Cycling to work... Your thoughts....

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  • backinthenines
    backinthenines Posts: 1,083 Member
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    guilty! but remember it's not always up louder than the volume of the environment.

    The subtle click of a parked car just about to open their door when you're about a metre away isn't very loud! :wink: :drinker:
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    guilty! but remember it's not always up louder than the volume of the environment.

    The subtle click of a parked car just about to open their door when you're about a metre away isn't very loud! :wink: :drinker:

    obviously it's not encouraged practice :) but i would like to add that my boyfriend, also a cyclist, is deaf. so earbuds or not, he doesn't hear it either. there's something to be said for paying very close attention to your surroundings.

    we haven't had a car for 4 years.

    selling it was one of the best decisions we ever made.
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    i want to second/third the panniers

    i'm a teacher. so yesterday i had to take my laptop. i have a backpack laptop bag, but i hate to use it because it makes my back sweat, so my boyfriend put it in a pannier >> brilliant! this balanced out my other pannier which is heavy with school stuff and my own bizness (gloves, keys, chapstick, etc)

    i'd say combined i had about 10-15lbs of extra weight in the back, but the ride was sturdy and smooth as always. the panniers i am using are my bf's grandfather's (who took his first cross country bicycle trip at 66years old) and when i looked them up to see if i could get some of my own, they were clearly out of my immediate price range.

    they are extremely roomy, many pockets, water resistant and have reflective material.

    speaking of reflective material, does anyone know where i can buy some to stitch onto a vest? my bf is deaf, and i want to make "deaf rider" vests
  • hyper_stitch
    hyper_stitch Posts: 180 Member
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    The subtle click of a parked car just about to open their door when you're about a metre away isn't very loud! :wink: :drinker:

    Beware the 'school mums' in the black suv's ...... scariest part of my journey going past private school at pick up time :tongue:
  • cparker10
    cparker10 Posts: 10
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    Today, I'm starting a weekly bike ride into town and back (9.7 miles each way.) My husband is having a fit --- his says it's not safe because of the vehicles on the road. I have to admit that I'm a little nervous about it too but I don't want that to stop me. Maryland recently past a law that vehicles have to stay 3 feet away from cyclist when passing. I hope you find a solution so that you can bike to work - it's great exercise. BE SAFE!
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    Today, I'm starting a weekly bike ride into town and back (9.7 miles each way.) My husband is having a fit --- his says it's not safe because of the vehicles on the road. I have to admit that I'm a little nervous about it too but I don't want that to stop me. Maryland recently past a law that vehicles have to stay 3 feet away from cyclist when passing. I hope you find a solution so that you can bike to work - it's great exercise. BE SAFE!

    one thing i think that really helps when making the switch from car commute to bike commute is to ride around the neighborhoods and find routes that are a) fast and b) less congested. i do my best to avoid traffic as much as possible. when i have to be in traffic i make myself as visible as possible. it is not at all uncommon to see me flailing one arm to get a driver's attention. :)

    edit: and what i mean to say more clearly is: bike routes and car routes are not always the same route.

    so explore the route; make a couple trips. my commute is usually 15-20m round trip, depending on what i need to do that day. but safety first!

    google maps has a new beta feature that gives bike routes, too. you can adjust them to your liking as necessary. let me know how it works out for you or if there's any other help i can offer!

    warmly,
    k
  • cloggsy71
    cloggsy71 Posts: 2,208 Member
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    I cycle to work. My place of work has just signed up to a Cycle to Work Scheme, so I got a £1,000 to spend on a bike and equipment.

    If you are in the UK it would be well worth speaking to your company's HR dept and seeing if it would be possible for them to sign up to a cycle to work scheme (if they aren't already?) Then you can get all the bits you need and pay for them through a salary sacrifice payment scheme - If your company can claim back VAT, you can potentially save 51% of the cost of a new bike and equipment!

    My journey is 12.8 miles one way. We have shower facilities etc available to us, but I'm lacking is storage space for keeping my shirts, trousers and shoes to change into when I get there, but I have asked for a locker for my office, so fingers crossed I'll have storage soon!

    I'm burning loads of calories cycling and really enjoying it, plus the more of us that ditch the car in favour of self-powered transport, we're doing our bit for the environment too - can't be bad eh?
  • eantowne
    eantowne Posts: 5
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    Somewhere on instructables (I think) I saw a how to for a sewable light up turn signal that could be swen into a jack/shirt/vest whatever. It was even washable!

    Ean
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    Somewhere on instructables (I think) I saw a how to for a sewable light up turn signal that could be swen into a jack/shirt/vest whatever. It was even washable!

