I finally did it!



B

Bill Henry

Guest
Brian Kerr wrote:
> Well, after much thought and talk, I finally commuted today by bicycle.
> My commute is only 4.3 miles each way so that's not really a big deal
> but it is a big step getting away from the dependency of the car. As
> far as time, it only took me 16 minutes each way and it normally takes
> me 12 minutes by car so I really didn't lose anything there. Thanks to
> those of you here who encouraged me to go ahead with this. We'll see
> how I feel after my first rides in the rain and snow, but so far I'm
> feeling pretty good about it.
>
> Brian

Good job, Brian. Get some fenders, if you haven't already.

But use common sense, too. If the weather is miserable or if it would
be dangerous for you to be out riding when visibility is bad and cars
are sliding all over the road, please use the car. You're better off
burning a half gallon of gas than you are putting yourself in too much
danger.

Be safe!
 
Well, after much thought and talk, I finally commuted today by bicycle.
My commute is only 4.3 miles each way so that's not really a big deal
but it is a big step getting away from the dependency of the car. As
far as time, it only took me 16 minutes each way and it normally takes
me 12 minutes by car so I really didn't lose anything there. Thanks to
those of you here who encouraged me to go ahead with this. We'll see
how I feel after my first rides in the rain and snow, but so far I'm
feeling pretty good about it.

Brian
 
Brian Kerr <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Well, after much thought and talk, I finally commuted today by
> bicycle.
> My commute is only 4.3 miles each way so that's not really a big
> deal
> but it is a big step getting away from the dependency of the car.
> As far as time, it only took me 16 minutes each way and it normally
> takes me 12 minutes by car so I really didn't lose anything there.
> Thanks to those of you here who encouraged me to go ahead with
> this. We'll see how I feel after my first rides in the rain and
> snow, but so far I'm feeling pretty good about it.
>
> Brian

Congratulations, Brian! Welcome to the commuter club! It will only get
easier, as you continue to do this, and get more comfortable around
vehicles. It's fun. It's safe. It's good for your body. It's good for
the environment.

So many reasons to keep commuting by bike.

If you haven't already, consider getting full fenders for your bike, for
the rainy/snowy weather. And, I hope you have decent front and rear
lights, too.

And, if you have additional questions as you get more into bike
commuting, just ask here, and the good people here will be more than
glad to help you out.

Good luck, and keep riding!

--
Eric Babula
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
 
Bill Henry wrote:
> Brian Kerr wrote:
>
>> Well, after much thought and talk, I finally commuted today by
>> bicycle. My commute is only 4.3 miles each way so that's not really a
>> big deal but it is a big step getting away from the dependency of the
>> car. As far as time, it only took me 16 minutes each way and it
>> normally takes me 12 minutes by car so I really didn't lose anything
>> there. Thanks to those of you here who encouraged me to go ahead with
>> this. We'll see how I feel after my first rides in the rain and snow,
>> but so far I'm feeling pretty good about it.
>>
>> Brian
>
>
> Good job, Brian. Get some fenders, if you haven't already.
>
> But use common sense, too. If the weather is miserable or if it would
> be dangerous for you to be out riding when visibility is bad and cars
> are sliding all over the road, please use the car. You're better off
> burning a half gallon of gas than you are putting yourself in too much
> danger.
>
> Be safe!
>
>

For visibility, lights are the answer. These days there are lots of
good, inexpensive choices. For snow and ice, I use studded tires. The
good ones use carbide studs and last forever.
 
Dude, didn't it rock? I thought it was the best thing when I did it.

I'm not a morning person, but damn if I didn't show up pretty chipper!
I still do whenever I commute. It's like I have a head start on
everyone.
 
