# Bicycle Commuting - Anyone do it?



## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

I've been giving a lot of thought to commuting maybe 2-4 days/week on my bike during the nicer months of the year. It is about 16mi each way, 100% of which is on a dedicated bike path (okay, well, I have to travel about 100 yards from my house to the path and another 100 from the path to my office building, but that's not important). Does anyone have a bike commute that long? I've done several trial runs and it is a pretty easy ride on my racing bike, but my racing bike does not accept panniers, so I think a touring bike might be more appropriate as I would need to carry clothes, lunch, and maybe a laptop or ipad on occasion. There are some decent hills and my bike geometry is very aggressive and DC is a swamp, so a back pack is basically entirely ruled out. 

Aside from saving around $5k/year in tolls, gas, and gym membership (based on cycling 3 days/week), it is obviously a nice green choice and it only takes me about 15 minutes longer to ride it than it does to drive it in average traffic (the time would be pretty similar on Monday and Thursday traffic). 

Anyone have any thoughts on commuting that far? When I lived in the city I did it all the time and it was never a big deal, just a 2mi commute that I never broke a sweat on so I could just wear work clothes on the bike.


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## Langham (Nov 7, 2012)

The Washington climate might make a bit of difference in summer, but 16 miles each way on a bike path sounds a breeze. It's having to cycle through moving traffic that's the problem - when I lived in London I used to cycle from Battersea into the City each day, the traffic was always a bit of a challenge - most car-drivers just don't like cyclists one little bit.

Could you not leave a change of clothing at work and change there, rather than bother with panniers?


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

Yes, I thought of that, but it would likely necessitate driving on Monday and Friday and I would foresee Monday as being the best day to ride due to traffic. 

It isn't a bad ride at all - couple of long, low hills (avg 120ft gain per mile over 4-5 miles) but nothing like the mountains I used to ride in college on the Blue Ridge Parkway (when I was, coincidentally, in much better shape!). Summer here can easily hit 90+ (F) and 70+% humidity at the times I'd be riding, but I knew it was a swamp (quite literally, in case you didn't know) when I moved here.


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## WouldaShoulda (Aug 5, 2009)

I thought about.

But I watched Top Gear last night and changed my mind!!


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## Anon 18th Cent. (Oct 27, 2008)

Tilton, have a look at peterwhitecycles.com

Best source ever for commuting and longer trips.


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## Snow Hill Pond (Aug 10, 2011)

I think it's a great idea...even better if you have access to a shower at work.

BRP in college? VT grad?


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## Bohan (Sep 16, 2013)

I'd bring all the repair equipment I may need, and a lock and chain, and I'd look into the nearest public transportation and their rules on bicycles. It may be best to get a folding bicycle. Some are full sized when unfolded. Some buildings don't allow bicycles in elevators. Some don't even allow folding bicycles in elevators, though you can probably hide some of the smaller folding bikes in something that nobody would suspect holds a bike.


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## taylorgtr (Jun 1, 2013)

I did a 2-day a week commute into Arlington, 21 miles each way (that's why it was only 2 days). Made it hard to wear a suit to work, so I would keep a couple of pairs of slacks, shoes, belts and my shower/shaving stuff at work, including a quick-dry camp towel. (also helped that I didn't have to wear a tie, either). 

Each time I rode, I'd pack a fresh shirt and/or t-shirt, underwear/socks in my rack trunk. I'd wear quick-dry bike gear, and it would dry out by the time I rode home. I used a cyclocross bike with slicks, fenders and a rack and light kit (it gets dark early in the fall). Hard times to ride - mid Jan-March, when there was ice on the trail. Once it got on there, it was usually there until spring. Not fun to slip on it.

Also got hit by a car who passed stopped traffic at a crosswalk (I had right of way). He passed on the right, I didn't see him until it was too late. Took 3 years to settle it out.

Sometimes the weather turns nasty on you - I had to ride home in a downpour, when the temp dropped into the low '40s. Cold, wet and nasty. That was a LONG 90 minutes.


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## Bohan (Sep 16, 2013)

I sometimes walk about 2-1/2 miles down a path that's along a highway. When I remember I check which way the wind is blowing and I don't go if it's blowing from the highway to the path. I only go when it's blowing from the water. If you care about clean air you may want to choose the right wind conditions for the bicycle trip.


