One year of cycling to work

https://hookrace.net/blog/cycling-to-work/

by def- • 8 years ago

295 395 8 years ago

blakesterz• 8 years ago

Very nice. I always think the second best thing to working remotely would be a job I could ride my bike to every day.

zawerf• 8 years ago

Getting hit by a car within a year is an anomaly right? He brushed it off as his "only accident" like it's supposed to be more commonplace.

def-3• 8 years ago

Yeah, I might have been unclear. I've been cycling for a few years before that and that was the first time I touched a car. The driver DID look straight at me though, seemingly noticing me, so I was really confused when she started speeding up anyway.

dspillett• 8 years ago

In my experience it is not necessarily safe to assume that someone looking straight at you implies that they have noticed you. People can be quite distracted by both the environment or the insides of their own heads.

Worse, some take eye contact as meaning you know they are there and are prepared to get out of the way of what-ever manoeuvre they are about to perform!

Before my latest office move (it is not so close that messing around with the shed and locking up the bike at work and changing clothes if needed in bad weather add up to more than cycling saves over walking at a brisk pace) I rode to work for years, 3.5 miles each way for the most part, and while I've had a few near misses (the worst being a bus that halfway through overtaking me decided to shuffle in nearly sandwiching me between the bus and the road-side railings) I've never actually been touched by another vehicle. I'm on city roads, though small city (York, UK) rather than somewhere even more hectic than London, but here I'd say cycling to work is no less safe than walking.

gaius• 8 years ago

The driver DID look straight at me though, seemingly noticing me

Probably saccadic masking https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccadic_masking

symmetricsaurus• 8 years ago

I've been biking to work for a bit more than two years now. Same distance to work and not even any close calls with cars. I do ride quite carefully though and make very sure that they see me and stop before I ride out in front of one.

tonyedgecombe2• 8 years ago

I always try and make eye contact with drivers at junctions which has worked well for me until a couple of weeks ago when someone looked straight at me then pulled out right in front of me. We didn't collide but it was very close.

c2h5oh• 8 years ago

Cycled to work, weather permitting, for last 3 years. Got hit (more like nudged, but enough to cause a fall) by a car twice - nothing major only because I know how to tumble & roll. It easily could have been much worse.

lj32• 8 years ago

I cycled every day for 7 years all over the San Francisco Bay Area without ever once being hit by a car or getting a door prize. I didn't run red lights and I maintained situational awareness at all times. And I was one of those guys who rode in the middle of the car lane even when a bicycle lane was available.

dominotw2• 8 years ago

And I was one of those guys who rode in the middle of the car lane even when a bicycle lane was available.

to avoid getting doored?

Wouldn't this slow the traffic.

deathanatos3• 8 years ago

I also bike in the SFBA. I also drive there, too.

I didn't run red lights

Thank you. As both a biker and a driver, I appreciate this. Too many bikers don't do this, and I've witnessed too many close calls for those that don't. I've been heckled by other bikers for stopping at red lights, so I know that sometimes this can be a pain to actually stick to.

deathanatos3• 8 years ago

I've been biking for ~2 years, and I have had one very very close call, where I had to actually dodge a car, but I wasn't really in control of the situation. Scared the crap out of me, because I did not see him coming. I've had many other incidents where situational awareness let me see the idiot coming in advance enough that I was able to just easily avoid the collision.

(The close call I had was an idiot in lane 1, which was a straight/left lane, who decided to turn right. The only right turn lane is lane 4: he cut off a lane of traffic, the bike lane, and the right-turn only lane. I had to take the right "with" him, essentially, or I would have hit him, and I could feel the traction in my back tire slipping the entire time from the huge amount of braking I was begging for.)

jandrese• 8 years ago

Been biking to work for 4 years now and never had a close call with a car, but I try to avoid roads as much as possible. Luckily there is a bike trail that goes roughly in the direction I need. That said, there is one section where riding with the traffic is unavoidable and I hate it. I especially hate one particular stoplight that is on a sensor and the sensor is not strong enough to pick up my bike.

I should point out that I ride in the suburbs and road traffic goes much faster than what I can sustain on a bike. Most roads are 35 or 45mph and hilly/curvy, so they are terrifying to cycle on.

bbarn4• 8 years ago

I have been doing it for ~15 years, and hit 4 times. I'd say if anything it's more common in your first year or two before you gain the experience to be able to predict driver actions by subtle signals.

alistairSH4• 8 years ago

Yes, it's an anomaly. I've been a recreational cyclist for many years, and commuted on and off for years when I lived about 12 miles from the office (close enough to walk now). I've never been hit by a car, but have had a few close calls. Almost all of those were at intersections, where I had the right of way, but a car didn't see me and decided to proceed.

Basically, if you are cycling on the road (and that includes bike lanes that aren't protected/separated), you have to assume cars don't see you. Ride defensively all the time. That will minimize accidents at intersections.

Nothing you can do about getting run down from behind (other than not ride a bicycle). But, that's rare.

cesis• 8 years ago

Another bonus for bicycling/walking is very predictable arrival time as no traffic jams, public transportation issues etc impact them.

lmm4• 8 years ago

Agreed but only up to a point. I can easily spend 5 minutes in the queue for the lights near my flat (a lot of buses and lorries on that road so I can't always lane split safely), and I was delayed much longer once because police had closed the road after a collision.

celticninja• 8 years ago

Turning round at a road closure is much easier for a cyclist and often they can be very quickly bypassed by becoming a pedestrian and walking your bike via an alternative route.

Aaargh203182• 8 years ago

You don't have separate bicycle paths (and traffic lights) where you are ?

city412• 8 years ago

I bike to work about 50% of the time. I live in San Jose where traffic is very heavy. I have to cross three roads without a light, and how long that takes really varies a lot. Some days I can wait for up to 5 minutes per road, making my cycle commute just as variable as my drive commute.

jordache2• 8 years ago

that short of a commute? that's a no brainer for cycling to work.

Finnucane2• 8 years ago

Yeah, my ride is about 3 miles each way, so it's pretty easy. I live in the Boston area, so at times the weather can be rough, but it's manageable. If the roads are passable, I can ride (though it is in the 50s today here and expected to get near 70 tomorrow!). In the summer, when it's hot, I leave the house as early as I can manage. After eight years of daily bike commutes, the only serious accident I've had (i.e., injury-causing) was caused by another cyclist, not a car.

ocschwar• 8 years ago

Medford to Haymarket commute for me, starting tomorrow.

sheepz• 8 years ago

You would think so, but my commute to work is a little over 3 km and I used to drive a car to work, until I realized how ridiculous that was. I know co-workers who live even closer and still they drive.I live in a small town, but people still use cars for everything although we have good bike roads.

Fricken• 8 years ago

I went from a 16 km bike commute to a 3 km one, and 3 km isn't far enough. I usually leave early to spend a little more time on my bike. On an average day the morning ride is the best part of my day.

bryanlarsen2• 8 years ago

If anything, it's a little bit short. At that distance, IMO it's more convenient to just pedal slowly while wearing cotton to avoid the hassle of having to shower at work.

10km or so is about perfect IMO. Long enough that it's worth the hassle to get sweaty and have a "real ride", but short enough that you still do it on days where you have a packed schedule.

But even better is a 2km commute. Walking is by far the most pleasant way to get to work.

hycaria• 8 years ago

I have 2km and walk but I'm contemplating if I should use my old bike...

TulliusCicero2• 8 years ago

Most people in the states with that short of a commute probably still drive, and I don't blame them (because biking in most American cities is absolutely awful).

jordache2• 8 years ago

true. I should caveated my statement - that short of a commute w/ dedicated bike infrastructure? That's a no brainer.

rconti10• 8 years ago

To me it's like voting. I guess I could complain about why it doesn't do any good and justify not doing it.

Or I could just do it, and others see and hear your experiences, and are more likely to do it themselves/consider it 'normal'.

shaki-dora• 8 years ago

That's the argument for mixed zoning: having offices (plus some retail, medical practices etc) within a 5km radius of home is entirely possible. It's easier in a dense urban environment, but as this post shows, you can even do it with single-family homes with a generous garden.

Of course there are still some people who need to use a car or public transport for commuting, especially if you're a couple both invested in specific careers (and can't, say, just transfer and teach at a different school).

billsmithaustin• 8 years ago

I live about the same distance from work as the writer, and I've been cycling to work since early October. I would have thought that such a short bike ride wouldn't have much of a health benefit, but I feel more energetic and my blood pressure is noticeably lower than it was a year ago.

lj32• 8 years ago

Short distances on a bicycle are actually healthier than longer distances. Long distance cyclists tend to have issues with losing bone and muscle density.

thinkMOAR2• 8 years ago

and don't forget, sitting for long periods are known to lead to prostatitis; specially if you have a poor saddle on your bicycle

booleandilemma• 8 years ago

Does the same apply to walking?

inopinatus5• 8 years ago

Speaking as a sometime ultra endurance participant I have to say this is misleading. Bone density loss only significantly affects those who practically live on their bikes, such as professional road racers. And even then it is easily attenuated by visiting the gym.

acomjean• 8 years ago

When I ride my 3 miles to work, I don't need caffeine. I think any sustained exercise a couple times a day does help the fitness level.

I ride a little slow (not aggressive), because Boston traffic and I figure the quickest way to get to where I'm going doesn't involve a hospital trip.

