[JohnE]

Okay, I have reached the point of I gotta/wanna commute. I have a 6 mile (give or take) ride to and from. I have the requisite commuter bag, and a locker and a shower room at work to use. I plan on driving once a week to replenish food, work clothes and bathroom supplies...
Anyone have any helpful hints on how to be more succesful and commute forever? Short of sell the car and dont get hit by another car?

 

[stoney]

take flat, low traveled roads. Usually those with many stoplights/stop signs are a good way. It keeps you out of fast traffic

 

[laura]

I dunno how you are with road rage in a car, but you've got to let all of that go on a bike an just enjoy your ride. Traffic can be so intimidating and stressful. Once I relaxed, commuting stole my heart.

 

[splat]

-- Give your self much more time then you think you will need at least at first till you figure it out

-- Always have a Complete spare set of clothes at work especially spare socks and Skivies
-- Spare towel at work too
-- Keep shoes at work , they are a Bitch to cary
-- avoid If possible leaving your Bike out side , under stair cases are a good place to store them during the day.
-- Have a Rain Jacket with you or at work, good for when it rains or the temperture drop unexpectedadly.
-- Keep a Spare tube, tire levers at the office , maybe even a cheap-o Floor pump.
-- Figure out the route you want to take to work a head of time , but experiment on the way home.
-- Most of all enjoy your ride.

 

[missiongravity]

Keep your bike simple...mine has a single speed, skewers tightened via allen wrench, a single front flashing led light(about 2ozs. max),a single flashing red led for the rear, one brake and Atom Lab flats for pedals. This equates to less mechanical problems less stuff to steal and an overall lighter ride. Like others have said take the less traveled roads and if riding around other vehicles always expect the worst and hope for the best. My biggest asset for commuting is always expecting drivers to do the dumbest thing humanly possible and preparing for it.

 

[buildyourown]

Find the flat route around hills or along ridges. Maybe this isn't a big deal where you live, but there are lots of hills in Seattle you'd rather avoid on a bike.
Google Earth is a pretty good tool for this. You can tell if the road has a shoulder or not and you can move the cursor and watch the elevation number to see roughly how steep the grade is. Often times your route to work will be different than you route home based on hills and traffic at different times.

 

[-dustin]

take flat, low traveled roads. Usually those with many stoplights/stop signs are a good way. It keeps you out of fast traffic

i tend to stay away from stop lights and flat roads. stop lights slow me down too much, and flat roads seem endless. then again, the climbs around here are miniscule. i like www.mapmyrun.com for elevation profiles.

-- Keep shoes at work , they are a Bitch to cary
-- Figure out the route you want to take to work a head of time , but experiment on the way home.

those are especially noteworthy. i hate, hate carrying shoes.

i do like having gears...while not keeping it simple, it really allows me the ability to cruise home in 20mph headwinds, or haul ass in 20mph tailwinds.

 

[$tinkle]

- give yourself about a month or so of exploring as to maximize both the safest & most efficient route.
- make it fun & take the path you otherwise never would in a car.
- ditto on shoes @ work (towel, soap, razor, etc.)
- don't try to ride every day; you'll get burned out. use this day to re-stock food & coffee
- who cares what kind of bike you ride, as long as it's easy to work on when catastrophe hits & you're all alone
- keep a lock at work, preferably on the rack (i faux lock mine: pull it through the spokes)
- offer to buy co-workers lunch when you mooch a ride
- try to get others in on it

 

[splat]

- don't try to ride every day; you'll get burned out. use this day to re-stock food & coffee

However , you may also get to the point , when you do drive you start feeling guilty and Pissed off. I know when I drive a couple of days in a row usually because of weather. I start to get cranky

 

[stevew]

D batteries for chucking at assholes.

 

[$tinkle]

I dunno how you are with road rage in a car, but you've got to let all of that go on a bike an just enjoy your ride. Traffic can be so intimidating and stressful. Once I relaxed, commuting stole my heart.

