Hello Doug, Hope you stay with it. There were a couple of studies a few years ago that found the best health out comes were people that bike commuted. I haven't been bike commuting since the start of COVID, but before that I did for years and always enjoyed it, despite the occasional flat tire or mechanical (one time the seat post bolt broke and I had to stand for the mile or so to get home!). Anyway, all good advice from the others. I would add, try to be creative in figuring out what's best for you. Prior to COVID, I would drive in on Monday morning with the bike and my clothes/shoes for the week in my van. Then biked for the next few round trips until Thursday evening, when I drove home. Fridays were WFH.
Good luck, JohnS On Friday, April 29, 2022 at 1:00:11 PM UTC-4 Ryan wrote: > Oh yeah...another thing I forgot to mention is that...except when I was > on-call during the day, even though I worked 5 days a week , I had pretty > flexible start and end times. Most of the folks I worked with were early > risers; me not so much, so I would leave around 9am and avoid the morning > rush downtown and hang around and work till about 6pm and avoid the evening > rush. > > When I worked for Great West Life (now Canada Life) they had OK but not > perfect lockup facilities.Since I retired they built a state-of-the-art > smart card entry bike hangar; sheltered, etc...the whole 9-yards...but > since Covid and the move to have everyone working from home and no real > mass return to the office , I'm not sure it's all that heavily used. > > That being said, when I was still working, I did not ride my Rivendells to > work. I rode my 1993 fendered X0-1 for rain and my early 70's PX-10 (which > mechanically was perfectly fine but showed its age, like its owner) set up > as a single speed with moustache bars...my all-time favorite bars. It's > flat in Winnipeg. Windy but flat. There was and is a fair amount of bike > theft downtown, like any other city, but mountain bikes ...and newer bikes > are more attractive than my bikes. Might be more of a spike with supply > shortages. > > > On Friday, April 29, 2022 at 10:41:17 AM UTC-5 john...@gmail.com wrote: > >> Hello all, >> >> Big thing for me was getting the luggage right. Commuted with a large >> backpack for a year or so, which was not good for my back. >> Switched to panniers when I got a different job and bought a more >> rack-friendly bike, but then went off panniers after another >> job change that involved carrying panniers off the bike for longer >> distances. Now I have a large front basket that holds a roll top backpack >> (UPSO, made by Carradice), plus a saddlebag if I need the extra room. >> >> Post-Covid, I only have to be in the office twice a week, so I do a >> longer route. I find myself less inclined (or perhaps unable) to ride it as >> fast as possible compared to the shorter routes I used to do. This makes it >> a bit more leisurely. >> >> Finding a nice route is important. It's often worth adding a bit to the >> journey to avoid busy roads. My current route goes over the >> recent World Championship course, and you can still see 'Sonny Colbrelli' >> painted over and over on one of the climbs. >> >> Cheers, >> Johnny in Belgium >> >> On Friday, 29 April 2022 at 15:44:29 UTC+2 Bill Schairer wrote: >> >>> Retired now but bike commuted off and on for years in different >>> cities/jobs etc. It wasn’t until I retired that I learned how to ride >>> recreationally. My approach was this: >>> >>> >>> >>> 1. Figure out what route I would be riding and then ride it a few >>> times on off days and refine if possible/necessary. Get comfortable >>> with >>> where the bike will be during the day. >>> 2. My jobs were generally suit and tie. I kept as much as possible >>> of my work outfit at work. If riding say 4 days per week, use day 5 for >>> swapping out supplies as necessary. >>> 3. Only one job had a shower. Others, got there early (also allowed >>> for rare mechanical, flat), cooled down at desk then sponge bathed and >>> changed in bathroom stall. >>> 4. My experience was that anything under about 10 miles each way was >>> ideal in that it really didn’t add that much time to my commute and any >>> that it did counted as recreation/exercise so all was good. >>> 5. Took me about two weeks to adapt. First two weeks were a chore >>> adapting to traffic (and it adapting to you), getting my routine down, >>> body >>> adjusting, getting in the mental mode that the bike is how I get to and >>> from work, no choice - within certain parameters,. After that break in >>> period, the routine was easy and the commute a joy. I started each day >>> as a >>> kid and didn't have to convert to adult mode until I was at work. It >>> gets >>> easier and easier. >>> 6. A positive I don’t see mentioned often is how predictable the >>> commute is. I knew how long it would take me and very little could >>> change >>> that. With a bike it is so much easier to adapt to construction, >>> traffic >>> situations etc. >>> 7. The more regular I was on what time I rode and where I rode, the >>> more considerate my fellow commuters were of me. They were used to >>> seeing >>> me and willing to accomodate me. They knew I wasn’t a recreational >>> rider >>> getting in their way but just another person getting to work. Vary my >>> departure time by as little as 5 or 10 minutes and the new set of >>> commuters >>> might be a little less forgiving. I strongly believe considering myself >>> as >>> any other vehicle and asserting my right to the road as well as obeying >>> all >>> the traffic laws are important in gaining the respect of one’s fellow >>> commuters. >>> 8. I suppose it can vary from commute to commute but I sometimes >>> preferred heavier traffic. Speed differential is smaller, more >>> protection >>> in intersections, and riding by bumper to bumper traffic is always a >>> joy! >>> 9. Fellow workers/friends/family may think you are weird but have >>> grudging respect. >>> 10. Having a backup bike is nice. >>> >>> Bill S >>> San Diego >>> (commutes have been in LA, El Cerrito-Oakland, Concord-Walnut Creek, St >>> Louis, San Diego) >>> >>> On Thursday, April 28, 2022 at 7:09:42 AM UTC-7 Roberta wrote: >>> >>>> Hi, Doug. >>>> >>>> My three month bike commute is two miles each way and it's the best way >>>> to start the day and to clear my mind at the end of the day. I was so >>>> frazzled driving on the highway to our former office. >>>> >>>> I want my commute to be pleasant no matter the method, so I'm not 100% >>>> riding, but it's close. If it's below 30* or raining, I'll walk or >>>> walk/bus. I also watch the weather, so if it's going to rain about the >>>> time >>>> I leave, I'll leave early or late. Or, I'll leave my bike at the office >>>> and walk/bus home. I'm lucky that I have options. I'm also lucky that I >>>> can bring my bike into my office. I leave work pants and shoes at the >>>> office during the week and change them at work. Also, although no route >>>> is >>>> 100% safe for me, I try to ride on roads with bike lanes or on less >>>> traveled roads if no bike specific lanes are available. There are a lot >>>> of >>>> reflectors and lights on my bike and me (I wear a good reflector vest). I >>>> need to start taking a lock, too, so if I want to stop somewhere on the >>>> way >>>> home, I can. >>>> >>>> I settled on a single pannier. It's plenty big for everything I >>>> carry. Even though it does take up more space, I put my container-ed >>>> lunch >>>> in an insulated sealable lunch bag, protecting my other items in case of a >>>> container leak. >>>> >>>> Now that days are longer and warmer after work, my plan (haven't done >>>> it yet) is to ride right to the MUP after work for another 10 miles. >>>> >>>> No matter biking, walking or walking/bus combo, it's all better than >>>> driving in traffic. I also feel better and am sleeping a bit better. >>>> >>>> Keep us informed! >>>> >>>> Roberta >>>> >>>> On Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at 9:41:39 PM UTC-4 Doug H. wrote: >>>> >>>>> I rode today and noticed the quietness of my Clem. The friction >>>>> shifting is almost noiseless and the Silver2 shifter is perfect. The >>>>> front >>>>> shifter is the clickety Sun Race that works just fine but does make >>>>> noise. >>>>> After a somewhat stressful day at work the ride was just what I needed. I >>>>> have considered commuting but haven't taken the plunge yet. My commute >>>>> would be 50 minutes and about 9 miles each way I think, which isn't bad >>>>> and >>>>> would help clear my mind. I know Roberta has started bicycle commuting >>>>> and >>>>> I'd love to hear hers and others experiences, challenges and benefits. >>>>> Doug >>>>> Athens, Ga >>>>> >>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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