commuting to work riding strategies

[Climb01742]

after 3 years of trying, i finally succeeded in getting my company's office moved close enough to ride to work. yippee! now comes the hard part: actually doing it. a few details:

most of the ride will be on two-lane semi-country roads with varying amounts of car traffic. the terrain will be varied, with some pretty good hills if i seek them out. the last few miles will be through urban streets and traffic. there will be some pretty good potholes, broken pavement, usual game of dodge with cars and some peds.

here are some questions i'd like your advice on:

is it realistic to expect to "train" on a) most, b) many, or c) only if you're lucky miles of the commute. during the week, these miles will probably make up most of my mileage. in your experience, are commuting miles riding miles or training miles?

tire width? a very smart person suggested 25-28. any recco on type of tread?

fixed/SS vs geared? fenders? go with a tank of a frame (like a MXL) or something sturdy but a bit lighter? is this finally a good excuse to try a dreaded cross frame?

and finally, how should i break it to my co-workers that i will be smellier and dirtier than usual sometimes, or should i just let them discover that for themselves?

[emiljay]

I communte during the longer days Apr thru Sep -- 18mi one way including descent into/climb out of a river valley. My route is also a combination of rural/urban. With the urban part in the middle, I'm limited in how much training I can really do. But, the climbs do make for good zone 4/5 work, and I can get 20min stretches of tempo on the rolling flats. The urban area is for pack skills and attitude.

I'm fortunate to have a shower at my office. Living in the conservative mid-West, though, I do get some looks walking around the building in tight pants.

I commute on my concours, and I skip the rainy days b/c I don't trust the drivers under such poor visibility.

[Ray]

The length of the commute determines a lot about the kind of bike I'd ride. The longer it is, the more I'd want the bike to ride like my favorite road bike. The shorter, the more I can put up with reduced ride characteristics for more practical stuff. If you're riding in street clothes, fenders are a must. If you dress in bike clothes for the ride and don't ordinarily use fenders with your bike clothes, you don't need to on the commute. No need for a tank of a bike unless you're carrying a heavy load. And if you are, you'll have to decide whether you like carrying it on your back or on the bike. In either case, I find the more stable geo bikes better for riding with a big load. My commute is only a couple of miles and I'll ride it on pretty much whatever SPD-shod bike my mood and load dictates (fixed, cross, sport-touring, 650b converted road racer). I almost never ride with road shoes because my commute is urban and I have to put my foot down pretty often, which I'd rather do with a soled shoe. Doesn't sound like the case for you.

I agree that 25-28mm tires is a good choice, but I sometimes use my 38mm tires on my 650b conversion, and sometimes 23s on my cross bike. I don't think tread matters unless you're dealing with snow and ice, in which case a fatter tire with some tread does seem to help. Studs don't hurt either :cool: Also riding in street clothes, I like a big fat B-17 rather than my skinny road bike saddles.

Fixed is a great way to commute in urban traffic, but for the roads it sounds like you'll be riding, it depends on whether you'd do the same ride fixed if it weren't a commute. And in terms of being smellier than usual, if the ride is long enough to get really gross, I'd ride in riding clothes and either carry your work clothes or drive in once a week and leave a bunch at work. Then you can clean up when you get there and change into clean clothes. If you have a shower at work, wait and shower after the ride in. If not, shower before you leave and then just dry off with a towel and give the smelly parts a once over with baby wipes and deoderant (once you stop sweating) and you should be good for the day. In my case, the ride is short and flat enough that I can ride in street clothes and rarely break a sweat, although on some steamy summer mornings I have to make a real effort to ride really easy.

Finally, I can't speak to "riding" vs "training" because I don't really train for anything. But if it's a longer commute and you're doing it every day, I'd imagine you could mix it up and go relatively hard 2-3 times a week (assuming traffic conditions allow) and recovery pace a couple of times a week.

-Ray

[Ozz]

having a place to shower when you arrive is the hardest thing to arrange.

I agree with Ray about choosing the bike. I would pick the most reliable. It sucks to have a 8:00 meeting, you plan to get in at 7:30, shower and be right on time and you get stuck with a flat or broken spoke.

