SPECELIZEDRIDER

I could get a scooter for my commutes, but to me that defeats the pourpus of the bike to get into and stay in shape.I enjoy the challange of carrying 30 to 50LBS of my stuff 30 miles round trip every work day, am I crazy?

Bike Gremlin

Yes, most definitely. Is that a problem?

SPECELIZEDRIDER

Funny I dont see it as a problem, but a good thing.

Johnz47

No problem, if I lived in (the area of?) Vegas and was 15 mi from work, you'd be damn sure that I'd bike there too! Biking is like meditation, exercise and cooler than yoga plus...we all know about the bragging rights that come along with cycling to work..

SPECELIZEDRIDER

yea true.

no1mad 

Are you weird? Are you nuts? Sure.

The fact is most (if not all) of us here in the Commuting forum have gotten 'the look' from friends, family, or co-workers for choosing to ride a bike than driving a car or some other mode of transport to work.

agent pombero

What are you hauling to work that weighs 30-50 pounds? And how are you carrying all that weight 30 miles?

droy45

Were all a little extreme to do what we do, but what most people don't know is all the enjoyment we get from doing it. You will get conditioned to carrying that kind of weight after a while and it will seem normal to you. Being in the south helps also. In the north we carry possibly 25 extra lbs. of clothing, boots etc. on winter rides and we get used to that right away.

droy45

You got that right! Ha Ha, I got that this morning and comments like, "your a brave man to do that on a morning like this" I found this morning to be just beautiful out there.

colleen c

Are you weird?

Let see what we got. It is Winter time and here you are posting about bike commuting along with the rest of the forum member here who most of us have either a load backpack or pannier traveling to our destiny. Well instead of driving and stopping at the mall after work for some shopping like the rest of the world, I say yes, you and I along with others are all weird.

You can put me in the +1 weird club.

acidfast7

I like to think of myself as ahead of the curve ...

Soon, it will be crazy to NOT commute by bicycle.

However, moving 30# of stuff each way is kinda stupid, IMO.

cooker

How hot does it get there?

PatrickGSR94

Yeah but fuel and car prices there also make it crazy NOT to commute by bike. Simply ain't the case in the USA, yet anyway, especially when you can get super cheap used cars that still get 30+ MPG and fuel costs below US $3/gallon in some areas right now (0.60 Euro per liter at current exchange rates). That's a cost of just 4.73 Euro to drive 100 KM with that kind of fuel economy. That's why there are very few bike commuters in this country... well that plus lack of infrastructure, plus the fact that so many people live so far away from where they work.

acidfast7

I understand, but the US will change as well.

We (humankind) just passed a tipping point where the majority (>50%) of the world's population lives in urban areas. In China, the current plan is to build 400 new cities of more than 1 million people each by 2020. For comparison, Europe has only 36. Perhaps, the US will continue to resist, but the rest of planet, definitely will not. Copenhagen is very smart to the be at the front of the curve, as they'll be to provide infrastructure for all of the later countries that convert (in a similar as to how Germany will provide the alternative energy infrastructure.)

Also, FWIW, with a new car one can get 3.8l/100km in a VW Passat Wagon, no less ... which almost matches the US price (€5.70 for the 100km trip).

SPECELIZEDRIDER

It can get up to 117*, but I will be on grave shift by then where it is only 80 to 90 at night.

SPECELIZEDRIDER

I carry my large laptop, work uniform and food so it is most likely20 lbs, but it is an awesome work out. I think most people wont have the internal fortitude we have that enables us to do this.I really like having extra money in my pocket and being healthier is the main reason.

Leisesturm

There are better forms of aerobic exercise than cycling. Just saying. Rowing, elliptical are both better for a full body workout. Bicycles are so dammed efficient and traffic being what it is... I commute by bike for the savings but I go to the gym for my health and fitness.

H

acidfast7

My 20L backpack, change of clothes, food and MacBook weigh roughly 4600g or 10#. Interestingly, the food (one red/white IKEA tupper) usually weighs more than the MB.

People find that 20L isn't enough, but we don't have trouble getting two MBs, food for 2, two changes of clothes and the extra stuff in there as the bag is cut really well.

SPECELIZEDRIDER

I do belong to a gym for weight training, but carrying 20 30 LBS of stuff can be a good workout , but it gets easier over time.

muu

not crazy.

One of the reasons I moved to a new job was that it had a 14mi commute (living in the town adjacent to workplace) instead of 4. I'm enjoying what I feel is now a proper workout.

phillybill

'CRAZY' ..... its a matter of perspective....I enjoy the the ride and the exercise I get.

Andy_K 

Ask anyone on the street and they'll tell you anyone who rides a bike on the street is crazy. Most of us are also weird. Just go with it.

SPECELIZEDRIDER

we may be weird, but we have money in the bank though and are debt free, well im working on it, yeah that's weird.

PatrickGSR94

Curious, what is the commute like for both of y'all? Type of streets, traffic, etc? I also live in the adjacent town from my workplace and would have a 14.5 mile commute each way, and am trying to work up the guts to try it. I'm still nervous of all the 2-lane hilly roads with no shoulder and steady 40-50 MPH traffic on at least half the roads, or more.

I may be able to try it a couple days a week after the new year due to my wife's schedule changing a bit, but of course she's nervous about me riding in the dark (a much better light is a must for me before I try it), and plus there's all the extra time spent away from wife and son vs. the 20 minutes it takes to go 13-14 miles by car.

Bike Gremlin

Last few days it was snowing, I was riding to work. People were standing at bus stations and as I drove by, a woman (always female voice) would say "what a lunatic" or something like that.