    Ean

    if you find the link for that, please please post it here!
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    so i was thinking about the conversations we had here re: ipods & cycling yesterday on my commute. so for part of the ride, i took my earbuds out and just tried to pay attention to the sounds of the area.

    there's no way i would be able to hear anything over the noise of regular traffic and my hearing is pretty good. i did, however, kindly instruct a couple of people using the bike lane to parallel park to be careful because they were using the bike lane. i tried to say it nicely and without judgment, just as an fyi. i didn't even give them the "whistle" treatment. :)
  • Angel1066
    Angel1066 Posts: 816 Member
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    Hi i have to get on the London Tube with the great unwashed, someone smelling of fresh sweat or wipes would make a welcome change. Happy cycling.
  • cparker10
    cparker10 Posts: 10
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    Thank you kayemme - good advice.
  • jeneey
    jeneey Posts: 48
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    Jay,

    I can definitely understand the concern. Having been rear-ened on a bicycle by a drunk driver, and numerous close calls. One technique I have learned, is not actually ride to the right side of the lane. Depeinding on the local laws, bicycles may be considered vehicles with all of the same requirements and allowances. On busy roads, I will actually ride in the middle of the lane. This forces drivers to use another lane or wait until the oncoming traffic is clear before passing, thus preventing the driver from executing a "get as close as I can to the biker" pass. It also helps with visibility, it is hard to ignore the guy in the bright yellow jacket, flourescent orange bike pants and tail lights when he is in the middle of the road.
    I would suggest getting acquainted with the local laws governing bike use and public roads, then try the middle of the lane method. I get a lot less horn blowing and close swipes that way.
    By the way, the 13 miles is not so bad, it takes me about 1 hour and 15 minutes on the commuter bike, and 45-50 on the road bike, so it is a good morning/afternoon workout for me. What was rough was this weekend when I did my first group ride with the local bike club...45 in 2.5 hours.....I slept the rest of the day :)

    Ean

    I bike up a busy road that is approximately 10 miles and uphill, visibility is limited. Would you suggest biking in the center? It's rather narrow and there are usuallly trucks hauling trailers on this road. I've had some close calls with people who will not give me any room, like they are trying to make a point for me to get off the road. I ride as close to the edge I can. Very frustrating! And where I live, bikes and cars are supposedly to abide by the same rules.
  • JayClitherow
    JayClitherow Posts: 16
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    Wow, who'da thunked this topic would go so well, thanks for all you hints and tips, certainly food for thought :o)
  • leilaphoenix
    leilaphoenix Posts: 839 Member
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    I cycle to work, only about 3 miles each way but I take it easy and find I'm not *too* sweaty when I get to work - a pat down, spray of something nice and a change of shirt sorts me out.
  • hjy319
    hjy319 Posts: 269 Member
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    This is a great topic, i just got my bike back from the shop, all tuned up and am going to make a dry run to work on my off days to see how long it takes me and how sweaty I get. Lucky for me it is mostly down hill to work, and if need be I could shower, but would prefer to just change into work uniform and use some wipes if needed.
    I am looking forward to saving on the gas cost this summer!!

    Stay safe riding out there
  • cloggsy71
    cloggsy71 Posts: 2,208 Member
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    I did a lovely 27 mile route this evening; burnt 1904 Calories...

    Two days ago I did a different route, 33 miles in total; burnt 2426 Calories...

    Hope it makes a difference when I jump on the scales :laugh:
  • cloggsy71
    cloggsy71 Posts: 2,208 Member
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    Have a read of this:

    http://www.bikeradar.com/road/fitness/article/five-reasons-to-cycle-to-work-29878

    A really interesting article about cycling to work IMHO!
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    Have a read of this:

    http://www.bikeradar.com/road/fitness/article/five-reasons-to-cycle-to-work-29878

    A really interesting article about cycling to work IMHO!

    fantastic! i love the statistic: cycling is 20x less dangerous than not cycling. such a great way to look at i t.

    today i bought a helmet. i've been making my commute with ipod for the last 2 years sans helmet because a) i hate helmets, b) i have this theory that people are actually more careful around bike riders without helmets and c) i was never really going that fast, so wearing a helmet was comparable to walking with a helmet on.

    but today i clocked my 7 mile commute in 28 minutes and that includes stopping at traffic lights. so, i thought, well, i'm going faster than ever, i guess i ought to buy one to at least wear at night.

    and i work with kids, so i want them to see me ride up with a helmet on, despite my personal feelings against them.

    plus i have to have one for the 70 mile joy ride we're taking in a few weeks. so it's all good.
  • cloggsy71
    cloggsy71 Posts: 2,208 Member
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    i've been making my commute with ipod for the last 2 years

    Yikes! Commuting with your iPod on? I can't do it; I need to hear what's going on around me!

    Stay safe!

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