^^^ this.

i'm pretty relaxed in gen'l, but i hate cars on "my" road. people in cars carry hammers & knives and as a rule don't drive w/ spd's on their shoes, so their footing is better in case you "make them an offer". like a true jackass, i've managed to defeat the purpose/benefits of commuting at times.

 

[ultraNoob]

This is a great thread especially since "bike to work day" is this friday. Great tips so far, I wish I asked for pointers before I started. Make sure to have a small first aid kit at work. I've had an accident or two on the way to work that required more than a band-aid. An alternative would be spray on bandages. Post ride snack is a must just to make sure you don't bonk during the first 2 hours of work.

 

[splat]

Oh yeah , DON'T Brush your teeth before you Ride, Brush them at the office.


Fast way to Puke , found it out the hard way.

 

[Toshi]

give yourself five minutes from when you lock your front door to when you need to be on the road. gives you padding for the tire that needs more air, the brake pad that needs to be adjusted, the spd shoe that has run off in the corner and hidden...

 

[$tinkle]

Oh yeah , DON'T Brush your teeth before you Ride, Brush them at the office.

or resist the urge to drink 2 cups of coffee & head out within 5 minutes of waking up.

but it does offer the classic commuting conundrum: do i take a dump @ work & wipe my now doubly-swampy ass, or release the hounds before heading out & risk trashing my shorts to the point of being unusable 8 hrs later? add to this the problem of not having anywhere for them to breathe all day (just stay in a locker). nothing like applying a layer of warm cabbage pate to your nethers in the warm afternoon.

 

[spylab]

Granted, my commute is only 2 miles each way give or take, but it's very little besides a passion for biking that keeps me taking the fixie instead of the GTO every morning. Come summer I'll ride in the sun, rain, or whatever Mother Nature dishes out. There is one traffic light on the commute home that always backs up cars like crazy. It's a beautiful feeling to peel past them all and duck through the intersection during the last second of the yellow light.


Plus, in the morning the ride to work is the best thing going to get my blood moving...

 

[ultraNoob]

...but it does offer the classic commuting conundrum: do i take a dump @ work & wipe my now doubly-swampy ass, or release the hounds before heading out & risk trashing my shorts to the point of being unusable 8 hrs later? add to this the problem of not having anywhere for them to breathe all day (just stay in a locker). nothing like applying a layer of warm cabbage pate to your nethers in the warm afternoon.

Solution.... Baby Wipes!

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

2 quarters and one of these if you run presta valves:

Just in case you need to get air quick at a convenience store.

Learn to track stand at lights in case there is a cop at the light.:biggrin:

Watch side mirrors for drivers about to door you.

Wait for the stair case to be clear of pedestrians before hitting it.

Avoid passing cars on the right. Having a car turn right into you is not fun.

Learn to puke without getting off the bike, it saves time.

 

[JohnE]

6 mile fairly straight shot...2 lefts, one long gradual lefthand bend, 2 rights and at work. Biggest worry is the 40 mph gusts here in the Mojave.

Thanks to all for the rapid responses...stay tuned for updates as warranted!

 

[stinkyboy]

Learn to track stand at lights in case there is a cop at the light.:biggrin:

Werd.

I got pulled over the other week for blowing through a light and being 6'1" standing on the curb towering over a 5'5" cop, I expected a ticket, but told him I saw traffic was clear and I was just trying to keep my heart rate up.

He ran my ID, gave it back and sped off without a word.

Being geared up and well lit I think helped too. Being a tweaker on a crusty Next wearing jeans in Phoenix means you'll prolly be jailed.

 

[DirtyMike]

Around these parts, doing just a trackstand will land you a nice ticket for running a stopsign, gotta put the foot down.


other than that, Most of what I can say is, wearing a backpack sucks, so a rear rack, with some nice Panniers work great, I second the keeping of shoes at work, along with extra sock, Babywipes at work are a wonderful thing, dont let anyone give you Sh!t for it either. Nice way to freshen up when your not able to quite hit that shower.



