It is about two weeks from the time I created the blog and wrote the first post. Not much to report, the cycling season in Estonia will end quite soon though the weather is relatively nice for the beginning of November. One can still see some enthusiasts riding on the roads, but rather due to the darkness than temperature or rain it is a dangerous activity. As the car drivers do not respect cyclists in Estonia, every week a cyclist is killed in the traffic. Well, I admit that most of those tragic cases have connections to alcohol, i.e. either the driver or the rider was intoxicated. Nonetheless, I feel it is time to stop cycling for this season, at least in the evenings. Probably I will ride during the weekend a short distance but that will be all for this year.
Another case is the daily commuting between the home and the working place. The distance is short (2.5 km only) and only about 500 m I have to use the heavily trafficked street. Though sometimes I have to use the car, last winter I tried to ride regardless of the weather conditions throughout the winter. In late November I will again install the studded winter tires (Schwalbe Snow Stud: http://www.schwalbetires.com/node/1368). The studded bicycle tires are an excellent invention, though expensive (2 x 30 = 60 EUR ). Last year there was once -25.5 oC in the morning, the streets were empty as the cars did not start, but I rode to my working place. The lubricant in the bottom bracket and hubs was so thick that it was physically exhausting to pedal, however, the studded winter tires were OK. The colleagues commented and asked whether this is masochism or exhibitionism? To be honest, the latter one sounds more likely...
Next time I will summarize my 2011 training diary.
