Changing / Showering

[indigoiis]

If you don't have a shower available to you, how do you handle that?
In winter I know, we don't get as sweaty... if I'm only doing 9-10 miles to the park and ride. But there's changing to consider, and the time it takes (which obviously isn't on the clock...), and changing back, and whether or not to sit in a chamois on the 45 minute bus / train commute... ack! Should I even WEAR special padded shorts/pants or should I just have a bike with a gel seat or something?

These are the logistics making me sit here with my hand in my mouth, thinking, eek!

the traffic I can deal with...

Oh yeah, and what about locking your bike at the park and ride? Do you just leave it out? what if it rains? what if someone steals the saddle? Do you take your saddle to work with you? Maybe I should just get a cheapo saddle. But then, if someone steals THAT, and then how do I get home?

Also, what about emergencies? You know, like, of the world disaster ilk? Like, if they have to evacuate a town or city? And your bike is all the way back at the park and ride? Ack!!!

I want to do this.
I know I can do this.
I am working myself up to it.
I just need someone to tell me it's all going to be okay.

[Blueberry]

Get a folding bike and a washcloth with some soap

Seriously, A folding bike you could take with you on the train/bus. Most allow them. Barring that, are there bike lockers at the park and ride? What do other folks do?

I'd certainly lock well (I usually use a U-lock and a cable - most thieves carry one or the other). Maybe take the saddle with you if you feel more comfortable (and definitely take lights, computers, etc). Does your area do an emergency ride back program? That might help with the emergency situations short of world disaster. I really wonder how much help your car would be in the event they were trying to evacuate an entire city....

Chamois or no is more of a personal decision. I could ride 9-10 miles on my Brooks with no discomfort in jeans.

You can make yourself approximate clean in a sink with soap and a wash cloth

CA

[Tri Girl]

Breathe deeply... it'll be ok!

I don't have a shower at work (I teach in an elementary school). My shower is... the girl's bathroom down the hall. I change in there and "wash up" in the sink. I keep a container of wipes at school to take off any excess sweaty-ness in areas prone to odor.

The park and ride- I don't know about that. Is there a place to park your bike? Do you have a good lock? If you have a quick release seat post, then take it with you each day, but if it's the kind that you have to get out your tool- I don't know if that would be worth it. Maybe just put a cheapy on it like you said.

Riding the bus in your shorts- why not? If you'd rather, you could wear moisture wicking undies under your shorts, then when you get to work, rinse them out and let them dry for the day (or you could have a spare pair at work that you wear on the way home, then back the next day and switch with the ones you wore the day before- you know- rotating undies ).

It's hard to initially do it, but when you do- it's bliss. Now that it's light later I've not been commuting much. I need to just get my butt out there and do it and not be such a cold weenie.

In the case of world emergencies, I wouldn't fret. Just catch a ride somewhere with a co-worker. If it's that bad- you won't care about your bike being somewhere else- you'll just want to get the heck outta Dodge.

[uk elephant]

Don't work yourself up too much thinking of world disasters. But commuting is perfectly possible with or without showers and padded shorts.

One thing, if you are worried about your seat. On my previous bike (which unfortunately got stolen during shipping when I moved), the LBS put a lock on the seat. Basically a cable that attached the seat to the bike in a way where you would need to do some serious dismantling to get it off. Made me feel safer about leaving the bike on campus at least.

No shower? a quick was in the sink works fine. You don't get that stinky from a 10 mile bike ride in fresh air. As for the bike clothes on the bus/train, I would change to a dry top if you are sweaty to avoid getting cold but other than that I would just change once I got to where I was going. My experience here is nobody cares, and I'm rarely the only one in bike-gettup on the train. Lots of people commute by bike to/from the station. Or if there are restrooms at the park'n'ride, just change there...

[Crankin]

I'm not working now, but I commuted a lot last spring. I brought my clothes and lunches in on Monday and always left a spare pair of shoes, a jacket, and hygeine supplies in my classroom. I showered before leaving and I got there early and washed up in the staff bathroom. Since I commuted on my road bike, which can't hold a big bag, I carried my stuff in my Camelbak, with the bladder taken out. I didn't have to bring a lot, usually just a lighter weight jersey for the ride home. I could not have commuted in regular clothes; I have to wear bike shorts! It was about 14.5 miles each way. However, you can buy liner shorts you can wear under regular pants.

[spokewench]

As far as the saddle goes, if they do not have bike lockers and you leave your bike out locked to the racks, to to your LBS, have them take the quick release out and have them put bolts in where you saddle is. It is harder to change seat position then, but it is also harder for someone to steal your saddle. They need an allen wrench then. You probably know where you want your seat, so set it and bolt it. Also, be careful when you lock your bike that your wheels, if they have quick releases, are locked as well.

I don't have quick release on my rear hub, needs an allen wrench to loosen so I just lock my front wheel and bike. Don't worry about the rear. If you do this, you MUSt carry an allen wrench with you in case of flats! One time I forgot

[Fredwina]

Breathe deeply... it'll be ok!