EDIT..... Co2's. Those gasstation pumps will never give you enough pressure if your on roadie tires. And sitting there pumping up your tires just blows, Co2's are nice and fast!!!!

 

[MtnbikeMike]

Around these parts, doing just a trackstand will land you a nice ticket for running a stopsign, gotta put the foot down.


other than that, Most of what I can say is, wearing a backpack sucks, so a rear rack, with some nice Panniers work great, I second the keeping of shoes at work, along with extra sock, Babywipes at work are a wonderful thing, dont let anyone give you Sh!t for it either. Nice way to freshen up when your not able to quite hit that shower.



EDIT..... Co2's. Those gasstation pumps will never give you enough pressure if your on roadie tires. And sitting there pumping up your tires just blows, Co2's are nice and fast!!!!

I second CO2's. However, the threaded 16g cartridges are more expensive...so get an inflator that uses the 12g non-threaded variety, then head to the local sporting goods store to buy a case of them for teh cheepz.

 

[jimmydean]

I am tempted to get another commuter bike. I bought an old steel roadie (Centurion Ironman Dave Scott like I had in HS) for $125 off ebay a while back. It was awesome, but I soon neglected the DH bike and it showed come race time.

 

[TheMontashu]

http://www.kryptonitelock.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?cid=1001&scid=1000&pid=1100

Cut the rubber on the orange end and keep it in your back pocket. When drivers try and run you off the road, or yell at you, they do a nice job on tail lites or windows.

And its and awesome lock

 

[ire]

-- Always have a Complete spare set of clothes at work especially spare socks and Skivies
-- Spare towel at work too

One day I was wearing cycling shorts into work, and I forgot underwear :huh: I felt weird all day. The towel is a must, especially on warm days and don't forget deodorant

 

[MtnBikerChk]

I'm so jealous. My drive to work is about 32 miles - doable like once a week- but not without a shower

 

[Quo Fan]

Mine is 5.5 miles, slightly hilly with 2 stop signs and 12 (yes twelve) traffic lights. Since I need my truck for work, I can't ride my bike.

 

[jacksonpt]

-- Give your self much more time then you think you will need at least at first till you figure it out

-- Always have a Complete spare set of clothes at work especially spare socks and Skivies
-- Spare towel at work too
-- Keep shoes at work , they are a Bitch to cary
-- avoid If possible leaving your Bike out side , under stair cases are a good place to store them during the day.
-- Have a Rain Jacket with you or at work, good for when it rains or the temperture drop unexpectedadly.
-- Keep a Spare tube, tire levers at the office , maybe even a cheap-o Floor pump.
-- Figure out the route you want to take to work a head of time , but experiment on the way home.
-- Most of all enjoy your ride.

yep, everything he said.

This is a good time to start. Commuting is a pain (not to mention dangerous) when the days are short and you're trying to deal with darkness.

 

[kingbee]

I think everything I do has already been mentioned. Keep a couple zip-lock baggies in your pack in case it rains and you need to keep your wallet and cell phone dry.

Ill second (or 10th) the leave plenty of time rule. I leave enough time that even if I wreck & have to fix a flat that Ill still be early to work. It lets me enjoy the ride in.

Baby wipes rule. I wish I had a shower at work. But I dont, so Sharmin does a good job of freshening me up for the day.

I have a 14-16 mile round trip depending on the route I take. The 16 mile is very flat and smooth, I can keep 20mph average with out much work but its more busy. The 14 mile is a little more hilly, choppy roads, but less traffic. Ill keep 16-17mph on that route.

Its ironic that gas prices go up $25 a gallon the same week as Bike to Work Week.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Shower cap to cover seat if parked in rain.

 

[SkaredShtles]

6 mile commute? The LUXURY!

