Commuting - Who here DOESN'T plan for their commute?

I feel kinda left out with everyone talking about their 20 mile commutes with the extra preparations and bath in a box kits and everything. Who here actually lives close enough (or doesn't care enough) to just hop on the bike and head out to their destination?

My commute is about 4 miles out, South Philly to Drexel campus through the nice shady urban jungle. I personally prefer to have less stuff and attract less attention. I change into my work/school clothes and just hop on the bike and head out for about 10 minutes.

Who else doesn't have to plan for a commute?

No planning here. My commute is a pathetic 6 blocks.. I could walk, but instead I bought a used Mongoose BMX that i lockup on the street. The last time I had a BMX was about 18 years ago. I may look funny but this is fun and the little bike is so easy to jump curbs and avoid people and traffic.

My commute is just over four miles, and I have to plan a little.

Luckily I've never really had a B.O. problem, so a shower before work and deodorant (which is normal routine anyway) will suffice. Then I throw on athletic shorts and shirt plus athletic shoes. I pack my work clothes in a backpack and leave an extra outfit at work in case I get dumb one morning and forget work shoes, belt, etc.

That's it.

I could ride to work in my work clothes, but not this time of year. And I probably won't ever do that anyway because I hope to continue improving my time, which means sweating a little.

When I get to work I walk for a couple minutes in the hallway (elementary school) until I stop sweating and am cool enough. Then I head to the teachers' restroom, lock the door, change, grab coffee, and I'm ready to work.

At the end of the day I head back to the restroom, change back into riding clothes, and gone.

I don't have a flat kit, and don't need one for my commute. It's 25 minutes by bike and 1 hour walking. So no matter where I am on my commute, I am less than a half-hour's walk to my house or to the job. I won't be that late if I have a flat along the way.

I don't, and I do not have a long commute. It takes maybe 5-7 mins.

I have an 18-km commute (each way) and my "planning" is twofold.

1. I plan my lunch. Same thing would happen if the distance were shorter or if I were travelling by foot, bus or car.

2. The bike is well tuned and has some basic equipment on it: patch kit, pump, spare tube and multitool, plus rain gear. The pannier stay packed year round.

Leaving home in the morning is as simple as opening the door, going down two steps and riding to the office.

I only have a 1 mile commute, so all I do is just get into my work clothes, hop on my bike, and I'm off. I may ride in normal clothes and change if it's raining, really hot, or in the winter, but I haven't had to do that yet.

I plan in no way. No spare tubes, patches, pumps. I leave my lock on the rack. I get dressed and I leave. If it is raining when I leave, I ride my bike with fenders and wear a coat (sometimes).

I plan in no way. No spare tubes, patches, pumps. I leave my lock on the rack. I get dressed and I leave. If it is raining when I leave, I ride my bike with fenders and wear a coat (sometimes).

According to what you've reported in the past, your commute is shorter than a trip to the outhouse in Arkansas. So your experiences might not be exactly representative. Might be helpful to the OP to mention that.

Mine's 6.5 miles. In summer, that doesn't require any preparation. In winter, you betcha. Overdress and you're sweating like a pig inside windproof clothes - underdress and you can't feel your extremities. I recall in the winter months I'd have to check the weather before dressing to gauge how many layers of socks to wear, whether I needed full tights or whether shorts would work, which gloves I'd need, whether I'd need a balaclava, rainproof gear, etc.

mine's time-framed +/- !
21.0 dst to work (8am to 4 pm)
this takes about 44 minutes each way, need to include breakfast after cooldown...
i try to leave house around 6:30 AM, add flat tire (3x last monday) or other tech blitches, "we have a problem houston"
there is a never a "no plan" ride or commute, in my books, ever!
plan your ride!

I have a shade over 7 miles to work. I get my lunch together the night before and make sure the battery is charged for my headlight. I leave at 4:15 am so its dark no matter what time of the year I'm riding. I always have an extra shirt packed in the panniers and I have two tubes and a patch kit also air pump +1 on the topeak road morph. I have an assortment of tools, couple of screwdrivers and metric wrenchs and a set of allen wrenches and also a multi tool in the panniers and a seat bag. In the morning all I need to do is grab the lunch out of the fridge get the bike out of the garage pack the lunch in the other pannier and off I got takes me about 30 minutes. Oh yeah I have a small first aid kit and some latex gloves in case I have to change a tire and a small garbage bag just in case I might need it for whatever it might come in handy for.

