clawhammer72

Today something happened. I think I reached a new stage of commuting, but I don't know what to call it.

I have a short commute (3 miles one-way), and I've almost always taken the same route home.

But, today felt different. I wanted more. I wanted some hills. I wanted a longer ride. And so, I chose a different route home that included some of both. No big deal. Lots of people do that. Oh, and then I went home and worked on my bottom bracket. And I fixed it (Just a little tightening to get rid of a bump. again, no big deal.)

So for what it's worth, today I feel like I've entered a new stage of commuting. Maybe from stage 1 to stage 2. Nothing big, but a difference.

Has anyone ever tried to name the stages of commuting?

I'm sure there are more than 5, but apart from,
"Stage 1: Newbie/Beginner?"
How would you name the stages? And what stage are you?

pityr

I thought stage 2 was riding in the rain. Or is that stage 4. iono, its been a while

MNBikeguy

I think there are two stages in commuting.
First, is trial-and error; figuring out what works for you and what doesn't. Bike, tires, panniers/messenger bag, clothes, layering, equipment repair, what to pack, how to pack, etc..etc..etc...
Eventually, you're dialed in. Quick look at the weather forecast and you know exactly what to do. It becomes second nature. You're out the door in a matter of minutes. You're prepared for breakdowns and potential problems. You know when and how to control your position in traffic without having to post on BF.
Sounds like you've entered stage two... :-)

Sixty Fiver

1. You think that you should try commuting, maybe just once or twice a week so see how it goes.
2. Find yourself riding 5 days a week in no time.
3. Start complaining about the lack of bike facilities at work.
4. Think that a longer commute would be awesome and buy a trailer.
5. You put your car up for sale.

Medic Zero

Mostly because it is hilly here my first stage was:

(1) part of the time (hill climbing) this sucks, but I'm going to keep doing it

Of course it wasn't all the hills, having somehow been off a bike for about seven years and gained at least 80 pounds while having lost some muscle didn't help!

My next stages have been:

(2) acquiring clothes, racks, panniers, saddlebags, tools, more bikes, lights, tires, etc...
(contrary to the above I don't think this stage ever ends! It does have plateaus though)

(3) realizing the hill-climbs now don't suck most days, I must be getting stronger

(4) getting to the point that a longer commute would be nice
(although with work+school right now, I'd actually welcome shorter much of the time)

(5) getting to the point that I might be comfortable at a group ride
(think I just got here, signed up for the Gran Fondo Ephrata)

(6) getting to the point that my commuter is set up just the way I want it AND I have a back-up bike

(7) having a back-up bike set-up for the rare snowy or icy days and ready to go

nashvillwill

Not sure which stage I am in, but I definately can relate to the OP. Ive been at it 5 days a week for about 7 months. I've already hit the "comfortable in traffic" stage "comfortable w/gear and no fear of breakdown stage", but I was riding the same route every day and getting bored. I live in a bicycle utopia, but I work in a typical suburban area with 4 lane highways, crossing freeways and the like. My mindset was always "the fastest, most direct route". Which was about 5 miles in suburban traffic.
Then one day, I decided I wanted to try something different. I started looking at maps and noticed a MUP the followed a canal, which was a little out of the way, but would be worth a try. So I took it. Wow! I love commuting again! Soon, I was finding other routes. Mixes of new roads and new MUP's. I though, "well, I guess I don't have to go to the nearest train station". So I rode to the next stop. Then I thought, "I guess I don't have to get off the nearest station to home". So I got off early. I doubled my mileage, then tripled it. Although my bike riding time is still very limited and some days I just have to take the shortest route, I'm always looking for those extra few minutes to add a few miles. Even if I make a big "half moon" to my destination instead of a straight line.

Not sure what made me turn the corner other than boredom. But it definately put the spice back in it.

So my 5 stages (so far) went like this:

1. "Just do it". See if I can make the commute. Do it on a regular basis.
2. Get the right equipment. Realize that 10 year old, hand-me-down bike doesn't fit at all and isn't a good commuter. New (to me) bike, bags, clothes, lights, fenders.
3. Breakdown/weather Realize that I can fix a flat anywhere. I can change my tube on a train. I can make small adjustments on the fly. Say "no thanks" eith a smile when offered a ride in bad weather.
4. Get bored. Why am I doing this? I don't really save that much $, after transit fees, bike gear. My ride is boring. I feel like I have reached a point of diminishing returns as far as physical fitness gains from the ride.
5. "push it!" Find new rides, longer rides! Do it as much as possible. Do it until it hurts! Brag to my fiancée about how far I've gone. Set goals. See how fast I can do I leg. See what new routes I can find........what's next?!

Hopefully, there are more stages and that I can somehow find the time for them.

Doohickie

For me?

1. You think that you should try commuting, maybe just once or twice a week so see how it goes.
2. Find yourself riding 3-4 days a week.
3. Dialed in and riding to work is default.
4. Office moves, changing one-way distance from 7 to 17 miles.
5. Back to the car, except for infrequently riding to work.

wphamilton

It's a moving target. I see the next stage when someone seems extreme but still within the realm of sanity. Like the guys who buy studded tires and arctic gear so they can ride during blizzards for example.

scroca

Shouldn't your #4 and #5 actually be combined to #0 (or maybe #1)?

