2.6 mile ride took me 19 minutes. Yesterday because of traffic it took me 30 in my car.
I was so angry from the traffic last night and how ridiculous it is, I decided to try and do something about it and ride my bike to work this morning , I felt energised starting work for once and saw a pretty sunrise, oh and it cost me nothing, I can’t believe I didn’t do this sooner. I can even store it inside at work so it’s dry and safe.
Kinda scary as it was dark and cars don’t seem to give much room but I had my rear light, head torch and reflective gloves and will probably get a high vis vest to west over my coat, just need to figure out the helmet situation so I don’t completely screw up my hair…
by jackSB24
36 Comments
Awesome! i like riding to work too, i find that when i dont ride to and from I have this excess energy and idk what to do with myself
Awesome. My bike commute is faster than by car as well. With a car I have to walk 5 minutes from the parking lot to my office. My bike ride is door to door.
Hell yeah! I’ve given up on my hair. It’s so cold here I actually were a helmet cap under my helmet. I just bring a comb and then wet my hair a bit when I arrive.
I was surprised the first time I tried it, likely 1974. Spent the summer with my parents. My dad and I both worked in Georgetown, DC, and were living south along the Potomac. 13 miles one way. He drove, I cycled. We made the same time, about 40 minutes. Imagine it’s about the same now during rush hour!
I take a little longer on that route now, likely because I obey traffic laws rather than being a total hooligan.
Congrats! Keep it up. I saved up 20 minutes on bike than on my car during rush hours. Btw nice bike.
I started biking to work about 6 months ago and it has been great so far. On some days it’s 5-10 minutes slower than driving would have been, on others it’s faster. But unlike sitting in traffic it’s an active experience that gives me a little energy to get my day started.
Awesome. I’m in a similar situation. Two weeks ago I started commuting to work 3 times a week. It’s not faster but only around 3-5 minutes slower. The prep time to leave for work, and the prep time once I get to work …I’m still learning to make my adjustments.
I do like the way it makes me feel, mentally and physically. Probably short lived for me though as it gets sweltering hot here most of the year.
Good looking bike. Very similar to mine and my setup. Even the color is remarkably close.
Good on you. I’d do it if I could get over the sense of vehicular escalation. I barely feel safe in an economy sedan next to the people in lifted trucks and 3 row SUVs, flaunting their disregard for fellow humans with their political bumper stickers and allergy to the turn signal.
Now go to your local government to advocate for safer bicycle infrastructure and you will truly be one of us.
Love it
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Same for me. This is why I keep biking. fastest method of getting to work.
Congratulations. Keep biking, and be careful out there.
That’s what it’s all about. I’m often on my bike and friends in cars. I pretty much always easily beat them to the same destination. Sick bike too! That Surly is beautiful.
Bike commuting is so liberating!
I don’t even cycle anymore but I love that bike colour
I keep a blow dryer, some hair spray and a round brush at work for my hair. Before that, I would just leave them in my panniers and use them as needed.
Yes! Traffic blows, riding is so much better. The best parts are, in no particular order:
1) you never have to check traffic.
2) (as you noticed) you feel energized when you get to work
3) sometimes you even save time, but usually it just means your commute is more predictable
4) you never have to pay for parking
5) you’re getting exercise while getting to work, which you can sorta justify saying your commute time is “zero” (ie you’re doing two things at once)
Bike commuting has been awesome for me. I started this spring and since February or March I’ve driven to my office 5 times, twice in the spring and 3 times last week due to some horrendous rain where all the streets were basically flooded. I still would have ridden in but I also had a hellish week of early/late meetings and kids activities so I just had to drive.
But yea, welcome to the club.
That’s a pretty surly!
I live about 6 miles away from work. It takes me 23 min to bike. If I drove it would take me 30 mins without having to walk to the car and also find parking at work
That’s awesome! I hope you enjoyed the ride. It’s so nice to have the breeze in your face. Great that it was quicker than your car commute, too. Have fun!
The other thing is that the bike times are reliable. The motorway could be 45mins home, could be 90mins. Bike consistent 70mins.
Nice. My work is 10 miles away and, even though it takes me around 45 minutes to bike instead of 15-20 minutes driving, it’s nice to start the day feeling energized and a sense of accomplishment albeit sweaty. I wear my hair up at work.
Before I got the [Giro Escape](https://www.giro.com/p/escape-mips-bike-helmet/100000001800000030.html) helmet with built-in lights, I strapped [Knog Frog Lights](https://us.knog.com/products/frog-bike-light-set) to the vents of my old helmet. I’ve definitely felt safer on my commute since I started riding with helmet lights.
I’ve heard it mentioned recently that it’s not a bad idea to have two lights facing forward; one strobing to grab attention and one on constantly for drivers to gauge your distance from them.
I don’t ride much in the dark but a pair of [reflective ankle straps](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7NGJWT?linkCode=ogi&tag=runnersworld-auto-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C2142.g.40654581%5Bsrc%7Cduckduckgo.com%5Bch%7C%5Blt%7Cpsv_t%5Bpid%7C291f1385-be22-42ba-b59a-b102c5b0f308%5Bofsxid%7Cbutton_poc%5Bofsvid%7Clt_t%5Bofsxid%7Cshow_header_search%5Bofsvid%7Cshow_search%5Bofsxid%7Csubx_vs_jam%5Bofsvid%7Cjam&btn_ref=srctok-e032e0521b7fb06a&th=1) are also good option since your legs will be moving anyway.
Surly!!
Great choice!
Yeah, I worked at a university where my son was a student and commuted via ebike (folding class 1), and we’d regularly ‘race’ the 6 miles home when he’d get out of class when I’d get off work. We did it probably 100 times over 3 years and I never once won. Sometimes he’d beat me by 20 minutes.
For trips less than 10 miles it often is! Congrats!
I’ve been cycling to work for a year and a half now, my life changed since (multiple factors, this is one). I also arrive to work energized, my sleep cycle stabilized, sleep apnea reduced, weight loss, improved mood. The only one suffering is my wallet, I’m about to buy my third bike, I guess I should pay more attention too selling my other ones 😬
Fab you’ll be fitter too, I see so much more nature on my ride to work than I would in a vehicle.
Now do this every day
You rule
I was riding 14 kilometres to work almost twice faster then traffic. And more then twice faster when I ride back to home!!
Just read history of oil companies and haw they destroyed city and community transport (;
W
Next think you know you’ll have velo orange hammered fenders and a front rack
I went from working remote to an office job. One pro is it’s only 1.7 miles each way — so I ride my Trek commuter bike there and it only takes about 10-15mins. Even cooler was they finished a multi million dollar bike lane project which is protected and has lights! It goes almost all the way to the office except for a few blocks. My wife uses my car but is off next week so I’m going to try driving in on Monday and see what the difference is.
You have awesome bike, great choice!!!
I would highly recommend mudguards for your next upgrade!!
Also nice rear/front rack will add so much flexibility to your ride, it is so much nicer to go without backpack!!
Nice preamble!