So, I started commuting by bike last week. I decided that I need to lose weight and with a change of diet this would be a perfect exercise regimen due to my schedule. The first day went well. I left waay to early and it only took me 15 minutes to get to work. It took me only 10 to get home. Its all uphill the way there and mostly downhill the way back. Not a steep grade but enough to let me know by the time I get to work. I plan on plotting out some more scenic routes that will take longer but give me a better workout and hopefully better scenery than good ol McLoughlin Blvd, car lot haven. That and I am saving a good deal of money on fuel.

Its great reading some of the threads on here and finding I am not alone in my biking commute.

Congrats on the commute.
15 minutes? How far is that?
Let us know how long the "new" commute route is and progress on weight loss.

Great start Nykon, keep it up!

my commute is aprox. 2.5 miles

Welcome aboard Nykon.

Sounds similar to what I am about to start in a month. I am really looking forward to it. We will be about 5 kilometers from my office. Downhill to the office, uphill back home. Elevation change - possibly 100 meters.

I too need to lose some weight - about 10 kilos. This should do it quickly - as long as I don't compensate.

However, I suspect my commute might take a bit longer - most of it is roads made of river rock smashed into clay by traffic. The bike might actually be quicker than the jeep - I suspect it will. There are some pretty steep areas - but most of it is flat.

Bike goes to the shop for a tune up. I have a Cannondale and there is an official repair shop here in Costa Rica. You all will kill me if I tell you how much it cost for a tuneup...

I think my commute as a little better scenery - this is an example of the roads that I will be riding. I do have to watch out for cows though.

I envy you sooooo much.

That's about the distance for my commute too, but I have worked out a whole load of alternative routes home ranging from 10km to 25km (7 miles to 15 miles or so) and try to do those 2-3 times a week. Or more if it's a good week. I like the fact that I can get to work in almost no time -- it's much quicker than using public transport -- but that I can also take my time getting home. As for losing weight, it's only been a pound or too, but I don't have to worry about what I eat. In fact I've been scarfing down good quality Belgian and German chocolate all week. Mmmmm.

Nykon,

It is a hard life - but someone has to do it. ;-) Bike riding here doesn't even merit a second look. Lots of people use bikes for commuting. Pretty nice really. Of course, where we will be living, people use horses too. I merit a second look since I am about twice the size of many of the men here - literally. I also have hair nearly white (premature - or it once was... ) which is pretty uncommon here.

Just dropped the bike off from a complete tuneup - repack everything. It is 2,500 colones (500 colones = 1 dollar) I may never turn a wrench again.

Not a lot of different paths for my commute - we really don't have a lot of roads. I think there is one that loops around the backside - I'll check it out with the ATV first - or the horse.

There are issues with riding at night - fer-de-lances like to come out to heat up on the road before hunting. I don't really want to ride over a 8 foot long very mean (and poisonous!) snake in the middle of the night! I will start for the house early enough not to have that problem!

Wow. My LBS doesn't have any single service they provide for $5. Is that fairly indicative of the overall cost of living in Costa Rica?

I still envy you. I would much rather look out for snakes than SUV's

Same here - I prefer real snakes than SUV drivers, which are often the same - but perhaps look like humans.

Yes, labor is very cheap here. That will be about 1 hour of work I expect - they will repack everything for that. Labor for this is probably 1.25 per hour is my guess - and they have all the tools.

However, if I were to buy a bike here - it would probably be about 20% more. Not a lot of selection - but you can order one. I don't need another bike - and really like mine (a F900 Cannondale).

Let's see - we just rented a place for our housekeeper - a small house in the country, 20,000 colones a month (40 bucks). Gas is expensive - diesel isn't too bad. Tropical fruits are nearly free (pineapple - 75 cents and they are incredible!)

