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Commuting Wisdom For Those Who might Care

Commute when it makes you feel good to do so: I know this sounds stupid, but when I first started bike commuting, I kind of felt that I had to bike commute. I biked in the freezing cold. I biked in the horrible heat. I biked in rain storms. But one day I finally realized that I didn’t enjoy bike commuting anymore, because the rides were getting so miserable. I’m happy to say that I finally learned to enjoy my commutes, and find alternative transportation when the weather is just too nasty to have fun on the ride.
Ride the bike that you like to ride: I spent a lot of time trying to find that perfect commuter bike. I started off with steel hardtail mountain bikes. Then I moved to a lightweight aluminum hybrid. Then I got a gravel grinder. Next I rode a fixed gear and eventually changed it over to a single speed. Now I just started riding a vintage steel touring bike. Some of these bikes I enjoyed more than others. But in the end, they all got me to work and back, and all within 15 minutes of each other. None are really that much more efficient than the other, so I’ve just learned to ride whatever I feel like riding. Cuz unless you love riding the bike to work, the ride will suck no matter what.
You don’t get extra points for commuting every day. Find an alternative way to work, for when your legs are too tired, or the load is too heavy. I now walk a mile to catch the bus on my rest days. At the ripe old age of 51, the 30-mile round trip is a bit much sometimes, so a nice walk to the bus is enough to get in my exercise for the day.
It gets easier. I struggled the first couple of years. I was building up my leg strength. I was trying to figure out what clothes to wear. I was trying different bike routes. I was constantly planning for the next day. Looking back, it was a lot of work, both mental and physical. But I eventually got into a groove, and it got easier once I stopped struggling so much. I finally faced the reality that I need 15 minutes in the morning to get prepped, and maybe 15 minutes at night before bed, to get it all right. I made a checklist so I don’t forget anything. I bike a steep hill every day that I ride, because there’s just no way around it. I deal with a left turn at a crap intersection, because it’s there. I deal with ******* drivers. When you stop hating what can’t be changed, it becomes a lot less aggravating, and you eventually come to peace with it. Remember that the end game is to enjoy the ride.
Take every opportunity when you don’t bike commute. On days that I take the bus, I bring a bunch of stuff into work. Extra water is left at work. Changes of work clothes go to my cubicle. Even some less perishable lunch stuff goes into a desk drawer. If it lightens my load on my bike commute, I try to get it to work on my rest days.
Be predictable. Ride the same route every day. Ride at the same time every day. Wear similar clothes every day. As odd is it may sound, you’ll eventually become a part of other people’s lives, who see you on their car commute to work. There will be a small percentage of people who pass by, who will admire you for who you are, and grow to enjoy seeing you fight the good fight every day. And when everything goes to crap, and your rear wheel is bent like a taco, it’ll be those people who will pull over and offer you a ride. You may see them as strangers, but they see you as the person they’ve known for years, but have never had a chance to talk to. I even have people pulling over and offering me a ride, as I wait for the bus on my rainy rest days, just because they recognize my familiar orange backpack. They know exactly where I’m headed, and they love the time riding in with me and asking questions about my bike ride.
It’s not all luck. You read about some people who have a magical bike commute. The gym is right across the street from where they work. The distance is just right. The roads have no traffic. They store their bike inside the building. And you wish you were them. But most often, those people didn’t get lucky or know a special kind of magic. Opportunities come with time. I had a janitor offer me an old gym locker out of the basement, after 3 years of bike commuting. My boss eventually let me store my bike inside, at the bottom of the rear stairwell, after years of riding in. A coworker offered me an old bike when they were cleaning out their basement, after 9 years of bike commuting, and that bike turned out to be an awesome commuter. I could go on and on and on. It didn’t all happen overnight. It took patience and time for the opportunities to arise.
Pray that it never happens, but you may eventually have a nasty run in with a driver. It might happen someday, that you find yourself face to face with a road raging maniac. I’ve had a couple of these unfortunate incidents, at no cause of my own. My motto is to ride like hell and live to fight another day. But if I’m cornered with nowhere to go, I always keep my Park Took 3-way hex wrench within reach, usually in a back pocket. If you grip it with a fist, so one hex key sticks out between your middle and ring finger, you have a very formidable weapon. If you hit them in any of a number of vulnerable areas, they’ll go down into a wimpy little ball. You don’t even have to hit them all that hard. And if the cops want to see your weapon, you have every right to have had your little bike adjustment tool in your back pocket while you rode to work.