 

[Secret Squirrel]

i tend to stay away from stop lights and flat roads. stop lights slow me down too much, and flat roads seem endless. then again, the climbs around here are miniscule. i like www.mapmyrun.com for elevation profiles.

those are especially noteworthy. i hate, hate carrying shoes.

i do like having gears...while not keeping it simple, it really allows me the ability to cruise home in 20mph headwinds, or haul ass in 20mph tailwinds.

Wow...that site is cool...just found out that during my 17 mile (each way) commute, there's 440ft of gain...hmmmm...

 

[JohnE]

6 mile commute? The LUXURY!

Why when I was a child, we lived in a paper baf in the middle of the road, we had to commute 17 miles uphill both ways through neck deep snow year round with a 35 mph headwind. No fancy clip in pedals for us. When we got home we had to lick our bikes clean, and afterwards our parents would kill us, then dance on our graves singing hallelujia. And you know what? You tell that to kids today, and they wont beleive you...

 

[Prettym1k3]

Today was day 4 in the past few weeks of commuting to work on my bike. I drive once a week (on Mondays) to bring snacks, and 4 nice shirts, on hangers, to work (I hang them up in our storage area in the back of my office). My commute is only about 4.6 miles, but I hit the wind on my way to work, and on my way home.

I personally hate stop-lights, and will avoid them at all costs. I also try to pace myself to avoid being sweaty at work as we don't have showers. I do shower before I leave for work though, and typically I pick up the pace on my ride home to get my heart rate up, so I shower when I get home as well.

I pack two tubes, tire levers, a pump, and a multi-tool in my bag. I bring pants, a belt, undies, and a t-shirt with me as well. I keep a light only on my bag since it's completely light out in the morning and evening at the moment. When it becomes a dark-time commute, I'll keep the light on my bag, and run a tail-light on the seatpost, and a headlight on my bars (Exposure Enduro MaXx).

-Mike

 

[Toshi]

i tend to stay away from stop lights and flat roads. stop lights slow me down too much, and flat roads seem endless. then again, the climbs around here are miniscule. i like www.mapmyrun.com for elevation profiles.

that's a sweet site! i used to use gmaps pedometer but this one is way better.

my (thankfully short lived -- 2 weeks) commute from my rented house to the VA: 12.65 miles, 832 ft ascent, 872 descent. ugh.

 

[JohnE]

Back to commuting in Germany. Have some nice forstwegs to roll through, hills are all on the way in, so coming home is sweet and fast...unless I come from the other direction. Hope the snow holds off for a bit...but not too long.

 

[Straya]

I'm about to start commuting again after a year of having to drive 60km each way to work. Can't wait especially as my new office is in a national park and about half my trip will be on dirt and singletrack.

 

[SkaredShtles]

I'm about to start commuting again after a year of having to drive 60km each way to work. Can't wait especially as my new office is in a national park and about half my trip will be on dirt and singletrack.

I iz JELLY!!

 

[Sandwich]

Nice resurrect. I'm going to start cycle commuting once our company moves to the suburbs and the wife and I can no longer carpool.

The one thing I will add, at least in an urban setting, is contained aggressive. You can never expect a driver to see you, yield, or treat you like you're a car...you MUST put yourself out there so that they can see you and have to acknowledge your presence. On that note, you must also contain it...you're not a car and you can't maintain the same speeds, so you need to yield where possible and stay out of heavy traffic flow if you can't keep up.

That seemed to work for me when I commuted in Boston. Kind of a "HEY I'M HERE! ok, now I'm out of the way" mentality. I expect it to be slightly different in suburban, hungover, regular auto commuter world.

 

[Westy]

Been doing a 7 mile one way commute on bike every day for the past month. Luckily most of it is on a isolated bike path. My biggest threat is other bikers. Douche bags who can't handle their fixies with 5" wide bars and people texting while riding.