Originally Posted by
VictorMikeLima
My father put up a few points on the bike and commuting, such as, if the weather's bad you can't ride your bike.
I've ridden in snow (when I was rabidly car free living in Colorado I'd swap on a set of spare wheels with cyclocross tires, don ski goggles, and have at it), rain, 100 degree weather, -10 degree weather, 25 MPH head winds, 50 MPH tail winds...
While less pleasant than a sunny wind-free 60 degree day it's doable. You just have to dress for it (in my pannier there's a jacket for rain, a jacket for cold, rain pants, shoe covers, knee warmers, and a long sleeved jersey).
Fenders are a very good idea if you plan on riding in rain.
Others say that I'll be too tired and sweaty to commute to work and have energy to continue my day, even though I run between twenty to thirty minutes a day right before work.
I rode 11.8 miles each way 4 days a week for a year before I moved (5 days would be possible, but riding easy isn't as fun). With 24 traffic lights (one right turn) and 10 stop signs that took 42-55 minutes depending on intensity, traffic, wind, etc. It was nice.
I probably had more energy than if I drove.
Other people go farther.
How do you guys make up getting to work all sweaty and stuff?
If you take a shower so you're clean before you leave you won't smell. If you change into dry clothes at work you won't be wet.
If anyone knows what the roads are like in Central Florida, that would help me tremendously! In case you don't, we've got large roads, and I would ride in areas where the Speed Limit would be from 45 - 55 mph.
The speed limit isn't that relevant. How big the shoulder is (I enjoyed riding on a 55 MPH highway with an 8' wide shoulder), how many lanes there are (my current commute starts on a 40 MPH road with no shoulder, but 2-lanes in each direction and moderate traffic. People can still go around me without passing too close. While not very relaxing it's workable), and whether there are blind curves all make a difference.