I remember back to when you showed up here, and that was a while ago. Realizing I didn't have to ride everyday was an eyeopener for me too, especially when I realized that there were a lot of people that didn't ride everyday.

The ride every day thing is tough, because of my personality, and because, odd as it sounds, the people who never, ever ride to work are the first ones to give you **** about not riding one day out of two weeks. I love that whole "ahhhh, I see you didn't ride your bike today" with that sneer, and there are only a few of them, but it's so hard not to reply with the whole "get back to me the first time you nut up and ride in". :) Thanks for coming back and sharing the wisdom, my first successful commute was in 2006, and I've been doing it on and off since then, one year I did it every day for a full year, just because I wondered if I could here in PA, and it turns out you can. I don't know if I'll ever do that again, but hey, it was fun to do at the time!

Joe

Quote:

Originally Posted by josephjhaney (Post 20329160)

Haha, yeah, I've noticed that too. I suppose if I don't ride to work on a certain day it validates their choice to not ride in ever. But mostly, I find people admire me for riding so often.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlmostGreenGuy (Post 20329088)

Commute when it makes you feel good to do so: I know this sounds stupid, but when I first started bike commuting, I kind of felt that I had to bike commute. I biked in the freezing cold. I biked in the horrible heat. I biked in rain storms. But one day I finally realized that I didn’t enjoy bike commuting anymore, because the rides were getting so miserable. I’m happy to say that I finally learned to enjoy my commutes, and find alternative transportation when the weather is just too nasty to have fun on the ride.
Ride the bike that you like to ride: I spent a lot of time trying to find that perfect commuter bike. I started off with steel hardtail mountain bikes. Then I moved to a lightweight aluminum hybrid. Then I got a gravel grinder. Next I rode a fixed gear and eventually changed it over to a single speed. Now I just started riding a vintage steel touring bike. Some of these bikes I enjoyed more than others. But in the end, they all got me to work and back, and all within 15 minutes of each other. None are really that much more efficient than the other, so I’ve just learned to ride whatever I feel like riding. Cuz unless you love riding the bike to work, the ride will suck no matter what.
You don’t get extra points for commuting every day. Find an alternative way to work, for when your legs are too tired, or the load is too heavy. I now walk a mile to catch the bus on my rest days. At the ripe old age of 51, the 30-mile round trip is a bit much sometimes, so a nice walk to the bus is enough to get in my exercise for the day.
It gets easier. I struggled the first couple of years. I was building up my leg strength. I was trying to figure out what clothes to wear. I was trying different bike routes. I was constantly planning for the next day. Looking back, it was a lot of work, both mental and physical. But I eventually got into a groove, and it got easier once I stopped struggling so much. I finally faced the reality that I need 15 minutes in the morning to get prepped, and maybe 15 minutes at night before bed, to get it all right. I made a checklist so I don’t forget anything. I bike a steep hill every day that I ride, because there’s just no way around it. I deal with a left turn at a crap intersection, because it’s there. I deal with ******* drivers. When you stop hating what can’t be changed, it becomes a lot less aggravating, and you eventually come to peace with it. Remember that the end game is to enjoy the ride.
Take every opportunity when you don’t bike commute. On days that I take the bus, I bring a bunch of stuff into work. Extra water is left at work. Changes of work clothes go to my cubicle. Even some less perishable lunch stuff goes into a desk drawer. If it lightens my load on my bike commute, I try to get it to work on my rest days.
Be predictable. Ride the same route every day. Ride at the same time every day. Wear similar clothes every day. As odd is it may sound, you’ll eventually become a part of other people’s lives, who see you on their car commute to work. There will be a small percentage of people who pass by, who will admire you for who you are, and grow to enjoy seeing you fight the good fight every day. And when everything goes to crap, and your rear wheel is bent like a taco, it’ll be those people who will pull over and offer you a ride. You may see them as strangers, but they see you as the person they’ve known for years, but have never had a chance to talk to. I even have people pulling over and offering me a ride, as I wait for the bus on my rainy rest days, just because they recognize my familiar orange backpack. They know exactly where I’m headed, and they love the time riding in with me and asking questions about my bike ride.
It’s not all luck. You read about some people who have a magical bike commute. The gym is right across the street from where they work. The distance is just right. The roads have no traffic. They store their bike inside the building. And you wish you were them. But most often, those people didn’t get lucky or know a special kind of magic. Opportunities come with time. I had a janitor offer me an old gym locker out of the basement, after 3 years of bike commuting. My boss eventually let me store my bike inside, at the bottom of the rear stairwell, after years of riding in. A coworker offered me an old bike when they were cleaning out their basement, after 9 years of bike commuting, and that bike turned out to be an awesome commuter. I could go on and on and on. It didn’t all happen overnight. It took patience and time for the opportunities to arise.
Pray that it never happens, but you may eventually have a nasty run in with a driver. It might happen someday, that you find yourself face to face with a road raging maniac. I’ve had a couple of these unfortunate incidents, at no cause of my own. My motto is to ride like hell and live to fight another day. But if I’m cornered with nowhere to go, I always keep my Park Took 3-way hex wrench within reach, usually in a back pocket. If you grip it with a fist, so one hex key sticks out between your middle and ring finger, you have a very formidable weapon. If you hit them in any of a number of vulnerable areas, they’ll go down into a wimpy little ball. You don’t even have to hit them all that hard. And if the cops want to see your weapon, you have every right to have had your little bike adjustment tool in your back pocket while you rode to work.

