Commuting to work by bike

Look, I’ve been commuting by bike to work every single day for about ten years now. One way is roughly 8.1 miles. Honestly, sweating isn't even an issue for me since I barely sweat at all. Besides, sweat itself doesn't actually smell—it's just the bacteria and fungi growing in it. A quick rinse and a wipe when I get to the office and boom, I'm good to go... I carry a bike bag that holds a ton of stuff, and I always wear a cycling jersey, a light jacket, or something similar on top—they've got pockets, so it works. Plus, I'm big on cargo pants; in the winter, I usually rock some tactical gear, and when it gets warm, I switch to something shorter... It's a lifesaver that I have a locker at work where I keep a full change of clothes, down to the socks and underwear :-)... I tried wearing a backpack for a bit, but it's honestly such a pain, especially when the sun starts beating down on you..

I work at a shipyard, so honestly, the smell after a bike ride is just one more layer of defense for me...

quietskipper17 said:so how much does the box cost? 😁

Kate Ross2 said:I'm interested too.

I actually saw that "box" mentioned in the latest issue of Biker... they say he keeps them at http://www.tct-author.com (even though it's not on the site) and the price is $71 👍

John Palmer4 said:apparently they have one right here too:
http://www.keindl-sport.com/detalji.php?id=2328

I actually own one just like it, though mine has different labeling on it. Honestly, I’d recommend it to anyone; it feels incredibly solid and the size is just right for what I need.

If you're looking to haul gear on a Biker without using a basket (since they don't fit my specific ride), check this out:

http://www.ortlieb.co.uk/product_inf...-city-pair2009

Honestly, this bag is built so tough it’ll probably outlive me.

This is such a fascinating topic; I’ve gone through all the posts and picked up some really solid advice.
I actually just started commuting by Biker this spring, ever since I moved. My ride to work involves a bit of a 1.9 miles downhill stretch 😉 so, in those 10 minutes, I don't even break a sweat properly. I have to change at the office (that's where I keep my work clothes), use some wet wipes, and throw on some deodorant. Since I deal with clients every single day, I need to look sharp and smell great, right? :-)
I just tuck my Biker into a small storage room near the restroom.

For the first year, I actually walked to work because I was honestly intimidated by those steep hills on the way back. But after spending a whole year building up my stamina through walking, hitting the pool, hiking, and stuff like that, I finally worked up the nerve to hop on a Biker, and wouldn't you know it? That hill doesn't feel nearly as daunting anymore 🙂 (for my friends from Cleveland, let's just say it's like going from the Pyramid to Mr. Vežica 😁 ). It takes me about 20 minutes to get home.
Sure, by the time I get home, I'm soaked through with sweat, but I really don't mind.

I carry everything in a little cycling backpack with a ventilated back system and all that. Honestly, though, I’d probably be drenched even without the pack—that's just how my metabolism works 🙂

All in all, it's been a pretty eye-opening experience 👍

Kenneth Grant8 said:This is a fascinating topic. Read through everything here; found some solid advice.
Started commuting by bike this spring after moving. The ride to work is mostly 1.9 miles downhill 😉. Ten minutes isn't enough time to actually break a sweat. Change at the office—keep my work clothes there—wet wipes, deodorant. I deal with clients daily. Need to look sharp and smell decent. :-)
Store the bike in a small utility room near the restroom.

Walked to work for a year. Avoided those steep hills on the way back. Spent that year building stamina—walking, swimming, hiking. Finally got on the bike. Turns out, the incline doesn't feel so daunting anymore 🙂 (for those in Cleveland, think: from the Pyramid to Mr. Vežica 😁). Twenty minutes and I'm home.
Sure, I arrive soaked. Doesn't matter.

Use a small cycling backpack with ventilation. My metabolism is high regardless. 🙂

An enlightening experience, all things considered. 👍

Nice work.👍
Trying to convince my friends to ditch the cars for bikes. One called me yesterday saying he finally tried it and loved it.🙂

Decided to bike to work today, 4.4 miles, taking the route past Remetinec-Strojarska. Honestly, I feel way more dialed in once I get to my desk. Usually, I show up feeling like a total zombie. Before this, I couldn't even function without two cups of coffee just to wake up. Now? I can skip the caffeine entirely and feel totally fine. And don't even get me started on the ride home. No bumper-to-bumper traffic, no suffocating heat, and none of that typical stress you deal with living in a place like Cleveland 🙂

It honestly feels to me like we're going to see a real surge in people biking to work—mostly because gas prices just keep climbing higher and higher every single day, don't they?

Jerry Howard said:It looks like more people will start biking to work since gas prices are skyrocketing.

Sure. One day my tank is at Typhoon 10:30 liters... if I had to rely on the car constantly, I’d sell it just to stop the bleeding. I balance it—roughly 75% bike and 25% car. It works.

