Longhorn

Ever since the idea popped into my head (after reading these forums, thank you very much! ) I've been trying to figure out how to pull off commuting to work. As with most of us, there are many obstacles.

Route "choices":

1. A somewhat rolling ten-mile shot down a busy four-lane highway with several stretches of no shoulders and posted speed limits of 65 to 55 mph. Austin Cycling Association rates the "stress level" of this highway as "high, very uncomfortable." I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen cyclists on this highway in the ten years we've lived out here. By contrast, I see dozens of cyclists on roads that ACA rates as "medium/high, uncomfortable." In other words, for me, at least, this is not a choice.

2. A network of curvy, rolling, two-lane rural roads (with one 0.1-mile overlap on the above-mentioned highway.) This route is about 7 miles longer due to it's meandering. Fortunately, there's a light at the intersection where I would have to enter the highway and I can go directly into a center turning lane all the way to the point where I leave it. However, there is no light for my left turn but there should be enough gaps in traffic to safely make the turn. Coming home, I'll be able to ride the right shoulder.

Ability:

I've only been riding since March (I'm an almost 50-year-old female) so I have a lot to learn as far as safety, ability, and endurance. I'm starting by riding after work as far down my proposed route as I can before it gets dark (I don't get off until 8 p.m.) I've ordered lights, reflective shirts, and mirrors. I've also ordered the Shimano M324 clipless pedals that are platform on one side. I worry too much about being clipped in when I go up hills (because I go really slow and have to stop frequently to catch my breath, even in the lowest gear) but it's also not easy to stay unclipped on clipless pedals without my feet slipping or clipping in unintentionally. Once I'm stronger and more confident, I can go back to the dual-sided clipless.

Logistics:

No shower at my campus (I'm a teacher and tutor) so I'll have to clean up in the restroom. I rode the other morning in my neighborhood (talk about hills!) and cleaned up at home *as if* I didn't have a shower and it worked out okay. (If I stank, no one told me! )

The plan:

As soon as my gear comes and I feel comfortable using it all, I'm going to see if I can park closer to my campus and commute from there. There's a convenience store, a storage facility, and a propane plant that are good candidates if they'll let me park there. (At the very least, I guess I could pay rent at the storage facility.) I only work four days a week and I have a ton of stuff to carry home on weekends (I teach two to four math courses a semester -- remember how big those math textbooks are?) so I will probably start off with two days a week. I'm thinking if it works out okay, I'll ask for a second set of textbooks to keep at home and then I may be able to ride the other days, too. As I improve, I can also try to park further away, though there aren't a lot of places to park on the rural roads. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it -- *literally* -- there are two low-water crossings on that second segment, if I ever get that far!

I've learned a lot about all of this by reading this board and I hope to learn even more and someday, truly join your ranks. Thanks!

Romulus

Congratulations on the decision, and courage... Why did you decide to commute by bicycle?

It sounds like you are well set, worked out the route, and such. If it's a high traffic route, consider traveling down during low peak times, really early in the morning. Make sure you have high visibility stuff to make sure everybody mentions you. And you'll be fine if you are careful. Ride everyday before to get really good feel of the bike, soon the bike becomes almost part of you. Good luck

Marylandnewbie

Longhorn, it sounds like you've done all the research and planning that you can do for a commute. I think you have a very reasonable and adjustable plan. You are wise to work up to the commute slowly and realize that things will change as you grow stronger and more confident. You will probably be surprised at how quickly your strength and confidence improve. Enjoy the ride and keep us posted on your progress.

bubble head

Just go for it. You have a good plan, I started driving part way when I started. The most amazing thing about my first full commute was that it was very doable. I was worried about what to do if I didn't make it on time or if something happened. The hardest part was explaining to my coworkers that I wasn't crazy. Depending on when you leave maybe the short route in the morning and the longer in the afternoon or vice versa depending on when it is busiest. Best of luck.

Santaria

Gratz Longhorn.

As far as the visibility - if people don't comment on how 'bright, obnoxious, insane' you are for what your wearing, its not enough.

