Commuter Newbie Help

[kcmpls]

I totally wussed out at the last minute. And tomorrow is going to rain.

BUT, I'm going to do it. Next Tuesday. For sure. I'm going to get a bike rack this weekend and be able to use my pannier.

I'm going to do it.

And I appreciate everyone's comments and advice.

[Tri Girl]

No worries. You'll get it done.
I chickened out about a dozen times before I took the plunge and finally did it. You'll get there- and we'll be cheering you on the whole way to and from work.

[Melalvai]

I totally wussed out at the last minute. And tomorrow is going to rain.

BUT, I'm going to do it. Next Tuesday. For sure. I'm going to get a bike rack this weekend and be able to use my pannier.

I'm not going to let you off the hook that easily. Because I'm looking forward to hearing your first ride report! Get out there next Tuesday for sure!!

[tpb]

I totally wussed out at the last minute. And tomorrow is going to rain.

BUT, I'm going to do it. Next Tuesday. For sure. I'm going to get a bike rack this weekend and be able to use my pannier.

I'm going to do it.

The most difficult commute is the first one. Get it behind you as soon as possible

[Grog]

When I didn't want to do something because it rained, my mom would ask me:

Are you made out of chocolate?

It sounds better in French. I think in English you say "out of sugar," right?

Anyway, I'm not (thankfully, or I would no longer have limbs) and I now live in a very rainy place. Rainy commutes are actually a lot of fun!

Just ride.

[kfergos]

If you'd like some more information on bike commuting, I can email you a PDF of a Bike Commute Manual type thing that the League of American Bicyclists put together. It covers the entire range of stuff you're concerned about and is pretty comprehensive.

Another tip: Does anybody else bike to your work? If so, how about teaming up and having an experienced commuter escort you until you feel comfortable? If you're worried about slowing them down, remember that all experienced bike commuters love to help new commuters -- as evidenced by this forum -- and they'll gladly go your speed to help get you on the road.

I like to use the bus as my flat tire backup. It's sure nice to know I can just toss my bike on the bus and get to work in a reasonable time.

As for riding in the rain, I second Grog's comment: Nobody's going to melt out there. Riding in the rain, especially in the summer, can be glorious -- you get a cool, refreshing rinse-off and arrive wet but not sweaty. Just be sure to have bright blinking lights so drivers can see you through the rain. My rule of thumb: If drivers have their windshield wipers on, I turn on my lights. (OK, actually I ride with lights on all the time, but that's a different story.)

Most of all, bite the bullet and do it. When you decide "I'm going to ride," don't even let the thought "I could drive..." enter your head. That instant of wavering will kill you every time. You can do it! We're all here rooting for you, eagerly waiting to hear how your first ride goes. And your second, third, fourth, etc.

[Pedal Wench]

This is funny. I used to live 1.5 miles from work, but over a nasty interstate overpass. So, I only commuted a few times. I just moved across the interstate, 1.5 miles away in a different direction. My commute would be mostly downhill on the way to work, so not really sweaty at all. But, I'm still putting it off. I'm really a crazy endurance cyclist, so in my head, a short ride is hardly worth getting a pair of shorts dirty.

I'll start commuting next week. I promise.

[Tri Girl]

I'm really a crazy endurance cyclist, so in my head, a short ride is hardly worth getting a pair of shorts dirty.

I thought that way when I got a job just 3 miles away. It only takes about 12 minutes, and I swear sometimes it takes more to get ready than it does to ride to work.
At the end of the school year I started not wearing bike clothes to work because I wanted to make the "getting out the door" less of a hassle. I biked in my work clothes a few dozen times, and it wasn't too bad. I would take an extra 5 min. into work so I wouldn't sweat too much, but then I couldn't ride longer after work so I just went back to riding in my cycling clothes so I could make the commute home much longer.

Just do it!

[huffandpuff]

Great that you want to start commuting! You'll feel so good all day at work and totally destressed by the time you get home. Do you by any chance have a computer at home? If you do, checkout programs like logmein.com - that would allow you to get to your work computer from home. I can't imagine carrying a laptop with me. I've been trying to do a couple of days a week but heat wave here has really stopped me - mornings are ok but I just can't handle the ride home in the heat. I do feel kind of awkward coming in wearing bike clothes cause I'm not exactly gorgeous in spandex but people were really supportive and came by to check out the bike. Next week - no more excuses for me! Post when you do your first ride - I'll be rooting for you!