Anyone just a commuter?
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Anyone just a commuter?
I know a lot of you guys do trails and centurys and very nice long rides(I read them all). It looks wonderful but right now thats not my thing. I work 60 hour weeks and I need time to do my laundry and stuff LOL girls got to have clean clothes!! So basically I ride to and fro work . I walk to do my laundry and food shopping but use the bike to go visit friends locally and do other things (library,P.O....etc) I plan on visiting friends and going to fairs which are farther away by bike. Right now I hop on the train or bus. Anyone else here live like that? I know some of you do both but right now I dont have time for that like I said before. I really want to be full bike person without the use of a car. I think Im getting there.
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Commuting is a great way to get some exercise, and to spend time on the bike without taking it away from other things you need to do. But it's not my only riding.
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I commute and ride my bike for all the reasons - fun, cost, speed, and weight loss. I used to ride trails and things on the weekends for fun and found it to be OK but commuting really does the wight loss trick in my opinion, gets the heart going morning and night. Leave early and add length as needed for effect.
#6
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I started out commuting, and that was pretty much most of my miles for a few years. This year I finally recognized that my new, longer, 17 mile (one-way) commute is just not logistically possible, at least not all the time. So now I ride at night, after prime time (dinner time, etc.), when my wife settles down to do her school work.
The good thing about commuting is you double commit: Once you ride to work, you have to ride the same distance home. That's one way to get the miles in, and it definitely helped me get back into the mentality of cycling.
The good thing about commuting is you double commit: Once you ride to work, you have to ride the same distance home. That's one way to get the miles in, and it definitely helped me get back into the mentality of cycling.
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I started out commuting.
Then running errands.
If you get a rear rack, and strap a good sized milk carton on it, you can carry a lot of stuff. I can get a lot of my shopping done that way. Laundry? Well... maybe a single load at a time, but most ppl I know have at least two loads per trip to the laundromat.
A lot of people mix bike riding and public transportation in the same trip. Buses often have racks on the front for a couple of bikes. For longer distances, that can work well, and end up being faster than the bus or the bike alone - ride to a main route, hop the bus, and ride the rest of the way. By avoiding transfers (and the wait for them), you can end up with a faster commute than bus alone.
Then running errands.
If you get a rear rack, and strap a good sized milk carton on it, you can carry a lot of stuff. I can get a lot of my shopping done that way. Laundry? Well... maybe a single load at a time, but most ppl I know have at least two loads per trip to the laundromat.
A lot of people mix bike riding and public transportation in the same trip. Buses often have racks on the front for a couple of bikes. For longer distances, that can work well, and end up being faster than the bus or the bike alone - ride to a main route, hop the bus, and ride the rest of the way. By avoiding transfers (and the wait for them), you can end up with a faster commute than bus alone.
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My family is car free. When I first started riding a bike it was the most miserable yet fun thing ever. Now doing it for a couple hours at a time is no problem. The big problem now is bike collecting. Our little garage has 8 bikes in it: 4 city/hybrid bikes, a road bike and three folders. I keep wanting to buy more
must... stop... buying.. bikes......
Oh.. and check out the "living car free" forum on here. Lots of nice folks with lots of good ideas.
must... stop... buying.. bikes......
Oh.. and check out the "living car free" forum on here. Lots of nice folks with lots of good ideas.
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My family is car free. When I first started riding a bike it was the most miserable yet fun thing ever. Now doing it for a couple hours at a time is no problem. The big problem now is bike collecting. Our little garage has 8 bikes in it: 4 city/hybrid bikes, a road bike and three folders. I keep wanting to buy more
must... stop... buying.. bikes......
Oh.. and check out the "living car free" forum on here. Lots of nice folks with lots of good ideas.
must... stop... buying.. bikes......
Oh.. and check out the "living car free" forum on here. Lots of nice folks with lots of good ideas.
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I'm mainly a commuter as well. I like using the bike for things like shopping, it makes me feel independent somehow in a way that just driving there in the van does not.