Brian Kerr wrote:
> Well, after much thought and talk, I finally commuted today by bicycle.
> My commute is only 4.3 miles each way so that's not really a big deal
> but it is a big step getting away from the dependency of the car. As
> far as time, it only took me 16 minutes each way and it normally takes
> me 12 minutes by car so I really didn't lose anything there. Thanks to
> those of you here who encouraged me to go ahead with this. We'll see
> how I feel after my first rides in the rain and snow, but so far I'm
> feeling pretty good about it.
>
> Brian

I'll join the chorus saying congratulations and get some fenders. But I
suggest you take it a step further - once you get used to the commute,
get a "beater" bike for foul weather days. My favorite is an old
mountain bike with slicks and a set of fenders. I ride the road bike on
nice days and the mountain bike on crummy days. The more upright
position and bigger tires really make a difference when the weather is
bad. I'll slog through stuff on the mountain bike that I wouldn't care
to try with the road bike. It's a cheap investment that will improve
the ride on those nasty days and help your good bike last longer with
less maintenance.

-Buck
 
Brian Kerr <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Well, after much thought and talk, I finally commuted today by
> bicycle.
> My commute is only 4.3 miles each way so that's not really a big
> deal
> but it is a big step getting away from the dependency of the car. As
> far as time, it only took me 16 minutes each way and it normally takes
> me 12 minutes by car so I really didn't lose anything there. Thanks
> to those of you here who encouraged me to go ahead with this. We'll
> see how I feel after my first rides in the rain and snow, but so far
> I'm feeling pretty good about it.
>
> Brian

Welcome to > 0.5% club, dude! There's less of us than Mensa or even
3-sigma members, so you should feel smart and special. Before long,
you'll be eating SUVs for breakfast. Practice making yourself heard
over traffic noises with the following useful phrases:

Get a horse!
Drive it or park it, moron!
Pick a lane and stay in it!
Why spend $60,000 for a car and not learn how to drive it? (that one's
hard to yell) Your sister's got 10 bananas! (I don't know what it means,
but it's my dad's favorite; I understand it's a WW2 MP thing.)

I would continue with the Long Island list, but this is a family
newsgroup.


--ag
 
Hi Brian,

Way to go! 'Just watch for doors; keep your head up when you should
and the rubber side down! Rode my bike to work today 'mself.

Marc
 
Well done! Be careful about the weather -- I never ride on the roads
when there's snow, because it's 'way too common for cars to slide: one
clumsy driver can ruin your whole body. Rain can still be a little
dicey; it's a judgement call.

I still remember my first commute -- I couldn't believe how quickly it
went. I also felt a great sense of freedom knowing I didn't have to
sit in traffic if I didn't want to. Then I found some dirt trails I
could take on my way in, and the commute was even more fun.

Enjoy!
-JR
 
Thu, 08 Sep 2005 06:25:09 GMT,
<[email protected]>, Brian Kerr
<[email protected]> wrote:

>As
>far as time, it only took me 16 minutes each way and it normally takes
>me 12 minutes by car so I really didn't lose anything there.

It sounds like you gained 32 minutes of exercise, lost 24 minutes of
sedentary stress and probably added a few years to your life
expectancy.

What you'll find about cycle commuting is that your travel time will
be consistent. The typical traffic jams caused by automobiles will not
significantly affect your progress. Cold air will slow you somewhat as
will bad road conditions. Keep your bike, especially the tires, in
reliable shape.
--
zk
 
On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 06:25:09 GMT, Brian Kerr
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Well, after much thought and talk, I finally commuted today by bicycle.
> My commute is only 4.3 miles each way so that's not really a big deal
>but it is a big step getting away from the dependency of the car. As
>far as time, it only took me 16 minutes each way and it normally takes
>me 12 minutes by car so I really didn't lose anything there. Thanks to
>those of you here who encouraged me to go ahead with this. We'll see
>how I feel after my first rides in the rain and snow, but so far I'm
>feeling pretty good about it.
>
>Brian

I've been commuting since May 2004. However I'm leaving my job so I'm
not sure what the future holds. I am looking for a job that I can
commute to by bike but sometimes that really isn't possible. I'll see.
If I can ever get untangled from my current job, I'll take up biking
to the gym in the mornings until I get another job.
 
dgk wrote:
> On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 06:25:09 GMT, Brian Kerr
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>Well, after much thought and talk, I finally commuted today by bicycle.
>> My commute is only 4.3 miles each way so that's not really a big deal
>>but it is a big step getting away from the dependency of the car. As
>>far as time, it only took me 16 minutes each way and it normally takes
>>me 12 minutes by car so I really didn't lose anything there. Thanks to
>>those of you here who encouraged me to go ahead with this. We'll see
>>how I feel after my first rides in the rain and snow, but so far I'm
>>feeling pretty good about it.
>>
>>Brian
>
>
> I've been commuting since May 2004. However I'm leaving my job so I'm
> not sure what the future holds. I am looking for a job that I can
> commute to by bike but sometimes that really isn't possible. I'll see.
> If I can ever get untangled from my current job, I'll take up biking
> to the gym in the mornings until I get another job.

