It’s been two years since I’ve posted about commuting, so here’s an update!

First things first, a few things have changed. I sold my Look 675 and got a Giant Defy Advanced 1. Went more of an endurance bike for commuting and upgraded to disc brakes! Disc brakes are increasingly common on road bikes and helped with my irrational fear of not being able to stop now after my accident last year. So far, the brakes are amazing but the bike is heavy!

I’ve also upgraded the roof tray that can now mount the bike without removing the wheel. I’ve been impressed/surprised at how different Yakima racks are and how smart some of the design is. The one problem is that I had to remove my fairing. I’m probably going to cut it and see if the part that rubs from the tray will clear a the little cutout I made.

I’ve also added some new gear, focusing on visibility. My shades aren’t new, but you can tell I like the white sunglasses :P.

My old cycling shoes that have seen a few years of use and a huge scuff mark from the crash last year. Tried and true, but it’s time to rotate in a new pair before these are completely busted.

The new shoes… clearly bright! The shoes show a lot of promise as they’re a combination of Giro’s love of laces and part boa wire system. This allows for some flexibility as well as quick shoe closing mechanism with a twist of a dial.

As you can see below, they’re pretty darn bright!

I also picked up a new helmet that’s visible and inclusive of the new MIPS technology. Multi-directional Impact Protection System, a ‘slip-plane’ technology inside athletic helmets designed to reduce rotational forces that can result from certain impacts.

After a little bit of a hiatus and a wet winter, I’m finally back to commuting to Mountain View 1-2x per week. Not too much has changed, but I do carry fewer spare bits with me to keep things light. The hardest part is waking up!

Clearly, part of my commuting daily still relies on the GBus, which gets me to a route that’s basically all uphill… Unfortunately leaving me a hot sweaty mess when I get home.

Finally, I’ve been mixing in some running… or fast jogging? Given the time constraints of daily life… it makes sense to get out for just 30min to an hour to get my cardio in. It’s a different type of sport and it’s challenging around here given all of the hills. I’m starting to get up to 10K distance and who knows, maybe I’ll make it to 1/2 marathon distance by end of year?

Finally, going back to the purpose of cycling and exercise… It’s all about having fun, no matter what it is!