I really enjoy it and it does improve my mood.

abyssin• 8 years ago

I also noticed I get sick less often in the winter when I ride my bike everyday.

jacknews2• 8 years ago

conclusion: what a lovely route, choosing to cycle it isn't even a decision, especially as the other options seems to take longer. The author is super lucky and I'm jealous. I cycle to work too, but in a busy city.

mattlondon• 8 years ago

Totally agree - what a nice route to get to work. From what I could see, it looks like a lot of long, straight and - most importantly! - flat routes. Perfect for nice easy cycling.

I sometimes run to work, but never ever run home as in London it is downhill to get to the centre, but uphill to get back out to the suburbs :)

Aaargh203182• 8 years ago

I cycle to work in a busy city too, but fortunately the city I live in has a lot of parks and my route goes straight through one. It's really nice, especially on summer mornings. Would highly recommend.

otterpro• 8 years ago

If I had a bike route to work, I'd take it over driving my car, even if the bike route takes longer and/or is further away. Mr. Money Mustache (https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/06/13/bicycling-the-saf...) wrote that riding bike is equivalent to printing money, and he has calculated that riding one mile is equivalent to gaining 1350 seconds of life.

Unfortunately, I currently live in part of Florida where the roads are not designed for bikes. I once lived in the east of Bay Area, where it was so much more bike-able.

moosekaka3• 8 years ago

I would cycle to work if: i) the route was FLAT ii) the weather was DRY (no rain, sleet, snow)

jacknews2• 8 years ago

You could consider an electric bike to deal with hills.

fmariluis• 8 years ago

Very nice seeing that much nature before and after work, I cycle to work but it's all within the city. It's great, but I would love to see more trees and water.

reti• 8 years ago

I cycle around 3 times the distance he does daily to and from work in London. I've been doing this for 5 years. It's probably fair to say I take more days off than he does though (I leave the bike at home if going for a drink).

I suppose the same could be said for any form of regular exercise, but it makes such an improvement to how I feel when I get to work, and my general well-being. The pollution in London has always been a bit of a concern, however I hope the exercise outweighs this for the most part. I save around £8 a day by not taking the train.

I wish more people would give it a go. More people riding would result in better and safer infrastructure here. I do however, regularly see people get knocked off bikes and can understand the perceived risk and reluctance from others to try it. I'm envious of cities such as Copenhagen with great safe infrastructure, and where riding is the norm.

vivan• 8 years ago

I live in London and I'd love to cycle to work, but the infrastructure (for my route) just isn't there. And for people who aren't experienced cyclists, it is even worse as lack of confidence actually leads to more accidents.

lmm4• 8 years ago

I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the route to work a cycling route planner gave me in London was. There are less nice parts at the beginning and end (as I get onto and off the cycle-friendly streets), but the majority of the route (some on Q2, some on quiet 20mph roads with no specific cycling provision) is not bad.

codeulike• 8 years ago

Maybe try it? Once I started cycling in London there was no looking back, even if I had to be on busy roads. Many residential roads in London are very quiet during the day so there may be a windy circuitous route that is very pleasant to be on. Or a busy direct route that is not as bad as you think. When theres a proper cycle lane that's nice but it is by no means vital.

4509• 8 years ago

BRouter might find you a better route

http://brouter.de/brouter-web/#zoom=13&lat=51.5097&lon=-0.12...

kqr5• 8 years ago

Absolutely true. Once you're confident, you realise how to get good infrastructure anywhere: share the road with motor vehicles if the dedicated infrastructure sucks.

Sure, some people will hate you for that, but I prefer disliked over smeared onto pavement any time of the day.

rhys91• 8 years ago

I cycle commute in London every day and you don't need dedicated cycling infrastructure. It's great to use if it's there but otherwise you make do. Rather than trying to take the most direct route, I cut through small laneways and alleys and ride through a couple of parks. Get on a bike and start exploring. There's nothing more soul crushing than London's public transport during peak hour.

petre• 8 years ago

Yet you have quite some cyclists that ride in crazy traffic among double deckers and fast cars. Most of them wear neon yellow clothing. Is it required by law?

adrianN• 8 years ago

I have a face mask (Respro City) that filters out a good part of the particulates. Those are of course only part of the pollution and the mask does look a bit silly.

djhworld• 8 years ago

I'm quite an anxious person and even just the thought of cycling in London puts me off it.

I've looked at the route map and most of it is on incredibly busy roads, including Henleys Corner (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henlys_Corner) one of the busiest junctions.

VyseofArcadia3• 8 years ago

Getting home at 17:00? I don't even get off work until 17:30, and if I'm lucky I get home before 18:30. Even cycling I'd only shave maybe 15 minutes off my commute, and if I'm really lucky I'd make it home alive.

I wish I lived somewhere with more sustainable work hours and bike-friendly traffic. I'm totally drained when I finally get home.

izym• 8 years ago

When do you get in though?

VyseofArcadia3• 8 years ago

8:30. My hours aren't all that terrible, but after burning the candle at both ends for the better part of a decade of grad school, I'm a little worried about burning out.

simonbarker872• 8 years ago

I live 1.2 miles from my unit/office. When looking for premises we actively looked for somewhere close to where us founders live so we could bike

alistairSH4• 8 years ago

I live about the same and walk. It's fantastic. Coming from a 12 mile (30-40 minute) drive, with occasional bike commuting, it really was a game-changer for my sanity. It helps that I walk across a golf course, so it's fairly quiet and green (vs city streets).

simonbarker872• 8 years ago

I sometimes walk in but since I only work in the winter I never get to do it in the summer so spending 30 minutes in cold, wind and rain is not that nice. On the odd occasion I do walk I bring the dog with me and kill two birds with one stone, his walk and my commute!

unicornporn4• 8 years ago

I'm at my 12 year of every day bike commuting. Before I commuted 10 km each direction, now I'm at 6 km. If I have activities after work, I ride to them too. So my total ride length is a fair bit longer than what my commute is.

The public transportation network here in Stockholm is good, but wouldn't even consider cramming myself into a packed subway train or bus. Even at this time of the year when it's -5 degrees celcius and snowy I really enjoy my daily rides.

It cuts commuting time in half and I shave off another two hours of sitting without moving a day.

If possible, I highly recommend bike commuting. Get a good bike (with gears) and rack mounts for bags. Gravel/adventure bikes are fun to ride and work well on all surfaces. Supple 650b tyres are all the rage these days. They will give you plenty of comfort while sacrificing very little when it comes to performance[1].

Tomorrow I'll be going to the outskirts of town with work. Then it's 50 km. I already look forward to that workday adventure. :)

[1] https://janheine.wordpress.com/2018/01/03/12-myths-in-cyclin...

trevyn• 8 years ago

Have you gotten in accidents?

unicornporn4• 8 years ago

I've fallen thrice (that I can remember). Two of these times was when I was stupid enough to ride on ice with slicks. The third time I tried to pull some fancy trick up a curb (just stupid). So, I've scratched my jeans. Other than that: nothing (touch wood). Nowadays I run studded tyres in the winter and they're crazy effective.

I don't recommend riding without a helmet or hövding, but this article gives you some insights into the risks of riding a bike in cities: https://www.vox.com/2014/5/16/5720762/stop-forcing-people-to...

kqr5• 8 years ago

Only thing keeping me from commuting year round is lack of studded tires. I'll have to fix that until next year, because as I'm standing here, hoping for a train that's not jam packed, I really miss cycling.

dh-g2• 8 years ago

I have ridden with studded tires but have found that my normal skinny road tires do surprisingly well for our winters here in (Canada).

lb1lf3• 8 years ago

I've been mostly biking to work for years now, on an island off the northwestern coast of Norway.

I have found that studded tyres are more of an annoyance than an asset on 99 out of 100 winter days.

On anything but wet ice, regular tyres do surprisingly well - to the extent that I've felt no need for studs at all during quite literally thousands of kilometers of riding in the snow - yes, grip is not as good as on asphalt, but then again - studs will not magically make the road bare; they only give you a bit of extra margin under very specific conditions - wet ice, basically.

On wet ice, studded tyres will just postpone the inevitable. You WILL topple. On those days, I just jump in the car.

Additionally, the noise of a set of properly studded tyres is enough to drive me nuts, though obviously YMMV.

akgerber8• 8 years ago

They're quite affordable if ordered from Germany: https://www.bike24.com/p238233.html

subpixel6• 8 years ago

I commuted by bike for years in NYC and frankly I do not recommend it. The traffic has always been bad but it’s now significantly worse, and the bike lanes that exist make riding even more dangerous. You are always within reach of parked cars doors, and the lack of a physical barrier on most lanes means they are often driven over by cars.

Perhaps worst of all, even faulty bike lanes give cyclists a sense of entitlement and false security. The fact remains the roads were not built for cycling and cars always win in a battle for space.

I’d love to see bike-only roads, routes, or such. But until there is both proper segregation and consequences when cars kill cyclists (there are currently none) it’s a death wish.

Every day I see eager young cyclists riding with no helmet, no lights, and not infrequently without brakes (on fixies) and I am compelled to yell out my advice on working harder at staying alive.

dh-g2• 8 years ago

I have never looked at the data for NYC but for many cities cycling is about as dangerous as walking. The data might surprise you.

sandover9• 8 years ago

Don't ride in the door zone. Don't let cars make you ride in the door zone. Take the car lane instead.