Since gas has gone over the $3.00 a gallon point I figured that my 1966
hot rod 440 takes $0.30 per mile and even my daughters' little Kia is
only worth firing up for a long run. I would commute up to ten miles
each way but beyond that I have to pedal up to the sweat threshold and
people react funny when you come in at 8:00 AM all sweaty for the rest
of the day. Bicycle commuting seems done best at a measly 10-12 MPH,
mouth closed kind of tempo. I know that is not much training level
exercise, but even at that point you will notice yourself going faster
without really noticing.
Now if you were an electronics engineer (I am) you would buy an electric
hybrid and put solar panels on the roof to charge while you were at
work. I saw a new hybrid yesterday on my 25 mile ride and it looked just
plain silly. Electric hybrids would be great if they put charging panels
on them and limited them to town use under 20 miles at a time.
Maybe next year.
Bill Baka
 
Claire Petersky wrote:
> Under the "Will wonders never cease", category, I saw my next door neighbor
> geared up the other morning with a backpack on, taking off, presumably to
> work, on her old Specialized Hardrock.
>
> This bike commuting thing might take off, if prices stay high, you think?
>
Claire,
Really? I always try to take my backpack, is not for the tools I carry,
then for food and if needed extra water or Orange juice. It also comes
in handy if I find a nice pair of channel locks or (big score) a 3/4"
industrial reversing drill. I can't claim to be seriously training but I
do scan the side of the road pretty well and find all sorts of goodies.
So far that includes about 5 microwaves, that due to tools I could take
apart and salvage the Magnetron tube. I take the magnetron apart when I
get home and salvage the two high power round magnets for my grandson
(13) who is now getting hung up on science, mostly magnets, but a start.
$3.00 a gallon keeps my cars parked unless I absolutely can't carry
something on my bike or have to go more than about 10 miles to work.
Bill Baka
 
Bill wrote:
> dgk wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 06:25:09 GMT, Brian Kerr
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Well, after much thought and talk, I finally commuted today by
>>> bicycle. My commute is only 4.3 miles each way so that's not really a
>>> big deal but it is a big step getting away from the dependency of the
>>> car. As far as time, it only took me 16 minutes each way and it
>>> normally takes me 12 minutes by car so I really didn't lose anything
>>> there. Thanks to those of you here who encouraged me to go ahead
>>> with this. We'll see how I feel after my first rides in the rain and
>>> snow, but so far I'm feeling pretty good about it.
>>>
>>> Brian
>>
>>
>>
>> I've been commuting since May 2004. However I'm leaving my job so I'm
>> not sure what the future holds. I am looking for a job that I can
>> commute to by bike but sometimes that really isn't possible. I'll see.
>> If I can ever get untangled from my current job, I'll take up biking
>> to the gym in the mornings until I get another job.
>
>
> Since gas has gone over the $3.00 a gallon point I figured that my 1966
> hot rod 440 takes $0.30 per mile and even my daughters' little Kia is
> only worth firing up for a long run. I would commute up to ten miles
> each way but beyond that I have to pedal up to the sweat threshold and
> people react funny when you come in at 8:00 AM all sweaty for the rest
> of the day.

