sauerwald

Background - I have a new job, where I work approx 10 1/2 hrs per day M-Th (I work half days on Fridays) - and I commute on my bike - the commute is about an hour each way, so I leave home before my wife gets up, and get home late. There has been some tension in the house lately because 'I am never home'. Wednesday there was an occaision where my wife and I had a long drive in the car, and she asked my why I ride my bike to/from work - was it to get the exercise, for environmental reasons, what? I had to think about it for a bit, but here is what I shared with her:

Exercise is a part of it - I feel much more healthy and alive when I exercise regularly, although I admit that 2hrs per day is probably more than I really need.

Environmental stewardship is a part of it, although my car gets 48mpg on Biodiesel, so it is not really a contributor to greenhouse gasses but still....

But for me, the real reason that I commute is that during my commute I feel that I am a part of the environment - you smell the bakeries as you ride past, the coffee shops with bacon cooking, you greet other walkers and cyclists on your route, and sort of get to know them - when commuting in your car, you get sealed into your own little chamber and are isolated from the communities that you are going through. I was thinking about this during my ride home last night (pouring rain, so a good time to reconsider bicycle commuting ) when I rode past a house with a thick odor of a wood fire keeping them warm, followed quickly by the sight of a chipmunk taking shelter in their woodpile. It is for those moments that I ride.

Why do you commute on a bicycle?

dalmore

I started commuting by bike because I felt it was a way to incorporate exercise into my daily routine. If I just compare the commute times - it takes me more total time to commute 2 hours a day vs. 90-100 minutes but if I add in a 45-60 minute workout then it's actually a timesaver.

However, I continue to commute because it's invigorating. the endorphines, clears my head ... but mostly because I feel like a kid when I ride a bike.

Sammyboy

Yeah, likewise a variety of reasons. My commute is short - 3.5 miles to the station, and only once or twice a week (I work from home, unless I'm on client sites in London), but I'm building a second bike to keep in London, so I ride that end too. I now go as car lite as I can, riding to do all my errands etc too, everything but the big grocery shop, or where I have to carry something huge.

Environmentalism is part of it. I have what you guys in the states call a Minivan - very practical for lots of things I do, including transporting my music gear, but a bit of a guzzler, so whenever I can, I leave it at home. Cost too, there's the fuel, and then, if I drive to the station, I choose either to pay to park it, or to walk so far that it's no quicker than cycling anyway, and all those little trips round town, and to the grocery store, eat up fuel. I like to fill my car no more than once every 3 weeks, unless I'm going on some big trip!

Then there's excercise. For so long I've tried to incorporate something into my routine, but I hate running, or just doing weights and pushups etc, so persuading myself to get up at 6:30 to do those things was always hard. Cycling is fun, so I can get up and do it even when I don't commute (in fact, I ride much further, the days I don't have to go to the station!).

Also, it just feels good. I enjoy it while I'm doing it, I don't notice the work I'm putting in like I do with other excercise, I'm out in the air, and just riding a bike is fun. When you have urban traffic to joust with, it also focusses the mind.

knucklesandwich

It takes me 10 minutes to drive into work in the morning, and 20-30 to get home, because of traffic. I can bike each way in 25 minutes, so for ~15 more 'commuting minutes' I get in a workout of almost an hour. I'm also trying to keep my household to one car for as long as I can. The fiancee works in DC and takes the metro, but as her hours get longer and she started taking more and more cabs home at night (and sometimes in the morning, for early meetings) it made sense to let her drive the car and me bike.

I think I also like the psychological aspect of being able to ride to work, mostly on a path, as compared to many of my co-workers who live well outside the beltway and suffer I-495 traffic every day of their lives.

purple hayes

in order of importance

a) good exercise
b) costs less than driving
c) fun
d) environmentally friendly

Jarery

Time management.

When I get home form work the last thing I want to do is get changed and then try to get in 2 hours of exercise a day.