I've never used fenders, but I commute in bike clothes and fenders don't fit on an F2 fork...I do have a rear fender that clips onto my seatpost.

good luck

[CNote]

If you plan on carrying anything beyond basic repair items (pump, tubes, multi-tool, etc.), I'd strongly recommend going with a rack and pannier(s). Messenger bags and backpacks are fine for short jaunts, but they are very cumbersome on longer rides. Also, they restrict ventilation quite a bit. I made the switch to panniers a couple of years ago and never looked back.

For a frame, I find that a cyclocross-type frame with plenty of tire/fender clearance and rack/fender eyelets is best. Mine has horizontal dropouts since I ride fixed for commuting. Unless I was riding over 25 miles in hilly terrain, I would stay with fixed, if nothing else than for the lack of maintenance needed. Also, I use a Wipperman stainless chain on my commuter since I ride in all conditions and I don't want to have to clean my chain at the office to prevent corrosion after riding over wet, salty roads.

What is the difference between riding and training miles. Where I come from, miles is miles.

[OldDog]

In leau of a shower, give yourself a bit of cool down time and a wipedown with some baby wipes. I bought a free standing metal closet for my office clothes (no suite and ties for this cat) and bike stuff. For commuter bike I took my Spectrum ti and had Tom drill and tap the rear dropouts for a rack and C'Dale Rack Pak. 25C Gatorskin Conti's. Rack is a Blackburn with the old time center brake mount, slips onto the Record mounting bolt just fine. If I need more room a C'dale handlebar bag works. I don't use fenders, if it looks like rain in the morning I drive. Coming home in the rain, I get wet. So what. Best of all if I want my "racing" Spectrum, the rack is off in 3 minutes and a switch of wheels in another 3, though I do have other bikes to ride and the Spectrum stays "commuterized" most of the time.

I found it a big hassle to get started commuting, but once you get your routine down it's easy.

Cnote is right, miles is miles. Enjoy the ride. Are they training miles? Depends what you do for training. Me, I do not give a rats *** about training and racing. I ride to keep a silly grin on my face. :D

Good luck.

[Bradford]

Climb,

Good to hear you are going to start commuting, I’ve always loved it. You will feel much better in the morning, although the ride home at this time of year can be a bit of a drag. It’s still worth it, though. Here are my comments, for what it’s worth.

Clean: Showers at the office are the best, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry. First, keep a pair of gym shorts and a wicking T-shirt at the office for transition clothes. Especially in winter, get out of you riding clothes as soon as possible and change into the T-shirt and shorts for a ½ hour cool down; you will overheat quickly in the office if you don’t. This will reduce the post ride sweat that always comes if you change directly into your work clothes. I like to turn on my computer and check my email, which is usually enough time. Once you body regulates to the inside temperature, put on your work cloths. If I don’t do this, I sweat way too much, and that can lead to bad smells.

Also, baby wipes are the way to go. Keep them at your desk with some deodorant and a small towel to wipe any sweat, and you’ll be in much better shape than you think.

Ride: I’m in the miles is miles camp, but if I had to categorize them, I’d call them commuting miles. I think they are different from others. Your primary consideration, without question, is safety. If you think drivers can get cranky when you ride on the weekend, wait till some half-asleep moron is late to work, speeding along with a cup of coffee in one hand and applying make up with the other. You really need to be super-aware of what is going on around you or you can get clipped. I wear my florescent vest, a yellow helmet, have lights all over the bike, and have reflective tape covering my rear fender and on the back of the rack. (You can get a roll at Home Depot). Commuting has nothing, and I repeat, nothing to do with style. Stay seen, stay safe, that’s all you should care about. It doesn’t mean you can’t ride hard, just ride hard when you are in the clear and be careful at intersections or busy parts of the road. I’m usually a cautious rider, but in the morning I am extra careful to look all around me, stop at stop signs and intersections, and keep an eye on cars.

