkness.
June pedaling displacement miles: 40

Fourty. There I said it. Just TWO measly days of bicycle commuting last month.

[Mike T]

I hate riding in the rain too but I think I will Wednesday.....otherwise I'll only get in one ride this week (Friday, should be sunny) and the guilt will be unbearable!

[Mike T]

At the end of this week I'll have over 1800 km. Still looking promising for > 3000 km this year.....

[Mike T]

Holy smokes it was hot on the ride home today. 40 degrees C (104 degrees F). But I'm still on target, despite the Nevada temperatures......

[Mike T]

Now she's raining outside and cool, like 16-18 degrees C. I will ride Tuesday and finally hit 2000 km for the year. Another 1000 to go for the year! Dropped 2 inches in waist size so far....

[Mike T]

2225 km and now I'm leaving for a US holiday, no riding for 7+ days.....I had a good time two days ago, average of 32.5 km/h.

[98cam]

'Round about 1700km for me so far this year, 2420km since I bought my bike in late September last year. That's with a 30km round trip, which I did 3 times a week last semester.. only 2 times a week this semester. Going to try and lengthen my route to compensate, plus do some more errands/shopping on my bike.

[Lug_Nut]

July and August have ended. Combined displacement bicycle miles for the TWO months is 173.76.
And even that might be worse as I don't recall if I reset to zero after June's 40 miles.
The cumulative odometer is at 3,872.0 miles, but I'll need to trace back through my posts to find out just when they were put on. Obviously not during this summer.


<edit: 3872.0 minus the 1,953.9 from 2008, and minus the 1106.4 from 2007, leaves 811.7 accumulated in 2009.
Then subtract 432.65 for Jan. through Apr. and there are 379.05 left for May through Aug.
I can account for most (120 +- in May, 40 or so in June, and 173.76 in Jul. and Aug.), but that leaves 45 unaccounted for.
Maybe I commuted 4 days in May? end>

[Mike T]

So since I got back from the trip to California at the end of August, I've only managed to ride once, due mainly to bad weather.

But tomorrow I will ride again in the sun.... and once next week.

On Wednesday next week I will be off at noon on a ferry to Vancouver to catch a flight to Germany the next day, so riding will once again be off my agenda for a couple of weeks.

Here's hoping that we have a really nice October, so I can at least get 600 more km and hit 3000 this year too. I'll only be at 2400 km when I leave next week.

[Lug_Nut]

September: 102.06 miles.

[Mike T]

I only rode 105 km in September. But I was in Europe at the IAA suto show for part of that month as well as a quick tour around Europe (in a convertible diesel Peugeot).

This month I will have at least three rides (the third tomorrow). That will bring me to just under 2500 km for the year. After that the weather may be turning....

[Mike T]

When I got home Friday the odometer read 2498.3 km, so I went out right away, even though it was dark, and brought it back at exactly 2500 km. It's supposed to rain next week. Poop.

[Mike T]

I had a break in the weather today so I rode again. Replacing a rear tube before dawn was "fun" but I am glad I rode today all the same. Chances for riding to work are winding down as the weather closes in.