Advice for Potential new Bike Commuters

[Vicegrip]

Notes from a noob commuter with a locker room at work and the desire to ride a bit more than to and from now and then. Most is redundant or incomplete to the experiences of the many experienced here.

The ride in and out is often the most worry before you start but I bet many find that it becomes the best part with things like saving gas money becoming secondary. I look forward to the ride and the ever changing conditions and little things seen on each one. How many bunnies today, will the foxes be out? The sun rise if early enough, the two ladies that take an early am walk every day and trade a “good morning” with me and the like. You see and hear the world around you while on a bike. You only listen to the radio or wipers in the car.

Plan your work clothing. Carrying your work clothing in and out works well. If you have a locker or closet at work use drive days to shuttle clean to work and dirty home and have a load free ride from time to time.

Plan your cycling clothing so you have some wet weather gear at home and at work. In cold weather plan your ride clothing so you are slightly cold for the first 5 min until your motor warms you up. If you are warm right off the bat you will likely be too warm soon enough.

A longer flatter route is better if you want to sweat less.

Golden rule. Be sure to take some “wrong turns” and explore. This area is great to see by bike and the bike is far better than via a car or on foot in many areas.

Don’t mention N+1.

[DismalScientist]

Actually, it is about the speed.:rolleyes:

[dbb]

You can start slowly, try one day a week.

Figure out what you can leave at work, clothes, bike lock, shower gear – that will save time and weight

The regular commuters are amazingly helpful, unlike the motorists on the interstate people will stop to help

Join the forum and ask questions – there is a boatload of skill and experience here

[oldbikechick]

Advice for first-timers: Plan your route and give yourself enough time so it’s not stressful. Pick a route that you feel comfortable with and is most enjoyable (ie. quieter/wider roads, bike paths) even if it’s not the most direct one. Pack your things the night before so you don’t forget essentials. Talk to other commuters in the office to get the low-down on routes and amenities, borrow stuff you forgot, etc.

Benefits of commuting: Exercise, commute, attitude re-adjustment and fresh air/communing with nature, all wrapped up into one, with no extra time added to the day. It’s like you’ve cheated the working parent rat-race gods each and every day.

Finally – just do it! One you start, you won’t regret it.

[Subby]

Free exercise…with a purpose!

[Dickie]

It’s better for your heart to race with exercise rather than stress!

[mstone]

Oh, and leave shoes at the office. They’re heavy.

[Steve]

@Dickie 50730 wrote:

It’s better for your heart to race with exercise rather than stress!

This is along the lines of what I was thinking. My commute is, by far, the biggest stress relief in my day.

[rcannon100]

Bicycle commuters are happiest…. and they are the only commuters indifferent to how long there commute is.

http://bikeportland.org/2013/01/30/bike-commuters-are-happiest-and-other-psu-research-tidbits-82448

[oxie]

If you don’t own a bike or if you aren’t sure you want (or even are able) to bike the whole way, Bikeshare can be a great way to get your feet wet. I started out using CaBi, just going from downtown to Dupont Circle at first and then to Adam’s Morgan and then to Cleveland Park and then to Van Ness… and then I decided I needed my own bike to get me all the way home!

In addition to having some time outside and exercising every day, one big thing I love about bike commuting is how it really puts you in control of your schedule. I’m no longer at the mercy of the bus and metro and I don’t really get caught up in traffic snarls. Since I’ve gotten a hang of the light signal patterns and how fast I can go at different levels of effort, I’m now able to tell with a high degree of certainty exactly how long it’s going to take me to get to work.

[DismalScientist]

Being a bike commuter doesn’t mean you have to ride in the rain or cold (if you don’t want to:rolleyes:). There is no shame in using the bus or Metro when not on the bike.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@DismalScientist 50768 wrote:

Being a bike commuter doesn’t mean you have to ride in the rain or cold (if you don’t want to:rolleyes:). There is no shame in using the bus or Metro when not on the bike.

You lie!

[mwhatley]

@mstone 50734 wrote:

Oh, and leave shoes at the office. They’re heavy.

haha, I have about 6 pairs of shoes stashed under my desk for this very reason.

[baiskeli]

@mwhatley 50799 wrote:

haha, I have about 6 pairs of shoes stashed under my desk for this very reason.

I ride in my work shoes so that’s no problem, but there’s been a few times when I’ve had to go commando at the office.

[DismalScientist]

@baiskeli 51082 wrote:

I ride in my work shoes so that’s no problem, but there’s been a few times when I’ve had to go commando at the office.

What does this have to do with shoes?

[Author]

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