Commuting to work by bike

Kate Roberts10 said:If it's raining before I head into work, I just don't go. It's really not worth being soaked all day, especially since it's such a pain to lug around a whole extra change of clothes and I don't own one of those full-length raincoats. But if the weather is just kind of unpredictable, I'll grab my light raincoat and drive like a maniac to try and beat the storm. By the time I'm heading home, I don't really care anymore—even if I end up catching a cold...

+1

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 this crossed my mind since the weather here is basically a coin toss—one minute it's sunny, the next it's a downpour.

I always keep a raincoat in my pannier. If it's actually raining out, I just drive.

Some local caught me off guard yesterday. I was just standing in the entryway, waiting out a downpour for maybe five or seven minutes. Once it let up—well, it didn't really stop, just slowed down enough to move—I headed out. I usually wear a baseball cap to keep the rain from hitting my eyes, and I can't stand those cheap raincoats; they rustle too much and make you sweat like crazy...

Ronald Diaz said:Quick question for all you daily commuters out there who ride bikes to work. What's your move when it starts pouring? Do you break out the raincoat or just leave the bike at home? Are you one of those people who actually pedals through the rain?
I'm thinking about making the switch to biking to my job pretty soon, so I was wondering—especially since the weather here seems to change every five minutes between sunny spells and sudden showers.

Honestly, if I see rain in the forecast, I just hop on the bus or the subway.
Otherwise, I’ll head out on foot, and if things get wet, I’ll just pop open an umbrella.😁
For those annoying little drizzle days, I always keep a poncho tucked away in my backpack,
but most of the time, I'd rather just pull over somewhere and wait for the downpour to pass. I really don't feel like battling traffic in the rain, mostly because drivers in Cleveland tend to lose their minds whenever the roads get slick.🤣

I finally pulled the trigger yesterday and picked up that Topeak trunk from Ales, and honestly, it’s exactly what I was looking for. Now I can strap my bag and my jacket right on the back—it's incredibly stable—which means I can finally say goodbye to arriving at work drenched in sweat. Once I manage to dodge those cheap, rattling bike racks on the subway, life is going to be 😉

For those of you who actually have to look "professional" for a living, here is the perfect fix:

http://www.topeak.com/products/Bags/MTXOfficeBag

The way it mounts to the Topeak trunk is rock solid. It fits a 17.5" laptop easily, and based on the reviews I've been digging through online, you can cram quite a bit more in there alongside the computer—think notebooks, extra shirts, deodorant, stuff like that. It looks pretty sophisticated in my opinion. You can order it through Ales without any hassle, though the only real downside is that it’s sitting around $100 as far as I could tell.

Sean Myers31 said:I feel like there are way more people biking to work or college in New York City this year, what do you guys think?

It’s definitely increasing. I remember about 15 years ago, if you saw someone out on a bike in the middle of winter, you’d give them a huge nod of respect because you knew you weren't the only idiot out there chasing that idea; nowadays, it's just standard.

But then again, there are more cars on the road too, so I honestly don't know if the world is actually getting any better. 😁

Anyone actually know how these US measurements work:

Size M
Inseam: 20
Rise: 10
Waist: 30 - 32

For example, size L would be:
Inseam: 20.5
Rise: 10
Waist: 33 - 35

wearyotter36 said:Does anyone actually know what these American measurements are?

Kilonjutni.

If we're talking about those short straps, they might be in inches. I guess an inch is roughly 2.54 cm, if I remember right.

granitemaker16 said:Kilonjutni.

If we're talking about those short straps, they might be inches—assuming the standard inch is exactly 2.54 cm.

Look, I know it sounds ridiculous—I was actually trying to do the math in inches myself—but even the XXL doesn't make sense since all their sizing looks basically identical.
It’s hard to believe nobody realizes 🤷 or worse—that their entire size chart is a total mess.😕👎

// So, I’ve been scrolling through all the threads here, and honestly, I’m a little surprised that I seem to be the only one who stumbled upon the perfect way to commute without showing up to work looking like I just finished a marathon. I have an 2.5 miles commute one way, and since I work at a service desk, the dress code requires a button-down and a tie every single day—which means arriving drenched in sweat is absolutely out of the question. Back when I was riding a standard bicycle, I was constantly sweating through my clothes, which just wasn't working for me. Then, I decided to give an Elektro-bicikl a shot, and let me tell you, my entire cycling life has been completely transformed. Whenever I feel like I’m starting to overheat, or if I hit a brutal headwind that starts messing with my rhythm, I simply twist the throttle, crank up the power, and cruise along at 16 miles/h, and that’s the end of it. An Elektro-bicikl is quite literally my silver bullet, and I couldn't be happier with the decision. It costs me about 62 miles in electricity, and I only need to plug it in once a week; it charges just like a smartphone, making it nothing short of a dream.

Bravo, I’m all for this idea 👍
I mean, if anyone actually needs a "sweat-free" bike, there are plenty of people like 😁
willing to jump on.
You probably should’ve mentioned which specific model you’re talking about—and maybe how long it takes to ride—since I'm sure there are people interested.

