Zhtwn

[de-lurk and saga]

Friday, I commuted for the second time -- the first was a week ago Thursday. Thursday seemed to be more of a "can I do it" challenge. Yesterday was more of a "do I want to" challenge.

Each time it seems to be easier, both physically and mentally. Originally, I was expecting I wouldn't be able to do the 23 miles more than once a week while the weather is reasonable, but now I'm thinking two or three times a week would be doable, and not so worried about the weather.

I've got to say thanks to y'all at the forum, too.

Until last June, I had only ridden a bike once since I graduated from high school in 1980. The info and opinions here helped me to find a bike that works well for me, and to start using it. I found a 2007 Marin Point Reyes on clearance, and added the basic commuter stuff (Topeak rack and trunk, SuperFlash blinky, simple computer, etc.). Huge difference from the "classic" three-sizes-too-big Schwinn Varsity I had in high school.

For the first couple months, I just used the bike for 5-6 mile round trips around home -- shopping, church, movie theater, etc. At first, even 3 miles would give me "noodle knees" by the end of the trip.

At the end of August, I survived 15 miles of errands on a Saturday, and figured I might be ready for the 23-mile (fortunately flat) commute. Sure enough, it went pretty well, although I did have a bit of "noodle knee" by the time I got home that night.

Average speed was 12 mph the first time, and 12.5 mph the second time -- not too bad, I suppose, considering the traffic lights, but I'm hoping to work that up to something respectable.

Anyway, thanks for the support -- and thanks for reading my saga.

Doohickie

The noodle knees will quickly go away if you commute regularly like you're saying (2-3 times a week). My commute is less than 10 miles each way, but it does have a little climbing. First few times were tough, now it's like nothing and I'm starting to get into the habit of adding a quick run downtown to my ride home (adding another 15 miles or so to the ride). Just for the heck of it.

In October I may be doing a 40 mile round trip with someone I met on the forum here and maybe some other friends. I *think* I can do it. I couldn't say that six months ago.

benda18

keep it up

savethekudzu

Congratulations! Is that a 23-mile one-way, or round-trip?

12 mph is nothing to be ashamed of; with commuting your goal (for most of us) is to get there and back, not to kill yourself doing it. You may (and probably will) get a little faster; you may not. Don't be disappointed if you're never averaging 14. Just be happy you're on your bike!

srmatte

I also just started this year (June) and wasn't sure of the 25 mile round trip more than once or twice a week as there are some challenging hills that have to be overcome. Now I'm riding 4-5 days a week to work and sometimes taking alternate routes that allow for some big climbs when I feel I'm up for more of a challenge. I'm bumming this week as I need to order a new rear rim ( popping spokes on the old one) and I may only get in 1 or 2 days.

Zhtwn

Yeah, I'm already noticing the difference. I still felt it in my legs three days after the first commute, but it took only a day for them to recover after the second.

How many commutes did you do before it felt normal rather than a challenge?

You're right. It was a bit surprising how much I missed the bike last weekend when I took it in for the 100-mile tune-up.

The commute's 23 miles round trip. And carrying a hefty lock -- I work in Detroit, and the fine company doesn't allow bicycles in the building. Once I'm more regular on the commuting, I'll see if I can leave a lock there.

Actually, my goal is more than just commuting -- I also want to have a viable transportation option for most any trip I need to make. That means getting in shape, of course.

Fremdchen

Commuting back and forth to work certainly does kick it up a notch - I find that it forces me to ride every weekday, where before I would slack off during the week, make excuses and also have lots of legitimate things taking my time weekday nights after I got home from work. Commuting means that the workout is built-in to my day, plus it's very convenient to tack on add'l mileage after work. The trip by bike takes as long as by train (it's only 8 mi RT). So the time "loss" in the evenings is not even noticeable. I still have time to get in a shower before my boyfriend comes home hungry!
I've been commuting about 2 weeks. I can already tell it's improved my fitness and speed!

capejohn

A 23 mile commute will become easy in no time. I remember how much I stressed when I was thinking about and preparing for my 21 mile commutes.

Your company not allowing bikes into the building is kind of crazy. I'm sure you have heard some really lame reasons. Do they allow baby carriages and wheelchairs inside? Just wondering.

lesdunham

zhtwn

Keep up the excellent effort, it will get better. What is your general route? We do alot of riding on the east side and maybe there are some suggestions for better/faster averages.

Check out Slow Spokes, Clinton River Riders, and Wolverine Sports Club for even more expertise. It is always good to have the perspecitive of other riders if you are working at getting stronger on the bike.