I've gone 15,000 miles safely in dense urban environments because I am heads-up about the 2 main threats: intersections, and the door zone.

aqme28• 8 years ago

Cycling in NYC is highly dependent on the bike lanes on your route. There are good stretches of quality bike lane here and there (especially in Brooklyn), however there are parts of e.g. Chinatown that I would not recommend on a bike.

djtriptych3• 8 years ago

Commuted for years, also Brooklyn to Manhattan about the same distance. Had to stop due to back issues but I can echo all the OP’s benefits.

Biking is somewhat dangerous in NYC, and every other American city. I agree with OP that NYC drivers are generally very good though. It’s the bikers responsibility to bike as though drivers are -trying- to kill you. First heard that advice when riding motorcycles and it’s stuck with me.

I’ve been in a few spills on my bike. A big one with a pedestrian who strolled into a protected high speed path at prospect park. Another one with an invisible pothole at night in park slope. The last was pure user error, riding tipsy from my local bar home :)

Generally, riding in nyc, like walking in nyc, is a unique skill set. You really MUST be able to do things like look behind you while riding, and it’s quite helpful to be able to accelerate to near traffic speeds. Of course you must assume any car door can open at any time. Route planning also goes a long way; it’s usually worthwhile to take a slightly longer route to stay on smooth streets or protected lanes. Extra wide one-way streets in Brooklyn are generally quite good for cyclists as well.

nirajshr2• 8 years ago

have been riding in NYC for past 2 years. I do agree that bike lanes give you a false sense of security. You have to remain vigilant at all times. It's not that stressful. For me, I have come to enjoy riding in the city now. You need time to develop the sense of various moving objects around you.

meuk• 8 years ago

Driving without brakes is just ridiculously dumb in general, but especially so in a place like NYC.

Piskvorrr2• 8 years ago

At least on the island of Manhatto, the roads were not built for cars, either ;)

HumanDrivenDev2• 8 years ago

I'd hate to ride anything 'supple' on my commute path, which includes a lot of debris and broken bottles.

I do miss riding on smaller wheels though. 26" was much nicer to get rolling than 700c, and there's a lot of stop-start. 26" rigid bike are extinct now though it seems.

kbrosnan• 8 years ago

Parent is suggesting combining 650b/27.5" wheel sets with large volume 27.5" tires. This gives you an outer wheel diameter near a 700c wheel. Something like this Durano 27.5 x 1.10 tire [1] and sealant would make for a bomb proof commuter.

[1] https://www.schwalbetires.com/bike_tires/racing_tires/durano...

trs80• 8 years ago

There are about 250 work days in a year in Baden-Württemberg, excluding weekends and public holidays. Of those I was missing for 34 days for vacations, being sick and doing home office. On 11 days I used public transportation, on 5 days a car. That leaves 200 days on which I cycled to work.

Wish we had this here.

CalRobert4• 8 years ago

TBF, Germany is not an impossible place to get a work permit. They have the blue card as well, which is quite interesting.

hocuspocus• 8 years ago

That's an understatement :)

As a software engineer, the requirements are fairly trivial compared to pretty much every other developed nation in the world.

at-fates-hands• 8 years ago

I used to have a standard 9-5 gig and then I'd work at a bike shop during the week nights and on the weekends. I started biking in after a co-worker suggested it.

I was pretty surprised. The ride was about 20-25 minutes, mainly through your standard US suburbs so not hard at all. I rode to work 3-4 times a week and then on Saturday or Sunday.

I didn't change anything in my routine except for biking. I lost about 8 pounds, my blood pressure dropped and my already healthy cholesterol levels dropped another 4 points. I had more energy when I got to the shop and then had more energy when I got home. I was more willing to work on various projects when I got home instead of plunking down in front of the tv after being exhausted from a long day at the shop.

icebraining2• 8 years ago

I had more energy when I got to the shop and then had more energy when I got home.

I envy you people. I've been cycling to work for about six months now, and while I enjoy it and it probably does me good, I don't feel more energized. Exercise has always left me drained.

sulam• 8 years ago

I wish we had the bike culture in the US that exists elsewhere. Twice in my life I have regularly commuted to work a reasonable distance by bike and each time the habit was punctuated by being hit by a car. I feel safer walking than I do on a bike here.

LarryDarrell• 8 years ago

I bike commuted 20 miles round trip in West Michigan for a time. I stopped because I was tired of getting coal-rolled and having fast food soda cups thrown at me from cars.

Bike commuting is great if you don't live near rednecks.

CalRobert4• 8 years ago

Or dbags in bmw's giving you punishment passes. Or people on their phones.

ggregoire• 8 years ago

I've always used a bike to go to work, but now I'm in Mexico City. Too many cars, too much air pollution. Cycling here is bad for your health.

The public bicycle sharing system is really good and cheap. Some parts of the city are bike friendly. But the air quality is just so bad. The trucks that spew black smoke continuously. The buses that have never been controlled in 50 years. The SUVs traveling at 100 km/h on the lanes reserved for buses and bicycles. All the cars idling and honking in traffic after 6PM. It's really depressing. This city would be such a beautiful city without all those cars and trucks.

Refs:

- air quality: https://air.plumelabs.com/en/year/mexico

- ecoBici: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EcoBici_(Mexico_City)

- "Car ban fails to curb air pollution in Mexico City" http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-38840076

kilroy123• 8 years ago

You're in Mexico City? So am I. Maybe we could connect sometime?

kqr5• 8 years ago

Unless you're saying Mexico City is worse than Beijing, you could go for two hours no problem: https://3kpnuxym9k04c8ilz2quku1czd-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/w...

sumo89• 8 years ago

You're exposed to more pollution sitting in a car in traffic than you are cycling through it in the open.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/cars/article-4599572/Avoi...

lostlogin• 8 years ago

Breathing hard on a bike when pushing it is really nasty when the air is bad. Sucking in a chest full of exhaust fumes is horrible.

maw3• 8 years ago

Between where and where? A lot of the obvious routes are terrible, but you can go a long way in this city zigging where everyone else zags.

Avoid the bike lanes for the most part, though. You're probably in more danger in one of our bike lanes than out of one, due to all the morons blithely going the wrong way in them.

neves3• 8 years ago

Great route! Maybe it isn't necessary in temperate climates, but the most important point is that he has showers at work. In tropical countries it is a must. If more workplaces had showers a lot more people would cycle to work.

scottishfiction• 8 years ago

I would say it's necessary in all climates - in colder climates you wrap up warmer, which means the same amount of sweat. On shower availability - all the companies (big and small) that I've worked for in Glasgow and London have had showers and cycle parking.

bbarn4• 8 years ago

I've only had a shower in one of the places I've worked in the last 15 years I've been biking to work. I think the need for a shower is a common misunderstanding. One thing that helps immensely is having an entirely separate, bike specific set of clothes to wear in, and then you can change in a bathroom or dark room if needed.

I live in Chicago (so freezing and very hot at times in the year) ride 11 miles (~18km) each way, almost every day. I keep a pair of shoes, and a towel at work. I take a shower before I leave in the morning, and put deodorant on when I get to work. I rarely need the towel unless it's very hot in the summer. I have a space over a heater I dry out my clothes away from other people. (If anything, having a place to store bike clothes is more important than a shower IMO). I considered that I might be immune to my own smell, but I've had people ask me things like "How come you don't smell bad after riding" and honest friends I've asked and been told no. (The same friends that will happily tell me my outfits look ridiculous)

nytesky• 8 years ago

I find that packing my clothes to change, toiletries, and then unpacking and trying to shower and change in the shared shower at work to be very time-consuming, and cuts I find that packing my clothes to change, toiletries, and then unpacking and trying to shower and change and we shared shower that were to be very time-consuming. Do you consider the time in the office while showering and changing as part of your workday, or do u work additional time To make up for it. And do you change back To bike clothes for ride home?

Showering and dressing at home is much quicker, saves at least 15 minutes a day.

neves3• 8 years ago

It is a necessity if you live in a warm country. I wouldn't like to do pair programming with you if you didn't shower after cycling for 10 miles :-)

EastLondonCoder• 8 years ago

Interesting to see comments about bike commuting in Stockholm and London since I tried it in both cities. Commuting by bike in Stockholm is a breeze even if you are biking in parts of the city with lots of traffic. Its also a beautiful city which adds to the experience.

I have tried to commute by bike in London but its to scary for me. I think it would be fine if you can find a path through residential areas, but for me thats impossible. Biking in the central parts of London I feel that a slight lapse in concentration could end up with a very bad accident.

Cynddl• 8 years ago

I found biking in London much easier than in many large European cities, especially since a large fraction of drivers keep enough space on the left for bikers to pass, making commute fast even in heavy traffic. In France or Belgium on the contrary, you often have to slalom between cars, either on the left or on the right.

I wouldn't say it's much safer in London, but definitely a little more than Brussels for instance, where many small streets are a nightmare.

lhopki012• 8 years ago

How long ago did you bike in London? In the 9 years I've been cycling to work in London that change has been very dramatic.

ibdf• 8 years ago

I have a short commute to work, only 2.2 miles each way, but I have been doing it for the last 2 years every workday, under any conditions. From the very beginning I told myself, no excuses. I also realized that if I wanted to stick to it, I would want to be comfortable and not miserable, so I bought gear for the rainy days and winter weather, and a nice backpack to carry everything I need. I live in a big city, so driving and parking is always a challenge... it's nice not to worry about it where to park and how bad is the traffic.

darklajid6• 8 years ago

I commuted by bike (6km one way) in Tel Aviv, Israel and it was awesome. Great route, bike lanes/parks and a (tiny, but who cares) shower in the office. Did that for one year straight, just like the person in the article.

