zacster

After almost a year of procrastination I finally did the ride to work that I had been planning. I live in Brooklyn and rode through the streets of Brooklyn on mostly bike routes, then over the Manhattan Bridge on the same path that I look out onto wistfully every day from the subway, and then straight up the streets of Manhattan to the Grand Central area.

I had done a test ride last year and it took slightly less than an hour. Today it took more like an hour and a half. The difference is that I did the test on a 17lb carbon road bike, but I rode today on my MTB with a 10lb Kryptonite NY chain attached and my laptop on my back. That plus my lack of conditioning. I'll have to look at a lighter bike, plus leave the chain at work since I don't otherwise use it. No way am I leaving my carbon on the street.

And the thing is, I didn't plan to ride today. I was awoken with a call from work at 5am, and while I was surfing the web to kill time before I needed to go in it just dawned on me that I should ride in. Besides, it's Good Friday and the office was going to be empty and nobody would notice that I'm in cruddy clothes.

Maybe I'll make this a regular Friday event.

AdamDZ

Hey, I commute from Maspeth in Queens over Williamsburg bridge, but sometimes detour via Brooklyn bridge, which is pretty but a totally nuts (too many pedestrians and tourists) so today I'll ride over Manhattan Bridge on the way home. How long is your ride?

Yeah, you picked a good day: the weather was great and the roads were calm indeed. It's a bit more crowded on a normal day, but don't let that discourage you Your time will get shorter as you get used to the route and perhaps figure out alternative routes (I call that route optimization, he he he). You should stick to doing this at least once a week, maybe better. You may get to the point, like I did, that I just can't do any other way. I ride in the worst weather so I can be off the crowded train.

Sz10CFootprint

Sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind and do it. I rode in for the first time yesterday and it took me 1:15. It can only get faster right?

Great way to start the day. Enjoy the ride home!

zacster

Its a 10 mile ride door to door, at least according to my road bike computer. It was a great day to do it.

RogerB

Congrats! The hardest thing is getting past that mental barrier the first time. After that, it just gets easier.

You'll get in better shape as you go, and probably won't care so much about how much your bike weighs.

gitarzan

Did my ride to work for the first time today as well. It was great. Not as classy a ride as NYC, but nice nonetheless.

zacster

When I got home just a little while ago I lifted the bike I rode, then lifted my Kuota carbon bike. I think my Kuota weighs about what the chain and lock weighs. And the MTB already weighs a lot more, plus the laptop and the other stuff. I will get in better shape. I'll have to keep it up on the roadie.

Doohickie

It's about time, guys! We've been waiting for you!

AdamDZ

You may be able to do this in an hour. Mine is 8 miles and takes around 40 minutes. So I rode over Manhattan bridge on the way home today. Not bad, except for lousy views That route is about 10 miles and took me about an hour, but I did get lost after exiting the bridge. That curve at the Brooklyn side threw me off, went towards the river instead to Tillary.

Keep at it, it's fun and reliable way to commute

DSchlichting

Congrats.
Amazing how the light bulb just lights up sometimes . . .

CB HI

Like you said, leave the lock at work.
And I would try slicks on the mountain bike before buying another bike.
Congrats.

zacster

I was thinking a pair of lighter narrower tires would be an easy improvement. It has fat knobbies on it now, and I could easily lose a few pounds just by replacing them. I've had this bike for 15 years and I've been off-road maybe 3 times so no need for them. Maybe I'll carry the chain in with me during the week when I take the subway and leave it by the rack.

Funny thing, my son used that same mtb for a few years, but last year I let him try one of my road bikes. I haven't gotten the road bike back from him yet.

BrooklyntoNYC

Good for you keep it up! I tend to commute on Mondays only since I am the early guy, and I ride over the Brooklyn Bridge, to the Westside bike path to W57 st, its about 9.4 mile and takes me around 40 to 47 mins, depends on how hard I push it. When i first starting commuting, I had to rest 2 times. Once on the BB, it really use to beat me down, when going up and around Chelsea piers, now I can do it nonstop.

I am really thinking about using the Manhattan Bridge for my commute home. it is more bike friendly, meaning there are no tourist bocking up the way.

Your time will get better once you get in shape.

Sir Lunch-a-lot

Good on you! I think it would be a great idea to start of just doing this every Friday, and then gradually start doing it more often as you see fit! And +1 on slicks instead of knobbies (although, with the right sheet metal screws, you could turn the knobbies into studded tires for winter if you find yourself needing studded tires out there). As soon as our roads were clear enough of snow and ice to put slicks on, I put them on. The way I see it, make your commute as easy one yourself as you can in the beginning so that its easier to stick with it.

zacster

I'm usually in pretty good shape by the end of april from the road bike, but the MTB with the extra weight was just frustrating. I'm usually one of the guys that blasts up the Manhattan Bridge, but I felt like I was going to cough up a lung. I just didn't think all the extra weight was going to impact me as much as it did. I'll be doing some laps of Prospect Park today on my roadie with my newly built lightweight rear wheel and see how it feels by comparison.

One other thing I should note, I am not so young anymore at 55. I should've started doing this about 30 years ago, but you were considered a little crazy if you rode a bike back then to work. I never stopped riding in all this time so being on the bike isn't new to me. Just look at my join date and post count.

WhyFi

Nice! Welcome to the fold! I live near the Brooklyn Museum and work near Union Square. The Manhattan Bridge is certainly the way to go; though it gets busier every spring, it still isn't clogged with tourists like the BK Bridge. I'm fortunate that I have inside storage, so I don't have to carry a lock and I can ride the more sprightly bike. Commute takes about 25-30 minutes.

zacster

Just got back from a quick ride and the Kuota with my new rear wheel felt incredible. It made me realize I should have put better wheels on it long ago. And maybe having been on my MTB made it feel that much better. Now I have to build a lightweight front. White Industries H2 24h, Revolution spokes, Aerohead rim, should come in at 620g. That'll put the set at under 1500g.

This has nothing at all to do with commuting.

bbeck

congrats i made my first commute this morning.

rumrunn6

sucker ... now you're hooked! :-)