With commuting I leave 15 min early, get home 15 min later, and im done. With 2 hours a day of good exercise, and its an exercise program i cant cheat on. Unlike an evening ride or going to the gym, half way to work i cant decide "im done for the day" and cut it short. Once I leave the door im commited for the full 2 hours.

tacitpro

Great post!

I just started commuting 3 weeks ago. 22 mile round trip. I was using public transit most of the time and it was very hard to fit good exercise into the work week. While waiting for the bus one morning, I saw a guy on his bike with work gear and it intrigued me so I did the research (here and other places), got my bike ready and just did it.

Already have lots of positive comments from co-workers and maybe some will try, too.

I take Friday off because my wife and I also enjoy long distance running on the weekends and the legs need 1 day rest right now.

Main reasons for commuting:

1. Great way to fit exercise into schedule
2. Not forced to public transit schedule
3. Might save money (we already have only 1 car - so after I'm done buying bike gear (when?), I might save on reduced bus fares)
4. Environment
5. Novelty/fun

ncscott

Stress releif. Exercise is a treatment for depression. The body and mind work better when exersized. I would explain to your wife that you would be much more cranky without the commute.
Money, environmental, not gaining weight, yada yada yada.
Scott

crtreedude 

I was going to say that! If your job is stressful - having a nice ride home is great instead of coming in all stressed out from work AND the commute and dropping on the coach, unwilling to talk because you are afraid of what you are going to say.

Commuting for me is so that I have time to do something I wish to do - before I get hit with all the obligations. And, without the commute, excercise can become another one of those obligations.

Perhaps the issue is the working 10 1/2 hours - not the commute.

capejohn

Everything about my commute by bike is more inconvenient than by car. I have to leave home 30 minutes earlier to ride to the bus depot. I get home about an hour later than if I used the car.
But I like to bike and I like to excercise. I do them at the same time.

BTW. The bus company called and they are no longer charging to transport bikes.

eplbrooklyn

1hr 10min+ = Subway ($4.00 round trip)
50min+ = Drive (traffic; GAS - yikes!)
40-45min - Bike

My wife gave birth to our first child this Spring.

Part of it for me is the exercise time without sacrificing family time.
Part of it is how I feel the days that I ride rather than drive or take the train.
We are a one-car family and this allows my wife to have the car whenever she wants or needs it.

However, I regret not starting sooner when looking at the raw time numbers.

It is almost a no-brainer when I look at it.

sauerwald

Do we really save money on GAS? I know that I don't spend as much money at the gas pump as I did when I was commuting by car, but I am burning about 1500 extra calories per day, which is adding to my grocery bill - I haven't done the math, but I am not sure that I am saving money on fuel. One thing is for certain - I'd much prefer filling the tank with burritos than with Diesel!

For me, the economics are not one of the driving factors for the bike commute.

giantcfr1

When I shifted to Japan to live I realized I didn't have a need to buy a car. The bicycle is a major part of society here and I'd even say it is the most popular way to commute here.
Steve.

Linchpin

[QUOTE=sauerwald]Do we really save money on GAS? I know that I don't spend as much money at the gas pump as I did when I was commuting by car, but I am burning about 1500 extra calories per day, which is adding to my grocery bill - QUOTE]

Well, if we strictly look at calories, for 2 and a half bucks I can get a jar of peanut butter and the entire jar contains about 8000 calories thanks to the higher fat content which has double the calories of carbs and protien.
I roughly burn 1000 - 1400 calories on my 20 mile round trip commute which means I could bike to and from work a total of 5 round trips which equates out to 20 miles for 50 cents of fuel, not too shabby, not even hybrid cars get that kinda mileage

wow, my first post in almost a year

Wulfheir

a) get to go commando
b) get to wear spandex without going to a yoga studio
c) get to wear fluorescents without being on a work site with heavy equipment
d) if it's good enough for Jack Layton, it's good enough for me

chimpunk

1) It's more fun that driving / Very relaxing
2) It has become so much a part of my life, that it seems almost absurd to drive such short distances when not needed (in the sense of being a waste).