For most of the year I don't do any planning for my 3.3km commute. Once it gets below -20C I start to put on layers of clothing over my work clothes, but normally not much thought goes into that... and I definitely don't set them out before.

I'm anti-planning. My planning involves these questions:
* Do I have water?
* Do I need one bag or two?

My old commute was about 2.5 miles and I did nothing other than get on the bike and go. I even rode home for lunch. My current commute is 44 miles round trip and I actually don't do much. Here in Oregon it's actually quite cool each morning so by the time I get to work, I really don't need to shower. Only thing I need to do is put my cycling sandles on and go. Well, fill a water bottle.

In the summer, I plan for the ride in by putting my work clothes in my messenger bag before heading out, and making sure that I have my laptop, power adapter, voice recorder, notepad, and USB cable for the voice recorder (if I forget any of the above, my day will suck). But that's about it. My ride is just a hair under 5 miles for my standard route.

Actually, I also check the forecast and pack rain gear if necessary.

Hardly any planning. I have a 7km ride to work (4.35 miles). I wear a dry-weave t-shirt and berms, grab an extra t-shirt, throw it in the trunk bag (or panniers depending which bike I am using) and off I go in one of my folding bikes.

Temperatures here are hot and humid all year round, so even a 7km ride will make you sweat, hence the change of clothes (I do not need to be in office wear at work).

I have a multitool but no patch kit or tubes. Because if anything happens to the tires, I just fold up and and take public transport. I eat lunch outside (most people do not pack lunch in Singapore, we have cheap food at every corner).

I have spare clothes (long pants even!) in the office, in case I need it. Usually because I have a meeting with clients.

I used to not plan, but when I got a flat 5 miles into my 7 mile commute, and just then I found out my pump was broken, I decided to plan a little more.

I finally got a ride to the office, but then my bike was locked to a trashcan on the side of the street and I was at the office without a ride home....not a fun day...

When I rode to the grocery store from home, it was half a mile away. I basically wore my backpack and got on the bike.

When school starts, I'll be about two miles away from my primary building. I'll take the lock along, but that's pretty much it.

Nobody in this country plans for commute. Because ppl are used to cycle, they can make good speed without breaking sweat and arrive at their destinations fresh as a daisy

Nobody in this country plans for commute. Because ppl are used to cycle, they can make good speed without breaking sweat and arrive at their destinations fresh as a daisy

And they are bullet proof, never need to sleep and when it rains they sprout an umbrella from their heads.

I've been there. It is flat as a board. And your country is smaller than the county that I live in (in case you don't know what a county is, it is a tiny division of a state, we have 120 in my state).
And my 7 year old daughter commutes faster than the riders I've seen there.

Yes my commute is short .39 miles to be exact.

Unless you work in a chic tech sector that doesn't care when you get in, planning a commute is a good thing when you have a 17 mile ride to get there. Play with different routes on the way home.

I've been there. It is flat as a board. And your country is smaller than the county that I live in (in case you don't know what a county is, it is a tiny division of a state, we have 120 in my state).
And my 7 year old daughter commutes faster than the riders I've seen there.


This isn't a competition; no need to snipe at fellow commuters, is there?

4 mile flat commute - my "plan" is that I bought Kevlar tires (T-Serv), have pump, multi-tool, patches (never used) and waterproofs in a pannier bag, and I keep the bike well maintained.

I don't change clothes, or wear anything special except a helmet. I have a fan at my desk, so I turn that on for 5 minutes when I arrive to get rid of the excess heat now that I've stopped moving through the air. I take the final half mile very gently and the pannier bag means no sweaty back. I'm not much sweatier than if I'd taken the train and walked.

Somehow, people in every other country manage this, but in America most people think they must have the finest equipment money can buy for every endeavor (obviously all bets are off if the commute is very long or difficult).

Edit: I actually am getting to kind of envy people with a longer commute. I want to ride further - I'm just getting going at 4 miles. However, somehow just taking a round-about route to work is not an acceptable alternative. Also, my commute is not shrinking my love handles.

I have a three-mile commute. I have rain gear, lunch, flat kit, lights, extra leg bands, change of clothes, sunscreen, sunglasses, and so on.

I'm just persnickety like that.

I have a 20 mi. R/T commute. Backpack of work clothes and lunch. Multi tool, spare tube, patch kit, and CO2 which I've never had to use. I have about 8,000 miles over 3 sets of Gatorskins and no flats; can't recommend them enough. I'm sure I will get two flats on the way home tonight now.

My normal commute is a bike/train commute, 3 miles of riding RT. I get clothing ready the night before, but that's about all the planning I do.