I get the feeling there are more commuters biking to work or campus in the city this year. What's your take?

So, I’m probably going to start biking to work this coming Monday, mostly because I’m switching up my office location tomorrow and I really need to scout out where I can actually leave my bike without any issues.
The commute goes from Gajnica over to Ban Jelačić Square.
Does anyone know how long that route usually takes? And I guess, if I had to choose, would it be better to stick to the Ilica tram line or just take the Đura Deželić Approach?

Also, I’ve been biking to work for about two weeks now... It's roughly 3.1 miles one way, so I'm clocking about 10 miles a day, which is nothing to sneeze at. It takes me maybe 15 minutes to get there if I'm just cruising along, which actually keeps me right on par with my old commute in the car—sometimes I even beat the traffic. And like someone else mentioned earlier, the ride home is such a breeze now; no more getting worked up, sitting in endless gridlock, or basically slow-cooking inside my little tin can.

Karen Johnson39 said:So, I'm actually planning to start biking to work, probably this Monday. I'm switching office locations tomorrow, so I want to scout out where to park my bike first.
The route from the suburbs over to downtown.
How long would that take me? And should I stick to the Ilica tram line or take the Đura Deželić Approach?

About half an hour at a steady pace...
Your best bet is taking Bolin/Ilica up to the turnaround, right by Bill, then cutting left onto Filipovićev, straight through the square onto Deželić, passing the law school near Masaryk and Tesla's... honestly, it's probably the least painful way to deal with traffic. I wouldn't touch the Ilica tram line during rush hour if I were you. 😉

Thanks, I was kind of thinking the same thing myself.
Now my only real headache is figuring out where to tie him up—unless my office has some sort of empty corner where he won't be bothering anyone.
Does anyone have any suggestions? My workplace is right on Times Square.

Karen Johnson39 said:So, I'm planning to start biking to work, probably starting Monday. I’m switching office locations tomorrow, so I need to figure out where to park my bike first.
The route from Gajnica to Ban Jelačić Square.
How long would that take me? And is it better to stick to the Ilica tram line or take the Đura Deželić Approach?

Figure it out yourself on
http://ridewithgps.com/

Karen Johnson39 said:thanks, that's pretty much what I thought.
now my only problem is finding a spot to tie him up, assuming the office doesn't have some corner out of sight.
any suggestions? my office is right on the Square.

Hey neighbor, I'm over in New Ves.

From what I can see, there's a spot "against the wall" down by the Rubelj scaffolding where everyone racks their bikes. Over in Harmica, it would be decent since there's cover, but there's nothing. There are spots in the courtyards... but it would be easiest if you could use a railing at the office entrance or just inside the building itself. Of course, I'd recommend an U-lock.

Kenneth Grant8 said:I spent an entire year walking to work because I was terrified of those steep hills on the way back. After twelve months of grinding through cardio, hitting the pool, and hiking, I finally worked up the nerve to get on a bike. And honestly? It’s a miracle. That hill doesn't feel nearly as daunting anymore 🙂 (for my friends in Cleveland, let's just say it's like riding from the Pyramids up to Mr. Vežica 😁). Now, I'm home in 20 minutes.
Sure, I show up at my front door soaked to the bone from sweat, but I don't really care.

I had the exact same experience. Living on a hill is brutal; there were times I actually had to get off my bike and walk the last stretch of the climb. But today, I cleared the steepest part in one go without even breaking a sweat. Once you build that baseline fitness, it sticks. 👍
I even managed to make it up to the ridge recently. I was moving at a respectable senior citizen pace of about 5.3 miles/h uphill, but for my first time, I'm pretty thrilled with the result. 🙂

Quick question for all my fellow daily commuters who ride bikes to work. What’s your move when the rain starts pouring? Do you pack a raincoat, or just leave the bike at home and call it a day? Or do you just embrace the soak and pedal through it?
I’m actually planning on switching to biking for my commute pretty soon, and I can't help but wonder—especially since the weather here seems to flip-flop between sunshine and showers every other day.

Ronald Diaz said:Quick question for the daily commuters who bike to work. What’s the move when it starts pouring? Do you pack a raincoat or just leave the bike in the garage? Do you actually ride through the rain?
I'm thinking about switching to biking for my commute soon, so I'm trying to figure out how to handle this weather—it feels like it's half sunshine, half downpour every single day.

If it's raining before I even head out, I'm staying home. It's honestly not worth being soaked all day, especially since lugging around a whole extra set of clothes is a pain and I don't own one of those heavy-duty ponchos that covers everything. But if it's just that weird, unpredictable weather, I'll throw on a basic raincoat and pedal like I'm in the Tour de France to try and beat the storm. By the time I'm heading home, I don't really care anymore... if I catch a cold, I catch a cold.