Why I Like Commuting On My Bike

[jimD]

The past few weeks have reminded me about why my routine ~6 mile ride to and then from work is so compelling.
It provides a mini adventure to start and end the day with.
The half hour that is usually takes relaxes me in the morning and provides decompression in the evenings.
We have had changeable spring conditions here in the Northern Calif Bay Area.
One recent ride home turned into torrential rain at about the 3 mile mark. I arrived home wet, cold, and happy.
I'm a much happier camper when I ride as compared to when I drive.
-JimD

[charlie]

I wish I could do a commute like yours...... that's about the perfect
distance to do daily at least at my age. Mine unfortunately is 25
miles one way and I can only manage it about twice a week in better
weather. Any more and it gets to be a grind. When I was younger I
could recover adequately but these days work is too demanding and I
burn out riding too much. Your commute sounds awesome and just perfect
to keep you healthy and energized.

[James Warren]

It's the same for me. Only I'm really lucky. All downhill on the way in in the morning. Ride home is a workout. For me, the ride home sometimes helps me work through work problems in my head. I'll also point out that in many ways, Rivendell bikes' versatility greatly enhances the commute. For example, shock cord on top of the loafer bag - solves many problems. Silver brakes with mountain brake levers on Bullmoose bars - this is a really low maintenance way to have good braking.

I fully agree that life is better when riding to work.

-----Original Message-----
>From: jimD <raste...@comcast.net>
>Sent: Apr 29, 2012 7:45 PM
>To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
>Subject: [RBW] Why I Like Commuting On My Bike
>
>The past few weeks have reminded me about why my routine ~6 mile ride to and then from work is so compelling.
>It provides a mini adventure to start and end the day with.
>The half hour that is usually takes relaxes me in the morning and provides decompression in the evenings.
>We have had changeable spring conditions here in the Northern Calif Bay Area.
>One recent ride home turned into torrential rain at about the 3 mile mark. I arrived home wet, cold, and happy.
>I'm a much happier camper when I ride as compared to when I drive.
>-JimD
>

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[ascpgh]

My commuting motivation indeed.

> The half hour that is usually takes  relaxes me in the morning and provides decompression in the evenings.

Additional reasons (excuses to others) include no parking fees/
shuttle rides, on-site garage racks by the elevator lobby, the sights
and aromas of the best restaurants which chose the edge of distressed
neighborhoods to open and above all, the actual riding which over time
accumulates to some 3750 miles annually.

So it gets cold and hot, rains and snows where I live, that's part of
my daily experience separating me from others who transport themselves
in isolation from the environment in which they travel. I feel much
more mentally Discriminating and accute of observation when I get to
work and 13-14 hours later when I'm going home it offers me an
experience by which I can disengage from my work and re-enter my life
without strings attached.

ANDY
Pittsburgh

[jimD]

Yup, I'm lucky.
I will point out that this has led to my sartorial decline.
I'm finding the MUSA shorts and knickers are perfect for this and make reasonable daily attire.
My peers look at me slightly askance.
I work at a one of the ant farms of silicon valley so it all works out.
-JimD

[Peter Pesce]

Who would have ever thought you could look forward to your commute! Even though my 3 mile commute ride is only 15 minutes, it is still mentally and physically invigorating.

-Pete in CT

[Allingham II, Thomas J]

Agreed.  Mine's only 5 miles, but almost all trails along a beautiful creek.  Invigorating on the way in, relaxing on the way home.  Perfection.

---

From: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com [mailto:rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Peter Pesce
Sent: Monday, April 30, 2012 10:45 AM
To: rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [RBW] Re: Why I Like Commuting On My Bike

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[PATRICK MOORE]

I miss the morning commute since I started working for myself, even though mine was too long (at least at my age) for daily undertaking at 15 miles each way. The biggest problem I found with it, though, was not the time and energy required but rather, simply having to get up that 45 minutes earlier compared to the 20-minute shot  3 miles down Coors Boulevard and 12 miles straight up the freeway. 

Patrick Moore, Albuquerque, NM
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When all the stars are dead.

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[Rick]

Agreed. 4-5 miles for me each way; it takes me about 20 minutes by
bike, and about 15-20 minutes by car, given the vagaries of traffic,
lights, etc. If I don't have to leave the office during the day and
go someplace distant, I take the bike. Before we switched buildings,
I could bring my atlantis up the freight elevator and park it in my
office. Plus we had a shower on the same floor. Those options made
commuting an easy choice.

I now have to use the gym shower in the basement, and lock up at the
rack in the parking garage. But so it goes -- it's still one of the
best parts of the day.

[Peter Morgano]

I have to say I did enjoy my all Brooklyn commute on my old Motobecane when I was younger. But now living in South Brooklyn and working in Manhattan it would be over an hour on the bike so it is easier to sit on the subway and read. We are a no car family though so I do get alot of errand running and just general fun rides on the bike, that is when guidos arent trying to "race" me back to thier mom's house for some noodles and gravy. I can say that because I am an Italian from Staten Island, haha. Kudos to those who can commute, jealous of that feeling when you get to work after a nice ride.

