I teach middle school ESL U.S. History. It's 3 miles one way from the house to the front door of the school. For the past 5 years I was teaching 9th grade world geography at a campus right at 5 miles away. I'm pretty much a fair weather commuter, though I've been caught in a shower or two. I can't see anyone at my campus commuting. I can't envision most of them even getting on a bike except a couple of the coaches. At the high school there were several quite athletic people, and one that was either riding or fishing every weekend of the year, and has ridden the MS150 about 7 times.

I teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) here in Germany. My students are all professionals at banks and other businesses. The bike makes zipping around downtown really fun, and fast.

I teach high school history. I've been commuting over a year now, and my students seem to get a kick out of it. I also think it sets a good example.

We all know being late has greater implications for teachers than a lot of other professions.

However, keep in mind that while biking to work usually takes longer than driving, the amount of time is much more predictable. My drive to work takes 20 minutes if there's no traffic. Serious traffic can bump it up to 40. However, a major tie up can stretch it to an hour.

Biking takes me about 43 minutes if I go the shortest route, there's no wind, and I ride at my usual pace. But here's the cool part. If I haul ass, it takes me 41 minutes. If I'm totally dragging, it takes me 46 minutes. Wind can add or subtract 5 or 10 minutes, but I know about that when I leave the house so I can plan for it.

What I'm saying is that biking to work is far more consistant. I've never been late due to my bike, even when I've gotten a flat. I was late once when my car wouldn't start. But I was less late because instead of waiting 45 minutes for AAA, to tow me to the dealership, have them take in the car, and then give me a ride to work, I just hopped on my bike and was there in 40 minutes.

One thing I always do is wear ordinary shorts over my spandex bike clothes. That way if I am delayed and have the kids lined up at the classroom door when I arrive, I can just start teaching, albiet not very comfortably.

I am not a teacher, but I do work at a school as the IT Manager. I bought a set of cheapy Axiom Appalachian saddle bags for under $30 this Spring. These are not the most beautiful, nor largest, nor easiest to remove bags, but they serve we well. I can hold all kinds of gear. Laptops, keyboards, power supplies, training materials, they all can be carried either in the bags or strapped on using bungy cords. I have ridden my bike almost every day since April 1st, if I need to make a parts run or get to one of our other offices, I take my bike. I only cheat and bug one of my co-workers for a ride if I have a PC(s) or something else that is excessively large to move. My daily ride is about 10 miles. We have to other offices that are both about 5 miles way (both are near each other). I actually look forward to having to go out to the other offices as it takes me along the beautify Amherst Bike Path for almost the entire route. I am always happy to have an excuse to ride further.

I have a large enough office that I can easily store the bike inside. We do have showers, washer, and drier, but they are not allowed to be used by staff. This may have something to do with the fact that there are no locks on the shower room doors. The school is designed for Autistic kids, and the showers and washing facilities get used to teach the kid "life skills." Since I have an office I can just wear shorts and T-Shirt on warmer days, and then I change into my daily cloths after about 45 minutes. The server room functions as an excellent changing room. So far everyone pretty much knows me now as "the cyclist" Maybe next year I can get the Chief Administrative Officer to ride. She has become an avid jogger, and her husband loves to ride and has been bugging her to ride as well.

I am amazed that I now see up to 3 to 5 regular cyclists on my way to or from work. That may not sound like a lot, but compare that to 0 to 1 between April and June, that is a huge improvement. Next Spring I intend to start riding my Daughter to school. She will be 7 then and there is a bike rack. She is just barely starting to ride solo and still needs a helping hand. I hope to have her riding confidently by Spring. Her school is right on the way to my work so it is convenient. My wife will then ride to school in the afternoon to pick her up and escort her home.

Happy riding,
André

I teach elementary math in Houston, TX. Last week, I commuted for the first time to school. It's about 20 miles round trip. There are no showers at school, I cleaned up using baby wipes and rocket shower. I used a Large Super Pro BaileyWorks bag to carry a change of cloth (including shoes), my laptop, and some tools for the bike. The bag weighed 20lbs. I used my road bike and it took me 40 minutes in the morning and about 50 minutes in the afternoon. This week, I'll try using my mountain bike. My goal is to commute between 2-3 days per week.

Carlos

I commute 1.6 km to school to teach HS chemistry in Toronto. In my experience, cycling cuts about 5 minutes off an already short commute. It used to take me longer but I got a nice place to park inside.

Two years ago I commuted about 12 km each way. While it might have been shorter to drive in that case, I didn't have or want a car.

Yes I commute about 45 kilometers round trip. I have found a 2 gig thumbdrive to help a great deal when it come to hauling stuff back and forth. Many of my assigments are handed in on the computer.

I'm still subbing, looking for a Contract. When I know I'll have a classroom to store a bike in, I'll cycle, as locking any bike up in some schools = vandalism. But when I have a full time contract, I'll be cycling until it drops below -20c in the morning.

I'm on my second year of commuting. Middle school music in urban system. Last year I started riding. 3.5 miles in and did 5 or so home. The shool is on a good hill. This year I moved out 12 miles and missed commuting. I rode once and enjoyed it but I need to get home in time to get my 1st grader off the bus. I have now started parking at my buddy garage and riding 4 miles up the hill to school. The kids think I'm nuts. After all those hills I was able to ride my first metric century (Bike the Beach) on my fixie and rocked.
Peace

I'm in school to become a teacher, does that count? I'll get a masters in secondary ed plus certification.

I ride the bike part of the way to school. It's about two miles to the bus stop, then I catch the bus, which lets me out right at the university. It's just a short ride from the stop to the classroom, and the uni has added lots of bike racks in the last three years.

There are a couple of high schools nearby that wouldn't be a bad commute.

I teach grade four. I ride about 19 km one way. I have been doing it in the spring and fall for the last 2 years. It is quite enjoyable. I have a safe place to leave the bike and I am okay with just changing my clothes when I get to work. All in all it is pretty good. Takes me about 50 minutes on a good day.

So now here's a question for everyone. What do kids, staff, parents, and admin say about your bike commuting?

So far, for me, it's all been positive. We have a real problem with the daily SUV parade after school, a serious parking problem, and a lot of overweight kids, so most people think I'm doing something good.

I'm still waiting, however, for a parent to complain about how my riding in the street sets a bad example for the kids or how keeping my bike in the classroom is unfair because the kids have to keep their bikes in the racks.

No, but when I was in college my bike was my sole means of transportation for about 4 years. That's when I really started cycling. It was easier and quicker cycling than taking the buses.

I sub at a high school about 10 miles away from my house. Twice a week I commute (when I don't need to be at my second job immediately after school gets out). It makes it much easier to get in and out of school with all the traffic of parents picking up their kids and student drivers. I keep the bike in the teacher's lounge so no students can mess with it (there are a few who might) and change out of my sweaty clothes in the staff bathroom when I arrive. I commute in fairly 'normal' clothes because I want it to seem like biking is normal, not something that requires special gear or weird tight clothes. Most of the kids who ask me about the bike riding just want to know why I do it; they are at the age where cars and driving gets very appealing. Mentioning gas prices always makes sense, though. They think I am protesting.