This is a great post, thanks

First bullet point really resonates. I skipped most of winter because I really hate riding in the cold. Granted cold for me 30-50, but I'll also be commuting when its over 110.

+ 1,000 to all your bullet points.

OP, thanks for the post. I've only been at this thing for a few years myself, but I am totally enjoying it, especially when the weather is good like it is now. I still find some enjoyment out of commuting in the winter, but most of the time it's just a let's-get-it-done, and there's-no-time-to-smell-the-flowers kind of attitude.

Keep on trucking!

I don't disagree with [MENTION=104720]alan s[/MENTION], but just a few minutes ago I posted this to a Living Car Free Forum thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maelochs (Post 20328864)

So ,,, you plan to transform society by riding your bike? :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 20329338)

Nonetheless,cycling has been beneficial to me (at least) because it has enhanced my reputation, FWIW.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 18559191)

What's awesome about Living Car Free

I’m car-lite too, mostly due to family activities, but I’m the most amenable to car-free. My major motivation to ride is not sociopolitical, or environmental, but physical. However, a useful and enjoyable side benefit, it enhances my reputation.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 17306058)

… My cycling reputation, mundane as my cycling might be to the hard-core cyclists, is always a source of amusement and conversation with my friends and acquaintances; e.g. in bad weather, "You didn’t ride your bike today, did you?," or at fancy social events, "Did you ride your bike here?."

Always asked with amusement and respect.

I in turn often ask people where they live, because invariably I have ridden in their neighborhood, and that question usually sparks an engaging converastion.

One of the nicest compliments I have received at work is that I am credible, and I think my cycling reputation probably supports that image.

:innocent:

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlmostGreenGuy (Post 20329088)

Pray that it never happens, but you may eventually have a nasty run in with a driver. It might happen someday, that you find yourself face to face with a road raging maniac. I’ve had a couple of these unfortunate incidents, at no cause of my own. My motto is to ride like hell and live to fight another day. But if I’m cornered with nowhere to go, I always keep my Park Took 3-way hex wrench within reach, usually in a back pocket. If you grip it with a fist, so one hex key sticks out between your middle and ring finger, you have a very formidable weapon. If you hit them in any of a number of vulnerable areas, they’ll go down into a wimpy little ball. You don’t even have to hit them all that hard. And if the cops want to see your weapon, you have every right to have had your little bike adjustment tool in your back pocket while you rode to work.

I wouldn't do it myself, but then again, I don't live in a country where you can openly carry firearms. :rolleyes:

Great stuff, [MENTION=178750]AlmostGreenGuy[/MENTION]. :thumb:

When I first started bike comuting I thought I'd do it one or two times a week. But each time I did, I asked myself what's stopping me from riding tomorrow? The answer was always " nothing". When it rained, I put on rain gear. When it got colder, I found cold whether gear. When it snowed, I learned from online searches how people adapted to riding in the snow. I rode everyday because 1) I had to go to work everyday and 2) everytime I chose to drive I hated it. I hated scraping the ice off my windshield only to be waiting in congested snow-clogged traffic peering out fogged up windows and sweating.