Now I'm living in Singapore, a city that has a traffic problem and tries to reduce the cars on the streets. You'd think they would welcome bikes, but riding a bike here sucks. Big time. It's basically unbearable.

There are no sidewalks to speak of on a lot of roads. Often the sidewalks are divided in two segments of different heights. Tables will be on the sidewalk, garbage bins will block it.

Riding on the road - the norm in my home country - is discouraged by every local I've met, both bike fans and car drivers. You can ride the bike in this city, sometimes, in some places. But it's a pain in the rear to use it for commutes and a very, very bad experience around the central part of Singapore. Park connectors/outward regions are fine, but the traffic infested center is no place for a bike, which is quite sad..

What I'm trying to say is: I agree that the article describes a great way to live, something I dearly miss. I believe that this isn't possible for a lot of people though, in spite of the benefits it would provide to them and their surroundings.

77pt77• 8 years ago

Biking in Singapore's humid heat does not sound pleasant at all.

notauser3• 8 years ago

It's actually really nice to bike in Singapore, provided you can shower at work.

I cycled every day for a month along a mix of park connectors (cycle paths) and two and three lane roads.

I only had one close pass from a car because on nearly all roads they have a whole extra lane to use to pass you in so if you ride assertively (in the middle of a lane) they just go around you.

And the park connectors are beautiful, fast tarmac with no cars at all. With some creativity you can link them up to create a great commute to most places. My route home went past a Riverside pub - I was on segregated cycle lanes the rest of the way home so I could easily stop for a beer with little risk.

You do usually arrive soaking wet from sweat or the rain. But that's a minor inconvenience compared to being cold! Biking in Singapore is warm, fast, and safe - much better than most places I've commuted.

pepe56• 8 years ago

Totally feel you! I tried taking Ofos from Boat Quay to Chinatown and it‘s just not working at all. This city is not designed for bikes.

darklajid6• 8 years ago

I'm glad you agree, but from Boat Quay to Chinatown (I live close to the latter) is walking distance. I can make that in 8∓2 minutes on foot.

Yes, I love biking as well. That's just an example of something very, very, very close already :)

notauser3• 8 years ago

Look up one of the Singapore cycling clubs. There are plenty (with lots of Australian and French members as well as locals).

There are some oddities to riding in Singapore, but once understood I found it a very enjoyable place to bike.

darklajid6• 8 years ago

Ride where? I can easily find a nice "let's have a pick-nick" route for me and the gf.

But I'm comparing this city to the article, to the idea of commuting to work. My work is in the central district of SG. I _cannot_ ride there without cursing. I actually did find a couple shortcuts and ways etc, but still: It's a PITA. No bike lanes. Shitty sidewalks. There's no way to ignore these issues.

Singapore has nice places to bike. Not in CBD.

moosekaka3• 8 years ago

A lot of the cities in SE Asia weren't even planned with cars in mind, hence narrow roads and lack of space. And then you have these giant freeways springing up haphazardly that bottle necks into these tiny roads. THe result is slow moving traffic yet is just too dangerous for pedestrians, let alone cyclists. The locals rely on motorbikes when they want to beat traffic.

darklajid6• 8 years ago

Yes, crazy motorbikes are certainly popular. But then, while they might be fun: They have nothing to do with the "I used my body to get to work" article.

I think we agree that this is a shitty idea in SG. Motorbikes might be fun and are certainly popular, but they're not related to the subject at hand.

dagurp2• 8 years ago

Those of you who want to cycle but live far away from work or in a hilly area, get an ebike. I really think they are the future of commuting.

Finnucane2• 8 years ago

A friend of mine recently got one, and she likes it a lot. Her commute is more than mine (nine miles over some of the hillier parts of Boston), so the electric assist makes it easier for her to get to work efficiently without excessive overheating.

tonyedgecombe2• 8 years ago

I have one and it is fantastic, I can dress for the destination as it's easy to ride without getting drenched in sweat. Also I'll take a pleasant or safer route even if it extends the journey. I'm usually doing 100+ miles a week on it.

The only downside is it does need more maintenance than my normal bike, chains only last for about 1200 miles for instance.

rubidium• 8 years ago

That's me. 15.1 miles each way. Pretty flat (150 ft elevation change). Any recommendations for electric bikes at that range and use?

Assume an average speed of 15 mph will still take me an hour though...

dagurp2• 8 years ago

I was hoping that someone more knowledgeable would answer this. I think they best community to look at is Endless Sphere[1] but you could also check out /r/ebikes[2] (although I warn you you that they are all about making DIY bikes that are unnecessarily powerful in my opinion.

Then there's electric bike review[3]. He's reviewed an incredible number of different bikes.

[1]https://endless-sphere.com/forums/ [2]https://www.reddit.com/r/ebikes/ [3]https://electricbikereview.com/

criddell2• 8 years ago

I was thinking about an ebike to help battle the wind. I can manage the hills between my house and the office, but I never take my bicycle if the forecast projects 13 mph or higher wind. I hate the wind and it feels like I'm always riding into it.

mcsb12• 8 years ago

I did 24km one way in hilly terrain for a few months last year. The ebike was really a god send in that situation. Track is here: http://cyclehikemap.eu/view.php?id=95

comprev• 8 years ago

Cycling to work is normal here in the Netherlands, especially in the cities.

Given a few times when I've been sick, I've ridden almost every day to work and back (8km), regardless of the weather (and the Dutch weather is famous for being rubbish).

I'm a cyclist at heart so really enjoy the daily commute along the canals, back streets and cycle paths of the city.

To be fair, even the nightclubs have cycle parking - and an attendant present too for security.

w0utert• 8 years ago

6km one-way isn't very remarkable here indeed, in terms of distance I would consider it a short bike ride. I'm cycling ~8km each day myself now, but I have colleagues who do ~15km one-way each day, which I would consider on the high end for a bike commute.

I agree with the sentiment of the article though, which is that cycling to work basically has only advantages if the weather is good. When it's raining or particularly windy I still take the car, but on all other days I greatly prefer cycling. No traffic, no problems finding a parking spot, it wakes you up in the morning, makes you hungry (in a good way), saves money, and for me it basically eliminates the need to allocate any extra time for additional exercise.

CalRobert4• 8 years ago

This is a huge plus -"basically eliminates the need to allocate any extra time for additional exercise."

I live too close to work for the ride to be any sort of exercise now (1 km). I certainly like the speed, but sometimes I miss when I had a 40km round trip commute (down the beach for 90% of it no less!). I could eat whatever I wanted and still be in great shape.

Of course, that was when I got hit by a car, and my ribs still ache some mornings 8 years later.

keithnz• 8 years ago

any using e bikes? I keep pondering it, it's ~20km for me to commute one way. Luckily there's bike path nearly the whole way, but seems on the edge of being practical. One advantage is there is no extra charge for taking a bike on a train if I end up with bike troubles.

Someone• 8 years ago

"and the Dutch weather is famous for being rubbish"

http://itAlmostNeverRains.nl: 90% of rides is dry, 10% slightly or worse wet.

lhopki012• 8 years ago

10% is a lot. That being said rain is just a matter of gear. I have waterproof overtrousers and a waterproof jacket and am fine.

monaghanboy2• 8 years ago

I bike everyday to work in the South Bay, Silicon Valley area. Everyone I talk to here can't imagine life without a car, but I haven't had any issues; lots of bike paths here, and all groceries and the gym are just minutes away.

Sometimes when it rains I carpool, and I see how annoyed and irate most drivers get when commuting. So I don't regret not owning a car.

The downside is not being easily able to take day trips, so I still might buy one some day.

kurthr• 8 years ago

Which freeways do you cross under/over? How do you do it safely?

I'd happily ride on trails or small streets (and have) , but most of the regular commute riders I know do ~30mi rt a day... most of them doing it more than 5 yearrs have been in an injury accident. Maybe cyclists talk about accidents more than divers, but the percentage certainly seems higher.

avitzurel• 8 years ago

I live in SJ and work in Menlo Park.

My direct door-to-door commute is 19mi. Takes me about 50-55 minutes. None of it is on bike paths.

I take Foothill from the cupertino border all the way to menlo Park.

I can also go into cupertino and take the bike path to the edge of the 101 (close to the PA airport).

If you want to make it longer, you can take Stevens Canyon to Foothill. This makes the commute 30mi but also less traffic and much more challenging to ride.

I would say on average I commute to work about 3 days a week during the summer. I just don't like commuting back in the dark during the winter.

In terms of accidents, I've had none. I had 2 close calls over the course of 3 years. One was a complete jerk and one was due to the sun angle (something you need to be aware of as a cyclist too).

Bay Area is really awesome for riding to work. Foothill is busy but also gets a lot of rider traffic so drivers tend to be more patient.

I also find that a lot of it is up to you, some riders ride like the road belongs to them.

monaghanboy2• 8 years ago

fremont ave., stevens creek trail, sunnyvale saratoga, homestead, and stevens creek blvd. are what I frequent most. I'm never on the road (going somewhere on my bike) for more than 25 minutes.

for safety, i guess i just try to follow the rules of the road (i'm not perfect though, coming from a background of not knowing how to drive).

I've never had an issue with general QoL while reading, people generally seem pretty considerate.

rconti10• 8 years ago

There are multiple bike bridges/undercrossings across 237. 101 has bike bridges just south of 237, another in Palo Alto (which I use every day), and another up between Willow and Marsh roads in Menlo Park, then another in Belmont. There's also a 101 undercrossing that is seasonal, just south of the bike bridge in Palo Alto.

