Chicken Pooh or Wise Owl?
 

So here I am about 2 months back in to riding again and very proud of having brought my decade old Giant OCR3 out from under it's thick cover of dust and cobwebs after a 9+ year hibernation period in our backyard shed to get it "Ride-Able" with two new tubes, new chain, new front derailleur and bars re-wrapped (as the old wrapping was all but turned to dust) and then bringing it into it's current "Better Than New Condition" that it's in today with the addition of a Specialized Romin Evo Seat, Padrone Speedo/Odo, Clipless Pedals and a great USB rechargeable Lighting System....and Fantastic!...Good To Go!....

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=413844

and finally...all set and ready to commute too work! :)

So...I got my work clothes and shoes all packed up in my backpack....cycling clothes all laid out.....set my alarm 1 1/2 hours earlier than normal..hit the sack earlier than normal and miraculously?...I actually woke up too my 4:45am alarm! :)

Still bleary eyed?...I stumbled to my PC to check the weather radar loop and great!....All Clear! :)

Next?...I raced out the front door to check the temps and Perfect!...with just a light breeze!...as I thought...

"FINALLY!...IT'S A GO!!!...AND THIS IS GOING TO BE SO COOL!...MY FIRST BIG 11 MILE COMMUTE TOO WORK!" :)

So into the shower I raced letting the hot water massage and sooth my old bones and muscles...what a warm up!...and with pleasant thoughts of how shocked and surprised my friends and coworkers will be when they see me show up on my bike! :)

But then as I was drying off?...it hit me....as I thought...WAIT!!!

as "the negative list" began to form in my mind starting with...

1. 11 Miles is "THE MAX" I've ridden so far...and that WASN'T with a 12-15lb pack on my back...I don't even know what that feels like! :eek:

and?...

2. I wonder how I'm going to feel after 10 hours of work and having yet ANOTHER 11 miles to do in one day?...cause I've never done that before either! :eek:

and then?..."The Clincher"...that ended my short lived dream and glory...

3. While it's early enough this morning to enjoy sparse traffic on the ride in?....the ride home is going to be a death defying feat...Friday....Coming Home From Work....Rush Hour Traffic....with the last 2 miles of it being a crunchy two lane road through a drug thug hood loaded with stoned folks in Boom Boom Bubble Cars with fart can exhausts in a hurry to get home to party some more. :eek:

and that's when the gloomy reality of it all swept over me...is it really worth risking it all?....am I even really "Ready" for this yet?...and I didn't like the answers I gave myself...as I then hung my cycling clothes back up and drug my work clothes out of the backpack and threw on a pot of coffee as I loaded and rolled my motorcycle out of the garage and apologizing to my bike as I sadly walked by.

Then spent the day at work depressed and wondering...

did I Chicken Out or Owl Out?:bang:

That's the question. :twitchy:

You just "reasoned" away your first commute. A thought, on a day off make the ride, both ways and see what your time frame is, as a base point for reference. Traffic may be heavier, or lighter, depending on the day and time but you'll have an idea of what it is like to do the commute and will have made the complete ride and now know its doable. Just my 2¢ worth, do what best suits you, Jinx. I am pretty sure making the distance won't be a problem for you, at all.

Bill

I'm going to go with chicken out.

I got rid of my car in April 1999.

I started bike commuting in March 2006. It was only this past December that I broke the 7 year, 4 month chain of daily bike commuting. (It was 1,596 consecutive workdays, BTW.)

A freak snowstorm while at work killed the streak. (While I blame Mom Nature, I knew the forecast could be wrong, yet I left the bike with studded snow tires at home. So if you catch me in a moment of honesty, I was to blame, not Mom Nature or The Hyperbole Channel.)

And yet, every day that it's not perfect out, and every day when I'm feeling less than 100% (and at our age those are many), the little voice inside my head tells me I don't have to ride my bike to work.

Yes. Despite all my years of habituation and experience, I could talk myself out of cycling to work any time I choose. I just choose not to listen to the voices. ;)

I work in 'da hood. I know what that's like too.