That's when it comes in handy being a factory worker. I'm gonna be
sweating like a dog at work anyway so there's nothing stopping me from
working up a good sweat on the way to work. :)

Bicycle commuting seems done best at a measly 10-12 MPH,
> mouth closed kind of tempo. I know that is not much training level
> exercise, but even at that point you will notice yourself going faster
> without really noticing.
> Now if you were an electronics engineer (I am) you would buy an electric
> hybrid and put solar panels on the roof to charge while you were at
> work. I saw a new hybrid yesterday on my 25 mile ride and it looked just
> plain silly. Electric hybrids would be great if they put charging panels
> on them and limited them to town use under 20 miles at a time.
> Maybe next year.
> Bill Baka
 
Claire Petersky <[email protected]> wrote:
> Under the "Will wonders never cease", category, I saw my next door neighbor
> geared up the other morning with a backpack on, taking off, presumably to
> work, on her old Specialized Hardrock.

Nifty. Too bad they didn't do it a month ago when the weather was
uniformly nice.

> This bike commuting thing might take off, if prices stay high, you think?

I helped two of my co-workers start with cycling in recently. To their
credit they both started before the gas prices started rising.

Now the interesting part is that they are both East Indian, and grew
up cycling everywhere. One of them loved cycling and was glad to start
doing it again. The other fellow I get the feeling that the reason he's
doing it is to try and cut down on the middle aged spread.

Still it's striking the difference in attitude, most of the rest of my
coworkers have trouble even conceiving of cycling in.

--
Dane Jackson - z u v e m b i @ u n i x b i g o t s . o r g
"Baseball has the great advantage over cricket of being sooner ended."
- George Bernard Shaw
 
Brian Kerr wrote:
> Well, after much thought and talk, I finally commuted today by bicycle.
> My commute is only 4.3 miles each way so that's not really a big deal
> but it is a big step getting away from the dependency of the car. As
> far as time, it only took me 16 minutes each way and it normally takes
> me 12 minutes by car so I really didn't lose anything there. Thanks to
> those of you here who encouraged me to go ahead with this. We'll see
> how I feel after my first rides in the rain and snow, but so far I'm
> feeling pretty good about it.
>
> Brian

Here are a couple of sites with tips to help you with the cold weather.
http://www.icebike.org http://www.bikewinter.org
 
"Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Under the "Will wonders never cease", category, I saw my next door
> neighbor geared up the other morning with a backpack on, taking off,
> presumably to work, on her old Specialized Hardrock.

Following up on this old post -- I chatted with her late this afternoon as
she pulled up to side of her house while I was tossing debris into the worm
bin. She's indeed doing a multi-modal commute to work. From a newbie's
perspective, it would look easy -- ride one mile to the bus stop, stash the
bike on the bus, get off, and ride another mile or so to her workplace. Not
a lot of cycling, and she avoids having to deal with the traffic on the
freeway and the parking at her destination. Apparently today she took a bus
that stops near Microsoft that has more frequent service, so her ride,
instead of one mile, was two-and-a half, but she didn't have to wait so long
for our local bus.

Should I predict a 2006 STP in her future :) ?

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
 
Claire wrote:
....[neighbor started commuting]

> Should I predict a 2006 STP in her future :) ?

Ya know how some leave stealth sacks of zucchini or tomatoes? You could
leave invitational brochures.

--Karen D.
 
Claire Petersky wrote:
> "Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > Under the "Will wonders never cease", category, I saw my next door
> > neighbor geared up the other morning with a backpack on, taking off,
> > presumably to work, on her old Specialized Hardrock.
>
> Following up on this old post -- I chatted with her late this afternoon as
> she pulled up to side of her house while I was tossing debris into the worm
> bin. She's indeed doing a multi-modal commute to work. From a newbie's
> perspective, it would look easy -- ride one mile to the bus stop, stash the
> bike on the bus, get off, and ride another mile or so to her workplace. Not
> a lot of cycling, and she avoids having to deal with the traffic on the
> freeway and the parking at her destination. Apparently today she took a bus
> that stops near Microsoft that has more frequent service, so her ride,
> instead of one mile, was two-and-a half, but she didn't have to wait so long
> for our local bus.

I used to do that. (nowadays, my commute is a short walk from my
bedroom to my home office). I'd ride my bike about a mile to the tram
stop, stick the bike on the tram, and ride about 3 miles from the tram
to work. Lots of fun - I got some fresh air and exercise, and about 45
minutes to sit back and read a good novel. And then some more fresh
air and exercise.

LM
 
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