Those are just the areas I know.

It is truly an amazing place to ride. Generally flat, very nice weather. Even in the rain I don't mind the ride, but I have to wear waterproof shoes, and I bought waterproof pants and a jacket.

gregcoombe2• 8 years ago

Same here, I've biked to work pretty much every day since I moved to South Bay (except for rainy days, I'm not hardcore).

I'm lucky because there is a nice trail that I can ride on for the majority of my ride. But it's a little sad that the South Bay has so many built-in advantages for bike commuting (good weather year-round, mostly flat) but so little good bike infrastructure.

At least these guys are trying: https://bikesiliconvalley.org/

dbaupp• 8 years ago

I also lived in the South Bay and found ZipCar and/or renting a car for day, weekend and even week long trips worked fine (which one is cheaper depends on your age and whether you can get a discount through your employer or whatever). There was enough "Neighborhood" rental places around to be easily accessible by bike. A weekend was on the order of $60-180, and so even doing this every weekend only adds up to $3k-9k per year.

spacehunt• 8 years ago

I'd love to cycle to work, but the terrain and the density plus the weather here in Hong Kong means it just won't work.

csytan• 8 years ago

When I was living in NYC, cycling to work in the summer was the best part of my day. It took me ~30 mins to get from the Upper West Side to the office in Alphabet city. Commuting by subway would take ~50 mins.

edotrajan2• 8 years ago

Cycling to Work in India, since this new year. No gears. Basic cycle + 3 locks + Air pump = $90USD. 15Kilometers.

Already saved $20USD/ month.

Never going back to Automobiles again. My friends are also trying to start biking to commute after I've made it. Many thought I'd go back to MotorBike after 1 week but I persevered and it's a joy riding the bike.

Highly recommend to people in Indian Metro, just add 10 minutes to average 7km commute. Happy riding !

Karrot_Kream• 8 years ago

Which city in India?

edotrajan2• 8 years ago

Chennai, Tamilnadu

nmeofthestate• 8 years ago

As a counterbalance to all the positivity, I cycle to work and don't enjoy it or feel much benefit from it. In comparison, driving is so much more comfortable (especially in bad weather) and a bit quicker.

HumanDrivenDev2• 8 years ago

Driving is much less mentally taxing. It's nice to be able to just... drive down the road without constantly worrying about doors being open or cars pulling out from driveways/side streets without seeing you.

I've never been hit by a car and I want to keep it that way, so my eyes are constantly scanning everything.

JepZ• 8 years ago

Actually, it really depends where you are cycling. In fact I don't enjoy cycling in the city, but as soon as you get out of the traffic you can relax your mind much better on the bicycle.

wffurr2• 8 years ago

That's not what driving is like in my city. When I drive, I continually worry about all the same things I worry about on my bike, plus it's harder to stop and check directions or take a break, because parking is so difficult around here.

Knowing how much danger I pose to everyone around me while operating a 2-ton overpowered steel death machine is incredibly nerve wracking, as opposed to being on my bicycle and only having to really worry about myself.

rconti10• 8 years ago

I rather enjoy my bicycle commute, but I agree, I don't arrive at work any more ready to tackle the day or productive/energetic than if I drive.

I prefer to bicycle, but I also love driving, and of course the car is always more comfortable.

jxub• 8 years ago

Let me make some Spanish propaganda. Riding a bike in Valencia is awesome, as there is a cheap bike sharing service (Valenbici) and lots of bike lanes. The city is flat, it never snows and it rains just a couple of weeks a year, making it perhaps the best bike city in Spain.

jacobmoe• 8 years ago

I run to work 4 days/week (work from home the other day). It's about 6 miles from my place in Brooklyn to the office in Manhattan. Took me a while to work up to 6 miles as a daily routine but can do it easily now. Combining my commute with my daily exercise has been fantastic, I'd recommend it to anyone who is able for a couple reasons: it's efficient (you have to take time out of your day getting to work anyway), and it makes it easy to stick to the routine (I try to put the option of taking the subway out of my mind).

nsedlet• 8 years ago

I commute about 6 miles each way between Brooklyn (home) and Manhattan (work). I've been raving about it to everyone I know because it's legitimately changed my life. It feels amazing, saves money, keeps me in much better shape, gives me more energy at work. It's slightly faster than the subway, and significantly faster than driving/cabbing at rush hour.

I also love that transit time is very consistent (even relative to the subway, which has lately been wonky). It's great to arrive for our morning standup exactly 7 minutes early, rather than having to pad in 30 minutes of unproductive dead space in case the subway has some problem.

NYC bike paths have gotten pretty good over the years, such that I can use protected lanes for ~70% of the trip, and dedicated lanes for >90%. No accidents yet but several close calls, mostly with pedestrians. New York streets are crowded and aggressive, but the speeds are low and drivers are relatively vigilant.

scosman• 8 years ago

Agreed. Most people really underestimate the benefits.

- I save $1700/yr on transit (Toronto TTC Pass). Savings would be even higher if I drove (parking costs, maintenance)

- Massive health benefit from of turning 3hr/week of commute from sitting into cardio: https://theconversation.com/cycling-to-work-major-new-study-...

- Others: Time savings, commute consistency, happiness

dietrichepp• 8 years ago

This is similar to my experience—6 miles between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The protected lanes are surprisingly dangerous when there’s no separate turn signal for cars. Compare 1st Ave to 8th Ave for an example. That said, it still feels way safer than biking in the suburbs, where cars will go 40 mph around a blind corner because there’s not much traffic.

tomca32• 8 years ago

Yeah, subway being "wonky" lately is putting it lightly.

I'd love to bike to work. When I lived back in Europe, I used to bike every day to work and back. However, biking in NYC is just insanely dangerous in comparison. I'm really surprised how people do it at all. There aren't real bike paths, and you're supposed to bike on the road right next to all the cars. That's constantly being just one small mistake away from injury/death. I just don't want that risk.

magic_beans• 8 years ago

I feel the same way. I would LOVE to bike to work in NYC, but I'm just too terrified that one wrong move will end my life. Several of my friends have been in close-call bike accidents. It's not something I want to risk every single day.

gnarcoregrizz2• 8 years ago

There are a few different types of paths - some main avenues have separated, dedicated paths - meaning a row of parked cars separates you from the traffic. There are also dedicated paths on the west side and central park. The bridges are also dedicated paths. You will likely need to spend some time on the "fake" paths to use them, but accessibility to the dedicated paths is pretty good and due to the layout of the manhattan (narrow) - if you're traveling north/south, you can probably spend the majority of your commute on the dedicated ones.

nirajshr2• 8 years ago

I have been commuting from Queens to Midtown manhattan for over 2 years now. In the beginning, I was super scared of all the cars and pedestrians.

However, now the situation is a lot better compared to few years back. More bicycling on the road mean the pedestrians, cabs and cars know how to behave.

To a lot of people who think it is dangerous, it can be remarkably non-dramatic affair. With better bike lane markings, traffic that is moving very slow, and more bicyclist on the road, it has never been a better time to start riding in NYC. With experience, you develop almost telepathic sense about the people and cars around you and how to anticipate their moves. If you were scared before, try now and take it easy the first few months while you get used to it.

gnarcoregrizz2• 8 years ago

NYC bike commuting is great. In manhattan, the west side and central park paths are the best - I could do 90% of my commute on them and basically avoided cars except for the side streets. I commuted 5 miles and would often beat the subway time-wise. It's a great way to wake up too, you start the day off feeling good

subpixel6• 8 years ago

I think 'it's great' is quite an overstatement. For example, there's a bike lane all the way down 2nd Ave from the 59th Street bridge, but it's largely ignored by cars and parked trucks.

To the degree that it might make cyclists feel confident and less hyper-vigilant b/c there are lines on the pavement, I think it's actually more dangerous than no bike lane.

Retric6• 8 years ago

Just be aware that heavy exercise near significant car exhaust is fairly bad for your lungs. If you go a moderate pace it's not that bad, but if you like going all out a face mask is a good investment.

HIPisTheAnswer• 8 years ago

Thus burning fuel around others is a very obvious criminal offense.

jakecopp• 8 years ago

I wonder how the health trade off between breathing emissions while cycling vs. lack of exercise while driving and obesity risk works.

harg• 8 years ago

The benefits of exercise actually usually outweigh harm from pollution in many developed cities, e.g. London: https://ig.ft.com/sites/urban-cycling/assets/pollution-londo...

Of course if you live in a very polluted city the harm is much more pronounced: https://ig.ft.com/sites/urban-cycling/assets/pollution-world...

Source: https://ig.ft.com/sites/urban-cycling/

agumonkey3• 8 years ago

Weather aside, if I had a clear way to secure my bike I'd use that everyday. Robbers are just too damn motivated.

icc972• 8 years ago

I found that typically as long as the lock cost 10% the value of the bike then the lock was good enough

markstos2• 8 years ago

Use a cheaper, junker bike for commuting, or a folding bike that you bring inside.

akgerber8• 8 years ago

NYC tech employers generally allow bringing your bike into the office.

The city requires buildings to allow bicycles in if tenants want it: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2016/09/14/three-bills-enhancing...

You can also consider buying a folding bicycle like a Brompton, which tidily fits under a desk and can be fitted with a cover to disguise its bicycle-ness, bicycles being mysterious anathema to many office buildings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ic6cssX_50

dte22• 8 years ago

If you don't mind me asking, how do you deal with the sweat? Do you shower on arrival?

