Any other teachers commuting?
#1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 15
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Bikes: Schwinn Le Tour 1997
Any other teachers commuting?
Le Tour Du Schools is what made me wonder...actually I was wondering already. Any teachers commuting on here? I teach 4th grade. 8 mile country road/bike path/state hwy commute. It's getting chilly. La dee dah. Gotta go correct stuff. Later.
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 202
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From: Mentor, Ohio
Bikes: Jamis: '05 Quest and '08 Xenith Comp
I've been commuting fourteen years (8 mile r/t) as a special ed teacher. This comes to an end in November when I retire. Four lane residential/business all the way. BTW, I used an older and I'm sure, heavier Le Tour for years.
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,959
Likes: 4
From: Davis CA
Bikes: Surly Cross-Check, '85 Giant road bike (unrecogizable fixed-gear conversion
I've been commuting across the Yolo Causeway from Davis to W. Sacramento for the last 3 years, and every single day for the last year and a half. 12-14 miles each way.
I keep my bike in the room where I teach first grade.
I think it's very important for kids to see grownups who don't drive cars everywhere they go.
What I find most interesting are the questions kids ask about my bike ...
Why do you have two water bottles?
How come your tires are so skinny?
Why is my name on your wheel? (asked by Alex)
Why is my name on the back of your seat? (asked by Brook)
Why do you have such tiny pedals?
Is your bike your car?
I keep my bike in the room where I teach first grade.
I think it's very important for kids to see grownups who don't drive cars everywhere they go.
What I find most interesting are the questions kids ask about my bike ...
Why do you have two water bottles?
How come your tires are so skinny?
Why is my name on your wheel? (asked by Alex)
Why is my name on the back of your seat? (asked by Brook)
Why do you have such tiny pedals?
Is your bike your car?
#5
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 103
Likes: 0
From: Zionsville, IN
Bikes: Fugi Allegro (retired, cracked frame), Sears 3-Speed, Trek 720, Raliegh Technium E-bike
I commute to teach. 20 miles rountrip in Indianapolis. This will be my first winter, I plan to bike as much as I can. It is hard with other gigs, tutoring, and my own kids at home, but I love it.
#7
#11
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 318
Likes: 0
From: pee-dee-ecks
I teach 4th & 5th gd Band (approx. 250 students). Just started commuting last week. It's a 7 mile round trip commute. I'd like to see how far into the winter season I can keep it up. Love to be able to do it year round.
#12
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 255
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From: Baton Rouge LA
Bikes: Bianchi Castro Valley, Cannondale Synapse hi-Mod, Trek T200 tandem, Cannondale Carbon Rush, KHS flite 100, Specialized Allez Elite (TT set-up), FreeAgent Ambush 24
I teach Elementary Music and 4-8th band. Only 1.2 miles away, though.
Most common bike related comment, "You have a CAR?!?!"
Most common bike related comment, "You have a CAR?!?!"
#13
Senior Member

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 500
Likes: 0
From: For the record, I am not now, nor have I ever been, an idiot.
I've been teaching for sixteen years. My present assignment is to teach incarcerated youth in a juvenile detention centre.
This is my fifth year cycle commuting to work. I travel about 6 km one way. I cycle commute year round but took about 6 weeks off last winter due to frequent problems with freezing rain. My problem with the icy conditions wasn't so much my ability to cycle in it as I use studded tires, but the ability of the drivers to maintain control of their vehicles on the ice.
I'm able to take my bike indoors with me and lock it inside of a locked utility room. The facility has showers for staff so I'm able to clean up, shave and change at work.
I'll probably only be 'in jail' for another year or two and am hoping to be assigned to a community school that is in cycle commuting range for me.
This is my fifth year cycle commuting to work. I travel about 6 km one way. I cycle commute year round but took about 6 weeks off last winter due to frequent problems with freezing rain. My problem with the icy conditions wasn't so much my ability to cycle in it as I use studded tires, but the ability of the drivers to maintain control of their vehicles on the ice.
I'm able to take my bike indoors with me and lock it inside of a locked utility room. The facility has showers for staff so I'm able to clean up, shave and change at work.
I'll probably only be 'in jail' for another year or two and am hoping to be assigned to a community school that is in cycle commuting range for me.
#16
del dot
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 211
Likes: 2
From: Santa Cruz CA
Bikes: Tour Easy
At both the colleges where I teach, a decent fraction of the faculty are bike commuters. One campus is at the top of a pretty decent hill (800 feet elevation over two or three miles). Back when I still commuted by car, I was astounded at all the gray-haired professors who made that "impossible" (as I perceived it then) climb on their bikes each morning.
In fact, their example is probably a big part of what got me into bike commuting.
In fact, their example is probably a big part of what got me into bike commuting.
#17
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 3,959
Likes: 4
From: Davis CA
Bikes: Surly Cross-Check, '85 Giant road bike (unrecogizable fixed-gear conversion
#18
Erect member since 1953
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,000
Likes: 38
From: Antioch, CA (SF Bay Area)
Bikes: Trek 520 Grando, Roubaix Expert, Motobecane Ti Century Elite turned commuter, Some old French thing gone fixie
I commute 8 miles tp Los Medanos College
My wife does 5 to her middle school
My department mate commutes 5 into LMC.
My wife does 5 to her middle school
My department mate commutes 5 into LMC.
#19
"Light is right"
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
From: Henderson/Las Vegas, NV
Bikes: 06 Cannondale Synapse, 93 Bridgestone XO-1 (commuter), 90 Specialized Sirrus
I have commuted for 2 years when the weather is nice, which is the majority of the school year here. I am a SLP serving 3 different schools 9-17 miles one-way.
My wife has joined me on Mondays and Fridays this year
. She teachers 4,5,6 resource (spec-ed) 8 miles away.
I agree with some others that the example is a good. I park my bike in my office and encourage questions about it.
My wife has joined me on Mondays and Fridays this year
. She teachers 4,5,6 resource (spec-ed) 8 miles away.I agree with some others that the example is a good. I park my bike in my office and encourage questions about it.
#20
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 54
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From: British Columbia, Canada
Bikes: Kronan, Norco MTB
#21
del dot
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 211
Likes: 2
From: Santa Cruz CA
Bikes: Tour Easy
Depends on what sort of stuff your friend has to transport, though. If it's mostly papers and books, then she'll be fine with panniers and/or a trailer. If she is carrying fragile art projects or something, it might be more of a challenge. (Maybe the projects go in one of those big plastic bins, which in turn she bungees to her trailer?)
#22
Teacher
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: People's Republic of Chicago
Bikes: '08 Surly Cross-Check, '05 Specialized Sirrus
My commute is about 7 miles one way on neglected asphalt and frost heaved concrete sidewalk. A rack and panniers is the new addition this fall, replacing a backpack. I've never done it year 'round, but I'm think I can go pretty deep into October. Looking forward to finding out!
I don't teach full time yet (still a grad student, in American literature) so I only carry a full load of books and papers and laptop and stuff three times a week. The other three days I'm in the library or a coffee shop, so it's just the laptop and a book or two.
I don't teach full time yet (still a grad student, in American literature) so I only carry a full load of books and papers and laptop and stuff three times a week. The other three days I'm in the library or a coffee shop, so it's just the laptop and a book or two.
#25






