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Be happy Bike to work.

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Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#71

Post by kenamarit »

Yes! I used to live in Bernal Heights in San Francisco and commute to SOMA everyday, and this is how my commute options broke down, time and money-wise:

Bike to BART, BART to Powell - 30 min, $1.75

Bike straight to work - 30 min, free

Bus to BART, BART to Powell - 30 minutes, $3.50 (I think?)

Bus to work - 45-60 minutes, $1.75

Bum a ride to work - 30-45 minutes, free

AND biking adds many non-quantifiable benefits, as the OP states. It's the best way to clear your mind, other than maybe a long walk or hike.

[edit for formatting]

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#72

Post by nicholassmith »

GlenAnderson wrote: post #70
nicholassmith wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I had a bit of a longer journey post train it'd be a good idea, but it's under 5 minutes from the station to office. A commenter below suggested locking it up at the station I leave from (which I was a bit hesitant about) but I might try it that way. Some of those do look pretty nice though, I remember seeing the first folding bikes and it looked like people riding clown-bikes, they've definitely stepped up the qu…

I don't know what your station is like but my wife and lots of others do this from Bristol to London (~235 mile round trip by road). http://goo.gl/xscqD - image search for Bristol Temple Meads bike rack Fortunately my trip between uni/childminder/home is quite short so I'm going to try running it when term starts again.

I live in Middlesbrough so it's much smaller, the two concerns are a longish cycle home after an hour commute and the bike going walkies.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#74

Post by reinout »

ikailan wrote: post #30
jorma75 wrote: post #21

You should really wear a helmet 24/7!! Also body armor. Listening to music on a bike is clearly suicide. Please do not take ANY risks. At all, ever. Also, become an entrepreneur. Take the plunge. Live your dream.

What's the benefit of not wearing a helmet when biking?

The benefit? You're not sending out the message that biking is dangerous. Would you send your kid out cycling if everyone is wearing helmets? When cyclists are called "road warriors"?

A helmet is necessary when road racing where there is a distinct risk of dropping over your handlebar: remember, a helmet only protects against hits directly on the top of your head.

Normal commuting? In the city? Biggest risk is getting hit in your soft side by a car or tipping over and hitting the road with your legs or hand or so. Where does the helmet help there?

Best protection: more cyclists on the road. Nobody in the Netherlands wears a helmet (apart from road racers) and you don't get 2000 killed cyclists per day :-)

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#75

Post by reinout »

donretag wrote: post #55

Regarding the helmet: they truly are a no-brainer. Even the cheap 30 buck ones the OP talks about must meet the minimum federal guidelines for safety (in the US). No need for a more expensive helmet, which mainly provide less weight (avoid neck strain over long rides) and better ventilation. Helmets save lives and do not have to look dorky. But you do get a bad case of hat hair.

What do you do more often? Fall exactly on the top of your head or on your side? In the latter case, the helmet makes your head bigger and can cause your head to rotate. And swift rotation is worse for your brains than a head-on hit.

So only use a helmet when roadracing or mountainbiking, not for a simple city ride.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#76

Post by mediocregopher »

nicholassmith wrote: post #9

Please anyone reading this don't wear headphones, you've removed one of the most useful senses for knowing where there's a potential problem. I'd love to cycle to work, the only problem is it's a 160 mile round trip, so it's not too sustainable. I've thought about cycling the journey from my house to the train station but then I've got the additional problem of dealing with a bike on a busy train (two trains really),…

I own that this probably won't be a popular idea, since it generally doesn't appeal to people outside a certain age-group (not that I know what age group you're in), but a longboard sounds like a pretty good option for you, depending on the situation. It's easy to carry around wherever you go, I often ride to a bus-stop and take the bus with it. They're lots of fun to ride, and in my opinion better and safer then bikes (it's a lot easier to bail). The only real reason I would be questionable about riding is if you're in a hilly area; uphill is about as much fun as it is on a bike, though you can just get off and walk, and downhill can be dicey depending.

If you wanna check out some nice cruising boards I've been loving my Kahuna, and they come at a really good price for what they are.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#77

Post by jgfoot »

I have been bike commuting for nine years. The biggest things that change since the initial rush of delight?

First, as time goes on, you care a lot more about safety. Newbies may write about how they can meditate or listen to music while riding, but experienced riders know they must always stay alert. You shouldn't be meditating, you should be focused on potential dangers.

Second, the weight loss? Not as big a deal as time goes on. Don't ask me the medical reason why, maybe it's the same phenomenon as when people who haven't worked out for years start a program and quickly lose 10 pounds of water weight but then find the rest is harder to lose. Commuting usually doesn't involve the intense aerobic activity associated with road racing.

The 300 dollar bike you are satisfied with? I didn't stay satisfied after a few months. After trying many options (too many) I took Sheldon Brown's advice and ride a touring bike, with disc brakes, fenders, rack, and panniers.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#78

Post by blendergasket »

thecombjelly wrote: post #62
nicholassmith wrote: post #9

Please anyone reading this don't wear headphones, you've removed one of the most useful senses for knowing where there's a potential problem. I'd love to cycle to work, the only problem is it's a 160 mile round trip, so it's not too sustainable. I've thought about cycling the journey from my house to the train station but then I've got the additional problem of dealing with a bike on a busy train (two trains really),…

Whether you wear headphones or not is a matter of how much risk you want to take. Just like riding a motorcycle is more risk than driving a car. Wearing headphones is more risky, but like anything in life, you have to decide if the benefits outweigh the downsides.

And how much risk you want the people around you to assume on your behalf. I sometimes commute (40mi) home from work, mostly on an off-road rails to trails paved bike trail. One of the few complaints I have about this trek is the people who are completely oblivious when I say "on your left" and ring my bell. I wind up having to stay behind them, yell, or just go around them, which sometimes startles them. It's imperative that you're present enough to both send and receive communications from people around you.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#79

Post by koenigdavidmj »

mattlong wrote: post #61

Others have mentioned it, but it's worth saying again: please don't wear headphones while biking in a busy city. It only takes the one time when you need swerve around that parked car's open door and but can't quite hear the car that is about to pass you...

Whilst your statement (don't wear headphones when riding on the road) is correct, you should probably be looking over your shoulder before entering the car lane.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#80

Post by jlarocco »

nicholassmith wrote: post #9

Please anyone reading this don't wear headphones, you've removed one of the most useful senses for knowing where there's a potential problem. I'd love to cycle to work, the only problem is it's a 160 mile round trip, so it's not too sustainable. I've thought about cycling the journey from my house to the train station but then I've got the additional problem of dealing with a bike on a busy train (two trains really),…

> Please anyone reading this don't wear headphones, you've removed one of the most useful senses for knowing where there's a potential problem.

That's nonsense. If a person is listening to headphones so loud that they can't hear approaching cars and/or problems with their bike, then they'll still probably ruin their ears long before biking with headphones causes them a problem.

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