I would love to bike, but no showers at my current workplace :/

stefan_• 8 years ago

Shower beforehand, keep an easy pace and when you arrive, do a quick clean with wet wipes if necessary. Depending on the distance and temperatures where you live, you might want to keep a change of clothes at work. Use panniers instead if you have a backpack to keep the back from sweating up.

icc972• 8 years ago

I found a gym near my work. You can always cycle slowly from the gym to work.

You can also get an electric bicycle and use less effort so that you don't sweat.

markstos2• 8 years ago

Keep your effort below the sweat threshold on the way there. Think walking-effort, not running-effort.

Bikes are about 4x more efficient, so for short and moderate distances, even walking-effort will get you there in reasonable time.

If you sweat at a walking-effort, try dressing lighter or as others have suggested, use wet wipes and spare clothes at work.

You can also consider an e-bike to avoid sweating on the way to work. On the commute home, use less assist if you want more exercise.

criddell2• 8 years ago

My office has showers. I wouldn't bike to work otherwise. I'm in Austin, so for a few months of the year, just standing outside is enough to start sweating.

jsdalton• 8 years ago

I wear a T-shirt (under my jacket in winter) and bring a shirt to change into in my backpack. My T-shirt is usually pretty sweaty but once I change into a fresh shirt it’s fine.

rpearl2• 8 years ago

Pretend you are walking; move your feet at walking pace and have that be enough to move the pedals without too much force.

You'll still go 3-4x faster than walking, but it'll be the same amount of effort.

v_lisivka2• 8 years ago

Shower beforehand, fresh clothes every day, sport underwear to cool efficiently (it is not visible under typical office clothes), selected clothes to ventilate _gently_ whole body, but to look like normal casual clothes, buff at face in case of cold weather, etc.

romwell• 8 years ago

Everything others already said, AND: don't wear a backpack.

Get a cargo rack + Wald folding pannier baskets, and put your cargo there. Ride with a messenger bag, if needed.

Then you'd sweat no more than you would while walking (if cycling at an appropriate pace).

nogbit• 8 years ago

I did this for 2 years, 10 miles in and 10 miles back. There was a shower directly above my office. Everything was super convenient, lost 20 pounds and felt great and rode fast.

Back to driving now, so fed up of the weather here in Seattle to do this during the winter, put the weight back on.

But yes, find someplace to shower. Or, bus in and ride home so you can shower when you get home.

rconti10• 8 years ago

The consistency is a vastly underrated quality of bike commuting. One amazing thing I've found is I'm more likely to do social events after work, even ones that are a great distance, if I don't have to worry about traffic.

For example, sometimes after I work I bicycle 90 minutes to San Jose and don't think twice about it. If I had my car it would PROBABLY take 45 minutes, but I honestly have no idea. Or I could go home, and drive to the train station, and catch the train, then walk. But the bike gives me the freedom to not worry about schedules and also not stress about delays.

It sounds so silly to prefer to ride for twice as long as I'd drive and consider that a "win", but there's some kind of psychological block to dealing with traffic and the fact that a 15 minute drive instead takes 45 or 30 or 50 or 60 minutes.. but when the bicycle ride takes 90 minutes with or without traffic, it's so much more appealing.

ghostbrainalpha• 8 years ago

Sorry for the basic question, but how do you bike for 90 minutes without being covered in sweat and needing a shower when you arrive at your destination?

closeparen2• 8 years ago

Bikes have few problems with traffic because entire rights-of-way are dedicated to a tiny constituency. As bicycling gains popularity, I fully expect bike lanes to exhibit the same traffic problems as car lanes. You’ll still get more throughout from the space, but with a density of bikes meeting or exceeding the density of cars, traffic will certainly become a thing.

Now, as always, it’s a good idea to arbitrage and take advantage of underutilized infrastructure, but I wouldn’t expect the underutilization to last.

microtonal• 8 years ago

In the Netherlands, a significant part of the population uses bikes. I lived in Groningen, where a large chunk of the students and people who work in the city travel by by bike. I lived there for many years, and the only problem I ever had was bicycle parking.

Never had an accident (well, except the one time I tried to drive from a road onto a pavement with an angle of attach of 10 degrees, which resulted in some scratches ;)). I can't recall any of my friend having a serious accident.

akgerber8• 8 years ago

Bicycles are inherently more space-efficient than cars— the space-inefficiency of which is the root cause of urban automobile congestion: http://urbanist.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83454714d69e2017d3c37d8a... As cycling becomes more popular, the larger cycling constituency will be able to demand more road space— but congestion will much less of a problem, because it simply requires less space to move a large number of people on bicycles (or in trains or on busses).

NYC definitely has 'bicycle traffic' these days, especially around choke points like the bridges. But it essentially never has traffic jams, except during the 5 Boro Bike Tour.

icebraining2• 8 years ago

I've ridden a bike in Amsterdam; traffic is definitively a thing. Then again, traffic can be a thing even on foot.

rconti10• 8 years ago

This makes no sense. There's a limit to how densely people can live, and I see no reason bicycle infrastructure can't support all of those commuters, even if it has to be expanded somewhat.

We DEFINITELY know roads can't scale enough to handle the cars, but when each person takes up a tiny fraction of the space they take up now in their cars (plus closer following distances due to lower speeds), there's simply no problem.

I've commuted in places where there is lots of cycling, for example Munich, and yes, you have 'normal' car-like traffic (sometimes in a row of 10 bicycles and you might have to wait for faster bikes to pass before your chance to pull out to pass) but it's not gridlock like in cars on the streets.

sandover9• 8 years ago

I've been cycling to work in downtown LA for nearly 8 years, 4 miles each way. I'm faster than a car over that commute. The weather is fantastic, and I am physically in great shape. Mental benefits are huge.

I've gone about 15,000 miles in dense urban environments without any accidents of any kind. There are a number of keys to this:

- Think like a driver -- it helps to be a good driver first

- Think, period. Don't listen to music, pay attention.

- Don't ride in the door zone. Don't let drivers make you ride in the door zone. If you need the lane, take the lane. It's your right.

- Use flashing lights on front and back, at all times of day. Nobody else except emergency vehicles is allowed to have flashing lights. There's a good reason: they are unmissable and very distracting.

- Wear brightly colored shirts and a bright colored helmet.

- If you don't wear a helmet, don't worry about it, it doesn't mitigate that much risk. The exercise benefits of biking do way more to increase your life expectancy than skipping a helmet does to reduce it.

troncjb4• 8 years ago

If you don't wear a helmet, don't worry about it, it doesn't mitigate that much risk. The exercise benefits of biking do way more to increase your life expectancy than skipping a helmet does to reduce it.

This is very, very stupid advice.

maw3• 8 years ago

Citation needed.

(FWIW, I always use a helmet except when I use shared bikes, which is rare, only a few times a year. I get on one of my own bikes, helmeted, hundreds of times a year.)

wbkang• 8 years ago

I totally agree. "Cyclists without helmets triple their chance of death by head injury" https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2012/10/15/cyclists_without...

sandover9• 8 years ago

It sounds like you're not informed.

https://www.vox.com/2014/5/16/5720762/stop-forcing-people-to...

froindt• 8 years ago

To throw an anecdote in, my brother was riding straight through an intersection on green when a driver turned into him. Witnesses said he flew up around 10 feet, up and over the car, and completely shattered his helmet when he landed. He got out of the hospital after 2 days with 3 broken vertebrae. He likely would have been in for over a week if he hadn't died. That helmet made all the difference.

Yeah it's still probably a net increase on your life expectancy to ride without a helmet compared to driving, but most people wear seat belts even though almost every mile driven doesn't result in a crash.

pboutros• 8 years ago

Such a bummer -- the rest of the post was so good. It's really easy to say "I've never had an accident" and "don't worry about not wearing a helmet".

outside1234• 8 years ago

this is like saying you can keep drinking whiskey after quiting smoking because your life expectancy is greatly increased. these things are additive, not either/ors.

imperialdrive2• 8 years ago

I've biked heavily for 30 years... advising people to wear a helmet never works. What works 99% of the time is the first freak crash. Not a crash where they felt like they were speeding, or not paying attention, or drunk... then they think it was avoidable. It takes a crash where you hit a rare little crack in the road, or a bump hidden in the shadows, or a car doing a u-turn out of the blue... then it 'clicks' Or, in my case, you witness someone take a minor fall and tap their skull on a curb and seizure and not be quite the same from that point on. If you're reading this and don't wear a helmet, you should consider experimenting with mind altering drugs as well, may as well enjoy the moment.

vbernat• 8 years ago

Most people here seems to miss the point. If you tell people to wear an helmet to cycle, they won't cycle.

oppositelock• 8 years ago

The assumption is that wearing a helmet somehow reduces the odds of exercise. Just keep your helmet with your bike, and you'll never forget it.

I've been cycling to work for years, which which has varied from 10 miles one way, to 1 mile. I always wear my helmet, and in all these years an many thousands of bike miles, it only been "useful" once. A drainage grate was covered over with leaves, I didn't see it, my front wheel fell in, fork snapped off, and I flew over the handlebars, headfirst into the curb. My helmet split in two and I had a massive head bruise, but had I not been wearing it, I'd be dead.

mcsb12• 8 years ago

Actually not wearing a helmet is very clever advice. In the Netherlands almost nobody wears a helmet and yet it is one of the safest places to cycle. In fact we all tend to overcompensate safety with more risky behaviour. A car is basically a 1.5t full body steel armor. And then we go and drive at speeds far beyond of what this armor can protect us from. If you'd remove the body work and make it a buggy, people would drive a lot slower.