Nowadays, I don't have to ride everyday because I'm retired. I drive only to do errands but I still ride most of the time.

Thank you everybody. It’s good to see that the Commuting forum is still a great place, full of great people.

I like how you point out that almost any bike will work for commuting. Just start with what you have and go from there.

I also like the part about how fellow (auto) commuters get to know you when you ride the same route/time every day. I've noticed this too, and believe it increases our safety. They really do get used to seeing and sharing the road with us.

I'll play devil's advocate ... for me riding "every day" is/was critical ... indeed I got rid of my car so I left myself virtually no other choice (yes, I CAN uber ... but I haven't in 18 months) ... otherwise, I'd find way too many excuses.

Yes, there are days when it's about 10degrees when I question various life choices (not replacing the car being top of the list). But such days are few and far between ;>

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a short enough commute (under 15mi one way), showers at the office, etc. So I don't judge! Indeed, folks that have the will power to ride indoors or get other exercise in are way ahead of me ...

Cheers all!

The OP identifies many of the joys, worthwhile challenges, and creativity that cycle commuting inspires. Well stated!

I did the everyday riding for almost 8 years in the row, was on the bike almost 365 days per year... But now I just do it 3-4 days per week. I agree with OP about choosing your own bike and riding the bike that you enjoy riding...Don't let other people choose your bike for you as often happens on bikeforums.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khb (Post 20329957)

for me riding "every day" is/was critical ... indeed I got rid of my car so I left myself virtually no other choice (yes, I CAN uber ... but I haven't in 18 months) ... otherwise, I'd find way too many excuses.

Yes, there are days when it's about 10degrees when I question various life choices (not replacing the car being top of the list). But such days are few and far between ;>

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a short enough commute (under 15mi one way), showers at the office, etc. So I don't judge! Indeed, folks that have the will power to ride indoors or get other exercise in are way ahead of me ...

I feel you. I've actually never driven a car in my life. Not having a car definitely adds incentive.

Unfortunately, my bike commute is so long, and the winters are so harsh in the rural area where I live, I don't even think about winter commuting once the snow arrives. The thought of my bike breaking down, 25 miles into my commute, on an old country road that hasn't a car in over an hour, is kind of scary. You sweat starts to freeze. Your hands get numb, sitting in a snow drift trying to change an inner tube. Now that I'm in my 50's, it actually sounds sorta deadly. So yeah, Netflix and a bike trainer are a regular part of my winter evenings. Thank god for Netflix!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlmostGreenGuy (Post 20329088)

Wow. It’s been…….. a long time since I’ve visited the Commuting forum. I hung here for a while, but once I got comfortable with bike commuting, I kind of dropped off the forum. I’m not sure why. I’ve been steadily commuting by bike for almost 10 years now, and it’s really been a great ride.

Seeing that I was able to garner so much great info from this forum, way back then, I thought I’d pass on a little wisdom that I’ve learned over the years, in attempt to pay you all back a bit…

It’s not all luck. You read about some people who have a magical bike commute. The gym is right across the street from where they work. The distance is just right. The roads have no traffic. They store their bike inside the building. And you wish you were them. But most often, those people didn’t get lucky or know a special kind of magic. Opportunities come with time..

It didn’t all happen overnight. It took patience and time for the opportunities to arise…[

Quote:

Originally Posted by Khb (Post 20329957)

I'll play devil's advocate ... for me riding "every day" is/was critical ... indeed I got rid of my car so I left myself virtually no other choice (yes, I CAN uber ... but I haven't in 18 months) ... otherwise, I'd find way too many excuses.

Yes, there are days when it's about 10 degrees when I question various life choices (not replacing the car being top of the list). But such days are few and far between ;>

Not everyone is lucky enough to have a short enough commute (under 15mi one way), showers at the office, etc. So I don't judge! Indeed, folks that have the will power to ride indoors or get other exercise in are way ahead of me ...

Cheers all!