Bike: From what I’ve read from you, you don’t seem to be a compromise kind of guy when it comes to bikes. The reality is that you can ride any bike you have. Then again, I’d go for a bike better equipped for the task if I could. Road bikes are not equipped to carry loads; the wheels are too light, the tires are too skinny, the chainstays are too short, and they can’t take racks and fenders.

There are two schools of thought for commuting: take what you need with you on the bike and leave stuff at the office once a week. I’ve always been a take it with me guy. I had to take my laptop back and forth during my last commuting stint so I needed a bike to carry some gear. I happen to have a great touring bike, panniers, racks, and all that jazz, so it was easy for me. If I had to start over again, I think I’d go for a light tourer, like a Serotta Rapid Tour, and IF Club Racer, or a Co-Motion Nor’Wester. With longer chainstays and slacker angles, it is comfortable with the amount of weight you’ll be carrying. They will take racks and fenders, but are still quick enough to ride fast. If you think you’ll ever want to do a real tour (which I highly recommend), go for the full touring bike, like an IF Independence (which is what I have) or a Co-Motion Americano. Andrew Fulterton is the guy to go to, he knows all about touring bikes. Touring bikes also get you upright more, which makes riding safely easier; they see you better and you see them better. I’ve never ridden a cross, so I don’t have an opinion there.

As for tires, I usually ride with Conti 700 x 28 Top Tours. These days I have the 700 x 37s on to get over the ice and muck. I think my next set of commuting tires will be Conti 700x28 Gatorskins, which I have on my tandem and really like. The Top Tours are 85 psi, which is great for comfort and protecting your rim with a full load, but the 110 or so psi on the Gatorskins is a better match for commuting, and they are pretty tough. Touring bikes have wider rims, so anything below a 28 can pop right off.

I hope that helps. Let us know how you like it.

[CNote]

The Co-Motion touring bikes are oh so nice. If you want to be fancy, they even offer a fillet-brazed option, though their TIG welds are about as good as you can get. I too commute with Conti Top Touring 28s during 3 seasons (more like 2 1/2) and Nokians 700x35 studs the other 1 1/2. The Top Tourings are amazingly flat resistant, long-lasting, and handle quite well.

[kidamaro]

I comute on my road bike, using a small rack that clamps onto the seat post. My comute is 36 miles one way, so I want the same bike I normally ride. I comute home on Monday evenings, into work on Tuesdays, and both ways on Friday. I take everything I need but lunch in the morning of or day before as far as clothes for the next day. I don't have a shower, but baby wipes or adult wipes will get you clean enough to get through the day. I do all my normal training during the comute, the ride is plenty long enough to get in just about anything. It's amazing how many more miles you can get in during the week by comuting

[Bradford]

CNote;

I absolutely agree with you about the folks from Oregon. I’ve been completely in love with everything about Co-Motion since I bought my tandem two years ago, and that was before they put me and my wife on their new catalog cover. Great bikes from great people. Many people have made a comparison between Co-Motion and Serotta, and I agree.

For a light tourer, I’d pick a Legend in Rapid Tour geometry first because it’s ti and there is a greater chance you’ll run into wet weather on a tour, commuting, or a charity ride. For a full touring bike, I think I’d go with the Co-Motion. I think my IF is the perfect touring bike, but I just love everything Co-Motion does. The reality is that both bikes would be great.

The other bike that intrigues me is the new Moots touring bike. A real touring bike in ti, now that is something. On top of that, Moots is another of the great bike companies in the U.S.

When I bought my IF Independence 6 years ago, there were not many choices; now, there are a bunch of great touring bikes available. It’s great to see bike companies making some more utilitarian bikes. My Legend is the best ride I’ve ever experienced, but there is nothing like the feeling of loading up the panniers and heading out for 1,000 miles.

[Climb01742]

bradford and everyone,

wow. thanks very much for all of your great suggestions. still trying to figure out the right bike. if i went with 25 or 28 tires (and this shows how clueless i am) i'd need different wheels/rims? it looks like on most of my frames, the rear brake bridge is a limiting factor on tire size. interestingly, both my MXL and corsa have an inverted "V" shaped brake bridge, shaped i assume to handle fatter tires, yes?

dealing with rush hour traffic will, i think, be the biggest adjustment. again, many thanks for everyone's help.

climb.