Personal anecdote: I bought a helmet a few years ago. While it was still in delivery I came into a situation where I was not sure what a car was doing and I caught myself thinking: "with a helmet I'd not braked" - but rather taken the risk.

Thus I have never worn it and it is sitting there collecting dust.

Another abstract example: no country is more obsessed with "low carb" and "low fat" than the US. Yet no other country produces more plus sized people than the US.

Yet another example is Michael Schumacher. Without the helmet he may not have taken the risk to go into unknown terrain.

I feel vulnerable without a helmet and that keeps me alive.

s0rce• 8 years ago

This is heavily disputed. I suggest you read both sides of the argument and say something constructive.

u801e9• 8 years ago

I think it's better to concentrate on educating riders on bike handling skills and skills they need when riding in traffic rather than concentrate on helmet use to the exclusion of all else.

kyoung18• 8 years ago

I once crashed head-first at 20 mph into hard asphalt. Point of impact was at my right frontal lobe. My helmet cracked. If I wasn't wearing one I'm sure it would have been my skull instead.

matte_black• 8 years ago

Having seen a cyclist without a helmet killed in a similar accident, I can guarantee you would have been dead.

steve_adams_86• 8 years ago

Oof, I'll chime in here. My helmet has saved me from two head injuries I'm so glad and grateful I didn't have to endure with my skull alone. I suspect I'd have some terrible scars and possibly some concussion damage if I took your advice.

AceyMan• 8 years ago

>>If you don't wear a helmet, don't worry about it, it doesn't mitigate that much risk. The exercise benefits of biking do way more to increase your life expectancy than skipping a helmet does to reduce it.

I'd read somewhere that up until some fairly high speed (40 kph?) that a helmet doesn't measurably lower the risk of injury. (Citations, pro or con, welcome!)

And as the Vox piece points out, merely wearing a helmet induces drivers to reduce their caution, making the need for a helmet something of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I still wear my helmet when I commute or do longer rides but I'm beginning to put my toe in the water by going helmetless for short trips to lunch, the nearby park, etc. It may be my self-awareness about going sans helmet talking, but I'd almost swear that when I ride 'au naturel' drivers make more eye contact and generally seem to acknowledge my presence more than when I'm fully kitted out.

Also: Schwalbe Marathons are the shiznitz. I have 42-622 Marathon Supremes on my new urban bike, and they grip like ... something really sticky ... and are like pillows, to boot (esp. coming off 25-622 road tires). More dough, but worth it for me. Zero flats in over two years, btw.

(me: occasional bike commuter here in West LA for about eight years)

pilom• 8 years ago

Second vote for the Schwalbe Marathons. I got fed up with fixing a flat once a month when I lived in Pittsburgh and biked everywhere. Replaced my tires with Marathons and had to replace the tires for wear after a couple thousand miles before I patched another flat.

losvedir• 8 years ago

If you don't wear a helmet, don't worry about it, it doesn't mitigate that much risk. The exercise benefits of biking do way more to increase your life expectancy than skipping a helmet does to reduce it.

What a bizarre contrast. If I'm inferring your point correctly, you're addressing those who would otherwise ride a bike to work but don't because of a helmet requirement? Is literally anyone in that position?

I get that biking + no helmet > no biking, but why is that relevant? Anyone commuting to work should have a plan to deal with a helmet, it's such a trivial thing to plan for and deal with compared to maintaining your bike, having parking for it, arranging showers, etc.

For the one off scenario where you don't have your helmet on hand, then it's more of an interesting question: "should I chance it and ride the bike without a helmet this one time?" But in that case, your statistics about life expectancy aren't going to be relevant in the health case; one bike ride is not going to make you more fit or not, but it's very relevant in the chances of getting hit by a car case.

inopinatus5• 8 years ago

This’ll sound vain - because it mostly is - but some folks really care about their hair and may have it in an aesthetic construct that helmet-wearing will obliterate.

For those folks, wearing a helmet is anathema.

Personally I recommend simply not riding in this situation, because helmets save lives. But I’m not everybody.

secabeen• 8 years ago

For the one off scenario where you don't have your helmet on hand, then it's more of an interesting question: "should I chance it and ride the bike without a helmet this one time?"

This is the issue right here. Habits matter, and getting out of a habit can destroy the habit entirely. If the argument is "always wear a helmet" and you cancel rides because of that requirement, I would think you are much more likely to fall out of the habit of riding. If you can continue to ride when you don't have a helmet, you keep that habit going, and next time, you're likely to have the helmet again, and keep accruing the benefits.

xweb• 8 years ago

https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2017/04/how-effective...

Key point for this discussion: "In 1993, New South Wales, Australia, commissioned a study to see if a new helmet law for children was increasing helmet uptake. It did—but the researchers also found 30 percent fewer children were riding to school. In New Zealand, where helmet compulsion was introduced in 1994, the number of overall bike trips fell 51 percent between 1989–90 and 2003–6, according to one research paper."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/do-bi...

"Meanwhile, it seems that bicyclists wearing helmets may encourage riskier driving by motorists."

Just to be clear, I'm not advocating against wearing a helmet if you DO commute on a bike. As someone who fifteen years ago cracked a helmet instead of his head after falling on some jagged pavement, I appreciate what a helmet can do for you. And there may be statistical support for wearing a bike helmet as well:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/sep/22/bicycle...

However, I think the OP's basic point holds. Being sedentary is a greater health risk than riding without a helmet.

seanmcdirmid2• 8 years ago

Anyone commuting to work should have a plan to deal with a helmet, it's such a trivial thing to plan for and deal with compared to maintaining your bike, having parking for it, arranging showers, etc.

There are whole countries, like the Netherlands and Germany, where that simply doesn't happen. In fact, biking is much simpler in those countries, they don't even bother with showers (instead they bike more slowly).

skylark• 8 years ago

Good advice all around until that last point.

While any individual might personally engage in risky behavior, it's not correct to make a blanket recommendation. As the number of people who follow risky advice increases, the chance of someone being negatively impacted approaches 100%.

This is why we have public policy to force seatbelts in cars, and why everybody should vote in elections - behaviors adopted on a wide scale can have significant societal impact even though the benefit to the individual is insignificant.

marme• 8 years ago

do not turn on your light to flashing at night. It distracts oncoming traffic and makes it more difficult for them to judge you speed and distance. Flashing lights should only be used during the day time https://www.bikelightdatabase.com/faq/ https://averagejoecyclist.com/use-flashing-bike-lights/

jac_no_k• 8 years ago

Reasonable except for the helmet part. Anecdotal: I've gone through two smashed helmets. One due to taxi vs. cyclist and another when bicycle lowsided on wet leaves at a walking pace. Both times the helmet absorbed significant damage.

Helmets are a layer in defense. It's not a perfect shield and will not help in catastrophic situations. However in the more likely situation, the helmet does help.

Current cycling helmets are well ventilated and lightweight.

We should be providing information about the risks and rewards. It's up to the cyclist to decide how they want to proceed.

Me: 32km (20mi) each way, slicing through the Tokyo metro area.

josiahpeters• 8 years ago

I treat helmet safety like I do gun safety. ALWAYS TREAT A GUN AS IF ITS LOADED. If you don't, you behave differently around it always. And that's how people accidentally shoot their friends or themselves (even cleaning their gun). If you choose to not compromise on fundamentals like that, you are positioning yourself and others for less risk from the get go.

Thankfully I applied the same ALWAYS mentality to wearing a helmet for my biking commute. I was obeying traffic laws when a pickup truck turned into me while I was traveling through a green light. I had right of way and he wasn't paying attention and clipped me fairly hard. I tried to break and skid about 10 feet as he turned into me. I ended up in the hospital with a severe concussion and a terrifying 6 hours for my wife as she sat next to me. Praying that my lost memory would recover as the concussion wore off. I was initially forgetful of us having been married for less than a year. Eventually I started remembering things again, quite a scary moment for us.

Funny thing was I was riding to visit a friend who was just a few blocks away. He had recently criticised me for wearing a helmet to go less than a mile to visit him.

Fast forward a year and finally getting the nerve to ride again. My first trip out and a teenager blows through a stop sign without looking and almost hits me. In broad daylight, flashing lights on my bike and all.

There is an inherit risk in riding my bike to work. And a helmet may not provide a meaningful mitigation of risk. (I've never bothered to look up statistics, maybe you have?) However, I can control just a few variables to ride or not, ride defensively or not, and wear protective gear or not. I certainly have no control of the motor vehicles drivers or their distractions. So I choose the variables that I can control without losing the joy of commuting as a cyclist.

rshetty• 8 years ago

I also have been cycling for 2 years now everyday. 100kms average every week. Never have felt more enthusiastic and energetic at workplace. Helps concentrate on the work, beats bad traffic and gives a very good exercise overall

parliament32• 8 years ago

I've been walking to work (2km, 20 mins) every day for almost a year now, rain or shine. Previously I drove about an hour to get to work. There's a huge difference in alertness and energy when I sit down at my desk... early morning exercise is well worth it.

NotQuantum• 8 years ago

I've got a relatively short bike commute that takes around 20 minutes. By car it's a bit more due to traffic. I get some serious benefits from biking everyday. I'm always alert and awake when I get to work, I get the bare minimum exercise in for the week, I don't have to drive my car.

