Commuting to work by bike

Mark Hill82 said:Honestly, this guide is so muddled I might just write "Don't Panic" right on the front cover.🙂

If you take those subways under Broadway, you’re stuck dealing with stairs, which means hauling your bike up and down like a maniac... personally, I think it's much smoother to stick to Main Avenue. You just loop around the Branimir intersection and then head south on Broadway—stick to the east side, though, because the west side is a total nightmare thanks to the buses that are always packed with people who clearly have zero situational awareness. Once you hit the intersection of the Vukovar-style district and Broadway, you can just cruise down towards the main artery for as long as you need.

It’s not confusing at all; I’ve got the whole thing figured out. 🙂
I'm just a little worried about that specific stretch on the road. You know, is it actually dangerous, and how long does it usually last?

So, are you saying that route is better than taking Main Avenue, then cutting over to Industrial Way, and hitting those Vukovar-style streets? How long did it take you to get out to the Industrial District?
Thanks 👍

Personally, I found my route much more enjoyable than anything near Main Avenue. To start with, commuting from Philadelphia all the way to Main Avenue is an absolute nightmare... cars are parked on the sidewalk everywhere you look, and there's hardly a single driveway left unobstructed... Basically, I was forced to stay in the flow of traffic through constant congestion where drivers were constantly trying to squeeze me out—honestly, I don't think I've ever encountered such insane drivers on any other road in the country.
And Main Avenue just didn't sit right with me either... sure, they have a bike lane, which is a nice touch, but it’s nothing but stoplights every few yards... plus, the riding experience itself isn't particularly pleasant.

The stretch through the Industrial District felt significantly better. You’re driving through the heart of the Residential Suburb—and mind you, don't try walking on the sidewalk there, it's too narrow and every house has a curb cut for their driveway... but generally, the traffic isn't heavy and there aren't any issues. I never once dealt with aggressive drivers there. From the General Electric area over to the Local Center, you can stick to the sidewalk for most of it; you only really have to ride in the street under the tracks, which is maybe 200 or 300 meters total. Then, once you hit the Industrial District and pass the Nike area, you can pretty much ride through the parking lots. Just watch your head on the ramps 🙂 They're actually quite high—I don't think any of them came close to hitting me—but I found myself instinctively ducking at every single one.
After that, everything else has a sidewalk, and the roads themselves are relatively quiet. The only slightly tricky part is when you pass through the Worker's District and head uphill, where you have to ride against traffic for about 100 meters or so. But honestly, that's not a big deal.

The underpasses have stairs, but it's no biggie to carry your bike up a couple of steps... if you're feeling adventurous, you could even slide down the rails 😉

Essentially, you bypass the city, the lights, and the gridlock... while riding through the Residential Suburb, you can actually hear the birds singing in the morning.

It took me about 20 to 30 minutes to get to the Industrial District (I used to work in the building by the local firm, right at the edge of the district). On a good day, it was less than 20, but those were days when we were really flying—back when a few of us would ride to work together and try to race each other. 🙂
That was back during the time I was aggressively saving up cash for a trip to the coast.
But, the downside was arriving at work completely soaked, so we'd grab a coffee to warm up, change clothes, and so on...

I take this route every single day, and if you ask me, the best way to handle it is hitting the Interstate Junction over to Vukovar-style streets. I’m just not a fan of all those pedestrians on Broadway—honestly, I avoid it entirely whenever I can, even if I'm right there. I'd much rather just merge into traffic. Besides, I drive along Vukovar-style daily and it's actually a pretty decent stretch. There’s a bike lane running the whole length and the pavement is mostly fine. From there, you can just hop through The Circle and you're in the Suburban District in about five minutes.

Mark Hill82 said:The only slightly annoying part is once you pass the Workers area and start heading up—there’s this one stretch where you have to walk about 100 meters against traffic. But honestly, it's probably not a big deal.

Hehe, are you talking about that spot near the ExxonMobil?🙂 I pass by there every single day, and man, it's such a pain. The sidewalk leads you right TO that point, and right FROM it, but someone clearly forgot to pour the concrete for those 100 meters in between. You basically have to choose between trekking through the grass—which might end in mud—or just stepping out into the street for thirty seconds to go the wrong way. I usually just take my chances with oncoming traffic since cars are usually slowing down there anyway, pulling onto the Midwestern highway from the gas station.