[djg]

to be. Obviously you'll be limited by what you need to carry, but gearing and pacing are up to you, and if the terrain is varried you should be able to design an extra loop here or there to be what you want. Where traffic is heavy or there are lots of lights--well, those are limitations.

If you're dealing with serious weather much of the time, fenders can be a real boon, but if it's just an occasional shower or wet pavement, you can just slap a clip-on insta-fender rear (I used a zefal, but there are others) onto the seatpost and get a fair bit of benefit with no trouble and nearly no expense, weight, or equipment juggling. For 15 bucks or so, it's worth a try.

Lights, of course, if there's any dusk or dark riding (which I'd expect). A rear blinkie and a decent headlight don't have to cost a fortune and may well keep you alive longer. Something reflective on you (I used a reflective ankle strap and a strip on my bag) wouldn't hurt either.

Pack: always best if you can leave most of your work and some clothes at the destination. A few papers, slacks, and a clean shirt, can easily fit in a lumbar pack, which you'll get used to easily. Panniers are cool, but may require some fiddling to work with a road bike and certainly will change the handling. I avoided them for my commute, but I did it because I could--if you need 'em, you need 'em.

Gym: if you have showers and a locker room at work, great. I joined a gym a block from the office, which gave me a place to shower and change before coming to work (at my office, it wasn't entirely acceptable to stroll around in cycling clothes). Obviously, if you don't want the gym otherwise, that's a substantial extra expense.

No showers? Well, that might mean no training on the way to work. When in doubt: baby wipes.

tires: I generally rode 25s on my road bike. All paved--didn't need no stinkin tread.

I loved commuting. The only downside to the new job is that it's not practical any more.

[M_A_Martin]

#1 Concern: Visibility
Lights Lights Lights. Flashing, Constant, etc. I ride with a bar light and a helmet light, rear flasher on the bike, rear flasher on my camelback, rear flasher on my helmet, ankle strap flasher, reflective stuff all over the place. the headlights stay on until full daylight. I find the helmet mount helpful for flashing idiot drivers who are about to turn into 7-11 even after the sun is all the way up. Those people don't have their coffee yet, haven't hardly gotten out of their PJ's, and they're out to kill you. So lights, the flashier the better, I don't care if you're commuting in outter mongolia. Get yourself Lit.

#2 concern: The bike
Comfortable: Yes. Fenders: Yes. Lights: Yes. Racks: Yes, very handy. Pedals: I always rode with clipless and mountain bike shoes with a decent walking sole on them. My bike is an old Bridgestone X0-4, so I guess it's a cross bike. I use a rack. Make sure you have a bungie system to go with your rack so that you can actually "use" the rack if you don't have panniers on. You never know what you might want to take home.
Panniers: I'm not fond of the setup I have for panniers at the moment. I'm still learning what I like like. Sometimes I drive in and leave a week's worth of work clothes at the office. If I don't want to drive in on Monday, I'll use the panniers to take all my "stuff". Depends on just *what* I have to wear that week. There was a time when I'd stop by the gym on my way home and do a workout too...those were definately pannier days: Work clothes, Workout clothes (and shoes), ride home clothes, and lunch! At the beginning of the ride year it's easier to ride with panniers than not.
Oh, and keep in mind, when you throw loaded panniers on a bike you turn it from a friend into a recalcitrant hog that doesn't want to stand on it's own. The bike doesn't like to get weighed down any more than you do.

