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Be happy Bike to work.

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Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#81

Post by justsomedood »

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 wonder if the people who say to not do this have ever actually worn headphones while riding? I used to wear headphone on my commute but just found them uncomfortable so I stopped after a few weeks.

I very rarely ride on MUPs (Multiple Use Pathways - jogging trails) so I'm riding in the street with vehicles. When I'm not climbing all I hear is wind noise, and the sound of cars behind me. There is absolutely nothing that my sense of sound has done for me to keep me any safer. I can't tell which lane a car is in, or how close they are until I can see it. Headphone will at least cut down some of the wind noise, and in areas that have less tolerant people yelling out the window you may not hear them as easily - both increasing safety and enjoyment.

If you're really concerned about safety use a rear view mirror.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#82

Post by Kluny »

briancurtin wrote: post #64
tdfx wrote: post #20

As someone who will be commuting by bike soon, I have to ask: what do you do when it rains/snows?

Fenders, and don't skimp on gear. I rode every day for two years straight in Chicago, back a few years ago before the really mild winters. I rode into the negative teen temperatures whether it was snowing or not. I switched to clipless and picked up some cheap but good Northwave boots from Wiggle in the UK. I got some wind & weather resistant knickers from Swerve. Picked up a bunch of of merino wool base layers and a…

Off topic, but that phrase "before the really mild winters" just gives me the worst feeling.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#83

Post by andreasvc »

aw3c2 wrote: post #14
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 wear headphones and listen to music all the time when biking. There is absolutely no problem doing so. I watch where I am going and I can easily hear any meaningful sounds through the music. Or do you mean headphones that completely shut off the environment? That would be pure stupidity and neglect. But also something far different from just listening to music on a bike.

The problem is that most people use their headphones with absurdly loud volume. I know this because when you pass them you can hear their music, which means they are probably damaging their hearing. I always keep the volume as low as possible, such that it's not louder than the traffic around.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#84

Post by justsomedood »

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...

Don't depend on your ears to find out where another vehicle is located, use your eyes.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#85

Post by eli »

I know this is an uncool thing to say, but I hated biking to work in downtown DC. DC has done a great job adding bike lanes, but they aren't everywhere. I found it to be quite the opposite of meditative and I arrived at work sweaty and uncomfortable.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#86

Post by P4tr3ck »

I am bike commuting to work for more than 6 years now. I do this through the whole year, summer and winter, everyday.

Always have a set of water proof clothes in your backpack. My experience is, if it rains it usually starts 10 minutes after you left home.

I had chronic pain in my knees probably from sitting before monitors the whole day. After one week of bike commuting to work the pain was gone.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#87

Post by nicholassmith »

jlarocco wrote: post #80
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.

It depends entirely on the headphones, I have some Etymotic in-ear buds that cancel external noise on about half volume. It's not just how loud you go, but what the headphones do to ambient noise in general.

And still, a lot of people do listen to music overly loud, and will probably damage their ears, so they risk ruined ears and not being fully aware of everything going on around them.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#88

Post by wasabinerd »

ikailan wrote: post #53
rheide wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same benefit as not wearing a seatbelt in the car. You feel more free, less restrained. I've cycled across half of Japan without a helmet and I did not feel in danger even for a single moment. Then I did one trip in Central London and vowed never to cycle without a helmet again.

Oh, okay, I can buy that. Guess I'm thinking like a city rider. I used to read a lot of bike blogs in SF and in almost every case where the biker was seriously injured, they were not wearing a helmet.

I have problems with the general tendency of always minimizing risk. When did risk become something to avoid at all cost? Follow that path and you end up avoiding everything that makes life worth living. It's not about whether you should wear a helmet on a bike. It's about accepting the fact that you are going to die and stop worrying about it and start living.

I don't want to die but I'm not going to let the risk of dying get in the way of living. BTW I wear helmets when skydiving and riding my motorcycle :)

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#89

Post by ImprovedSilence »

jgfoot wrote: post #77

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 a…

Plus one million for the Sheldon Brown reference. Volumes of bike wisdom. I do all my maintenance myself thanks to that website.

Re: Be happy Bike to work.

#90

Post by gst »

tdfx wrote: post #20

As someone who will be commuting by bike soon, I have to ask: what do you do when it rains/snows?

There are already lots of responses regarding rain.

For snow I suggest buying studded tires. They worked really well for me while I lived in Vienna.

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