I'd highly recommend biking to work if your local infrastructure is accommodating.

thomasfl• 8 years ago

I’ll keep cycling to work in the foreseeable future. I don’t think this post is of much use to anyone, but I had fun reflecting my last year of cycling to work. Thanks for reading.

Good read. Modest author. Often it is the most personal blog postings, where people share details of their life, that attracts most readers.

jteppinette2• 8 years ago

I also appreciate more “out of office” articles.

bitL• 8 years ago

I was once at SAP and the roads around their HQ form a maze. No wonder public transport takes so much time. Bike would be vastly preferable, though it depends on weather. I've heard SAP allows fully remote work, so I am wondering why are you commuting to office anyway? You can save 1h/day for living your life easily.

def-3• 8 years ago

In our team we don't do full remote work, I don't know about other teams. You can occasionally do home office. I prefer being in the office for work for these reasons:

  - different space for work and private life makes it easier to separate them
  - being able to simply chat with colleagues a bit
  - looking over problems together more easily
  - get out of the house for a while, have a more regular daily routine
  - free lunch ;)

lflux2• 8 years ago

I've been biking to work every day for over 6 months now, though mine is considerably shorter - 2 miles in SF. I got tired of being stuck on cramped muni trains not going anywhere and figured I could use a little exercise every day.

jteppinette2• 8 years ago

What is your opinion on cycling in the city. I live in SOMA and haven’t started riding yet. I used to ride all the time in GA, but it definitely seems more dangerous out here.

gregcoombe2• 8 years ago

When I lived in SF I would ride pretty everywhere. The SF Bike Coalition is one of the most effective lobbying organizations I've ever seen, and they've done a huge amount to transform the city to make it bike friendly. In return, the number of people biking has really skyrocketed in the last 10 years. There are often good bike lanes along routes, and sometimes they are even separated. They have a pretty good map that shows you bike lanes, so you could use that to plan out some routes while you're getting familiar.

Anecdotally, the motorists are more aware of bikes now than they used to be (just because there are more of them), but you still need to ride pretty defensively.

dev_throw• 8 years ago

Its totally doable, just be wary of your surroundings and try to move with the flow of other bike traffic. Moving as a herd makes you more predictable to cars.

lflux2• 8 years ago

Only other city I've ridden is Stockholm, and I commute on Folsom which has a striped lane but basically:

a) Make sure you're visible. I always have lights and reflectors, and wear hi-vis jacket if it's dark out

b) Always assume there's an Uber about to do something dumb and dangerous - ride defensively, don't assume that drivers see you, seek eye contact, don't be afraid to take the lane

c) Relax, take it easy, it's a wonderful city to ride in.

kayoone• 8 years ago

I am so jealous. I did 7000km in the last 2 1/2 years commuting to and from work, which i love and totally agree with most of the benefits that you mentioned, however i do all of this in Berlin city traffic. Really jealous of your route through nature!

wffurr2• 8 years ago

I think that's amazing that a small-ish town or city in Germany has such great public transport and bike routes. That all seems to be limited to much larger cities in the US.

matt_the_bass• 8 years ago

Where I live, we have a lot of “salmon” I.e. people biking against the traffic (the wrong way). They’ve been my biggest danger. I’ve hit them more than once.

Tomte3• 8 years ago

The bike is great. VSF fahrradmanufaktur. Used to be an organisation, run by a few hundred smallish bike shops who worked together, but was bought up by a company later.

Still great bikes. Steel frame, sensible parts that work well together (none standing out as a customer magnet and coupled with lower-quality other parts), sensible prices. And a really beautiful color scheme.

I have a very similar one as the author (or maybe the same?). But I really should have gotten the sister model with hub gear and chain case.

SlowBro2• 8 years ago

I don't like bike commuting. I have biked 2 miles/3.2km each way to the office for the past 16 years, at least twice a week and usually all five days. I still don't like it. Maybe I'm just a fat, lazy son of a gun? Maybe I don't have an enjoyable bike?

The commute is pretty, safe, flat, and quiet. Birds, ponds, and trees, with very few cars and no hills. The weather here is tolerable and I don't sweat enough to require a shower. The only close calls I had were at the beginning when I wasn't being careful. (There is a small section mixed with heavy traffic.)

Every time I get to the office I'm glad the ride is over, and every time I must leave to go home I don't look forward to the ride. I don't arrive invigorated, and in fact the opposite. I've lost and gained weight seemingly unrelated to the number of miles ridden.

I've had several bikes in that time but none of them really seem to "fit", nor are they very fast. I want a nice silky commuter with fenders and panniers and thin wheels but that's always pretty far out of reach from budget, and I'm not 100% convinced it will make a big difference anyway. So I stick to a Craigslist special with a backpack, with upgrades to the ride as I get money.

I remember enjoying biking so much as a kid. I would ride all over the place, and hardly a year has passed since childhood that I don't put on a lot of miles on two wheels. But now as an adult it's just drudgery. Don't know why.

And it's not just the commute I don't like. Also tried to do some trails and longer rides for fun, but it turned into the same drudgery quickly.

I don't know what else I can do. But I'll continue to soldier on with the ride.

bertrand-caron• 8 years ago

Hey, thanks for sharing your (unpopular, at least in this thread) opinion. Would you care going a bit more in details about what you hate about it?

In my experience, good gear makes a tremendous difference, and it's a logarithmic curve; the first few hundred dollars get you most of the way. Maintenance also goes a long way, you'd be surprised of the friction losses of severely under-inflated tires, or a rusty chain/cassette. Finally, having the right type of bike is a game-changer, I am always amazed at how many people commute in urban environments with a heavy, slow, double-suspension mountain bike when they could be zipping around on a road bike and having some fun! I've also found that having a GPS watch to record your commute helps a lot with gratification.

At the end of the day, I think commuting by bike in an enjoyable experience compared to the alternative most people have in an urban environment: packed/slow/expensive/unreliable public transport, or traffic jams. Maybe you should alternate between the two to remind you of why you commute by bike ;)

SlowBro2• 8 years ago

Thanks for asking. I can't say for sure what I hate about it. The grinding ride? It's not fast enough for my desires? The shoulder and sometimes wrist discomfort? The wind slowing me down? (Tail winds are fanTAStic! That really makes it fun.)

Yes I am careful with tire inflation and chain. (However, this morning I had a chain snap for the first time ever, so mayhaps I'm not as careful as I thought... hehe. Only about six months/300 miles on this chain. Had many chains with years and years of use, no problems.)

I have had road bikes but the handlebars were too low so I got sore shoulders. Had a couple old, beautiful Schwinns that had expensive parts with odd sizes, so I never bothered to upgrade the handlebars on those road rides for a better fit.

Current steed is almost decent. I'm probably going to drop some cash soon on taller handlebars. It's an old Walmart "mountain" bike (without shocks) and as parts wore out I've replaced them. By now I could have bought a nice new ride, but this is the first time I've had a bike where so many parts wore out, so I didn't anticipate that.

It is heavier than many rides, but because I'm not climbing hills that's not an issue. I've had heavier, and I've had lighter, with no noticeable difference in enjoyment.

And carrying around a heavy backpack, while it doesn't help, I don't notice much improvement in enjoyment when I am out on a joy ride without the pack.

But as you said I think I really would have a better experience on a $500+ commuter ride? Especially one that's a better fit. I'm 5'11"/155 cm and most everything seems to be made for people just /slightly/ smaller. The frame height seems to be alright, it's the shoulders.

Maybe I'm just fat and lazy. IDK. If I had a tail wind everywhere I'd love it.

Once had an electric motor, and /that/ was pretty fun. Perhaps I ought to get another one.

Am thinking that should my new business take off it'll be time to get a delta trike with a 1000W electric motor. Still requires pedaling, but would be like having a permanent tail wind :-)

Thanks again for asking.

ePierre• 8 years ago

I like to ride my bike to work because it's much faster than taking the bus (20 minutes versus 40+ minutes) . However, when it rains, I take the bus. And it rains quite often where I live (Taipei).

Any advice from fellow bikers? Clothes to wear, gear to get, etc.

def-3• 8 years ago

I take a towel with me to dry my exposed body parts. I use Vaude softshell jacket (Posta) and pants (Tirano), but they are more for colder weather. In summer I'd prefer to switch clothes after arrival. There are also overpants and overshoes for the rain, but personally I don't like them because they make you sweat more.

perilunar• 8 years ago

How bizarre that his bike path cuts across an airfield (with traffic lights and a boom gate) instead of going around it. Never seen that before.

todd8• 8 years ago

I met a nice person once that worked at an IBM location. He was in fantastic shape, he commuted to work 5 miles away—on foot! He ran both ways.

I barely qualified to run the Boston Marathon and had a good time running the race through my old college neighborhoods. This guy, who was a runner friend of a runner friend, was in a very different category, very fast. He trained on top of the weekly 50 miles of commuting.

willbarkis• 8 years ago

+ 1 MILLION

Cancer hit a friend of mine not that long ago.

And as I was biking to work with my two kiddos the other day, I was thinking about him.

What would be my ideal day? I wondered. What would I do with my time if I had gotten his diagnosis of a more or less non-treatable form of pancreatic cancer?

I thought about it. And I realized that it would start just like that one. Biking with my kids to daycare and then work.

It is hard to put into words the myriad reasons. Everyone has their own reasons why they go the way they go to get where they want to go.

I know few things in life but I have found my bliss biking to and from work everyday.

One year of cycling to work

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