Yes, bike commuting can be exhilarating for all the wrong reasons, but when I get home, that disappears too.

Like everything else in life, you don't know if you can do it until after you've done it.

By the way, 11 miles in, 10 hours working, then 11 miles home WILL feel tough. It will feel tough because it IS tough.

I find I can always tough it out more easily going home. Home and hearth (and dinner!) are powerful incentives.

It will take a few of those, maybe even a few dozen of them until it feels okay. That's all part of the process.

An alternative, or maybe something to help you build up to it, is to drive your bike to work with the car. Ride the bike home that night. Ride back in the next morning, then drive the bike home.

My first day commuting by bike:

1. Followed bike paths on busy streets instead of sidestreets with little or no traffic.
2. Got a flat.
3. No spare tube, tire irons, pump, or patch kit.

My next day commuting by bike:

1. Followed a route with minimal traffic.
2. No flats, but was prepared if I got any.
3. Got to work and thought "Now why the HELL didn't I start this a long time ago!?!"

That was right about 30 years ago.

The only issue I would have is your ride home in all the traffic. Are there no alternative routes? Forget about speed ... it's about safety.

Edit to add: Don't worry about being exhausted on the way home, or exhausted when you get to work. More sooner than later, you'll find it exhilarating.

I'm a former Atlanta bike commuter (now retired) and have a question. Is your bike commute route that same as the car commute route?
Many new bike commuters ride the same route they drive never looking at an alternate route that may be a few blocks off the beaten path that may go thru quiet neighborhoods and on less travelled roads.

Good stuff folks...thanks...and I'm very open minded to listening to the more experienced than I here (and that's probably about everyone) and willing to take the good with the bad as it all has it's place and value for me at the moment...so keep it coming and thanks!

qcpmsame...in hindsight?...I think you're right (about me not having a problem "making it") rendering the first two reasons I mentioned (that came to mind) as "excuses"...as I do still have a tendency to make those sometimes LOL!...but that 3rd one there?....is a serious matter of concern for me...maybe it'll take a few times of "Just Doing It" before I become comfortable enough to get some confidence....in my safety skills. :(

Ron...no..my "Drive Route" is 10 miles...but includes a stretch on an interstate...I-95...which I have to navigate around...and none of that is an issue...matter fact?...it takes me through a very plush...well lit...upscale PGA golf community...but stretches it out to 11 miles as my "Ride Route"....the "FEAR" I have is not getting out of the suburban ghetto section I live in at the wee hours when most are still in bed...(and it didn't used to be that way...but I've been here since '89 and it's changed...a lot)....it's the getting back in (that last two lane 2 miles) when all the undesirable types are squirting around in their boom boom ricers...along with migrant workers in construction trucks...it gets pretty insane....and I guess it didn't help that this past wedneday evening I attended my grandsons soccer game only to witness a Trauma-Hawk helicopter NOT arrive in time for a bicyclist that got hammered on the far end of the field (at dusk) and was DATS...a few miles from my home....I guess that thought was still lingering in my mind and influenced my decision as well. :(

Had to run up to wally world pharmacy tonight...my scripts were ready...but since I was?...I videoed it so you folks could see of which I speak...

I can understand your hesitation, especially since you saw the results of an accident...
However you can greatly reduce your risks, no salmon-ing, no ninja, ride with traffic and off sidewalks, oh and sober... Each are factors that DOUBLE fatalities (of course some fatalities are drunk, sidewalk riding, salmon, ninjas)...


I would suggest you listen to those above, but also prepare a little better. Test ride is the best confidence builder. Preparation is key to any endeavors success.

Have you got lights?
Running flat resistance tires?
Regardless, frame pump, tube and tire irons are good idea (and cheap)
Can you mount a rack to carry your stuff for you?
Mirrors help.
Lock? or other secure way to store your bike while working?

Do you ride for fun?
Longest ride of 11 would suggest not.
Try it, you'll like it!


