Commuting to work

What distance is your commute?

The warmer weather is giving me ideas

I don't know for certian, but it's roughly 10 miles one way. Yes, I'm slow as hell.

HD

Edited by Heavy-Dee 2005-04-06 9:17 AM

Slow is okay.  Hey, it beats taking the bus!  I think I'll take my bike in on Friday.

Hey cool! I rode in yesterday, took the train home and back, will probably ride home tonight. It's only ~5 miles when I'm in the city. Once I'm back in IA full time my commute will be ~25 miles. I'm hoping to do it once a day and get a ride the other way unless I'm feeling extra frisky. Luckily the Y is near my office so I can shower and change. Are you carrying stuff back and forth with you or do you have somewhere to leave it?

Carrie

HD,

Great to see a post from a fellow Buckeye.

I don't know what traffic is like in Cleveland, but down here in Columbus, you'd be taking your life into your own hands by biking to and from work across town.

I live on the West side and work on the East side. I'd LOVE to bike to and from work, but I know I'd most likely get run over going across downtown!

I'm trying to workup the nerve to start riding my bike to work. It's only ~ 7 miles and I can shower and change here at my office. Need to get my routine back under control first.

I'm carrying a backpack w/ my work clothes, lunch, etc. It's a pain, but it works. I can shower at work.

I'm really lucky b/c there is a bike/hike trail that runs almost from my house to work's parking lot. I have to ride on the road for about 1/4 mile.

HD

I'm riding home tonight - about 17 miles.  Rode the beast down here a few weeks ago and have been deterred from the return trip by unseasonably cold weather and darkness.  Now that dls time is here and the weather is picture perfect, I have no excuses left... wait, is that my knee acting up...?

It's the carrying back and forth that I'd like to negotiate around. Panniers would not be sexy on my racing bike. Maybe if I drop off a week's worth of clothes once a week?

What are "Panniers"?

I'm lucky. I'm a web developer for a startup and we have a casual dress code.

HD

Panniers are saddlebags. Maybe it's not an American term?

Even in a casual office, you wouldn't want me showing up all sweaty and stinking like I am after riding 25 miles.

I also have problems with carrying all my stuff. Not so much the clothes, but i "theoretically" often have to bring my laptop evenings and on weekends for email and a little bit of work. The backpack would become quite heavy. Besides being uncomfortable, are there any problems with carrying a backpack? can it be bad for the back?

I noticed that my lower back was a bit tired, and my ass hurt more than the first time I did this same ride (not to "work", but for a "dry run"). Neither of these do I think are b/c of the backpack, but time will tell.

HD

I commuted all last summer, but I was working in town, and it was only about 3 miles (less than 30 minutes). I have a great backpack that I could use to carry my work clothes & shoes, my lunch, and a book.

I'm being totally tortured these days because my job (at the moment) is way too far from home to commute (it takes nearly an hour by car), but it's on one of the most popular cycling training routes, so I sit at my desk all day and watch people out on training rides. Sigh. If I weren't a freelancer, I'd bring my bike and do a ride at lunch.

I'd have about a 3 mile workout...I like it!

Man the ride home was fun! The weather was perfect and it was nice just to be outside. I'm really liking my Specialized Ellez Sport. I added some Look 3.1 clipless pedals and I'm really glad that I did, however I did notice that my left foot fell asleep a bit. I might need to get some good socks, as my standard issue hanes crew socks may be the cause.

Planning on riding again tomorrow. It's supposed to be cooler, but I think no rain.

Also, last night my CatEye Astrale 8 arrived. Hopefully I can find time tonight to put it on so I'll have it for tomorrow's commute. Unfortunately, the rain pants, and gloves that I ordered are too small. Bummer.

In short, the ride isn't that hard and it saves gas money! I'm liking this. The hardest part is planning ahead and packing all of my crap for the day.

HD