I don't have a shower at work (I teach in an elementary school). My shower is... the girl's bathroom down the hall. I change in there and "wash up" in the sink. I keep a container of wipes at school to take off any excess sweaty-ness in areas prone to odor.

.

I also used the baby wipes trick when I used commutte (note to self: get job in nicer neighboorhood, without monster traffic)

[Voodoo Sally]

You can do it!

The biggest thing is just doing it once, for the first time. Give it a try one day.

If it works out OK, do it again, and again, and you'll figure out ways to make it better. Sometimes the inertia before doing something for the first time is the biggest obstacle.

I've been slowly bike commuting more and more over the years, and it has become a habit. It started with me not even riding when I lived 0.5 miles from work, no joke. Then I got the bright idea one day that I should ride. I did. Duh, I thought, that was easy. Well, now I live 8 miles from work. This year I've been riding to work more than ever, and overcoming one-by-one what were formerly "obstacles." For example, now I ride home at night, now I ride in the rain, now I run an errand or two from work mid-day on my bike, and I think I'll be trying out cold-weather commuting for the first time soon. Is snow commuting in my future? Never tried it, but who knows?

[redrhodie]

Hey Indi!

If I can do it, you can do it! Here in RI, you can put your bike on the front of the bus. I wouldn't leave it at the p&r. Judging by the number of broken beer bottles I see there, I'm guessing it's an after hours club at night!

Once a week, drive and bring your clothes and lunches. Bring a washcloth, soap, and a towel for a sponge-bath. A little deodorant, and you're good to go!

My concern at this point is riding when it's dark, but I leave work at 4pm, so I have another couple of weeks before it's dark by the time I reach the park and ride. After that, I'll be riding on days off only, no more commuting.

see you!
rr

[onimity]

yea, what they said.

If it makes you feel better, my list of potential obstacles was twice as long...

Bringing your bike to the office might be the best bet, then you have the option of using it for lunch errands (rides!) too, assuming that there is a place to park it at your office.

A washcloth is fine to clean up, and I don't need padded shorts for < 10 miles personally, but you will not be the most oddly dressed person on the bus, regardless. Even if you do tend to sweat a lot when riding, it won't make you stink. If you want, take a small hair dryer and some scented lotion or similar.

Our public transit program here has a 'guaranteed ride home' program in case of emergencies, etc., but honestly most co-workers that know I ride my bike tell me that if I ever need a ride anywhere just ask. And when it rains the offers pour!

As for the time it takes...think of bus time as time you can spend reading or writing or working or any number of things. I meet a lot of cool people when I take the bus too.

Getting the logistics sorted out so that it works for you will take a little bit of time and effort, but I'd bet that you will find that there are so many more benefits than obstacles in the long run.

Here are some things I like:

1) I don't leave the house late. I have a bus to catch, so while leaving 5 mins late in my car meant I'd get to the office 5 mins late, not so with the bus. As such, I am more organized and on time in the morning. I usually have 5 to spare.

2) I get to work and am awake. I don't need an hour before I can respond to people with more than a grunt, and it takes an extraordinarily boring meeting before I will doze off.

3) people see my helmet and bike, and they ask me about them. I work with so many cyclists, & meet so many cyclists on the bus. Even non-cyclists are curious and want to ask about your bike, your route, etc.

4) Work doesn't start until I am at the office, it ends when I leave the office. The commute home is my time, I'm riding, or reading, or whatever, whereas commuting by car was just a stressful, boxed-in extension of the workday that didn't end until I walked in my front door.

I could go on and on and on...

You'll love commuting by bike and transit. It is really not difficult, just different than what you are used to.



Anne

[MomOnBike]

As to all your 'What-ifs.' Ask yourself what is the worst that could possibly happen if you <whatever it is>. Most of the time the worst really isn't all that bad, can be dealt with or something can be done to avoid it. Or, you can have fun and see just how bad you can make your desired action. With practice, you can get commuting your bike to cause Armageddon - at least in theory.

The point is to get a pretty good idea of the worst possible risk, which is often something you can deal with, anyway.

It's a liberating excercise. And if you decide not to do whatever it is, you at least know exactly why.

[Geonz]

There are little "seat leash" locks that keep people from snatching your seat.

I swab down in the bathroom but honestly, once you're in any kind of shape, a shower is basically unnecessary. It sometimes takes me a little discipline if I'm in a sprinting mood, but generally I can ride like a slacker

[coyote]

My work really wants us to commute. They offer taxi vouchers. If you work for a large type orginization, check with the folks who are responsible for promoting car pooling. They may offer the same thing.

[divingbiker]

I swab down in the bathroom but honestly, once you're in any kind of shape, a shower is basically unnecessary.

I don't think my coworkers would agree with you.

[Tri Girl]

Ditto what divingbikers said.
I'm in great shape, but a little sweat on me goes a loooonnng way (no matter how clean I am to begin with).