I did it!!
I made it to work and back without a car. I biked to a shuttle bus stop, put my bike on the rack, and biked the rest of the way to work.
Things that went well:
- I left really early.
- I did a practice run on the bike over the weekend.
- I did the bus part sans bike last week and made friends with the bus driver. (He let me practice using the bike rack.
- There were no catastrophes to speak of.
Things I didn’t expect:
- OMG so sweaty.
It was 60 degrees Fahrenheit and dark and the first leg of my route was less than 2 miles. Still soaked in sweat.
- OMG so heavy.
Probably why so sweaty. Carrying a laptop and change of clothes and stuff to make me less sweaty and food and water is… a lot. And panniers are kind of unwieldy.
- Lights that don’t turn green for bikers?
I was seriously staring right at my office — just one quick street cross away. But the light never turned green because I’m not a car. Not really sure what to do there.
Overall a good experience, though! I posted about it on my personal social media and several people made comments along the lines of “I wish I were brave enough to do that!”
The funny thing is — I thought I was being such a weenie about it. Turns out lots of people are nervous about trying out an alternative commute.
Happy to have started!
by ServiceSuccessful708
3 Comments
Congrats and welcome to the club. It’ll get easier and slightly less sweaty over time. You’ll also get a lot more proficient at handling the panniers.
A proverb for you before you learn the hard way in the cooler months; “Start cold, ride hot.” As you’re pumping on the bike, you’re going to warm up, dress in response to that. Personally, layering up with a sweat wicking layer, with a thin outer layer has been our best outfit standard, rather than going full-tilt Lycra.
Also, don’t fall into a trap of riding to get faster; the longer you stick to bike commuting, you’ll realize the “win” isn’t in getting there faster, but getting there safe, and with energy to spare. Learn your pace, and push lightly, and speed will slowly follow; prioritize the endurance first.
Also: assume EVER vehicle on the road will do everything in their power to kill you; give them all their respective space. Pass behind them, not in front of them, if they block you with their broadside, unless you have “get hit with a right-hook on red” on your bucket list.
Welcome to da club.
As with anything, bike commuting has a learning curb.
You’ll figure out route improvements, pacing ans also develop some muscle tone.
There ‘s tricks to deal with traffic, shortcuts etc.
Also gear matters a lot when your engine is limited to half a horse and the vehicle only weighs 25-30 pounds. It took me a bit to figure out rain gear, for example.
Once again, welcome.