I have a jersey I wear on my ride home (at midnight) that is, as my co-workers put it "Can you hear me now yellow?" or "Bright enough to hurt a deaf persons ears."

I know its bright, and I'm glad.

Like I said, gratz on the decision - stay safe.

Longhorn

Thanks for the encouragement, y'all! My husband and I usually ride on Sunday mornings so we decided to ride my proposed route tomorrow, at least the leg between campus and the place I would park. I should be able to time the ride and then have an idea of how much to allow, especially for the trip over. On two of the days, I teach a class first thing so being late would be a big deal!


You know, I've been thinking about that question all day and I guess I'd have to say that I like the idea of the "forced" exercise -- at least, on the way home. Plus, I just think it's a really cool thing to do and I hope it's fun, too. And ever since I started thinking about it, it represents an achievement that I'd like to experience. I've never been what anyone would consider an athlete so this may be the closest I'll ever come -- a bike commuter!

jur

Go for it!!

I started likewise, drove some distance in, parked the car and cycled the rest, gradually increasing the riding distance. I found that the time spent loading/unloading the bike from the car, putting the front wheel in, hooking in the brakes, putting on helmet etc etc, actually took as long as riding from home to the parking place. That made the jump to cycling the entire distance much easier, although I was still knackered the first couple of times.

lilHinault

OR do what I did today! Bright yellow jersey, yellow messenger bag, and an almost 3-foot long road sign in it!! Well, part of the sign was in it....... I had it secure, honest. I didn't get buzzed by any cars today!

genec

The park and ride plan sounds like a good way to start off. You might want to use the longer route and just consider it a long fun ride on the way in.

As for your cleanup, a sponge bath works quite well. Get a big washcloth and a big towel and you can use all the water you need. Did that for years at various offices. Baby wipes or Wet wipes also help.

Funniest thing that ever happened to me was standing in the restroom stark naked and washing off when a co-worker brought a client by to use the facilities. Learned to lock the door after that... Just a word to the wise.

Good luck too ya.

HiYoSilver

Double check the routes. Provide rough idea of start point and end point and see if any local rides can think of Route C. My current route is route E. Route A and B seemed logical until tried riding them. Routes C and D were dropped after observing other cyclists taking a variant route and having a better commute.

blown cue

Consider giving yourself a mandatory five minute rest halfway to three-quarters of the way home when you are starting out. Chances are you might be hungry, thirsty, tired or a combination thereof when riding home from work. Even if you don't think you need it, it's insurance against an accident due to fatigue.

Longhorn

These are excellent suggestions! Thank you!

Our ride this morning went very well. I was a little worried at first because the worst hills are near my campus and I was beginning to wonder if I can really do this. But it got better after I left the neighborhood and the first rural road was really fun. It has some inclines but I never had to drop out of my 2nd chainring to handle them.

We were passed by a group of cyclists on the way and they were at the convenience store when we got there. It turns out, it was the president of the Austin Cycling Association and four or five friends. We started talking and he was very helpful. He told me I have a good bike for commuting (Trek 1200) and gave me some advice on clipping in, etc. He commutes, too, though through neighborhoods with bike lanes, for the most part. He really made me feel good about my plan. He agreed that he would avoid U.S. 290.

Our round trip travel time took us about two hours, including the times I had to stop and rest going up hills, and it was just about 14 miles. I noticed several places that I may be able to park if the convenience store doesn't work out.

I've decided to start with an even shorter route on Tuesday because I can get to that spot before dark. Then when my new headlight arrives this week, and if I feel like I'm ready, I can bump it up to the route we took today and see what happens.

I'm thinking that when I'm ready to go farther, I might just take the highway west from the convenience store because traffic is much less congested when you get that far from town. There are some sections with no shoulders but visibility is good so I think I can take the lane in those sections. When I can do that, I can bike the entire commute! But one revolution at a time.

Thanks again!

supcom

Keep in mind that if you are driving part way, you can start about anywhere you like. You can look for a grocery store, walmart, shopping mall, etc that is at the distance you want to ride from work. You could also look for a starting point that has more friendly roads, less hills, a bike path, etc.