I don't really get what you're saying. Sounds like you change clothes, thus you and I do about the same amount of work to get ready, though I also pack a breakfast and lunch. All of the other stuff (toiletries and gear) are always loaded in my pannier, thus no "planning" here.

I don't really get what you're saying. Sounds like you change clothes, thus you and I do about the same amount of work to get ready, though I also pack a breakfast and lunch. All of the other stuff (toiletries and gear) are always loaded in my pannier, thus no "planning" here.

I prepare clothing the night before, either packing bike clothing if I'll cycle in street clothes, or just setting out regular clothes if not.

Once in a while I do the whole 40 mile RT on the bike. That involves a little more planning, but not all that much. Mostly it means setting my alarm earlier.

My commute is 11 miles roundtrip. Once class is in session, I'll be leaving each morning at approximately 6:30, giving myself time to cool off and finish preparing my case outlines, not to mention allowing time for any unforeseen obstacles. I'll keep raingear packed at all times and have a full change of clothes in my locker at school, just in case.

Of course, it's not all about just getting from point A to point B. I also want to take advantage of the opportunity to boost my fitness (and I've got about two inches I'd like to drop off my waist). So, while the morning commute will be a relatively easy ride to minimize sweat, the ride home will be a series of sprints and spins. Gotta add in some intensity intervals if you want to make the most out of a commute.

And they are bullet proof, never need to sleep and when it rains they sprout an umbrella from their heads.

I've been there. It is flat as a board. And your country is smaller than the county that I live in (in case you don't know what a county is, it is a tiny division of a state, we have 120 in my state).
And my 7 year old daughter commutes faster than the riders I've seen there.

Yes my commute is short .39 miles to be exact.

No she doesn't.
Let me see, you have been to the city center of Amsterdam once, which means you know f*ck all about commuting in this country.
The size of the country is completely irrelevant, unless your commute is 250+ miles.
Or are you suggesting that Netherlands is less than .39 miles across?
Country may be flat (the western part at least) but its full of canals and rivers that have bridges high enough to let ocean going ships pass underneath. I'm pretty sure that few urban areas in US have bigger elevation changes.
I, for example, cross this one daily:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/2406223848_213f729a4c.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/512512024_30fdc9d115.jpg

Besides, Limburg province (southeast) looks like this:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2275/2245919911_7d7f22d34f.jpg
Near Nijmegen:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2250/1668507156_6d1ed2258f.jpg
Near Arnhem:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/347161141_4acde07c37.jpg
Vaals, south Limburg:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/2668445142_acc9ef9fc0.jpg



Point stands: when you are used to cycling, doing reasonably good speed on a bicycle demands just as little from your body as walking. (of course, a nice walkabout for an hour or so is besides the capabilities of many americans..)

No she doesn't.
Let me see, you have been to the city center of Amsterdam once, which means you know f*ck all about commuting in this country.
The size of the country is completely irrelevant, unless your commute is 250+ miles.
Or are you suggesting that Netherlands is less than .39 miles across?
Country may be flat (the western part at least) but its full of canals and rivers that have bridges high enough to let ocean going ships pass underneath. I'm pretty sure that few urban areas in US have bigger elevation changes.
I, for example, cross this one daily:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/2406223848_213f729a4c.jpg
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/512512024_30fdc9d115.jpg

Besides, Limburg province (southeast) looks like this:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2275/2245919911_7d7f22d34f.jpg
Near Nijmegen:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2250/1668507156_6d1ed2258f.jpg
Near Arnhem:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/347161141_4acde07c37.jpg
Vaals, south Limburg:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/2668445142_acc9ef9fc0.jpg



Point stands: when you are used to cycling, doing reasonably good speed on a bicycle demands just as little from your body as walking. (of course, a nice walkabout for an hour or so is besides the capabilities of many americans..)


What a beautiful place to be. Makes my too-brief commute look boring in comparison.

Anyway, as far as planning is concerned, most of the stuff I carry is already in the backpack. Maybe add some lunch or a snack, fill the water bottle, and go out. If it's really hot, or if I'm going to be trying to get some actual exercise out of the deal, I'll wear my wicking clothes and carry the work clothes. Really, my commute is generally so brief, that I don't really spend time planning. It's developed into a nice little routine.

Point stands: when you are used to cycling, doing reasonably good speed on a bicycle demands just as little from your body as walking. (of course, a nice walkabout for an hour or so is besides the capabilities of many americans..)

