Howdy! I've been lurking around here for a while, but just got myself a bike worthy of riding! Its a Kona Dew and I'm already in love. I had my first daily commute to work (14.4 RT) and have been using it to get back and forth to the gym. Just wanted to check in and introduce myself!

Mike

Welcome! What's the weather been like wherever you are? Here in Ohio it changes hourly.

Welcome! Hope you stick around for a while...

Well here in texas it also changes hourly! Sunday night when I was going into work it was a nice 72. That night while I was working it started snowing, and was 37 for my ride home (monday morn) with wild texas winds. Monday was a high of like 50's and today hit high 70 low 80s

Welcome! I like your enthusiasm. Where are you? What kind of ride is it to work and back?

I live in the panhandle where it is windy as heck. Today I was fighting a 20mph wind on the way home. The ride is actually mixed up well. Have nice paved city streets, old brick roads and pot-hole pavement downtown, and a bike trail that was put over old railroad tracks. The main reason I started commuting is for time efficiency. Working nights makes sleep time a commodity, and working out in the morning is the most effective for me. However, it seemed like I was wasting alot of time by driving home form work, changing clothes, driving to the gym, lifting weights, then trying to get my half hour of cardio. Commuting lets me come home and get my cardio all at once (takes me about a half hour one way, so I'm also getting MORE cardio), ride to the gym (which is really close to my home), and streamline my mornings . I have found it tough being a heavy lifter commuting all my work food back and forth. I checked the lunch thread, but most those guys eat like birds . In my line of work, and the hours I work, eating out is not an option, and absolute fitness is a necessity. I'd love to hear from some heavy eaters

What year is your Kona Dew?

Welcome!!! 14.4 is exactly my RT milage :-) A good distance, I think, not too much, not too little.

This year I guess, I just bought it

I agree JP. Seems to be working just fine so far. It takes me about 30 minutes, how bout you?

I'm slow. From door to door about 45 min, actual riding time around 35 min maybe.

I'm 6'3" and 180-190 lbs (depending on the season) and I have to eat like a fiend to keep from losing weight. So I hardly "eat like a bird". I think what's most important is how you start the day food wise. In colder weather I have a big bowl of oatmeal with almonds, honey or maple syrup and raisins or dried cranberries. In the cooler weather some kind of granola mix is my substitute. Along with that is the key essential and I do this year round- I throw in a blender: 1 banana, 1/4 cup frozen pineapple pieces, 1/4 cup frozen mangos, 1/4 cup frozen peaches and 1/4 cup mixed berries, 3-4 tbsps coarse ground flax seed, a scoop of whey protein powder, a pack of Emergen-C, a chunk of fresh ginger and about 2 cups of orange juice.

My work involves a range of physical activity from moderately physical to intensely physical so I don't get to sit around much during the day. I also change locations frequently, either by bike or walking so I continue to burn calories during the day. Sometimes I bring in a bunch of quality frozen microwaveable meals to store in the small fridge at my office and make lunch there but there are a lot of good sandwich places nearby and I'll often do that too. I supplement my food with chocolate almond milk or chocolate soy milk, which I drink in vast quantities. And I eat bananas like crazy.

When I get home I go for the proteins- lean meats, chicken and lots of fish. And salads with avocados. And more chocolate soy or almond milk.