// So, here’s the deal: I picked this one up at a local shop in Columbus. If you’re paying cash, it’ll run you $1000, but if you opt for financing, it’s $1100. For instance, if you spread the cost over a 36-month plan, you're looking at just $31 a month. It’s a 26" model with a PriMax ala Rama frame. If you want to geek out on the specifics, check out this catalog: ""—just scroll all the way to the very end, and you'll find this single Elektro-bicikl listed there. I should emphasize that the build quality is top-tier; you simply can't compare it to those cheap "off-brand" imports that look ridiculous, ride like junk, and somehow manage to cost even more than this. This bike is assembled right here in the States, specifically in Indianapolis, and I’ve been riding mine for two years now with absolutely zero complaints. Honestly, I couldn't be happier. They’ve got all the parts covered, and if anyone needs spare batteries, they're easy to get. I feel like I've seen at least a dozen other people riding this exact same Elektro-bicikl around Columbus lately, which I think speaks volumes about how good it actually is.

Talk about some blatant self-promotion ☕

Dennis Lewis50 said:Talk about self-promotion. ☕

ruggedpuma9👍
There you go, a solution for anyone who actually needs one. 👍

Rush, don't be jealous; if you've got something too, just put it out there. 😬

Honestly, the ads aren't what bugs me. It’s more the total lack of tech literacy from whoever is running this company's online promos—they can't even figure out how to set up a basic backlink correctly...
but maybe that's just me.😁

Look, it doesn't really matter if you're on an e-bike, a scooter, a motorcycle, or even driving a car—you aren't breaking a sweat either way. The whole point of this thread is "commuting by bike" while managing the sweat factor. Whether you want to arrive bone-dry, slightly damp, or you're currently soaked through and looking for ways to deal with it, prevent it, or just neutralize the smell... (sorry, I'm starting to ramble here :-D)

// Look, I have absolutely zero connection to that company out of Indianapolis. I simply bought one of their Elektro-bicikl models, which, if we’re being honest, is basically just a standard bicycle that happens to have a tiny battery and a modest 180W electric motor attached—and honestly, that was all I needed to solve my commuting issues, so I couldn't be happier with it. As far as I'm concerned, if you want one, just type "Elektro-bicikl" into a search engine; there are plenty of retailers all over the US, so just pick whichever one fits your needs or budget—it makes no difference to me. The only reason I’m sitting here writing this whole manifesto about my ride is because wearyotter36 asked me a few posts back to share my experience, thinking some of you might find it useful. That's really it. It's not my fault that I actually had such a great experience with my Elektro-bicikl, is it?

ruggedpuma9, feel free to share your experiences. This forum is open to everyone. That said, most cyclists (myself included) will flatly reject the idea of riding an e-bike... 🙂. If I don't want to struggle on climbs or break a sweat—if I want my commute to be effortless—I’ll just grab a motorcycle, a scooter, or whatever those motorized things are called... 😁. A bike is a bike; it implies turning the pedals however you see fit... 🙂. That’s where the essence and the true charm lie. Just my opinion.

swiftgull12, I suspect you might be slightly out of the loop when it comes to the nuances of e-bikes versus scooters. See, an e-bike can essentially function just like a scooter—you don't actually have to pedal if you don't want to; you just twist the throttle and go. The real distinction lies in the velocity: with a bike, you’re topping out at about 16 miles/h, whereas a scooter will get you up to 31 miles/h. That said, in my book, an e-bike holds a massive amount of advantages over a scooter, and I'll give you a few reasons why. When I'm on my bike, I don't need to worry about helmets, seatbelts, or any of those other headaches; there's no registration, no insurance premiums, and certainly no gas money draining my wallet. Plus, you can zip along bike paths and pedestrian trails, which means you can bypass all those tedious red lights and traffic jams. But here is the absolute best part about an e-bike: if you decide you just want to rely on your own muscle—addressing your point that "a bike is a bike and requires pedaling"—all you have to do is turn the power off. Then, it’s just a standard, old-school bicycle. It’s effectively a 2-in-1 machine. Honestly, if you have the chance to borrow one from a friend and test it out for a couple of days, I highly recommend it; I think you'd be pleasantly surprised. I was using mine to get to work today, and on the ride home, the weather turned cloudy and a nasty wind kicked up. Instead of struggling, I simply engaged the electric motor, and within five minutes, I was back home—dry, unfatigued by the wind, and not breaking a sweat.

It’s definitely not true that you're stuck at 25 mph... you can absolutely push it faster than that if you really want to 🙂

Anyway, I’ve posted about my bike on a few different forums before, including right here in this thread
And look, I get it—I’m not exactly a hardcore cyclist or anything, but it’s hard to argue when ninety percent of my gear is basically professional grade
The bike I ended up with was a bit more of an investment than I initially planned, but honestly, looking back, I think I got a pretty stellar deal

I picked up most of my parts from Artemis... they don't take credit cards, just straight cash, but I've been seeing more and more people riding around town with their custom setups 🙂