Commuter Newbie Help

[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!

[malkin]

If you are nervous about time, you could take the bus to work, and ride home when you wouldn't have a deadline.

You could also practice a 'dry run' of your route when you don't have to be at work on time (or at all).

[e.e.cummings]

I am very happy to say that I rarely drive my car and I have cancelled my work parking monthly fees. This is what I have gathered from my time commuting:
1. I have panniers, but I took them off to do a triathlon. Never put them back on. I use a knapsack now.
2. I used to ride a hybrid to work, but I went through a little spat with a bad back, and found my road bike to be much easier to carry down the flight of stairs at my work. Never looked back. Plus I am faster on my road bike.
3. I did get a flat and did have the right pump with me to change it (had the pump for the hybrid). A kind person came along who helped me out (I did have a spare with me). I travel fully loaded with spare, GOOD pump for my tires, plus cartridges. I am ready.
4. I remind my hair dresser that I wear a helmet twice a day and to style accordingly. She has given me a nice style that looks decent despite my commute.
5. I leave certain toiletries at work; bring a minimum of makeup; I do leave some clothes at work in a back room that has a place to hang clothes. My bugger is sometimes forgetting underwear! Have gone commando a few times with a panty liner. Too much info. Have to remember to pack spare underwear.
6. I give myself a washcloth bath in a private washroom at work, followed by some powder. I am a sweaty person normally, too bad we don't have a shower, but the cat bath is doing the trick.
Good for you for your commute! Re the fears of nasty comments, like my mom says: if you worry about what others say, you will worry for the rest of your life. You are doing a good thing! They don't matter! Good for you!

[shootingstar]

Good advice about keeping makeup, certain things at work to make it easier.

Rather funny, ee cummings, forgetting your underpants.

For work commuting (did it for 16 yrs. Different employers in different locations in Toronto and Vancouver), I used panniers. I never used knapsack. My rides were average 50 min. long. Even for employers close to home, I deliberately lenghthened by route 5 times longer just to integrate some fitness.

Backpacks make me sweat. No point doing more sweating when getting to work. And too bulky for me to stuff work clothes and some paperwork.

Since we don't have a car, at times bike ride homeward, might include a stop for groceries. Panniers are my most flexible transport storage bag.

I am a small person, narrow back width and having a backpack with alot of weight while I'm riding regularily up and down hills, in my opinion is not healthy for my back/posture. That's just me.

[kcmpls]

Tomorrow is the big day. I'll be riding in the morning and taking the bus home since it is supposed to be very hot. My fitness isn't the best yet, so 10 miles will be enough for me. I now have a rack, so I'll be installing that tonight for a pannier.

As for finding a commute partner, that is something I really, really wish was possible. I looked on a local bike board and they have commuting buddies board, but only for people commuting into Minneapolis, not St. Paul, which is weird. I guess I reverse commute from Minneapolis to St. Paul. And even though we have 1000 people in the building where I work, in the newly named Best Bicycling Town in America, there are only about 5-10 bikes downstairs. And we have AWESOME ammeneties for bike commuting including showers and locker rooms.

I'm 100% committed for tomorrow. I'll report back.

[tulip]

Here are some resources for bike commuting in the Twin Cities. Perhaps you will find it interesting and inspiring. You might even find a commuting buddy.

http://www.doitgreen.org/article/transportation/bicycle

[schnitzle]

I'm so excited for you kcmpls! Tomorrow is going to be great. I can't wait to read all about your first commute

[kcmpls]

My husband sprung it on my last night that he's divorcing me. I haven't left the bed, let alone made it to work. No bike commute for awhile. But he told me he plans on taking the car, so I guess I'll be biking everywhere. Not sure how to do that with a 112 pound dog...

[tulip]

My husband sprung it on my last night that he's divorcing me. I haven't left the bed, let alone made it to work. No bike commute for awhile. But he told me he plans on taking the car, so I guess I'll be biking everywhere. Not sure how to do that with a 112 pound dog...

Ouch. Get out of bed and call a lawyer. Now. Sympathy will come later. Now you have to act.

[Crankin]

Riding will help you sort this out.
Like Tulip said, get a lawyer, get out of bed, and get on your bike!