What's the hardest part of your routine bike commute?
05-07-13, 01:33 AM
#26
Just a commuter
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Hardest part for me is the logistics of it all. Me and my partner takes turns doing the morning or afternoon run, so every other day: getting kids to daycare without anyone going nuclear, going back home for bike, get to work in time for meetings, find time to freshen up before meeting...
05-07-13, 05:50 AM
#27
Plays in traffic
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Originally Posted by GT4
the hardest part of your routine bike commute
05-07-13, 05:57 AM
#28
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I have done that before. Kinda nice.
Originally Posted by tergal
Actually going to work !
Would be nice somedays to just keep riding .
Would be nice somedays to just keep riding .
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05-07-13, 06:35 AM
#29
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re: taking the lane for safe rail road track crossing
I used to have one of these on 117 heading east in Lincoln, MA over by Drumlin farm. It's a very dangerous crossing because it appears out of nowhere around a blind bend. So when I take the lane the passing traffic has no idea what is coming. Over many tries I tried many things and what finally worked was, while taking the lane, holding up one finger as if to say "just a minute, I'll be out of your way soon" this can be combined with another hand signal an open hand facing backward as if to say: "stop passing". So the combined effect is stop passing this will just take a minute, but of course I need both hands to cross the tracks so at some point my hand signals had to stop. Some a-holes would pass just as they were coming around the blind bend and be facing oncoming traffic crossing the tracks, so stupid. I was always lucky though and I don't recall any oncoming traffic just at that moment, but I can only imagine what if there was. Since those days they have constructed a small island on this side of the tracks making the 2 lanes very clear, so now if someone were to try passing in the oncoming lane they would have no way to return to their own lane at the last second. I'm not sure what they have done has made the crossing any safer for cyclists and oncoming traffic. One weekend day as I was driving the route, I saw a Mom and young child riding their bikes on this route which by the way has a horrible road condition along the shoulder, torn up and bumpy, and they were approaching the blind bend but I passed them long before, cautiously of course. I don't think they knew what they were headed toward.
I used to have one of these on 117 heading east in Lincoln, MA over by Drumlin farm. It's a very dangerous crossing because it appears out of nowhere around a blind bend. So when I take the lane the passing traffic has no idea what is coming. Over many tries I tried many things and what finally worked was, while taking the lane, holding up one finger as if to say "just a minute, I'll be out of your way soon" this can be combined with another hand signal an open hand facing backward as if to say: "stop passing". So the combined effect is stop passing this will just take a minute, but of course I need both hands to cross the tracks so at some point my hand signals had to stop. Some a-holes would pass just as they were coming around the blind bend and be facing oncoming traffic crossing the tracks, so stupid. I was always lucky though and I don't recall any oncoming traffic just at that moment, but I can only imagine what if there was. Since those days they have constructed a small island on this side of the tracks making the 2 lanes very clear, so now if someone were to try passing in the oncoming lane they would have no way to return to their own lane at the last second. I'm not sure what they have done has made the crossing any safer for cyclists and oncoming traffic. One weekend day as I was driving the route, I saw a Mom and young child riding their bikes on this route which by the way has a horrible road condition along the shoulder, torn up and bumpy, and they were approaching the blind bend but I passed them long before, cautiously of course. I don't think they knew what they were headed toward.
05-07-13, 06:57 AM
#30
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Hardest part is pacing myself so I don't smell too badly when I get to work. I will keep the speed down, but then there's a slight incline I need to conquer, and once my legs go into actual sports mode, it's hard to reduce the effort level again.
05-07-13, 07:38 AM
#31
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Originally Posted by DX-MAN
Getting off the bike when I get to work. Wind, weather, cold...meh. I have gear for all of that, and can ALWAYS pedal slower for conditions. But, DAMN...when I'm on the bike, I don't wanna STOP, especially not for the stupid JOB!
05-07-13, 07:45 AM
#32
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Originally Posted by Steely Dan
wind.
05-07-13, 07:46 AM
#33
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Nothing about my commute is hard except fast riders. I live in ottawa friggin VALLEY! I get less than 200feet of climbing on my 60km roundtrip, and that's because I detour to hit a few hills. Oh well what can you do, I still enjoy my commute, just wish I could suffer more in the verticals 
Otherwise, I guess it's potholes... big ones!
Roby!
Otherwise, I guess it's potholes... big ones!
Roby!
05-07-13, 09:25 AM
#34
Senior Member
Originally Posted by nashvillwill
Waking up at 4am.
05-07-13, 09:33 AM
#35
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Idiot drivers. Finishing a great commute only to find myself at work.
05-07-13, 01:49 PM
#37
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There are a few hills that I slow down to 10MPH on when climbing. That's about it.
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Work: the 8 hours that separates bike rides.
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05-07-13, 02:23 PM
#38
The Recumbent Quant
Originally Posted by GT4
What's the hardest part of your routine bike commute?
05-07-13, 02:29 PM
#39
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Originally Posted by cplager
Getting out of bed. (Seriously.)
05-07-13, 02:29 PM
#40
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Deciding which bike to take.
05-07-13, 05:21 PM
#41
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Leaving on time in the morning:
... and leaving on time in the afternoon:
... and leaving on time in the afternoon:
Last edited by old's'cool; 05-07-13 at 05:33 PM.
05-07-13, 05:44 PM
#42
Senior Member
The part I'm most apprehensive is the steep slope near where I work. It is when I had to go DOWN that slope on my way home that it worries me. Climbing up a slope is just exhausting, but going downhill with many vehicles and intersections around is very dangerous. Imagine all the vehicles are also speeding down next to you or behind you. I am seriously considering to walk the bike in that part from now on, before too late.
05-07-13, 06:32 PM
#43
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the hardest for me is the beginning start in the morning where im groggy and dont want to go to work. After that its fine.
05-07-13, 06:55 PM
#44
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I don't pass any spots that are intrinsically dangerous due to road design, so the hardest parts of my commute are due to incline. I have a 1 mile 8% climb that has sections up to 12%, and I have two other short climbs (1/4 mile or so) that go up to 18%.
05-07-13, 07:23 PM
#45
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Fighting with cars that are rushing to get onto the freeway to get across from the side the middle when the bike lane jumps.
https://goo.gl/maps/dqduC
https://goo.gl/maps/dqduC
05-07-13, 08:53 PM
#46
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Originally Posted by nashvillwill
Waking up at 4am.
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05-07-13, 10:10 PM
#47
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Originally Posted by RubeRad
Fighting with cars that are rushing to get onto the freeway to get across from the side the middle when the bike lane jumps.
https://goo.gl/maps/dqduC
https://goo.gl/maps/dqduC
05-07-13, 10:39 PM
#48
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Originally Posted by cplager
Getting out of bed. (Seriously.)
05-07-13, 11:12 PM
#49
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My first road I get onto is really hilly (sorry no pics). I'll be flying down as fast as the bike will take me, then I have to go back up at the same incline. I'm new to bike riding, so I just downshift to a really low gear and pedal slow (a runner would pass me easily). These hills happen 3 times on that road.
Other than that, the 2nd worst thing is the trail, actually. There are way too many people that don't understand the basic principle of "stay right, pass on left". Most of the time it's people with headphones on too. They make me so angry.
Other than that, the 2nd worst thing is the trail, actually. There are way too many people that don't understand the basic principle of "stay right, pass on left". Most of the time it's people with headphones on too. They make me so angry.
05-08-13, 04:53 PM
#50
Full Member
After going on three years of commuting, my dread is the ride home. Purely mental since I don't feel any type of fatigue when I arrive. That's why I've been considering packing it in and resuming my commute on my motorcycle.