Longhorn

Today was my first day on my drive-bike commute -- 14 miles roundtrip on the bike! When I got home yesterday, my headlight and pedals had come, as well as my cute little "commuter skirts" -- it was a sign that I was ready to get going!

I left three hours before I actually had to be there so I wouldn't have to worry about delays and because it was cooler (only mid-80s at 97 percent humidity! ) I stopped at the nursing home and asked if I could park there but the gal at the desk said she would rather I didn't as the parking lot gets pretty full. So I went to the church next door and that gal was happy to let me park there. Initially, I didn't want to park there because there's a big hill leading into the parking lot and my route is already full of hills but it turns out it's one of those hills that looks worse than it is. The ride went well, though there was more traffic on part of the route than there had been on Sunday. It took me about 50 minutes, with several brief rest/water stops. The hills near campus are something else! It took me 30 minutes to go one-third of the distance and 20 to do the other two-thirds!

When I got to school, one of the campus policemen was out writing tickets and I asked him about parking my bike. Turns out, there's a bike rack right next to one of the entrances to the building! I brought one of those practically weightless woven nylon mesh shopping bags that I got down on the Mexican border and it was perfect for stowing my helmet and gear to carry up to my office. I was soaking wet with sweat and my face was beet red, as it always gets when I exercise. I had brought clothing and toiletries when I drove on Monday so after I showed off to all my fellow tutors in the learning lab, I headed to the restroom (on a floor not normally frequented by students) and cleaned up. My biggest concern was my hair but I rubbed it down with a wet washcloth and let it dry and it looked great! (It's shoulder length and very fine so dries quickly.)

I was on Cloud 9 all day!

I dismissed my evening class a little early but one of the students hung around and yakked and yakked, even though she knew I needed to get going (I bragged about it to everyone I know!) When I went to change into my riding clothes, they were still soaking wet even though they had been hanging on a coatrack for nine hours! Ick! My ride home started with a little blip. I had accidentally clipped into my left pedal and almost fell but, fortunately, my husband had replaced my cleats with the multi-directional cleats that came with my new pedals so I came unclipped just in time. However, something about that maneuver caused my chain to come off. It's the first time I've put it back on myself -- no biggie but my fingers were covered in grease with nothing to clean them with so I got it everywhere. I got to my car before dark -- I turned on all my lights to be seen but didn't really need them to see. I even passed another cyclist coming the other direction and I could see her light a mile away -- I hope mine were as visible.

I used an ergonomic shoulder bag that I forgot I had and it worked well -- sort of like a triagular-shaped messenger bag. I put water bottles in my outside jersey pockets and the bag rode between them, which helped keep it from sliding off my back. It's big enough to hold a few folders and a textbook, along with my wallet, small first aid kit, keys, etc. I also wore a fanny pack (Luna bars) but didn't really need it. And I kept all my lights, sunglasses, etc. in a handlebar bag. I have a wedge bag for my toolkit and extra tube (that I don't yet know how to change.) I have a little storage container that fits in my bottle cage but I'm thinking I don't really need it either. Man, it takes time to learn how to travel right -- "Overkill" used to be my middle name!

Lessons learned from the first day:

1. Bring an extra set of riding clothes for the ride home.
2. Pack some wet wipes for cleaning my hands.
3. Don't bring home a textbook unless I really, really have to! Talk about weight! And when I was almost home, I realized that my need for it could have waited until I was back at school tomorrow. It's still sitting in my bag and I'm headed for bed as soon as I post this!
4. I think my bike is secure due to its location but I need a second lock -- the one I have is a cable but the padlock is pretty cheap.
5. Consider bringing clothes daily instead of driving on Mondays to haul them all up there.
6. Consider installing the rack with folding side baskets that I used to have on my mountain bike. Then I really could ride every day.
7. And really important -- DON'T WEAR CONCEALER UNDER MY EYES when I ride! It looks really funny when the rest of my face is beet red!

I'm exhausted and wondering if I can do this again tomorrow but I'm going to try.

