Why do you commute to work?

[sgcyclistsg]

Is it faster? Cheaper? Healthier?

When I first started, I thought I'd save a few dollars... but in between punctured inner tubes, more consumables (soap, shampoo) and the urge to upgrade the bike... savings (if any) are probably negligible for me

Main reason I keep cycling to work is because it gives an outlet to de-stress, the ride home is especially pleasant. How about you?

This is my typical commute to work in the mornings:

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[Froze]

I commute on a 1988 Miyata 712, I bought that bike used around 30 years ago in a garage sale for next to nothing. It's not beat up but I call it my beater bike.

I commute because I usually take detours home so I get my ride in after work without first going home then getting a bike and going out.

 

[Dilof]

I commute to work on a bike as it wakes me up a lot and I actually feel ready for work. I'm not a big coffee drinker like most people, so biking helps me to waken up straight after getting out of bed (especially on windy days which require you to work more). It's also just more enjoyable for me in general, I feel guilty if I use the car to work when I know I can use a bike and be more eco-friendly as well as healthy.

 

[Froze]

As a side note, which I'm sure will raise some eyebrows here, but frankly I could care less about being eco-friendly! Why you scream? because manufactures that make all sorts of products don't care, all they care about is making sure a product doesn't last too long so they can keep us spending our money. For example, in the mid 70's Consumer Reports said that the average kitchen appliance (including washers and driers) lasted 24 years and were repairable, as of 2014 that average is now just 8 years and most are not repairable. If being eco-friendly was so important we should be able to buy products that would last a very long time, longer than they did in the 70's, and be repairable. Do you think that building whatever product 3 times more frequently than 40 years ago is being eco-friendly? No, it's about ripping off consumer. Oh I know, you're doing your part...in your mind yes you are, but in the grand scope of things no you really are not.

I'm not complete ogar, I do recycle but only to the city, I don't go out of my to take stuff to a recycle center the city does that for us, and I use water limiting devices in my showers and sinks. So I too play the game to some extent I just don't go crazy about it nor brag that I commute to work to be eco-friendly on my bike, I do it for me...exercise and relaxation, not for the earth.

And in regards to bikes, a carbon fiber bike is LESS eco-friendly to make than making a steel bike. The difference is that most CF bikes are made in Asia where we don't see the pollution in the air nor worry about safe drinking water, so since we can't see it we think it's all good. You want a real eco-friendly bike than go buy a bamboo bike.

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1112493049/the-dirty-secret-of-carbon-fiber/

sigh, I started another war.

 

[Dilof]

Being eco-friendly is definitely a good reason, not sure why anyone would complain about that. We all should do our small parts, even if the bike itself when manufactured isn't eco-friendly. The benefits of using one of these "one-time carbon emitters" instead of constant sources of CO2 like cars is still a benefit, albeit not one that we may want.

People seem to think that being eco-friendly should mean that you don't emit any form of greenhouse gas through the production of such items as well as the recycling of them. This is near impossible if you still want to live a decent life, curbing your carbon footprint is just as useful and admirable as completely cutting out any products that have a carbon footprint. Baby steps are what is needed.. baby steps.

 

[sgcyclistsg]

It's a similar issue with electric cars (excepts bicycles are better) - there's a considerable carbon footprint in producing one and generating electricity to power the car usually still involves the burning of fossil fuels. Overall though, it's still more eco-friendly.

The other thing to consider is the alternative. I still need to get to work somehow (the route to my office is around 18km). Cars definitely pollute more. Public transport is harder to quantify as a single person doesn't make a difference to whether another train service needs to be added, but public transport in my country has come under a lot of stress in my country due to high immigration and a rapid increase in population, and major breakdowns/delays (and hence resources to repair and maintain) have gone up dramatically.

Froze, if it makes any difference, I'm using an alu bike

 

[Corzhens]

Although commuting to work is just a dream here, I still consider it as a healthy alternative to riding in vehicles aside from the fact that it is free. I have some colleagues who commute to work but only on a whim. They just want to use their bikes and maybe for a showoff. Office workers here seldom ride to work because of the hot climate especially now that it is summer, you will just get yourself dirty with the sweat and the dust and dirt.

 

[sgcyclistsg]

^Yeah, the environmental factors in SE Asia can make it challenging. I'm lucky that my office has shower facilities (after an hour on the bike I definitely need one!). What keeps me from cycling though is the haze from Indonesia during slash & burn season and heavy rain during monsoon season.

 

[Froze]

Baby steps are what is needed.. baby steps.

Yet manufactures are taking GIANT steps backwards, not even baby steps backwards, not alone going forward. What we are forced to practice to be eco-friendly the manufactures are not. It's like politicians, they're above the law.

 

[BikeBikeBikeBike]

How else am I supposed to get their???
Oh you must mean by bike.
Mostly because I am cheap and gas is expensive.

 

[Damien Lee]

I work from home, so I technically don't need any form of transportation. But I do use my bike to run errands in town, which sometimes may concern my business. Nevertheless, I believe people should cycle to work if they live within a reasonable distance.

 

[Froze]

Mostly because I am cheap and gas is expensive.

There is nothing wrong with that reason to commute by bike.

Just because someone lives close to work doesn't give us the authority to tell them they must cycle or walk to work, it's their thing, if they want to drive a 4 mpg monster truck to work that's only 1/2 mile away every day then so be it.

 

[Okaviator]

I commute on a road bike to work because it's a way that I can be Eco-friendly. It also helps me think clearer because I'm getting my whole body jump started when exercising.

 

[sharkantropo]

I don't commute to work. I ride mostly to run errands. Wish I could do it, especially across a pleasant and beautiful place like where you live. That would be quite de-stressing and energizing too. Also the polution outlet for riding bicycles is almost zero. Plenty of reasons to commute to work if you think thoroughly about it.

 

[cycle93]

I do or I did! yeaH!!

Sadly since I moved to another town, I can't cycle to school every day but the last 5 years I commuted every day and absolutely loved every moment of it.

 

[Froze]

Lately I haven't commuted to work at all nor even rode my bike I've been very busy trying to get my house packed so I can move to another house and then get both places ready to sell and live in. I had to buy another house because my wife is having trouble getting up and down stairs now with arthritis and a bad back, so we bought a ranch style house, I'm going to miss this 100 year old home, I put a lot of work into it and I just loved all the woodwork in here and the classic styling of the brick exterior.