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My family never had a car. I remember us walking or taking the public transportation every where. We rode bikes too. I remember the biggest thing was walking the dog. Most of out neighbors kept them in the yard but we always walked our dogs. We had a sheep dog that I had to wrap the leash around my waist to keep him pulling me down. LOL He was adorable and his name was Leo. We also never had had to trim their nails. The pavement alway toned them down. I really miss the simple way we lived and thats why I won't get a car. Had nice memories being with the family walking and biking.
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I started out in the beginning of June just commuting a few miles to work and back every day. Now I go on 20-30 mile rides, ride with friends in the evenings, and can't get enough of it. The only thing I've used a car for since June is to pick up my son's from their mother's house. I couldn't be more happy with this new lifestyle. I'm ordering studded tires for my MTB so I can keep on commuting this winter even, since I live in Michigan. I know a doctor that rides all winter and he claims that there's no weather too cold to ride in if you have the right clothing so I'm going to follow his lead I guess haha.
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I was not a commuter until June; everything I did was purely recreational. Then once the days started getting shorter I was finding that I no longer had time to do long rides at night anymore, with a whole hour gone from the evening. Thus I decided to start commuting so I could get in an easy 40 miles on a weekday.
I still recreationally ride, but that's mostly on the weekends now, as my commuting trips on the weekdays have pretty much replaced my evening exercise. However I have absolutely no plans to cease my weekend rides for fun!!
I still recreationally ride, but that's mostly on the weekends now, as my commuting trips on the weekdays have pretty much replaced my evening exercise. However I have absolutely no plans to cease my weekend rides for fun!!
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I know a lot of you guys do trails and centurys and very nice long rides(I read them all). It looks wonderful but right now thats not my thing. I work 60 hour weeks and I need time to do my laundry and stuff LOL girls got to have clean clothes!! So basically I ride to and fro work . I walk to do my laundry and food shopping but use the bike to go visit friends locally and do other things (library,P.O....etc) I plan on visiting friends and going to fairs which are farther away by bike. Right now I hop on the train or bus. Anyone else here live like that? I know some of you do both but right now I dont have time for that like I said before. I really want to be full bike person without the use of a car. I think Im getting there.
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No-one should ever think of themselves as "just" a commuter. It takes a certain mental toughness to ride to work every day, especially if you have to go through heavy traffic for any part of it.
My husband is retired and now has time to do really long highway rides, but doesn't like functional riding in town at all - the denser traffic scares him. So, he used to be in awe of me when we lived in a much larger city and I commuted through the downtown rush hour to get to work.
Actually, if your commute is long enough, you can gain quite a bit of fitness from it. When I raced on the velodrome years ago, I found that the frequent starts of downtown riding were perfect training for the standing starts and sprints of track racing.
My husband is retired and now has time to do really long highway rides, but doesn't like functional riding in town at all - the denser traffic scares him. So, he used to be in awe of me when we lived in a much larger city and I commuted through the downtown rush hour to get to work.
Actually, if your commute is long enough, you can gain quite a bit of fitness from it. When I raced on the velodrome years ago, I found that the frequent starts of downtown riding were perfect training for the standing starts and sprints of track racing.
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I started out an occasional (few days a week) commuter for 2 years. Still do that when it isn't so hot out, but do mountain biking when it is too hot for me to commute. I also use my bike for errands...well, actually, now I have 3 bikes; a hybrid comfort bike that I use for short errands and some greenways, my transend commuter bike for road commutes, and a rockhopper for mountain biking. My roommate has caught the bug, she has a mountain bike and road commuter, and my best friend bought a mountain bike a couple weeks ago. It's great!