DonD

Congrats on getting out there and doing it. I've only been commuting for a month, but my motto now is 'no excuses'. Meaning if I'm feeling lazy in the morning, don't want to leave early to allow the extra time, there's a 'chance' of showers..whatever the reason, I force myself to ride anyway.

I just know that once I make an excuse 'it's too hot today', for instance, I'll be prone to using it again and again. And truthfully, once I get on the bike and start going, I'm so glad I'm cycling.

As for why -I- do it: I know I would not otherwise spend this amount of time exercising on such a regular basis. I enjoy the ride. I enjoy being outdoors. And I feel like I'm doing something beneficial for my health.

- Don

Marylandnewbie

Congrats Longhorn, I sounds like you are well along the path of becoming a bike commuter. I think everyone on here went through the same logistical issues and how to pack our stuff. It sorts itself after a few trips, although changes in season do force some rethinking and rearrangement.

I was really surprised when I read your reasons for bike commuting since they so closely match my own. The disciplined exercise schedule was necessary to lose the weight I want to lose, but even more was the idea of tackling an athletic challenge and doing it. I am hardly putting the roadies to shame, but it is a marvelous sense of accomplishment -- especially as I have watched my commuting times decline.

Its nice to see that your plan is working out so well for you. Its a good lesson for other new commuters who are not athletic bike riders. Keep it up and I'm sure you will see gradual improvements.

primaryreality

6. Consider installing the rack with folding side baskets that I used to have on my mountain bike. Then I really could ride every day.

I know that baskets are considered oh so uncool and unfashionable now, but I have double baskets on the back of my commuter (well, it's really my everything bike, because I only have one) and you can't beat them for convenience. I toss in whatever I need to take with me and am out the door, no packing any bags, no carrying anything on me, no strapping things down, and no worry about having to remove expensive panniers or other bags from the bike. They're also fabulous for trips to the grocery store or the odd garage sale on Saturday morning or whatever; I've been taking 40-50 mile fun rides on the weekends, and throwing in a picnic lunch to have by the river, and a couple of extra water bottles. I love my baskets!

Longhorn

It turns out that the rack won't fit my bike so I'm going to my LBS tomorrow to get a new rack. I'll see what they have as far as baskets vs. panniers. I know they make a pannier that converts to a backpack that might be good for me since I'm a teacher. But your post reminded me how much I liked the baskets for all the reasons you mentioned when I used to ride a little years ago -- mostly just to and from the store a few blocks away. The ones I had rattled a lot so that would be the only drawback for me but maybe they have some better ones now. Thanks!

Longhorn

I already find myself *almost* considering not riding but then I remember how much I want to lose weight! And you're right, once I'm on the road, I'm glad I chose to ride. Thanks!

Longhorn

Thanks, MD! There are a couple of custodians at my school who are very nice and we've always chit-chatted as I pass them in the lobby, etc., mostly about my sportscar. When they saw me come in yesterday, red-faced, sweaty, decked out in my flourescent bike garb and wearing my red helmet, they almost didn't recognize me. But when I said hi, they were practically jumping up and down in praise of me. I can't put into words how proud I was! Yes, it's only seven (hilly, did I mention how hilly it is ) miles and it takes me a long time but, dang it, I'll be 50 in August and have never been athletic and this is quite an accomplishment for me! My tutoring lab manager is now calling me, "Kendra Armstrong" and I love it!

jur

Regarding your clothes that were still damp, make sure you are wearing NO COTTON. Everything polyester. Cotton holds on to moisture like a cactus, while polyester dries very fast. In fact, you may arrive dry in the first place, since polyester will get the sweat to evaporate.

Longhorn

Not a bit of cotton on me, can you believe it? It's just so hot and humid here that my clothes were soaked, almost as if I had showered in them! However, it's true that not all "noncotton" fabrics are created equal. The Alert Shirt has been drying in just a few hours, plenty of time for me to wear it back home. But the Nashbar bike shorts and nylon sports bras were still damp so I'm keeping an extra set at work. I've been spending money like crazy on cycling but eventually, I'd like to get better quality bike shorts.