#3 concern: Stinky Office
I have a place to take a shower within three miles of work. I just found one that will let me shower for free about a half mile from work. (Bonus!) 17 miles on the bike makes me sweaty and smelly. I like to shower. I snag a shower and change into either: the clothes I'm riding home in, or transition clothes, and soft pedal the last little bit in to work. Try to find a workout gym or college/university near your new office where you can dash in and shower (the one place I use costs $3 per visit...but I'm not necessarily commuting to save money)
Baby wipes are your friend. Part of your cache at work should include some babywipes and cleanup gear. Learn how to take a sponge bath in the bathroom sink. Camp towels are great 'cause they soak up a lot of water and they don't take up much space. Just remember to wash them out once in a while themselves. And let them dry away from your other stuff. Just say NO to mildew!
At my work several of the bathroom's handicapped stalls have sinks in them. I get changed and freshened up there. So yeah, I shower, then ride in to work and touch up a bit. Especially on days when it isn't raining when I leave, but the skys open up part way there...even with fenders you'll wind up a touch dirty. Oh, and make sure you clean up after yourself after you clean up in the work sink...nothing like leaving a mess to turn your co workers against you riding in to work.

#4 concern: What kind of miles.
Miles is miles, but what I do when I want to train is ride to work at a steady, easy pace and a direct route (I do "glow" but I'm not trying to get my heart rate or power output going anywhere). I'd rather spend as little time as possible with all those non-awake morning drivers and delivery people (Oh yeah, the delivery vans are out to kill you too, they have to make it to X number of stops before 10am...the cool thing about delivery people is that they're on a route, once they get used to seeing you at spot at that time in the morning, they're pretty dang courteous. I always smile and wave in the morning even when someone trys to kill me. No sense in causing them to aim next time.
The route home is where the miles can get interesting. I've taken care of my work obligation, it's afternoon, so now I can do some training. I pick some routes that have a better hills, a longer route, more space between lights etc. My ride in in the morning can be 15-17 miles, the ride home can be 40. That gives me a 50-60 mile day! If I'm feeling frisky, I pack light on the way home and pick up a group training ride along the way. So not only do I get in my regular 15 miles, I get a decent paced group ride in as well (with weight on the bike...talk about training!)

#5 Food:
I don't know where your office is located, however you might want to keep more than usual "snacks" or spare lunches laying around in your bike stash...that morning commute makes you really hungry about 10:30 am, and it's nice to have good food to eat instead of garbage out of the vending machine.

Helpful Hints:
Work shoes: You'll find that work shoes are heavy, and a pain to pack in anything that you're packing. Pick a desk drawer and buy work specific shoes (I do black, navy, white, brown...covers most bases) and leave them there at work. Sure, some of your individuality might suffer, but you'll learn that work shoes are the bane of packing for a commute. They take up a lot of space. Leave them at work! (This might sound like a woman's excuse to buy more shoes...it isn't. I'd rather buy another pair of bike shoes than another pair of dress shoes!)

Clean up gear: Why carry it with you? Leave a stash in your bike drawer.
Bike clothes: Leave a set at work. Once again, just in case. Throw one of those cheap, clear, vented rain coats in there too...Weathermen are by definition, wrong.

"Just in case": Leave some neutral work socks and a couple changes of underwear at work as well even if you're a person that takes everything back and forth. You might forget to pack these things. I've used my stash more than once.

Last: Give yourself permission to turn around.
If you start out in the am and things just start going wrong...pannier f's up the rear wheel on a turn, get a flat two blocks out, your blinkers stop blinking, everything seems to be going wrong? Someone is trying to tell you something. Go back home, get changed and drive to work.

Good luck my friend!

[woolly]

If you're looking for a dedicated bike, I'd suggest a Surly Crosscheck. They're versatile, sturdy, affordable, and based on scan of Ebay they hold their value pretty well. They've got rack and fender eyelets, and w/ the canti brakes they'll take as big of a tire as you'd likely want.

Mine is one of the original versions - blue, w/ the better tubing & threaded 1" steerer, but the newer ones look nice too. I've had mine set up as a more traditional cross bike, as a light-tour'er, a fixed gear (love those horizontal dropouts), and a flat-bar single-speed. So, there's a lot of fun to be had here, but there's a lot of utility too, all not not much $$. You could use something like this to figure out what you really want, and then spend the additional money on something higher-end if you feel it's necessary. I wouldn't think you'd want to spring for a Serotta, Moots, other high-end machine until you find out if this is really for you or not - the money that you would lose in resale value would be much more than on something like the Surly.