 

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[jimD]

Oh, I've noticed when circumstances require that I drive, that if that goes on for several days then riding the bike seems inconvenient. One has to have experience the fun and benefits of riding to overcome the 'inconvenience' factor.

Driving is pretty inconvenient for me in a psychic sense, certainly it is 'inconvenient' from an ROI perspective. It would be

a great thing if auto fuel were more costly but that is unlikely to ever be the case. We do love our cars.

All that having been said I think bike commuting will remain a niche kind of thing.

-JimD

[jimD]

Yup, that's the 'convenience' factor.

-JimD

[Jim]

Amen!   My commute is 7 miles, 35-45 minutes depending on traffic and wind.  Most of my commute is on MUPs, which are really delightful in the morning, though they get pretty busy on nice spring and summer days.  Clothing choices aren't an issue, in Boulder, even in summer, the temps in the mornings are usually in the 50's, sometimes even in the 40s.  So I can wear my work duds on the way in without sweating them up too bad, and peel down to riding clothes for the ride home.  I'm doubly blessed, as there is public transporation that can take me door to door in both directions during rush hour, and they carry bikes on the buses.  So, we've managed to actually ditch one car.  Makes the investment in a Hilsen seem a bargain.  Can't wait to get back to it.  And I agree that after that ride in the morning, I am in a much better state of consciousness to start the work day.  I really enjoy the commute.

Jim in Boulder.

[Lynne Fitz]

My commute is just shy of 3 miles heading in, just shy of 4 miles
heading home (I ride a loop, and get a hill on the homeward stretch).
Between home and work are grocery stores, the bike store, places to
eat (all on the 3 mile route; the longer route is all neighborhoods).

I am contracting at Nike, but we are just off the main campus, on the
campus of the company I worked at for 30+ years. So my bike commute
has not changed :-) I never have to worry about parking; the bike is
right by my desk. It isn't the only bike in the building; they don't
mind as long is it isn't blocking anything. I often have meetings on
the main campus, and, because I have the bike, never, ever have to
worry about parking there. And parking at WHQ is a real challenge. I
regularly get there and back faster than co-workers who have driven
over. Nike keeps a fleet of bicycles scattered all over the campus and
leased buildings just for this purpose as well.

Lynne in Beaverton, OR

[Mark Chandler]

My commute ranges from 11.5 to 14 miles (one way), depending on the route I take.  I also have the option of swapping pavement for 1-4 miles of dirt roads/trails.  It took a fair amount of experimentation to come up with an optimal bike and setup, but now that I have it nailed down, it's actually easier and more enjoyable.  Riding to work makes my day longer, but the trade-off is definitely worth it (for me).

[mike]

I have about 9 miles each way. It's mostly downhill to work, and I
get a decent workout on the way home. I find riding to work is
especially good when I wake up still tired or groggy. The cool air
and the exercise help to wake me up better than the office coffee ever
will.

Riv content: my SimpleOne has become my primary commuter since I put
it together around june/july of last year.

[David Spranger]

Without a doubt, commuting by bike is the best part of my day. I seriously doubt auto drivers can say that. I know that I could not, before I became a bike commuter. Eight miles into work taking mostly main roads, but traffic is low when I leave at 6 am. Around 13 miles home on mostly secondary roads with a short part through a beautiful city park. Sometimes some trips to other locations during the day. Those are my best days ever! I get to bring my bike into my office right now. Very happy about that.

David 

Charlotte, NC

On Sunday, April 29, 2012 10:45:23 PM UTC-4, JimD wrote:

[fulf]

I just got home from my 28 mile commute and  loved it. Rode the Hunqapillar today for only the second time. I'm amazed that even with dureme 50s the bike rolls well. Think I like the morning ride best. The cool southern Maine air has a way of waking me up. Often on the way home I hit a sea breeze that provides a challenge. The kids in my school think it's pretty cool that their teacher rides his bike to work.

[Ryan Ray]

My commute is .2 miles. I sometimes ride and pretend I have a 5 mile commute by taking a loop if I haven't taken any lunch/weekend rides in a few days.

- Ryan

[EricP]

Will admit to not commuting by bike as often as I should.  And the waistline definitely shows it.  It can be very nice for the 10.5 miles each way.  This time of year, will start seeing the sunrise by the time I get near work.  And almost to the point where I don't have to pack an entirely different set of clothing for the ride home. 

 

Have to admit my favorite time is riding near a heavily used railroad track and having a train comes by.  No matter how old I get, still mesmerizes. 

 

Eric Platt

St. Paul, MN

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

From 2006 through most of 2011, my commute to Hiawatha Cyclery was a 2 minute walk. Because of changing life circumstances, I moved last Fall to where I have a 5 mile one-way commute, which is lovely. Minneapolis is an extremely bike-friendly city, and I live in one of the bike-friendliest neighborhoods in this fair city, and it boggles my mind that cars passing on my street outnumber bikes probably 50-1. I can't imagine driving everyday because riding my bike seems SO much easier and more pleasant, even in winter.