donnamb 

In no particular order:

1) Don't have to own a car.
2) I can bike it in 15-20 minutes & it takes 30 by bus. I no longer have to buy the $72 monthly bus pass.
3) Getting my blood pressure under control because I can't stop taking the medication that raises it.
4) Reduces stress.
5) It seems to be helping the endometriosis.
6) I can lose weight without having to do anything special. In my head, I am just going to work.
7) My youngest staff member is sickened by my energy levels, as is my most athletic coworker.
8) It's fun, fun, fun.

oilfreeandhappy

My commute is 30-40 minutes one-way. The time issue is not a factor with me, because I would work out anyhow. I'd rather spend this time on the road, than in a gym.

Other reasons: Environmental, simple living, economic, but most of all - I enjoy it!

UmneyDurak

Because my cat commands it. Long live our benelivant Cat overloards.
Seriously, it's less stressfull then seatting in traffic, plus I can go on a trainning ride right after work.

pinkrobe

#1 - cycling. I love to ride - it's part of my life, and I won't give it up without a fight.
#2 - fitness. I can eat a lot of crap and not turn into a blimp.
#3 - speed. Cycling is the fastest way to get to and from work for me. Car and bus are tied for second, walking is third.
#4 - quality time. I get to spend an extra bit of time in the morning with my wife, which is worth a lot to me. She also looks good in tight clothing.
#5 - money. I save $4000+ a year just on parking.
#6 - laziness. If I drove in, I'd have to get up 10 minutes earlier.

LittleBigMan

Addicted, and loving it.

Oh, and if I stay off the bike for more than a week, I gain weight like a puppy.

jkreuzig

Well, I just started commuting via bike 2 weeks ago. I only go 2 days a week, as my commute is 34 miles one way. Since my wife and I work at the same university, the days I ride we carpool home. I drive my car one day a week, and the other 2 days we carpool both ways. I don't save any time (it takes me about an hour to drive to work), but it does give me alone time in the morning.

I started primarily for this reason: GAS PRICES. Even with a car that gets 30mpg, it costs roughly 6 bucks a day in gasoline alone to operate my car. So with the above riding/driving scenario, I've cut down my gas expenses from $30 a week to $6 a week. Not to mention the wear and tear on a 9 year old auto.

Do I need the exercise? It doesn't hurt. I work out at a gym, I coach youth soccer and baseball, so I'm busy when I'm not working. Like most 40 somethings, I could stand to lose a few pounds, if only to not feel so sluggish. 2+ hours on the bike in the morning is going to help that.

Since the commute is so long one direction (2+ hours), I did compromise with my wife on the number of days I do it, and the carpooling thing. I get extra exercize, we get to spend more time together and we save on gasoline. It's a win-win situation.

catatonic

1) excercise
2)costs less thana car
3) more reliable than a car
4) more fun than driving
5) I can do 90% of what I would like to do on bike.
6) my commute is 3mins faster by car...so there is no real time issues from bike commuting.
7) I thank my bike for my sexy sexy legs (yes, they are sexy enough to justify redundancy!)

DataJunkie

I commute since I do not like working from home very often. A toddler, wife, and one car are the particular reasons.

I cyclocommute more for exercise than anything.

CigTech

I commute 35 miles each day. By car that's 1 1/2 hours, bus it's 5 hours, Bike 2 hours each day. I am a person that well not do anything without a perpess. So I hate the buss and the car is faster but I get to see so much more on the bike. And I am not tied to the busses. So I still have my freedom to go where I want and when I want to. I do not have to seat around and wait for the next buss. I got one good tan
going on that I would not have if on a buss or in a car. All the people at work call me Lance

The number one reason is:
No one belives me when I tell them that I ride from Largo to Tampa Bay. The look on there face is priceless.