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## Snow Hill Pond (Aug 10, 2011)

In Uppsala (Sweden) near the train station, the bike racks are filled with dozens and dozens of personal bicycles. It seems that a lot of folks commutes via bicycle. The bike paths are very sophisticated and separate from the walking paths. Even stairways have a separate section with a thin ramp for cyclists to walk their bikes up the stairway. Very different from what I'm used to seeing in the US.


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## tocqueville (Nov 15, 2009)

I did it for a while. I HIGHLY recommend installing front and back fenders on your bike. And it MUST have a serious chain guard. At least unless you were planning on wearing totally crap clothing and then changing afterward. Or never riding when there's any rain.


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## Bohan (Sep 16, 2013)

I'm still thinking of breakdowns and crashes...you may want to consider a folding trekking pole. I just bought this one for $26.99 + $4.49 tax for occasional long walks with a heavy packpack and for use when I tweek my foot or knee. My back went out a couple of times several years ago and I stubbed my toe pretty bad a couple of years ago and would have liked something like that. It folds to 10" long and is very light. The compass unscrews and you can screw in a camera and use the pole as a monopod.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

Okay, since this has been resurrected... 

I bought a cyclocross bike because my road bike cannot accept a rack and because I wanted to keep the 25's on the road bike. I ended up with a Fuji Cross. In any event, I haven't switched the tires from cx tires to slicks, but I'll be putting on slicks - probably 30-35s - in the near future. The cx tires have been good for the past month when I was riding training rides and there was a lot of ice but I think that's done with now. My ride to work takes me about an hour and fifteen minutes and my ride home takes me about 55 minutes (the headwind heading west on the W&OD is incredible). Longer that the car ride for sure, but not longer than the car ride + going to the gym. I live very near a bike path (Custis, for you locals) and work about 100 yards off a connecting path (W&OD) and have been stashing my bike in an empty (and probably never-to-be-filled) cubicle in my office along with another bike commuter, so I thankfully don't need to worry about putting it on the train or bus or carrying a lock. 

I have been a bit over-prepared (maybe) and carrying 4 tubes, two sets of tire levers, a pump, c02, cycling multi-tool, and tube patches. 

I did not go to VT, but a much smaller school around an hour north on the interstate. 


At the moment, I am riding in to work 1 day per week (TaylorGTR, I'm riding from North Arlington to Reston Town Center, so not too far off of your ride) and it isn't too bad. I bring clothes in the day before and it isn't a big deal - I just carry an undershirt, socks, and boxers. Chain guards and fenders are a non-issue because I just wear a full cycling kit and change when I get there. Our dress code is sort of tech business casual - jeans, polos, and no sandals, basically - and suits are never necessary. 

For nasty weather, I have a ratty-but-serviceable old Showers Pass jacket and I recently bought a wind blocker jacket (LL Bean version of the Patagonia Houdini) that stuffs down to the size of a tennis ball. I think they both will be permanently strapped to the top of my trunk rack.


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## scholl43 (Jul 22, 2013)

I'm currently trying to figure out how I"ll swing my bike commute over the next year as I work near Chinatown and then McPherson. I've been a daily bike commuter for 4 years, rain, snow, or sun, but adding a suit and tie into the mix is going to complicate things. I think I'm going to get a gym membership near work, go straight there, shower, then suit up. I'll likely need a locker and access to an iron. I'm hoping to keep a suit coat at work and just roll anything else up in one pannier. I have two Ortliebs that serve me well.

Since I'm not spending $1000+ on Metro fees or tens of thousands on a car, I don't restrain my bike purchases like I might for other things. I focus on reliability and high quality. I'm a big fan of Gatorskins, which are probably around $40/ea. on Amazon. I have some high quality touring tires on my hybrid, but I prefer the Gatorskins and never fear riding over glass (still avoid it when I can).

I'd also recommend getting solid rain gear. Your commute is long enough that being in the rain that long could either be miserable and/or get you sick. For feet, get the Gore City overshoe (or get one that fits cycling shoes if you wear them). I found Pearl Izumi's shoe covers leaked fairly quickly and returned them. While near $100, the Gore overshoes are well worth having dry feet and are still good after a couple of years of use. I think rain pants are less important in terms of brand. I wear some Marmot pants I picked up for $100 at REI.