That whole section near the ExxonMobil station is just... another absolute masterpiece of traffic engineering in this country 🙂

As for everything else... well, to each their own. Personally, I actually prefer the route this time—it lets me bypass all that downtown congestion. Those stoplights are absolutely killing me; it's just constant stop-and-go, start-and-stop... you just set a steady pace (maybe pick it up a notch here or there) and cruise along smoothly.

Kate Roberts10 said:I live in Aurora, work in Washington, D.C., and still bike to the office,

That's impressive—though I have to wonder about your route. I wouldn't dare hit the main roads myself; between the constant honking and the total lack of bike lanes, it’s a nightmare. I’ve always wanted to bike out to Aurora to see my friends, but it just isn't feasible. It's pretty sketchy out there. Mad respect to you, though. 🙂

wearyotter81 said:Where are you guys even keeping your bikes? I’m down to prep everything—wipes, extra shirts, stuff to deal with the sweat—but honestly, I’m terrified of locking my bike outside. People are out here cutting chains like it’s a hobby lately..
It’s not some high-end rig—paid a couple hundred bucks for it—but it looks decent enough that I really don't want to lose it.
I mean, if my friends could have their "Walker" stolen from Walmart for $100 while it was literally tied to a stairwell...

My bike isn't exactly thief bait. Sure, it cost about $500, but it’s covered in these trippy shades of red, blue, and magenta, so it doesn't look particularly "premium" to anyone passing by.
I spend a ton of time riding around town, especially downtown. I’ve locked it everywhere, gotten into arguments with plenty of people (Times Square is my favorite spot to 😁), and there were even times I totally forgot my lock and just left it anywhere. Never happened once, thank God.

On the flip side, a buddy of mine had his bike swiped even though it was properly secured in the entryway of his parents' place right in the middle of the city. When someone actually sets their sights on your stuff, there's nothing you can do to stop them.

quietpilot87 said:My bike isn't exactly a magnet for thieves. Sure, it cost me about $500, but it’s covered in these wild, psychedelic shades of red, blue, and magenta, so I don't think it looks particularly high-end to anyone passing by.
I spend a ton of time riding all over the city, especially downtown. I've locked it up everywhere you can imagine, and honestly, I've gotten into more than one argument over it (Times Square is my favorite spot to park 😁), and there have even been times when I completely forgot my lock and just left it sitting there! But somehow, miraculously, nothing has ever happened.

On the flip side, a buddy of mine had his bike stolen—and it was fully secured—right in the hallway of his parents' place in the middle of the city. When someone actually sets their sights on your ride, there's really nothing you can do to stop them.

Ugh, tell me about it... One day, some jerk stole my seat right in front of a shopping mall. I’d spent maybe half an hour locking everything up, and then I'm standing there staring at the empty space where my seat used to be, thinking... well, by that logic, they might as well have taken the handlebars, the wheels, and the chain too, since everything comes apart so easily! They could just leave the frame behind and call it a day. It was so obvious that some total idiot was just doing his "job." But hey, I'm trying to stay positive... what goes around comes around, right? Besides, I was already planning on upgrading to a more comfortable seat anyway. So, looking on the bright side, I actually came out ahead!
I definitely don't leave it unattended anymore...

@Mark Hill82/">@@Mark Hill82:
Now I see what you mean about riding on the road... I'll try out that new route 😁 as soon as the weather clears up (they said rain was coming this evening, so I didn't bring the bike today). It'll be a nice little change of pace if nothing else 😉
thanks 👍

Those knives are way too too much 🤣
So, what’s your bike actually worth?

quietpilot87 said:That sounds great, though I’m wondering about your route. I wouldn't dare take the main road because the constant honking just stresses me out, plus there isn't a decent bike path, so I've never actually biked to Aurora. I'd love to since my friends live there, but it feels pretty sketchy. Seriously bad. Props to you, though. 🙂

I don't touch the main highway; that's a death wish. From Aurora to San Bernardino, there’s a dedicated path for pedestrians and cyclists. Once I hit San Bernardino, I take this backroad that basically has zero traffic to get to the rail yard. There aren't many cars there either. Then I head out toward the Hudson River by the church, and from there, it’s all bike paths. Simple as that!

wearyotter81, yeah, you're better off just taking that route for a full test drive to see if it actually suits you. Maybe even hit it over a weekend to get a feel for how it looks when things aren't totally slammed...