Grim

This is something I saw not long after I joined this forum and not sure who to credit:

I started commuting around "Bike to work" in May. 4 months of almost daily riding and I HATE when I can't ride. I am a fair weather commuter in the summer. If its raining here it is usualy a thunderstorm and while getting wet doesn't worry me it is fear of the finger of god making my day that has me driving my truck.

My Round trip is under 10 miles but I have a few good hills along the way. When I first started it took me 22 minutes. Now I can make it in 16. That's only 5 minutes longer then it takes driving with rush hour. I have lost 35lb since Feb and most of that was riding.

Last week one of the field engineers that works for the same company as I do left my office a couple minutes before I did. I passed him about 1/4 mile later as he was stuck in traffic and knocked on his passenger window as I passed him in the bike lane. Next light changed just before I got there and he passed me and tooted the horn pointed and laughed on the way to the next light. Next light I taped his window pointed and laughed as I passed by. This went on for 2 miles and 9 lights. I beat him to the hwy and I could see the hwy was moving about 10mph when I went over the bridge.

It is addictive and definitely a feeling of accomplishment to be less dependent on the car to make short trips.

Being a reformed Michigander I can see the toughest part of sticking with it for you will be the winters. It can be done. Check out a few of the other sections and you will find a lot of good winter riding info.

tsl

I never had to deal with the "do I drive or do I ride" issue. What I can say is it took only a couple of weeks before the novelty of cycling to work wore off and it felt normal.

Challenges, however, never seem to go away. At first it was finding better routes, adding hills, adding miles. My direct route is only two miles. These days, in good conditions, three of my four workdays I add up to 18 miles to each direction. Adding speed is the current challenge.

Others are poor weather, night commutes, and days where I just don't feel up to snuff. I tried cycling through the winter, and that brought its own set of challenges. Turns out that, at the very worst I don't mind it, and most days it's pretty good. Every day brings that "I did it!" sense of satisfaction.

The getting in shape aspect was something I really had to work on. My goal was simple--I wanted my commutes to become the easiest rides of my week. In order to do that, I had to do training rides. It's amazing how quickly those rides helped my commutes, but also how quickly they became my favorites.

This was especially true in the early months when a little bit of training went a long way in improvements.

Grocery runs were my other challenge and training rides. There's a short steep hill, which I had to power up fully loaded with foodstuffs. At the top of the hill, if you can believe it, is an underpass, so I'd lose all the altitude I gained, and have to climb back up. In the early months I'd be soaked and wobbly by the stoplight at the top of the underpass. These days it's an easy spin in the middle ring.

Zhtwn

It's a hospital. In Detroit. Security is paranoid -- perhaps with some slight justification. It's not unusual to hear of gun incidents...

I'm going from the east side of Royal Oak to just south of the New Center area. I take Campbell/Hamilton down to 8 Mile -- there's a bike lane for a good bit of that through Ferndale. Then I take Woodward down to 7 Mile -- it's 4 lanes wide there, and only buses use the right lane. At 7 Mile, I cut west to Pontchartrain, and continue on Hamilton, eventually merging into the Lodge service drive. I cross Pallister to catch 3rd southbound to the office, just south of the RR overpass.

Always open for other route suggestions, of course.

I like that -- very good way of looking at it. Thanks!

Doohickie

I don't know for sure, but it was only a matter of a week or two.

I got a new bike on Labor Day weekend and then left the next week for a two-week business trip. Talk about missing your bike!

What are do you live in? I used to live in Dearborn. Are the neighborhoods you're biking through pretty safe? I know Detroit can be spotty.

That will happen quickly, and the more you ride, the quicker it happens. I just got back from about a 25-miler just now (still sweaty- yuck!) About 3/4 the way through I started to feel that I was nuts for just doing it, but then suddenly I was home. I'm looking into buying another bike- a vintage Raleigh- that I can use for a grocery getter.

Zhtwn

Hmmm...safe is relative, I suppose...

I've been driving this route (see previous reply) for about 6 months, and I've developed enough situational awareness of the area that I don't feel very unsafe. Some parts aren't very well maintained, but I haven't seen any behavior that seemed threatening. I doubt I'd want to do it after dark, though.

I've abandoned some other routes, though...a number of years ago, I was driving a different route from work, and I think I was about 4 cars behind a drive-by shooting...didn't take that route too often after that, and every time I did I was hyper-aware.

Doohickie

Duh... you live in Royal Oak! My wife worked in Detroit when we lived there, and she felt perfectly safe, but as you said you need to keep your situational awareness going.