Cycling as an investment

[Steve O]

@AFHokie 100501 wrote:

Ideally, My goal is to bike in at least half of the year.

At first, but over time you will ride more and more of the year until you are doing it year round.

[PeteD]

Commuting by bike is really expensive for me.

[rcannon100]

@PeteD 100515 wrote:

Commuting by bike is really expensive for me.

Pete, I think you are doing it wrong. No wait, or is it, you are doing it right?

[KWL]

@AFHokie 100501 wrote:

…but I don’t yet know my options as far as showers, etc….

You don’t need no steenkin’ shower. Well, perhaps that’s not the best adjective to use. Seriously, why shower after only 9 miles?

[hozn]

@KWL 100522 wrote:

Seriously, why shower after only 9 miles?

I think AFHokie said he wanted to be getting some exercise during the commute. If you are trying to get a workout and *not* sweating by mile 9, you are doing something wrong. (That said, in the cooler months you could very well just soft pedal it in and skip the shower.)

[AFHokie]

@Steve O 100511 wrote:

At first, but over time you will ride more and more of the year until you are doing it year round.

I’m factoring days I realistically cannot bike in. Severe weather, after work commitments, etc. Unfortunately, some days will require driving instead of even the Metro. Ideally, I’ll average 9-10 months or better, but as an initial assessment I felt six months a realistic first goal.

@KWL 100522 wrote:

You don’t need no steenkin’ shower. Well, perhaps that’s not the best adjective to use. Seriously, why shower after only 9 miles?

@hozn 100524 wrote:

I think AFHokie said he wanted to be getting some exercise during the commute. If you are trying to get a workout and *not* sweating by mile 9, you are doing something wrong. (That said, in the cooler months you could very well just soft pedal it in and skip the shower.)

Exactly. After 9 miles I better be sweating or its not a workout; even in cooler months. I will not be known as the stinky guy in the office.

Ideally, I’ll leave shoes/belt, a dopp bag, etc at work, but I’ll still need to drag a suit with me.

While we’re on the subject; does anyone have any experience with these garment bags?
Two Wheel Gear – Classic Bike Suit Bag
Henty Wingman Suit Bag

I’m leaning toward the Two Wheel Gear bag. On the plus side, I could move everything from my seat bag into it plus my lunch, but it’s possibly too big. The Wingman Suit Bag, I don’t want a backpack or sling bag, but figure I can bungee it onto the rack instead, but wondering how crumpled a suit would look.

[Steve O]

@AFHokie 100536 wrote:

Exactly. After 9 miles I better be sweating or its not a workout; even in cooler months. I will not be known as the stinky guy in the office.

Showers are awesome, yes. I did commute from Arlington to Silver Spring for about a year and half (13.2 miles one way) with no shower. All four seasons. No toodling along either; it was my workout.
For a couple of months, once upon a time, I commuted 17 miles one way to Herndon with no shower.
So it can be done. I would have absolutely preferred a shower, but I didn’t let the absence of one stop me from riding.

[hozn]

My shower at the new job is under repair. I drove in last half of last week since logistics required it, but tomorrow I am doing the wet wipes thing. I am tired of not riding. I should be getting guest access to the shower in building next door. Maybe that will happen tomorrow.

[vern]

@AFHokie 100536 wrote:

I’m factoring days I realistically cannot bike in. Severe weather, after work commitments, etc. Unfortunately, some days will require driving instead of even the Metro. Ideally, I’ll average 9-10 months or better, but as an initial assessment I felt six months a realistic first goal.

Exactly. After 9 miles I better be sweating or its not a workout; even in cooler months. I will not be known as the stinky guy in the office.

Ideally, I’ll leave shoes/belt, a dopp bag, etc at work, but I’ll still need to drag a suit with me.

While we’re on the subject; does anyone have any experience with these garment bags?
Two Wheel Gear – Classic Bike Suit Bag
Henty Wingman Suit Bag

I’m leaning toward the Two Wheel Gear bag. On the plus side, I could move everything from my seat bag into it plus my lunch, but it’s possibly too big. The Wingman Suit Bag, I don’t want a backpack or sling bag, but figure I can bungee it onto the rack instead, but wondering how crumpled a suit would look.

At work I have brown and black shoes and brown and black belts. I have a suit and a navy blue sport coat along with an assortment of ties. I have all the toiletries at work I need plus an electric razor. I swap out slacks, but at any one time I usually have at least 2 pairs of slacks at work. Tomorrow, like most days, i am only taking underwear, socks and a dress shirt, along with food. My goal is to transport as little as possible. On days that for whatever reason I have to take the Metro or drive I make a point of taking extra stuff so that I don’t have to carry it later on my bike.

[Orestes Munn]

US Navy wool-poly khakis are uncrushable and have nuke resistant creases, top and bottom. They barely need a body in them. Not being able to wear them will be a major downside to retiring. I leave at least two sets at work and commute in fredwear Shower-shmower. No complaints, yet.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that I bike to work about 9/10 of the time, we have never been able to do with one car. First it was the kid’s schedule, now it’s the sails etc. for a 40′ boat, which require an aging Honda Element to move around.

Cycling would be a lot more economical and people would drive less, if we paid for insurance and registration fees at the pump.

[baiskeli]

@Steve O 100550 wrote:

For a couple of months, once upon a time, I commuted 17 miles one way to Herndon with no shower.

We know.

[kingman762]

@AFHokie 100536 wrote:

While we’re on the subject; does anyone have any experience with these garment bags?
Two Wheel Gear – Classic Bike Suit Bag
Henty Wingman Suit Bag

I’m leaning toward the Two Wheel Gear bag. On the plus side, I could move everything from my seat bag into it plus my lunch, but it’s possibly too big. The Wingman Suit Bag, I don’t want a backpack or sling bag, but figure I can bungee it onto the rack instead, but wondering how crumpled a suit would look.

There’s another recent thread on panniers that talks a lot about panniers and clothing transport, it might help.

Personally I leave my shoes, belts, and suit jackets (7 of them) at the office and just bring in pants and a shirt. I use an eagle creek folder, which really helps limit wrinkles in an ortlieb pannier, which keeps things dry. You can put a whole suit in the folder too, it works pretty well.

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