Kate Roberts10 said:I don't mess around with the main highway—that’s just asking for trouble. There’s a bike and pedestrian path from my suburb over to the suburban area, then I cut into the outskirts using this low-traffic road to get to the rail yard—hardly any cars out there either. From there, I head out through the neighborhood by the local church, and then it’s all bike paths from here on out. Simple as that.

Thanks for the tip 👍 I'll check out that route 🙂

quietpilot87 said:Honestly, all this talk about those little gadgets feels a bit toopreci🤣ous
for my taste. Anyway, what’s your bike actually worth?

About fifteen hundred bucks

quietpilot87 said:Thanks for the tip, 👍 I'll definitely check out that route 🙂

It’s about a 25-30 minute drive from Greenville to Douglas if you're cruising, and even faster if you actually step on it. Good luck.🙂

quietpilot87 said:That whole thing about seats is just way too risky 🤣
So, what's your bike actually worth?

My cousin had a seat swiped exactly like that—left his bike outside a 7-Eleven for maybe fifteen minutes, and boom, the seat was gone. Now he takes it off every single time, and honestly, I’ve started doing the same with mine. If it can be detached from the bike, take it with you. Based on everything my friends have told me, if you leave it on, there's a 90% chance it'll vanish. It's sad, but it's the reality we're dealing with. Instead of actually living in a bike-friendly society where cities provide secure parking and support green transit, it feels like we're being "punished" just for choosing to ride.

Honestly, the absolute worst part is the total lack of bike racks 🙄 I’ve already made peace with the fact that there aren't enough lanes—it sucks, but it's the reality 😁
It's just a massive pain in the ass. You end up forced to lock your bike to some random gutter or a street sign, and then you get that first judgmental look from some passerby, and the whole thing just turns into a fight 😁
And you just feel like a complete moron, standing there wondering if someone's actually gonna start barking at you..

I commute to work by bike on a regular basis.
It’s about a 20-minute ride each way, and I even have to navigate along the highway.
I ride through the winter too, just wearing warmer layers—a good hat and some gloves. I also wrap a long coat around my waist to keep my core warm and block out the wind.

Hey
, I own a yellow raincoat and matching pants to stay dry when it pours,
but I was wondering: are there actually any waterproof shoe covers out there to protect your feet from the rain?

quietpilot87 said:That whole thing with the seats feels a bit toorisky for me🤣
How much is your bike worth anyway?

That’s actually why, when I was biking down to the coast, I ended up ditching the quick-release mechanism on my seat post and just swapped it out for a standard bolt. I couldn't mess with the quick-releases on the wheels itself because of the luggage racks, 🙂

quietpilot87 said:Thanks for the tip 👍 I'll definitely check out that route🙂

It isn't hard to find, though you might wander around a little the first time you try it, but you'll figure it out eventually. The easiest way is to head south on Broadway (which basically flows right into the Golden Gate Bridge area), pass by the freight yard, and then take a left behind it; if you cross over the overpass, you'll land right in San Jose. When you're heading back later, you can cut through Brooklyn—that's probably the best bet if you want to avoid getting lost on your first run.

You can see everything right here:

http://82.193.221.213/GElin/GelinShowRoom.html

Just head a tiny bit north from where you start; if you look northeast above the beltway, you'll spot the freight yard...

I was just casually scrolling through the forum when I stumbled upon this thread...
Honestly, my bike has been my best friend for about twenty years now—I try to get out on it as much as
humanly possible.
For seven years, I used to commute from Manhattan to the Industrial District, but lately, I’ve been taking the route from Queens to the Industrial District instead.
I think someone mentioned using the route through the Bronx every once in a while, though when the weather gets messy, it's easier to just head straight down the Midwest highway. Since I usually ride during peak hours, the traffic is pretty heavy, so nobody is really flying down the road anyway.
Depending on the weather, I always dress in layers—I make sure to have a windbreaker that actually breathes. I also always wear a base layer that does a great job wicking away sweat, and once I get to work, I always make sure to change and do a quick "improvised wash" (you know, face, underarms, that sort of thing).
When I need to head into the city and the weather is decent, I just toss the bike on the car rack, find a free parking spot somewhere, and then it's all about the pedal power.😁