2024 note: this is one of a series of posts from my old personal blog (2007—2010) that I’ve resurrected. More info here.
Today is the two month anniversary of when I started commuting to work primarily via bicycle.
I. Love. It.
Let me count the ways:
- In the morning I arrive at work after a good workout, and spend several hours enjoying a mild endorphin high ;-)
- In the evening I arrive home after a good workout, and spend several hours enjoying a mild endorphin high (and a beer or two).
- As a result of item 2, all day at work I look forward to riding home.
- As a result of item 1, in the evening I look forward to riding to work the next day. Life is good, no?
- I’m finally losing the “tenacious ten” (extra poundage around my tummy). Despite the fact that…
- I don’t have to worry so much about caloric intake. Yes, thanks, I will have some of those pretzels… That said, I often find myself less hungry at mealtimes than before. Go figure.
- Miss a workout on the weekend? No prob, I’ve been getting a solid hour of exercise every other day this week!
- I’m saving something like $1000 / year in gas and other vehicle costs (this is on a car which is completely paid for; otherwise it would be way more).
- No more knee pain (which I started to get after about a year of running a few times a week).
- I’m undergoing a very healthy mental paradigm shift about commuting, which spills over into the way I think about other things. I find myself questioning things I wouldn’t have thought to question before. Do we really have to do it this way??
- On the road I feel like I’m reminding motorists that there is another way :-D
- On the road I look really cool with my trusty steed (an old-school ‘90s-era mountain bike), my goofy panniers, a supporting chunk of 2x4… Umm, never mind…
- I love the thrill of (occasionally) dusting one of the slower roadies on the W&OD trail. Given that I’m on a mountain bike carrying 20 lbs of crap in my panniers, fer crying out loud!! [6/09 update: a while back I added front panniers as well. I love the ability to swing by the store on the way home, but in a headwind I sometimes think I’m going backwards…]
There are down sides to bicycle commuting, however:
- Flats suk.
- Occasionally you have to educate a motorist about a biker’s right to the road.
- You need to learn how to ride properly and safely. Here is a must-read for anyone who rides regularly: http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm
- I spend about $200 / year or so on biking gear, etc. Deduct from item 8 above.
- Rain kinda sux. But not so much. It’s sucky in the same sort of way that camping is. Sometimes it is not super comfortable, and you are out in the elements. You’re wet, and you’re a bit cold, but you expand your awareness of the world around you. Yeah, you definitely feel at one with nature. Umm, wait, I reconsider… Rain is kinda nice ;-)
- While short-ish commutes are cool (mine is about 7 miles each way), I imagine longer commutes (maybe after 10 or 15 miles each way) would get a bit tough.
- I now have trouble imagining working at a place I couldn’t bike to.
- Occasionally coworkers will campaign to get me off of my current ride (goofy panniers and all) and onto something more upscale…
- Occasionally I get pissed off when some roadie passes me and I cannot keep up. The more I commute, the less this happens ;-)
- Flats (still) suk.
Lessons learned and other resources?
Here’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned so far: when planning a route to / from work, do not think like a motorist. Very often, there’s a route that will get you there without fighting traffic the whole way, and without venturing onto high-speed roads. Check out this great article (CA note: unfortunately that page seems to be gone) for more helpful info. Right now I’m kicking myself for missing years of bike commuting before figuring this out… Doh! :-/
In general, Paul Dorn is a great resource: https://bikecommutetips.blogspot.com/