There's been lots of good advice given on this thread, but you'll still have to go through some trial & error to find out exactly what works for your particular route, schedule, and work environment. This thread is sure making me wish I had a viable bike route to work these days!!

Good luck!

[Climb01742]

woolly, you're right. actually riding the route will tell me a lot. luckily, there are at least two main routes i can try, with lots of variations off of those two main ones. also working for me is that only about one or two miles of the trip will be in heavy urban traffic...the part that concerns me the most. i also agree on not wanting to do the ride on an expensive bike. this being new england after a very bad winter, the roads are beaten up pretty badly. with rush hour traffic, i won't be able to choose my line as much as i can on weekends. i'm gonna hit some potholes and rough pavement and assundry road crap. the bike will take a beating. of the bikes i have now, my mx leader seems like a candidate. it is incredibly stable and has all the attributes of a tank. i'll have to experiment with what kind of tires will fit. if i want to go fatter, something with canti brakes may be needed. given the time of year, there may be deals out there on cross frames. i'd like to find something i won't mind beating up and hopefully something that won't beat me up. i'm aiming to start riding (i hope, if the snow cooperates) mid- or late- march.

m.a.--thanks for your incredibly detailed suggestions. getting lights is high on my to-do-list.

[Roy E. Munson]

Commuting, to me, is just a ride for the enjoyment of it. Jeans or shorts, t-shirt, sometimes no shirt, no helmet, Ipod...ride at a casual pace and enjoy the scenery and action of the city or wherever you are. Unless you have a loooong way to commute, I can't see it being too effective for training. For days where you just want to get miles in it may be ok, but longer training days or intense training days just don't seem to lend themselves to commuting. Sprint work with a courier bag on my back? No thanks.

Transition clothes? Baby wipes? This seems like an awful lot of hassle to me just to ride to work.

[Climb01742]

roy, given what my work schedule is like sometimes, riding to work may be the only way to get in some decent miles. and some miles is better than no miles. on days when i can ride both ways, that could be 40-50 miles. not bad, eh? but yes, high intensity stuff needs to be focused. i can do that on weekends. commuting may (i hope) give me a way to get in miles when i might otherwise not.

[Birddog]

and finally, how should i break it to my co-workers that i will be smellier and dirtier than usual sometimes, or should i just let them discover that for themselves?

Climb, just tell 'em you're doing that "fast" thing again!

You might try some wool bike clothes, a pile of plastic clothes does smell.

Birddog

[Roy E. Munson]

Agreed 100% - any miles are good miles and get them in whenever you can!!

[musgravecycles]

Sounds like everyone else above has set you up for a good time commuting with loads of good advice. As far as lights go, I am in love with my Light and Motion Solo-Logic.

http://bikelights.com/Products/Products.htm

Light and Motion was in the unmanned research sub market before getting into bicycles. I really did their product. The Solo-Logic with the good battery is a wonderful commuter light without breaking the bank.

[shumanmo]

Some great stuff in this thread for us commuters. A few things I could add:

Safety first. Don’t worry about getting in heavy training miles. I had too many close calls and one accident from trying to keep my speed up. I recently rode with a heart monitor and was amazed that a pretty slow pace got me into a sufficient range for a decent base workout. Don’t use your commute to work on speed.

If you have a road bike, commute with it once in a while. Nine out of ten times I ride a mountain bike, which gives me a good workout just because it’s such a hog. But it’s a joy to hop on my road bike and do the same route. Keeps me fresh. Don’t get in a rut. Change routes, change bikes. Have fun.

Don’t go overboard on cost if you’re leaving your bike outside. No lock can protect it if someone really wants your bike. So don’t tempt them and don’t get anything you can’t afford to lose.

[davids]

I comute home on Monday evenings, into work on Tuesdays, and both ways on Friday.

I'm still trying to figure out how this works... :confused:

[M_A_Martin]

davids,
You're going to smack me...

Load up the bike in the/a car/on the bus, etc. Drive to work. Leave the car there/thank your buddy/pay the bus driver/cabbie. Ride home.

Tuesday: Ride to work, get car/bus/etc., load bike, go home.