Lights: Get only USB-rechargeable. Things are moving that way (or have?) generally and if you bike regularly, getting a screwdriver out and recharging batteries (or worse, buying disposables repeatedly) is a pain in the ass. I'm big fan of Nite Rider. That's another $150 for front and back. These lights are _blinding_ at some distances, which is exactly what I want when dealing with distracted drivers.

In terms of your over preparation, I would leave the multi-tool at home. I carry one, but I never need it. People end up borrowing it from me at times, but that's it. Keep 1 tube, 1 set of tire levers (2), and the hand pump, and leave the rest at home and/or work. I still never carry an extra tube, pump, and levers, because I buy nice tires and they basically don't fail me.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Health prevents me from riding anymore, but I used to commute ten miles each way. Highly recommended. I always got some of my best thinking done while on a bicycle, so I was more prepared for work than I would have been otherwise. I was fortunate to have showering facilities at the office and kept my bike next to my desk. I'm a firm believer in road bikes with drop bars when riding on pavement. I usually took my touring bike that had rack and fenders but sometimes opted for my racing bicycle because it was a funner ride. You don't need to over-think things, I think. Tire wise, 20s or 25s worked fine for me--if you're not carrying packs or riding trails, I'm not sure why you'd need anything wider. I had a quick-release light that ran on a couple of AA's and attached to the bars (enough so motorists--I hate riding on bike paths--could see me but not enough to light up the street) and a blinking clip-on tail light that attached to my jersey. Tool-wise, a spare tube and patch kit (two flats on one trip can happen, after all), tire irons, a three-way y-wrench with 8,9 and 10, a small screwdriver and three allen wrenches--it easily fit into either a jersey pocket or in a small bag strapped beneath the saddle.

Clothing wise, I'd recommend a cycling jersey and cycling shorts (you really do need them to be comfortable) and GoreTex rain parka and pants for the rain. There's just no substitute for GoreTex, I think. Make sure the parka has underarm vents. Neoprene overshoes kept my feet toasty in the coldest weather. Generally speaking, I didn't carry enough stuff to merit panniers. Rain gear will easily stuff into a rack top bag.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

Call me a wuss, but this week I'm probably driving all week. I have an efficient car so it isn't a major loss to drive in all this rain. Gore-tex or not, I'd still be soaking wet in conditions like this. Otherwise, I have plenty of cycling-specific rain gear and it isn't a problem. My kit is usually just a wicking t-shirt and cycling bibs as the jerseys are typically uncomfortable for me when fully zipped up and catch my stubble and chest hair when unzipped. 

Scholl: I've been carrying two tubes as, in my experience, flats frequently come in pairs, especially on the W&OD and my multi-tool has integrated tire levers, a couple allen wrenches, and a screwdriver and isn't particularly heavy so no need to leave it at home. I looked at some USB lights but decided that the ones I have which run on AAAs are fine as they have a 100-hour battery life and replacing 4 AAAs every 50-70 cycling days won't come close to the cost of new lights. You should check out some of the panniers that double as garment bags, though. They can easily fit a suit for easy transport. I'm using a trunk bag right now, as I really only need to bring a polo, under britches, and khakis. 

32: I'm riding 32's on my main bike (a cyclocross bike) for comfort and traction on the gravel, mud, and ice. I have a racing bike with 23's, but it is just for the weekend because it won't fit anything but a seatpost rack. The cycling path here is a great and goes basically door-to-door, home to office. Traffic here is likely much worse than in Springfield, so staying off the roads and avoid stop lights, signs, and crazy drivers is a great benefit. Plus, to ride on the road, it would add about 6mi and a ton of time due to stopping and traffic.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Tilton said:


> Call me a wuss, but this week I'm probably driving all week. I have an efficient car so it isn't a major loss to drive in all this rain. Gore-tex or not, I'd still be soaking wet in conditions like this. Otherwise, I have plenty of cycling-specific rain gear and it isn't a problem. My kit is usually just a wicking t-shirt and cycling bibs as the jerseys are typically uncomfortable for me when fully zipped up and catch my stubble and chest hair when unzipped.
> 
> Scholl: I've been carrying two tubes as, in my experience, flats frequently come in pairs, especially on the W&OD and my multi-tool has integrated tire levers, a couple allen wrenches, and a screwdriver and isn't particularly heavy so no need to leave it at home. I looked at some USB lights but decided that the ones I have which run on AAAs are fine as they have a 100-hour battery life and replacing 4 AAAs every 50-70 cycling days won't come close to the cost of new lights. You should check out some of the panniers that double as garment bags, though. They can easily fit a suit for easy transport. I'm using a trunk bag right now, as I really only need to bring a polo, under britches, and khakis.
> 
> 32: I'm riding 32's on my main bike (a cyclocross bike) for comfort and traction on the gravel, mud, and ice. I have a racing bike with 23's, but it is just for the weekend because it won't fit anything but a seatpost rack. The cycling path here is a great and goes basically door-to-door, home to office. Traffic here is likely much worse than in Springfield, so staying off the roads and avoid stop lights, signs, and crazy drivers is a great benefit. Plus, to ride on the road, it would add about 6mi and a ton of time due to stopping and traffic.


OK, I'll call you a wuss. Riding in rain builds character, plus it's not like you're doing it all day long. :devil: Never rode in Springfield--I was retired from cycling by the time I moved to the Midwest. I didn't like bicycle paths because they, usually, never really went anywhere other than through the countryside, which may not be the case where you live. Roads and streets always go places. Bicycle paths also tend to be filled with unpredictable cyclists who aren't paying attention, which is a hazard unto itself. I never considered riding in traffic to be dangerous. Just pay attention, ride defensively and everything will be fine. On the other hand, a close friend was hit by a car while riding his bicycle a few days ago. It was a hit-and-run--someone blew a red light and clipped his front wheel while he was crossing a street. He flipped over and landed on his back, still strapped to the pedals. No real damage, save for the front wheel. It was the sixth time he's been hit by a car during 40 or so years of serious riding. I suppose you get used to it. I've been hit three times, with it being my fault once for riding on the left side of the road against traffic.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

I don't mind getting dumped on in the middle of a ride or heading out in an afternoon shower, but it is hard to get on the bike when it is 45 with torrential rain early in the morning. 

I know the sort of paths you're talking about and never really ride on them. Thankfully, our bike paths go places and intentionally exist as major transportation arteries so cyclists can commute without having to deal with the already-aggressive DC drivers, who only get more aggravated when a cyclist holds up their morning commute by 14 seconds. I've known several folks who have had cars try to push them off the road during rush hour. No thanks. Also nice is that on this particular path, only maybe a mile or two is populated by morons. Outside of a few half mile stretches near metro stops and schools, the only people I see are pretty serious commuters and the occasional retiree out for a walk.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Tilton said:


> I don't mind getting dumped on in the middle of a ride or heading out in an afternoon shower, but it is hard to get on the bike when it is 45 with torrential rain early in the morning.
> 
> I know the sort of paths you're talking about and never really ride on them. Thankfully, our bike paths go places and intentionally exist as major transportation arteries so cyclists can commute without having to deal with the already-aggressive DC drivers, who only get more aggravated when a cyclist holds up their morning commute by 14 seconds. I've known several folks who have had cars try to push them off the road during rush hour. No thanks. Also nice is that on this particular path, only maybe a mile or two is populated by morons. Outside of a few half mile stretches near metro stops and schools, the only people I see are pretty serious commuters and the occasional retiree out for a walk.


Wuss.

The silliest example of a bicycle path I've ever seen is one here in Illinois. On one end, the path adjoins an existing sidewalk, with the result being a strip of concrete at least as wide as a full-fledged traffic lane, and not in a well-traveled area. No one quite knew what the strip of concrete was for until the city explained it--bicycle paths have to be a certain width, the city argued, and the pedestrian walkway doesn't count. After a few blocks, the sidewalk ends and it's just the path, which continues for less than two miles before meandering away from the road and dead-ending in the middle of a wooded area that isn't close to anything. It is truly a path to nowhere. And that's not all. After construction began, the city realized that it hadn't taken utility poles into account. No problem, they simply poured concrete around the poles, which now sit smack dab in the center of the bike path. Total cost: $580,000. It's an object lesson in how government all-too-often works. The bureaucrats who secured the federal funding for the bicycle path didn't care at all whether it ever would be used (and it is never used), their only concern was getting a federal grant and giving jobs to concrete finishers.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

Charlottesville, VA has a pretty lame bike path. It is about 2.5mi long and starts and ends in parking lots in the middle of nowhere. I guess it would be nice if you lived nearby and could go jog laps on it, but otherwise it is totally useless. I'm sure it cost at least $2mil.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Always, always, always better, I think, to design and build streets that can be used by both bicycles and cars. A standalone bicycle path isn't going to get much love after it's built, at least, that's the case in places where I've lived. Federal money pays for a lot of bicycle paths, but the feds won't help with maintenance, and so I suspect they can fall into disrepair and stay that way for a long time.


