If you had a fairy godmother when you started riding...

[shootingstar]

I commuted by bike because I don't drive. I gave up my driver's license in early 20's after I realized I was not comfortable driving at higher speeds on expressways.

This blog post describes most of my lifestyle without a car and my choices of where I've lived. I feel incredibly lucky and privileged, not deprived. And cycling helps.

[Geonz]

Carr;ying stuff was such an issue. So many times, "I'd ride the bike but I have to bring..."

Then I sprang for my Xtracycle in 2006 and ... ended up selling my car in 2008 "just for the summer" ... still don't have one...

Also routes and learning to ride in traffic... but this is a college town so pretty good for that.

(Pleased to see familiar names -- I decided to bump my bicycling culture back up on my "Stuf Of LIfe" this year and TE is awfully helpful fo rthat!)

[north woods gal]

On all the jobs I've worked, I've had to dress business professional, so I had to always bring a change of clothes and all the toiletries I need with me. I used a bike with large rear panniers to carry it all. Pretty tough to stuff a dress or skirt/blouse in a small pack and expect to look presentable. Had no locker, but my boss always let me store stuff in a safe place, so having a good boss is like gold.

One little tip is to also carry a pair of gloves when you ride, just in case your chain slips off the chainrings or have to lift it to pull a wheel. Coming to work with greasy dirty hands does not make a good impression.

One last thing. If you live in a area with a lot of bike theft, beg, plead or whatever to get permission to store your bike inside the building, rather than out in the lot with the cars. If that's a no go, investigate getting a low end bike just for commuting. I lived and commuted in Chicago (bike theft capitol of the world). Most bike commuters I knew used low end bikes for commuting for that very reason. My boss was a good guy, though, and allowed me to store my bike, indoors.

[Jolt]

This is a timely thread for me as I am about to close on a house that is 5 miles from where I now work…looking forward to being able to commute by bike instead of dealing with an unpleasant 25-minute drive. I will be able to store my bike in our office area and won't have any problem carrying things, but will have to contend with unavoidable high-traffic roads in a couple of places and will be riding home at night some weeks (evening shift). Definitely looking forward to having my commute be a benefit rather than a detriment to my mental health!

[Crankin]

Get a front light with a bright enough light that you can see, not just one to be seen, for when you ride home at night. I have a super duper one for dark rides, which is switched off with the one I use all of the time, in blinky mode. The smaller one is OK for dawn, when it is getting light out and daytime, or up until about 45 minutes before sunset. THe first time I rode home with a light that was more for let's say riding in Cambridge, I freaked out. I am betting you don't have streetlights, or not a lot of them.

[Jolt]

Get a front light with a bright enough light that you can see, not just one to be seen, for when you ride home at night. I have a super duper one for dark rides, which is switched off with the one I use all of the time, in blinky mode. The smaller one is OK for dawn, when it is getting light out and daytime, or up until about 45 minutes before sunset. THe first time I rode home with a light that was more for let's say riding in Cambridge, I freaked out. I am betting you don't have streetlights, or not a lot of them.

I do have a pretty good front light…I just will have to make sure to keep it charged! Also, I think for evening-shift weeks I will have to take the handlebar bag off b/c it gets in the way of the light somewhat. I suppose I could just drop the whole thing into a pannier for nighttime commuting (I keep most of my repair tools etc. in there that I take on rides, so I don't want to keep having to unpack and repack things). As for streetlights, that is a mixed bag--the main roads in town have them but I will be using side streets where possible.

[north woods gal]

Best of luck, Jolt. I did a lot of commuting in the dark. At night, it is sometimes safer (and more reassuring) to use well lit main roads with some traffic instead of dark side streets, especially if those side streets are in questionable neighborhoods. For the same reason, I always avoided parks and even bike trails after dark, but most of those are closed after dark (for good reason), anyway. Be safe. You can do it.

One more thing. In addition to the lights on the bike, I often used one of those lights mounted on a headband that hunters and such use at night. It helps when you need to check something off to the side and it's especially helpful if you have to stop and make an adjustment or repair on the bike because it leaves both hands free. You can usually find these at outdoor stores. I think someone makes a light that can attach to your bike helmet, too.