Friday he goes both ways.

:)

Climb: I'm all about detail...you'll have your own tips and tricks once you start commuting on your own!

[kidamaro]

I'm still trying to figure out how this works... :confused:

On Mondays I put my bike and Tuesdays clothes in the car and drive to work. I leave the car at work and ride my bike home. We have a guarded facility, so I don't worry about leaving the car. Next morning I get up and ride my bike back to work. I consider it more of training rides than I do commuting. I ride my rode bike and carry little more than I would on any normal ride. Using the car one way lets me carry everything in the car, not on the bike.

[Climb01742]

We have a guarded facility

are you a spy? a super-duper scientist? do you know the formula for coke? :beer:

[kidamaro]

Just a defense contractor. One other thing you may want to consider. I don't like fooling around with flat tires because of time constraints, so I put some of the plastic strips made by slime between the tubes and tires. Have had one flat in the last year and a half. I commute on 23 mm tires.

[Too Tall]

I love this thread. Maybe 7 yrs. ago I started commuting and it has been my secret weapon. In the past it was SUCH a hassle to work all day and than get in 2+ hrs. of workout. That made for a long day. It is so easy and a pleasure to ride to work at a relaxing pace or maybe some leg speed work than on the ride home NAIL IT!!!! It's WAAAAY better than Prozac ;)

[dirtdigger88]

I commuted for two years until my office moved- now it is just too far away- My last office though- perfect set up- I had a locker room with showers- the office was the perfect distance from home too- 15 one way long way and 8 the short (for the rain and cold days) I was never in better shape in my life- Even though I ride most mornings still- its just not the same as commuting

Jason

[davids]

On Mondays I put my bike and Tuesdays clothes in the car and drive to work. I leave the car at work and ride my bike home. We have a guarded facility, so I don't worry about leaving the car. Next morning I get up and ride my bike back to work. I consider it more of training rides than I do commuting. I ride my rode bike and carry little more than I would on any normal ride. Using the car one way lets me carry everything in the car, not on the bike.
It was the Tuesday - Friday stretch that confused me. I guess the bike rides home on Tuesday in the car? ;)

[Tom]

I was riding but last year I didn't. Maybe this year I'll start again, but two things are holding me back. The only bike I have is the CSi, and I've noticed that people monkey with it because it's a cool bike. There were a couple of paint bangs on the seatstays that were clearly because somebody raked it against where I lock it. Nothing malicious, but the usual 'pick it up and see how light it is' type thing.

The other thing is I have to drag a ten pound laptop back and forth. The weight's not an issue, it's that I'm a little concerned about trashing the thing by accident.

Well, the third thing is that Karen has seen the roads I ride and thinks they're dangerous. I've argued that I-90 is a hell of a lot more dangerous with every **** Trickle wannabe out there. (That's really his name! I'm not kidding! Who says toothless Nascar cousin marrying hollow dwellers don't have a sense of humor...) Watching fat people drive six feet behind the guy in front of them at 80 miles an hour is enough to shorten your life, not to mention what happens when things go weird and in the dim recesses of their brain there is a dawning that maybe, just maybe they aren't going to get to their brake pedal in time. Can you say 40 car pileup where 20 of them were actually driving correctly?

[MallyG]

