One month under my belt…
- This topic has 23 replies, 20 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 3 months ago by
.
-
Thanks to everyone. The encouragement is so great…glad I found this place.
My attitude is much improved – I feel like I am getting paid to commute when I can spend gas money on stuff like donuts and beer.
To rcannon – I usually come home via CCT/Towpath/Chain Bridge in the evening. I love biking along that stretch of the Potomac in the afternoon but I’d rather do Custis in the morning.
Great story! I’m impressed you ran in and back from McLean – that would wipe me out.
Also, I’ve got a rack on my road bike too
.Subby, am I reading your original post correctly? You RAN into work last month on some days?! As in sneakers via your own power?! If so, then I’m flabbergasted. Running that far seems far scarier (and more exhausting) to me than biking. Lordy, no wonder you lost so much weight so fast.
Irrespective of whether you ran/run or not, congrats on keeping up with the bike commuting. As others have mentioned this is one of the hardest times of the year to take up regular cycling (I think August is right up there too) because of the cold, wind and darkness. April is typically a fantastic month to ride (March is a crap shoot but with the current freaky weather we’ve been having….)
Don’t worry about not having a road bike. The hybrid you’ve got is a great all-around bike, esp since you ride the bumpy C&O (skinny tires do not like muddy, rocky tracks at all) and what matters most is fit and the “smiles per mile” it gives you. The only change I would suggest is upgrading the tires to those with a higher tire pressure (but sticking to the CX or hybrid style); this will give you a slightly faster ride for the same effort but still allow you to traverse cobblestones, the C&O, and the roads with ease. I very much like my recently installed Armadillo Elite CX tires; I can go thru anything with them without worrying about flats.
All the usual common sense stuff applies: know how to change a tire, make sure you know how your pump works (don’t laugh, I didn’t the first time I got a flat on one of my old tires and the two cyclists that stopped to help couldn’t figure it out either), have good lights, carry around one of those tiny multi-use tool thingees (parts have a way of vibrating themselves loose over time like your water bottle cage), etc. Plan on cleaning and lubing your chain every 200 miles or so; it’s a pain but makes a big difference in how well your bike runs and will save you money in the long run. If the LBS you bought your bike from offers a year of free service because you bought a bike from them, don’t feel shy about using them a lot for anything and everything (they won’t clean/lube your chain though
). I got my money’s worth of “freebie” service. Carry a travel pack of baby wipes with you; they come in remarkably handy. Always, always wear bike gloves of some sort – they will save your hands from road rash should you fall (I’ve learned this the hard way too).Get copies of the freebie bike maps for the area (DC, Arlington, Fairfax, etc); makes it much easier to visualize how to get around by bike.
With the potential for winter to rear it’s ugly head in Feb, pay attention to when there might be ice on the roads. The trails ice up quicker and longer than the roads. People are usually very good about posting updates here on the forum.
Your speed is right up there with average commuters and hybrid tires are slower than the skinny kind. You will also get faster as you lose more weight (both pounds and the heavy winter clothes) and become more fit. The disappearance of the winter wind helps too. Getting someplace safe and stressfree is more important than speed.
Trial and error with commuting clothes and equipment is part of the course for the first few months; after a while getting out of the door in the morning will be much quicker and more routine. If you don’t have a shower at work, you may wish to start investigating your options now before summer comes since you will need to wash up before going to your job unless you are a freak of nature that doesn’t sweat.
Once the trees start budding, the trail bunnies appear (lots of them!), and the flowers return you will start looking for more reasons to bike. Best to prepare the wife that she is going to become a bike widow soon…..
KLizotte – thanks for taking the time to share all of that. Very helpful and I really appreciate it.
I took everyone’s advice and just enjoyed my ride home yesterday. No concern with time, just kind of going at my own pace. The weather was beautiful – and when I hit a few pockets of warm breezes, I got an incredible surge of euphoria. I think I am starting to get this bicycling thing.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.