Doohickie

After #4 happened, I continued to commute fairly frequently for several months. This summer I realized that my time at home during that ~5:30-7:30 window was more important to me than riding my bike to work, for various reasons. Commuting did, however, get me riding again after a 20+ year layoff, and I still ride frequently at night (usually after 9 pm). So it's not a total failure.

jdswitters

I like this, I'm stage 4.

jeffpoulin

Similar to Sixty Fiver, my stages are:

1) Part time commuter, in nice weather only.
2) Regular commuter, but you still feel tired by Fridays.
3) Full time/year round, and you start adding extra miles when you can.
4) Family and co-workers question your sanity when they see you riding in extreme weather.
5) Nobody asks if you "rode your bike in this weather" anymore, because they all know you did.

alan s 

Stage 6 - you request a self-imposed ban from BF because you spend too much time on it and not on work.

Leebo

wphamilton, my extreme is your average summer day, 95F in the shade and 90% humidity. I guess when you give up on frozen water bottles, your perspective gets warped.

Rick@OCRR

These 5 steps are going to be different for almost everyone . . .

For me:
1. Commute to work in all kinds of condtions from homes to various jobs for 35 years.
2. Get a job at a warehouse in a "dangerous" neighborhood, with several similar "dangerous" neighborhoods on the route . . . drive a car taking everyone's advice not to ride through those neighborhoods.
3. Realize that I can ride to the Metro station and take the Metro train above these neighborhoods, then exit the station and ride a short way to work.
4. Buy a folding bike so I can easily and legally use the Metro at any time of day.
5. Live happily ever after riding my folding bike, taking the Metro and riding my folding bike.

Rick / OCRR

Artkansas 

1) You commute Monday
2) You commute Tuesday
3) You commute Wednesday
4) You commute Thursday
5) You commute Friday

That seems to cover it. Repeat weekly until retired.

Santaria

I'm finally at the stage where I don't care what my bike weighs, nor do I want to hear people tell me "all those gears are useful" anymore; I like riding at my own pace and feel like I'm a big kid again instead of an angry man sprinting from stop light to stop light raging at every car that passes too close. I'm also at the stage where I don't assume everybody in a vehicle is gunning for me and realize that generally, most people have their heads up their ass and ride accordingly.

And I'm falling in love with SS/FG because its one less thing to worry about.

Mult47

I skipped #1. Started with #2 & #5 at the same time. Can't complain about #3 and can't think of a reason for #4. However, somewhere along the line I went from "Wow, I'm a bike commuter!" to "No big deal. It's just another bike ride." Now, to get really excited, I have to wait for the weekends so I can go on longer and longer rides. Guess that's another stage as well.

Jim from Boston

I started adult cycling as a tourist about 10 years before I began cycling regularly as a commuter. When occasionally commuting while in my tourist stage, that was my baseline, and I only rode in nice weather about 5 miles. When I began regular commuting (14 miles), the desire and ability to ride a lot already was there.

I would say my progression as a commuter has been measured by the weather I ride. First was the decision to ride in the winter, but only down to 25 degrees; then down to 15 degrees; then however cold it gets; then studded tires for icy conditions. The final (most recent) stage for me was to start riding in the rain.

MattFoley

For me, this is cyclical (bah dum, ching!)

1. As weather warms, look forward to getting out and doing the commute
2. Start taking the long way to/from work to get extra miles in
3. Days get shorter, motivation fades
4. Weather cools, motivation plummets
5. "Driving a couple days a week isn't so bad"

swwhite

I once came up with a sort of "belt level" system for utility cycling. If I can remember...

The first five levels were like the colored belt rankings (kyu? The karate term is something like that.)
First: Riding to work one day a week in the three summer months for your hemisphere.
Second: Riding to work two days a week in the three summer months for your hemisphere.
Third to fifth, as expected; working up to five days a week in the summer.

The next levels were the "dan" levels, the black belt levels.

First: Riding in the dark.
Second: Riding in the rain.
Third: Riding in the cold.
Fourth: Riding in snow.
The above levels would need some refinement for distance, number of times, and so on.

The next levels were the levels of Master Of Utility Cycling.

First: Making a four-bag grocery run on a bicycle.
Second: Going on a date on a bicycle.
(There might have been one more level in here but I can't remember.)

And finally, the highest level of utility cycling, one which might be impossible, or possible only for a select few, the Grand Master Of Utility Cycling:

Picking up your teenage daughter from school on a bike.

Artkansas 

What award does your teenaged daughter get for being picked up by her FATHER on a BICYCLE?

How embarrassing!

clawhammer72

lol!

Bigdaddy021970

If you want to embarrass even more then pick her up in the bike trailer.

My daughter had a friend whose dad picked her up from middle school on a moped. Now that would be embarrassing.

Bud Bent

My lung cancer was Stage 2, but I haven't tried staging my bike commuting yet...