As I look out of my office window now, I am filled with two conflicting emotions. The first is that it is now just gone 6pm, and the last vestiges of daylight are still outside. That means winter is turning around and retreating and soon it will be light enough to ride into work and back maybe two or three times a week. However, and here's the conflict, I also look out towards a snake of traffic. Cars, cabs, buses and motorbikes... heavy central London traffic.
So, my views are based purely on urban cycling in a city of potholes and mad motorists on mobiles:
My journey at it's shortest is about 6 miles, but I usually detour to make it around 10-12 on the way in (otherwise the distance doesn't justify the danger). I usually ride my cross-bike - nice upright flat handlebar so I get good visibility, with sturdy 28 hardwearing tyres, so I can take the gravel path home up through Hampstead Heath (which lifts the soul at the end of a day). I wear bike shoes that can double as day-shoes, with recessed SPD cleats. I've gotta be able to click ina and out of pedals in a flash.
I ALWAYS wear a helmet, but only wear clear shades (I wanna look those drivers in the eye!!!)
I ride in early, before the main bout of traffic - and especially before the 4x4 school run starts as those mums take no prisoners! Coming home, I am lit up like the disco from Saturday Night Fever. Front lights - the brigtest new cateyesx2, rear lights the same x2, arm lights, leg lights, helmet lights. I also compromise heavily on style by wearing bright yellow. Last but not least, I use a helmet mirror, which took a little while to get used to but is now a MUST.
If I want to do a 'training' ride home, I may (just may) ride my Legend, and will head towards Regents Park at about 6.30pm, where the outer circle becomes a kind of urban velodrome. For those who know the park, I sometimes prefer to ride intervals on the Inner Circle as there are no traffic lights and less cars. I will maybe do an hour of speed training at the park before taking the slower climb home to Hampstead.
Finally, I always stop at red lights. I've got two kids waiting for me to get home and riding in London is enough of a risk without playing Russian Roulette.
I have a shower at the office, and now - because so many of my staff now ride, we have installed secure bike racks in the basement.

[Climb01742]

malc, running in central london is dangerous enough. (which is why i stay at the metropolitan, and hop into hyde park.) riding there takes a special act of courage. you're so right about sunlight sneaking into evening now...and filling us with hope. be careful.

[Ozz]

I was riding but last year I didn't. Maybe this year I'll start again, but two things are holding me back. The only bike I have is the CSi, and I've noticed that people monkey with it because it's a cool bike. There were a couple of paint bangs on the seatstays that were clearly because somebody raked it against where I lock it. Nothing malicious, but the usual 'pick it up and see how light it is' type thing.

Cringe!!! No one touches my CSI!

I parked my old bike (Specialized Allez) in the garage of my healthclub - it was more or less a "members only" garage and they have cameras everywhere. Despite how safe this garage is, I still park my CSI in my office with me...besides, then the computer guy will stop by to chat cycling with me...sure he's a mud-backer, but we all pedal. ;)

[flydhest]

This is interesting. We have several nifty bikes in our garage here at work. I have commuted on all four of my bikes at various points. I do try to keep it off to the side, away from the flow of traffic in and out, but usually, I'm among the first in and last out, so it isn't an issue.

There was a new Cervelo with DA-10 in the rack yesterday. Along with my Hors Categorie, there were only two unlocked bikes.

Heck, you can't see the bikes from the street, we have armed guards. It would have to be someone from work and I know all the people who could ride a 60 here at the office. Of course, I do feel better when it's my fixie down there. I mean, the guards would have to pick whoever would try to steal it up off the ground and then cuff them.

[Ray]

Of course, I do feel better when it's my fixie down there. I mean, the guards would have to pick whoever would try to steal it up off the ground and then cuff them.
Jeez Fly. Keep your eye on the ball sir. How are you ever gonna convince Sandy to actually TRY this cockamamie idea when you go around saying stuff like that about fixed newbies?

-Ray

[flydhest]

ooh, good point.

Of course, I fully intend to supervise Sandy and to make sure he has two brakes when he tries it.

. . . I'm making it worse, huh? :crap:

[Tom]

Yeah, the first day I brought the bike up to sit in the empty cube next to mine, I get a call from security. "No bikes in the building. It's unsafe." My boss told them to go piss up a rope but he got overruled. Apparently they could.

[Ozz]

Yeah, the first day I brought the bike up to sit in the empty cube next to mine, I get a call from security. "No bikes in the building. It's unsafe." My boss told them to go piss up a rope but he got overruled. Apparently they could.
That sucks....I come in thru the loading dock, past the guards and up the freight elevator. The only rule is no bikes in the "people" elevator...if it's before 8:00 AM however, the guards don't care. They actually get kinda chatty while I put on my sandals...I think the night shift guys get a little lonely...

Did they explain exactly what is "unsafe"? Now I suppose if you rode it into the elevator and then down the hall to your office....then I could see their point. ;)