Nice straight and VERY flat roads. Very little of my commute has as good visibility.

Cars are expensive to own and operate, each commute costs. Use that cost savings to pay for your patch kit, lights and such...
5 commutes by car probably cost you $50, just the way you spend the money is abstracted from day to day. it is easy to lose track of how much cars cost to run.

IMHO, chicken doo doo.
However suggest you do a few practice runs on the weekend or day off.
Especially if you have a day off on a "normal" work day.
cycle to work, at usual time of day with what ever might become the normal things you would carry on your commute. Then stop at a coffee shop, get lunch, what ever - after that ride back home.
during these trial runs, often you can find slightly differed and more comfortable route choices that may make you more confident about commuting.

Having second thoughts about a commute that requires that you ride on dangerous roads is pretty sensible. I wouldn't do it. I would explore alternative routes (assuming that there are any) and think about commuting less often and/or at times when the traffic is lower. This is a tough call.

Personally I commuted for many years, often in very dense traffic (including Central London before there were many cycle commuters on the road) in all weathers, and in the dark for almost half the year. So most of your objections cut no ice with me unless you feel you are too inexperienced to know how to ride defensively in traffic. If that's the problem, get some advice.

The only question I would ask is, what on earth are you carrying that requires a backpack weighing 15 lbs? A change of clothes weighs about 3 lbs. if shoes and a suit are the issue, next time you use the car, take some in and leave them at work. Cycling with a heavy backpack sucks.

Commuting by bike is a life-enhancing experience, and doing those 20 miles each day will bring you on in leaps and bounds not just in respect of your fitness, but also your confidence and enjoyment on the bike. Just do it.

I disagree with many, you have the wrong animals, it's rabbit and tortoise. Your concerns are all just, but you were going faster than you were ready. It's not necessary to do it all in one leap. Just go steady. Do your commute first on a Saturday, so you aren't rushed and can scope out the roads when there is less traffic. Nothing wrong with a little training so you really know what you are getting into. Don't push too hard, so you have a good estimate of how long it will take you. Then leave 15 minutes early to allow for a flat.

Like others, I find the ride home less tiring. There is no demand for punctuality and I'm glad to be out of work. I use a shopping pannier to take the weight off of my back and can punctuate the ride with shopping, a detour through a park or other things.

Soon you will be in shape so that the ride doesn't make you tired.

You made a good decision, maybe not for the reasons you thought.

I think you need to ride a little more on the bike and get comfortable with the distance. Scout out routes, see if you can find a better route, or adjust your schedule to make your route work better. It can be hard to judge a route (and the attitude of drivers) from driving a route.
Can you leave your clean work clothes at the office the prior day instead of taking them in? That'll lighten your load if you're not commuting every day.

I commuted in central London and in Paris as well long before that was considered a good idea in either city. The OP's objections cut a lot of ice with me. Some roads are dangerous and everyone makes their own judgment on this. I'd much rather commute in a busy city than a busy 2 lane road with no shoulder. Take a look at the video in post no. 8.

The truth is that the commute home is more tiring than riding to work. Other road users are also more polite in the morning than in the evening. Lots of bicyclists commute successfully in spite of those things.

How you felt that day after deciding not to ride should tell you everything. Doesn't matter what the rest of us think. You have been given some good advice here. Make it work somehow. I know from experience that it will bug you until you "Git-r-done".

Great stuff here and thanks folks...but at this point?...I'm almost thinking it was "A God Thing" that I opted not to take the bike at the last minute even though all conditions were a go....as by 1:30 PM that Friday?...I called my doctor to see if I could "get In"....feeling horrible for some reason and didn't know why...left work at 2:00pm...saw the doc...and that run in the video above was me going to fetch my new filled prescriptions...Cephalexin (antibiotic) and Lisinopril High BP Meds...then yesterday morning (Saturday) I wake up and begin the meds and by lunchtime?...I was laid out and messed up...beautiful day out and I didn't get out for a minute of it...either moaning or passed out in the fetal position in bed or racing to the bathroom to play north/south.

