I did, then I went back to CTA. Chicago is not a bike friendly city. If you're not dealing with drivers, you're dodging pedestrians and swerving around potholes that look more like bmx ramps than road bumps.
Anybody else commute to work via pedal bike.
- Thread starter jmann8686
- Start date
I did this, and my route doesn't seem very safe. I may drive it one day to see how it really is.
I did that too ... obviously not on the bike path, but I drove along side it as best I could to get an idea of the neighborhoods I was riding through.
Hope you can get a handle on a good, safe route. Commuting is awesome.
I may have the shortest commute here at 0.75 mi, and occasionally drive or will take detour ride of 6-12 mi to remind me what I'm missing.
Me too, but I'd have to leave home at 2:00 a.m. to make it to work on time. I've done it in the past, when I had a shorter commute, though.
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- #26
Wow. That is a short commute.
I used to commute every day via bike. Now its a bit too far, which is 30 miles each way. I know people who do that sort of distant but my legs wont carry me as well as do a full days work which is on my feet.
Previously I rode 15 miles each way which is the limit for me for being enough to keep fit and too much before work. I really miss commuting on my bike as its a really good way to wind down after a stressful day.
The last bike that I commuted on for a couple of years was a hand built Dolan track frame, not hand built for me, i got it second or maybe third hand. It was super stiff aluminium frame which made it interesting on pot holed country lanes. I rode fixed just to make the travel a bit more exciting. I did have a couple of sketchy moments, one springs to mind when I was trying to squeeze between a bus as it was turning right and my crank hit the curb throwing my back end into the air and sideways. Luckily I kept hold of it.
I still ride on my days off but no commuting.
I loved this bike but sold it to raise funds to take me mrs to Paris to propose, which is the only good reason to sell a bike ha.
I have 10k ride each way, finishing on a nice uphill after crossing ANZAC Bridge. My 29er makes me visible to traffic, but I'm thinking about changing to a road bike for the sake of efficiency.
Cool to see others chiming in!
Had a wonderful commute this morning ... 69 degrees, a little humid and very little breeze ... but it beats the heck out of having to bundle up to ride!
Had a wonderful commute this morning ... 69 degrees, a little humid and very little breeze ... but it beats the heck out of having to bundle up to ride!
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- #30
That there is a sweet looking bike. I understand the feeling of letting go of a bike for the Mrs. I sold my first road bike to pay for some of the wedding. It was a good reason to sell the bike but I missed riding after about 2 years or so and had to get back to it.
Always wanted to ride a 29er. whats your average speed riding that on a commute
Starting to commute by bike again tomorrow. Scouted the route this weekend for time. Been living here a month and only 5 miles from work. So only a 20 minute ride in. Why bother driving?
Last place we lived the commute was 13 miles each way so it was a bit farther, and in the pacnorwest so I had about 1400 feet of climbing each day.
My route now is flat here in SC!
I am looking forward to getting back in the saddle
Last place we lived the commute was 13 miles each way so it was a bit farther, and in the pacnorwest so I had about 1400 feet of climbing each day.
My route now is flat here in SC!
I am looking forward to getting back in the saddle
I commute 1 mile each way most every day I can. Actually I drive so little I have only put 579 miles on my Tahoe since the first of the year! I ride any and all my bikes, Orbea mitis carbon with full Campy 10sp gruppo, '86 Miyata pasta with Sugino 75 njs and nitto njs parts, my SS/MTB is in current rotation now. Sometimes a buddy and I swap bikes for a while too. When I'm not walking, I'm riding. I carry a custom TimBuk2 bag as well.
Here's the SS/MTB, just because I have the pic handy...
-Xander
Here's the SS/MTB, just because I have the pic handy...
-Xander
I REALLY should considering I live 1.7 miles away from work. But there's just something unapealing about showing up to work drenched in sweat when it's 100 degrees and the path is up and down some major hills.
Here's a pic of my Miyata Pista I also commute on...
-X
-X
I have a few times. It is about at 12 km ride with some fairly large hills, but nothing undoable. My problem is much like Toothpick's though. My work place doesn't really have adequate showering facilities and I'd rather not be sitting in my own stink all day.
Plus it is hard to fit 2 kids on the back so I can drop them to day care
Plus it is hard to fit 2 kids on the back so I can drop them to day care
It might be worth saving for fair weather and going easy. Since it's only 1.7 miles there's probably no need to make good time.
re: drenched in sweat, etc ... that'd be my biggest apprehension as well ... but luckily there's a gym downstairs. It's $30 a month, but int he fair weather months the amount I save on gas easily pays for my membership and then some. I'm a divorced dad to three kids, so I drive a minivan = huge gas tank. Costs me almost $80 to fill it. Generally when I drive daily I'm filling up twice in a two-week period, sometimes more. But when I'm bike commuting regularly, three to four days at least, I'm filling up once in that two-week period.
that said, baby wipes, sink shampoos/showers, etc can help in a pinch. And yeah, at 1.7 miles you could leave a little early, take a leisurely ride to work and be able to sit in the air conditioning somewhere (coffee shop? restaurant?) and cool off before changing clothes for work.
that said, baby wipes, sink shampoos/showers, etc can help in a pinch. And yeah, at 1.7 miles you could leave a little early, take a leisurely ride to work and be able to sit in the air conditioning somewhere (coffee shop? restaurant?) and cool off before changing clothes for work.
Have a 50cc scooter. Easier and Safer.
Safer??
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- #40
Here's a pic of my Miyata Pista I also commute on...
-X
That is a sweet set up there. I bet that is a blast to ride.
Not so sure about safer.