Fruit growing all over the place - stuff you probably have never heard of. (like manzanas de agua for example - taste like a cross between a rose and a pear)

There are expensive places to live in Costa Rica - rentals more than 700 dollars a month - but we prefer to live where it is really Costa Rica - not resort areas. We both speak Spanish pretty well and have lots of friends. We probably are amusement. ;-)

We also have about 1 square kilometer of reforestation - which is our real job.

As I said, it is a hard life, but someone has to do it...

I'm green with envy

Hey, I have to watch out for traffic at times!

and banana peels!

And there are natural hazards - like active volcanos! This is Arenal - you can see lava flowing down it at night. It has been erupting for nearly 40 years.



Okay - I'll behave and not kill you off with photos - unless you want them.

a lot worse than banana peels is the exhaust from the oxen!

You may work on being a sprinter with that distance

Yeah... nah, I really enjoy mt biking and there are a lot of hills around where I live so I plan on as I get in better shape plotting routes, either home or to work or both that involve a bit of climbing so I can go out and fling myself down hills at incredulous velocities and then ride back up instead of walk and wheeze my way to the top. I might consider both, sprint to work, hill climb on the way home...

Also, I am riding a Mt Bike now until I can get my road bike up and running so I think it would not be the best for sprinting.

On a happy note, I woke up late so I had to drive to work today (don't worry thats not the happy part, I was actually pissed off I slept in) to make it on time so I decided that first thing when I got home I would toss my work clothes far far away, put on my shorts and t-shirt and go for a ride and sure enough, thats what I did. It was a pretty substantial ride, I don't have a bike computer yet (going to buy one as soon as I get done typing) so I don't know the exact distance but I was gone for aprox 45 minutes and I didn't stop or ride all that slowly. It was a fairly level but there were a few hills. I feel great and really want to go back out and ride some more but I have other stuff I need to get done. GRRR!

On a less happy note. I WANT TO GO TO COSTA RICA AND RIDE. I will put it on my list of places to go next year. I plan on riding on at least 2 continents next year, North America hopefully won't be one of them.

A little like the Dominican Republic where I was a PC Volunteer. Unfortunately, the bike was a PITA so I opted for the less than climate neutral 75CC motorbikes that are everywhere (easier to carry bananas). Beautiful pics, I really do miss the people and the fruit-ahhh, the fruit.

Nykon,

if you want to ride - check out La Fortuna and Arenal. In La Fortuna there are good bike shops where you can rent bikes (if you don't want to bring yours) and the tour around Lake Arenal I hear is fabulous. Imagine seeing an Active volcano during the entire trip! At the end - stay at a hotel with hot springs - you might need it!

I am not that old - but I don't have much to prove anymore (it is a wonderful place to be). I am 47 so just commuting is great. It will keep me in good shape. I rather doubt at this time in my life I am going to be a threat to anyone good.

That being said, just a few years ago, I used to maintain 19 miles an hour on flat - with a hardtail. But the hills here tend to be aggressive. It is what you get when there isn't any snow - no one builds roads worrying about ice.

If you do decide to come down - drop me a line (use the website) and I will explain how to do it on the cheap. There are great places to stay for a fraction - if you know where.

Yeah, I will definitly keep that in mind. My brother in law is from Costa Rica so he can give me some good information too. So... next year, Costa Rica and Europe. I was in Germany in November for my other sisters wedding and I have been dying to go back ever since. I am still young (26) I still have a lot of travel left in me.

A mere young whippersnapper! ;-)

Where in I am wondering if the 50s biking climb on the forum will accept me... Since my hair is nearly completely white - perhaps I can get in a few years early?

So this morning was a beautiful ride in. It is getting easier so I am going to start switching it up a bit and try to ride using just one gear or something... I dunno. I checked out another way home last night in my car and turned on my slope gauge on my navigation and realized it is mostly uphill going on this new route to get home. I am going to do it tonight. I can hardly wait to get off work to ride home now. It's going to be 92 here today and there is a possibility of thunderstorms so maybe I will get to ride in the rain.

Wish me luck.

wow, that costa rica commute is really something. wow. thanks.