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## Langham (Nov 7, 2012)

32rollandrock said:


> Always, always, always better, I think, to design and build streets that can be used by both bicycles and cars. A standalone bicycle path isn't going to get much love after it's built, at least, that's the case in places where I've lived. Federal money pays for a lot of bicycle paths, but the feds won't help with maintenance, and so I suspect they can fall into disrepair and stay that way for a long time.


That all depends on how well vehicle drivers treat cyclists. The roads in most English towns and cities are highly dangerous for cyclists and best avoided if there is an alternative route for cyclists only. In London, cyclists are regularly found squashed on the blind side of buses and lorries.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

Agreed.

Here in DC, especially in the city, you are far safer riding in traffic than you are in the bike lanes. And our drivers are particularly unfriendly to cyclists, so you know the bike lanes are a bad spot to be.

In the case of the trail I ride (W&OD from Arlington to Reston), it was part of the Rails to Trails initiative where the turned defunct railroad beds into cycling paths. The trail is used heavily by commuters and widening the roads would be impossible and shrinking car lanes would just further congest what is already the most congested city in America.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

^^

I've never ridden in DC, but I agree that traffic lanes are better than bike lanes in many instances. But it's nice to have a bike lane available in case you have to bail out.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

Reminds me of this:


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## justonemore (Jul 2, 2009)

Tilton said:


> Reminds me of this:


Sweet video but it must have taken quite a bit of nerve to run into all those objects especially the cop car (which was probably a felony by current American standards),


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

In some places, he'd get a ticket for riding without a helmet. Also, until recently in Illinois, he could have been charged with a felony for making a video of the cop. People here have actually gone to jail for videotaping or audio recording police officers without their permission, and we're not talking surreptitious recording--making an audio or visual recording of an officer writing a ticket, just as this guy did, was against the law unless the cop said it was OK. Thankfully, the courts have tossed out the law.

It's a great video. I'm amazed by how he was able to crash into so many things without, apparently, so much as a skinned knee. That takes talent. He should be a stunt man.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

32rollandrock said:


> In some places, he'd get a ticket for riding without a helmet. Also, until recently in Illinois, he could have been charged with a felony for making a video of the cop. People here have actually gone to jail for videotaping or audio recording police officers without their permission, and we're not talking surreptitious recording--making an audio or visual recording of an officer writing a ticket, just as this guy did, was against the law unless the cop said it was OK. Thankfully, the courts have tossed out the law.
> 
> It's a great video. I'm amazed by how he was able to crash into so many things without, apparently, so much as a skinned knee. That takes talent. He should be a stunt man.


Amazing. And I'd bet that Illinois wouldn't give you a leg to stand on for suing someone for videotaping you walking down a public sidewalk.


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## Tilton (Nov 27, 2011)

justonemore said:


> Sweet video but it must have taken quite a bit of nerve to run into all those objects especially the cop car (which was probably a felony by current American standards),


I think I would have winced quite a bit before running into some of those things, haha.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

Tilton said:


> Amazing. And I'd bet that Illinois wouldn't give you a leg to stand on for suing someone for videotaping you walking down a public sidewalk.


You can't stop anyone from videotaping anything in a public place, which is why the law that was thrown out was so bizarre. It applied only to the taping of government employees, although it was written for cops. The upshot was, the cops could, quite legally, videotape you performing field sobriety tests alongside a road, but if a passenger in the car you were driving pulled out a camera and videotaped the cops videotaping you, the passenger could be hauled to jail. Illinois has a lot of other weird laws--only state where police can, and do, confiscate your driver's license on the spot for minor traffic offenses such as speeding or not signaling a turn--but there's not enough time.


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