I’m one of those (lucky) people. FYA, I have frequently posted, and even started this thread, “Describe your commute”:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 16470596)

Humbly, if Bike Forums ever had a Best Commute Award, I would be a frontrunner.[Not to brag, but illustrate the possibilities]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 17496135)

Yesterday I replied to this thread, “ How has your commute evolved over the months / years?.”…So I have expanded and slightly altered your format to report my commute:
Kenmore Square, Boston to Norwood over 30 years

Route:
Reverse commute from downtown on four different routes of a minimal distance of 14 miles, each defined by a different hill; can expand to about 30 miles to train

Environment: In order of hill difficulty: Gritty urban, pleasant suburban, pleasant urban, ritzy suburban

Hills: One moderate hill on each route, then smaller hills; estimate only about 1-2 miles flat

Frequency: Variable over the decades; currently about 50% in winter; 75% nice weather (work is an obstacle)

Bike: Specialized S-WORKS CF Road Bike; Cannondale beater mountain bike (fenders and Marathon Winter studded tires)

Bike name: NA

Cargo: Ortlieb panniers on the Cannondale; backpack on the S-WORKS

Helmet / Mirror: yes and yes (left and right Take-a-Look eyeglass mounted mirrors)

Destination:

Parking: inside about 100 feet from my desk, directly through a door from the outside

Cleanup: shower facilities; place to hang clothes, and a table fan available to dry; for most of the time I wear surgical scrubs

Amenities: coffee shop and cafeteria on site; almost all my personal service needs like barbershop, dentist, dry-cleaner/tailor, supermarket and drugstore, and good take-out restaurants are all within walking distance of work, or a short hop on the bike; bike shop two blocks away

Alternative Transportation: train, car, bus, taxis, car rentals, Zipcar, place to stay comfortably overnight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 20184865)

When I was asked a few years before starting my career, while living in Boston,“Where would you like to live?.” my criteria were living near a big body of water, and the ability to live without a car as I had been much of my earlier two-plus decades; and I was already an avid cyclist.

I learned to love the water from the Great Lakes in Michigan, and the Atlantic Ocean in Boston. I vaguely considered my ambition not as “Car Free," per se, but a lifestyle choice. Through certain life circumstances I was already primed to be Car Free

Fortunately I found a happy career here in Boston, and Living Car Free then became easy. So as a corollary to not arguing about what we want, should we rather discuss how we obtain our goals. By choice or luck? :foo:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 20330314)

I’m one of those (lucky) people.. FYA, I have frequently posted, and even started this thread, “Describe your commute”:.

So you pretty much designed your life around bike commuting, and living a car free lifestyle. Kudos to you for the forethought. It sounds like you hit the jackpot, thanks to proper planning.

I did just the opposite. I'd already settled down at a job in the middle of nowhere, bought the house and had the family. Then I decided to bike commute when I was already in my 40's. I was a late bloomer, I guess.

Excellent post, just about all of that applies to me. I commute almost everyday if there's no extreme weather or I have an appointment or something after work. I'm a little OCD about commuting and try not to miss, I average 4+ days per week Mar-Nov. That morning ride really invigorates me and sets the tone for the day...when I don't do it, there's a different negative feeling about things, it's hard to describe. I have a checklist also and make sure my bag is packed the night before.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfan (Post 20330445)

Same here. I clearly remember my first bike commute, just because of the feeling I had. I felt like Superman that day. I felt as though I'd lived more in the the first two hours of my day, than most people live in an entire week. I still feel that same way whenever I bike commute. And when I don't bike commute, I go through my work day just feeling average, like anybody else. I'd definitely rather not feel average.

Nice list of advice :thumb:

I'd add, not having a long commute like yours, I never feel like I have to not ride in. At first there were days, and I strongly agree that when we're not feeling it, don't. I reached a point where it is easy enough, and under 8 miles each way short enough, that in the worst weather I disliked driving in it, in this traffic, more than the unpleasantness during a 30 minute ride. So I always wind up riding.

But the wisdom in that is to always leave it as a choice, without feeling you have to do it. Or not do it. Even choosing the ride 99% of the time, I always reserve the choice not to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by josephjhaney (Post 20330666)

It's ok, I'm sure with years of therapy I'll recover.

Joe

Best not to engage trolls.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcours2006 (Post 20330695)

Best not to engage trolls.

;) I hear you, but my sarcasm muscle keeps responding. At any rate, the OP hit the nail on the head, the moment the ride becomes a chore instead of something you look forward to, you're on the downhill slide to not wanting to do it.

Joe