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I only commute, with plans to ride more later on. I commute to save gas and exercise. But honestly its too easy (in a way) for me. My commute is 12 miles round trip, through the city, on a flat bike path. There are minor inclines but im talkin 10 seconds max then it levels out. And even those kill me. Hopefully I will be able to ride more in the future, but Im no where close to trail riding, mountain biking, or centuries or anything like that. And it does help, when you ride to work, you know you have to ride home. Although sometimes my wife will show up and have an idea for us to go do something then i unfortunatly leave my bike at work(hahah) But that creates a big mess cuz then I have to drive to work, drive home for lunch, have wife come back with me at lunch to take the car, then bike home.
Not much weight loss yet because I havent been consistent with my bike riding, but im now trying to pick it up and ride 4 days out of the week.
Not much weight loss yet because I havent been consistent with my bike riding, but im now trying to pick it up and ride 4 days out of the week.
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Now that we have a daughter and 2 granddaughters living with us, none of which have any income, prospects, skills or much of a work ethic (well cept the 1yr old...she could be a baby model ), I don't have time for organized rides, charity rides, racing or any of that stuff....but I do try to get in some nice rec/touring rides in on the weekend. I can usually sneak in about a 40 mile solo ride and a 30-50 mile rec/tourist ride with my wife on the weekends...otherwise commuting and some errands are about all the cycling we get. My wife works from home and gets off work an hour before me, so she rides up to my work and rides home with me when she can. The beauty of commuting is that your cycling becomes part of your day...you don't have to make time for it!
PSA: Kids, they always come back...and they bring reinforcements!
PSA: Kids, they always come back...and they bring reinforcements!
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
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Commuting is most of my riding these days. I normally ride 5 days a week on my 18.6 round trip commute. I used to ride more on weekends but life keeps getting in my way. I am hoping to crank up my weekend miles so I will be ready to ride some brevets next year. First one is in January so I need to start soon.
Commuting is a great reason to ride and my preferred mode of transport.
Commuting is a great reason to ride and my preferred mode of transport.
#20
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I only commute, with plans to ride more later on. I commute to save gas and exercise. But honestly its too easy (in a way) for me. My commute is 12 miles round trip, through the city, on a flat bike path. There are minor inclines but im talkin 10 seconds max then it levels out. And even those kill me. Hopefully I will be able to ride more in the future, but Im no where close to trail riding, mountain biking, or centuries or anything like that. And it does help, when you ride to work, you know you have to ride home. Although sometimes my wife will show up and have an idea for us to go do something then i unfortunatly leave my bike at work(hahah) But that creates a big mess cuz then I have to drive to work, drive home for lunch, have wife come back with me at lunch to take the car, then bike home.
Not much weight loss yet because I havent been consistent with my bike riding, but im now trying to pick it up and ride 4 days out of the week.
Not much weight loss yet because I havent been consistent with my bike riding, but im now trying to pick it up and ride 4 days out of the week.
#21
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Commuting is most of my riding these days. I normally ride 5 days a week on my 18.6 round trip commute. I used to ride more on weekends but life keeps getting in my way. I am hoping to crank up my weekend miles so I will be ready to ride some brevets next year. First one is in January so I need to start soon.
Commuting is a great reason to ride and my preferred mode of transport.
Commuting is a great reason to ride and my preferred mode of transport.
#22
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I couldnt be much further from you unless I lived out of united states, I live down in Southern California! I just left a message with someone else who also does a 12 mile round trip but they live in BC.
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I cant wait till my off road tires wear out so I can get some slicks and see how much of a difference it makes. Some people say it doesnt make much of a difference and some say it is a huge difference. My bike is also a dinasaur too.. 42 lbs... But that is what im stuck with until I lose some weight and reward myself with another bike, that should be interesting when that happens.
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Brevets are long rides that are not races and no one wins.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brevet_%28cycling%29
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brevet_%28cycling%29
Yeah I know what you mean. Come every Saturday Im so tired (after a 60 hour week)I fall asleep at noon and wake up for dinner. Really I started taking a 15 min nap at work and that really helps. What are brevets? A race or tour thingie? This Sat. Planning a trail ride(short but not for you) of sorts. Just local through the state park.