Not that this diminishes the above thoughts, opinions and advice given in any way, shape, or form but...still...would feel remiss if I didn't mention that and today?...I feel like I got run over by a bulldozer and lifting my coffee cup is a major feat! :(

But thanks...lots of great suggestions and advice...I particularly like the ones about "Making a Trial Run" and "Taking My Change Of Clothes The Day Before"....also?...I know squat about what I should have (beside my cellphone LOL!) to fix a flat. :(

I just started commuting with regularity this year. Here's some of my thoughts. I use light rail in the morning to blow through nasty traffic corridor. I usually use it in the evening to save time. Occasionally, I take a round about way home all bike. Mornings I usually ride with a purpose to ensure I'm on time. Often in the evenings I dawdle, just because... The mileage is well withing my comfort zone. With a little time spent with your favorite mapping software you can usually find a pretty nice route. I have one short section near work that intimidated early on for which i had no alternative. Almost a year in the apprehension has faded.

Poop happens.

You're quite right, everyone makes their own judgments. That's why I enquired about whether he felt experienced enough to understand how to protect himself in traffic. And yes, two-lane but fast roads are more dangerous than city streets. But collisions are rare, nonetheless. If I'd been reluctant to commute on roads like thise in the video, I'd have spent a lot less time on the bike.


Seriously? Never mind about the commuting, learn how to fix a flat before you next go out on the bike.

Ummm.....all due respect?...I think you're reading a little "Less" into what I stated...I didn't say..."I don't know how to fix a flat"...I said....

"I know squat about what I should have"

IOW's?...carry and extra tube or?...patches?......and?...portable pump or?...C02 rig?...as I have none of these things nor do I have "levers"...so I guess it's all things I have yet to get or even decide on...I'm thinking it should be...

1. Spare Tube (not patches)

2. Mini-Pump (*not Co2 rig)

and of course...

3. Levers (for tire bead removal)

But if I got a flat right now?...yes...I'd have to "call someone"...like my wife...tell her where I'm at and to bring my P/U Truck! :lol:

But you are correct that it is an issue which needs action prior to me commuting....like "Getting these things"...and I will admit to having just recently watched some "How To" videos...where I picked up some cool tips like the proper way to R&R the rear wheel and?...to leave the tube stem in and partially inflate the leaky tube to find "the leak reason" prior to installing the new tube.

*which tells me a Co2 rig might not be best option.

There's a learning curve to CO2 so make sure you have two cartridges the first time you need to use it in anger.

It is nice to have the tire inflated in about one second rather than a couple of minutes of stroking a minipump.

Spare tube and patches! Patch the tube when you get to work and then you'll have a spare for the way home. (that's where the minipump comes in handy!)

My commute is over for a while. I have no issue with going to work in the dark, but going home in the dark approaches suicide.

Next week when the time changes it will be particularly bad. Drivers seem to go nuts for a couple of weeks till they get used to it. The other bad time is Thanksgiving to New Years. Everyone is in a hurry and distracted it seems.

To add to TGT1's reply:

1. Mini-pump or CO2 inflater(sp) with 1-2 spare cartridges.
2. Spare tube --or--
2. patches, glue-less or glued/with adhesive. (I have both, I really hate to push and walk)
3. nested tire tools and or a multi-tool (Park Tool IB-3 is my personal choice)

These will easily fit in my under-seat wedge bag.

Bill

Conditions - and drivers - differ, so we all make our own judgments about this. Personally, though, I feel more conspicuous, and therefore safe, in full darkness than I do in low light conditions at dawn and dusk. And the UK statistics -I don't know about the US - seem to bear that out, accidents seem most frequent at twilight when it is difficult to stand out clearly against the background.

Of course, this depends on proper lighting. Two lights, one blinking one steady at both front and back. Relective strips on mudguards (fenders). Reflective clothing - reflective ankle bands are especially good, their movement draws the eye. Drivers approaching me in the dark may well mistake me for a mobile christmas tree, I'm quite noticeable.