My 6,7 year old ride up a bigger hill than that bridge to school. Are those other pictures supposed to be hills?
Of course you guys are all great cyclists, that's why you've won so many Tour De France lately. Oh, well nevermind about that one. You are overestimating the capabilities of your countrymen, and underestmating the ease of commutes over there. Of course you don't sweat, when I was there in July it only got into the middle 60sF. When I was there, most of the bikers I saw were barely making beyond walking speed. So let's see, country that is tiny, flat as a board, doesn't get hot, commuters riding as slowly as possible. I guess they don't sweat much.

You don't think some of these people who have commuted for years and years long distances are " used to cycle"? Get over yourself and your sense of superiority.

My commute is about 12 mi round trip. I go from home 3 mi > train > 3 mi work. The mornings have been cool enough that I dont have to worry about sweating much, and the train's AC is nice on the ride home. Usually I just have my lunch, work clothes, and rain jacket in my pack. If I ever get a flat I'm close enough to work or home on either end that I can walk it and figure it out from there.

As an aside, while I understand the stereotype of americans that need to buy all the latest gear and senseless over-priced junk, trying to deny the value of clothes/gear made specifically for an activity is just stupid. Speaking as someone that has spent many hours hiking and snowboarding there's nothing better than haveing layers that both keep you warm and wisk sweat away or dry off fast when you get rained on. I'm not saying you need some team jersey to ride 3 mi to work, but you best believe when I start riding 10 mi each way next month for school that I'm gonna be rocking some padded shorts.

I grab the bike closest to the front door that doesn't have a flat tire.

I commute 22 miles round trip, but don't spend a lot of time "planning." I use a large seatbag (Carradice Barley) and keep all of my tools, inflator, spare tube, etc. in the side pockets all of the time. The only planning I do is to pack whatever clothes or food I bring with me to work each day. I don't do that until just before I leave in the morning. The secret to commuting is to make every routine so you don't forget something. The only time I ever forget something is when my routine gets broken -- such as when my wife gets up early on occasion and starts asking me all sorts of questions just before I leave for work. That causes all sorts of problems ... in more ways than one.

My commute is about 6 or 7 miles each way. Sometimes I'll make it a 10 or 15 mile trip on the way home.

I wouldn't call what I do "planning". I select my clothes for work in the morning (just as I would if I were driving) and pack them in my messenger bag. I put on whatever clothes I'm going to ride in. In the winter that involves a few layers but, again, it's nothing really "planned" as I do it the morning of.

I pack a lunch too, but again I would do that regardless. The other thing I do is try to remember a water bottle.

There's various bike maintenance issues that I deal with but it's not any different than making sure I change the oil now and then in a car. I also keep a spare tube + patches in a seat bag. In my car I keep an ice scraper and jumper cables. I don't consider that stuff "commute planning".

I did one-time planning for my commute when I set up my seat bag with the necessities: Tubes, levers, patches, etc.

Now it takes me longer to plan what I'm packing for lunch than it takes to plan my commute. I get up, walk the dog (which allows me to check the weather and decide on what to wear for the ride), get dressed to ride, and I roll.

Of course you guys are all great cyclists, that's why you've won so many Tour De France lately.

aww, maddyfish is suffering from a badly inflated competitive nature.
Not to mention a misplaced sense of patriotism (someone dared to compare the people of a SMALL country with AMERICANS! Oh the noez, send in Nimitz Battle Group!! )

And what was that irrational crap about "they are bullet proof, never need to sleep and when it rains they sprout an umbrella from their heads"?? What are you, a 12 year old girl in the middle of a menstruation cycle?

(of course, a nice walkabout for an hour or so is besides the capabilities of many americans..)

Owch. :crash:

aww, maddyfish is suffering from a badly inflated competitive nature.
Not to mention a misplaced sense of patriotism (someone dared to compare the people of a SMALL country with AMERICANS! Oh the noez, send in Nimitz Battle Group!! )


The Nimitz Battle Group is busy with the Swedes. They claimed they were better at riding trains than we were or something like that. Come to think of it, that might have been the Germans. You're pretty much all the same to us anyway ;)

...unfortunately, work/school/gym/rugby pitch/parents' are all a little far from my home, so I have a little planning, but the usual stuff as I leave for all day: sport stuff, lunch, work clothes, books n papers, shoes... That's most of my planning but it can get pretty tricky sometimes!

I don't usually have a toolkit: sometimes only my multitool. Never too far from home, always in the city, so if I'm really in BIG trouble with my bike, I'll lock it somewhere, take the bus home and leave earlier in the morning to fix it/bring it to shop. Do I have to say thievery is not a big problem up here in Qc city (except at the University, but even there.... )???

7 mile. Only ride one way. the way TO work is bus.
plan? yes.
I need to catch my bus.
Make sure I got lunch and cash for bus.
make sure I got my riding gear in a backpack. (Summer: shorts and Tshirt. Winter: clear sunglasses and later goggles. Head skullcap and later full cover baklava. gloves and later 2x gloves. long jersey and later thermal undershirt. rain pants. shell. fleece etc depending on weather. I love non-winter riding, there is so little to take.)
I time my eating during the day for the ride home.
my gike has a bag with spare tube, CO2 pump, and tools. the bare minimum.
phone to call the wife in case I really get stuck.
I think thats all.

You are overestimating the capabilities of your countrymen.

Fortunately, few here have overestimated the levels of your insecurity. What's the deal with insulting an entire group of people you don't even know? What are you trying to prove here? That all cyclists from Kentucky need to look down on Europeans? I'm from KY, and the hills here aren't that big of a deal. Unless you literally commute 20 miles up and down cliffs--both ways--lighten up, Francis, and take some time off until you no longer need to swing the e-peen so hard. Not every American wakes up in the morning thinking everything's so goddam better just because it happens to be in America.


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/512512024_30fdc9d115.jpg

Gorgeous picture. Wouldn't mind a view like that riding to class.

Fortunately, few here have overestimated the levels of your insecurity. What's the deal with insulting an entire group of people you don't even know? What are you trying to prove here? That all cyclists from Kentucky need to look down on Europeans? I'm from KY, and the hills here aren't that big of a deal. Unless you literally commute 20 miles up and down cliffs--both ways--lighten up, Francis, and take some time off until you no longer need to swing the e-peen so hard. Not every American wakes up in the morning thinking everything's so goddam better just because it happens to be in America.



Yowza!

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee259/Cyruswolf23/pwned-2.jpg

My commute is just under 3 miles, and I suppose I do plan somewhat. I often ride different bikes to work, so I have to make sure my multi-tool, pump, spare tubes, etc. are on the bike I plan to take. I also usually take my lunch, and I choose which bike to take based on rain, whether I intend to get groceries after work, etc. I don't really wear any special clothes, but if it's raining I take spare clothes and in the winter I wear a rain coat. But other than that I just wear the clothes I work in.

6 Miles each way, I pack my lunch for work and my laptop into one pannier, pack my work clothes (shirt, pants) into my other pannier and off I go.

Planning.... hmmm.

I guess I have to make sure I wash clothes at least every three days (3 bibs in rotation). Add air to the tires every other day. That's the extent of it.

I used to check the weather when I woke up, but haven't done that in a long time. I let them talk me into driving a couple of times - which I ALWAYS regretted.

i only need to go 4 miles (each way)

- i get up, showered and dressed.
- pack a lunch sometimes, fill up my water bottle, throw everything in my bag (sometimes extra shirt if i am wearing a jersey to work)
- ride to the coffee shop, get a coffee, walk 2 blocks while i drink.
- hop on bike and off to work

Same exact motions as if i was driving, just substitute the walking while drinking coffee to driving.

My commute is about 8.5 miles each way... my preparation includes taking a shower and getting dressed. (Seems like a good idea, right?)

Anyway... I ride in the same clothes I work in, don't do any special packing or anything, so I just go. After a few 120 to 380 mile rides, 8.5 miles just doesn't seem that daunting anymore. ;)

Country may be flat (the western part at least) but its full of canals and rivers that have bridges high enough to let ocean going ships pass underneath. I'm pretty sure that few urban areas in US have bigger elevation changes.
I, for example, cross this one daily:

....

Yeah, ok. I count my commute as relatively flat and have 3 hills that are at least twice as high (and much steeper) than any of those bridges. ;)

My last job my commute had much more climbing than the current one.

But why snipe at each other? You've got just about an ideal commuting situation... enjoy it. ;)

ps: Oh... and don't forget weather... I've ridden everything from -12F to 105F in the last couple of years... Blizzards, thunderstorms, flash floods, heat waves, hail, you name it.

I hear the weather there tends to be a little nicer. :D Maybe I should move there.

Nobody in this country plans for commute. Because ppl are used to cycle, they can make good speed without breaking sweat and arrive at their destinations fresh as a daisy

12 kilometer commute is unheard of in your country (and the wife of your future king is not even a national)