I commute on my bike. Have year round for the past 4 years, not looking forward to not being able to this next year since I'm moving.
With that being said, I ride because I love it. Even in the rain, though there are days when taking 5 extra minutes first thing in the morning to gear up, then another 5 when I get there to gear down... and then gearing up again in wet gear at the end of the day gets old. Sunshine riding is a lot more fun than wet riding, but wet riding is more fun than not riding. If it's not, then there is no need to take your bike. These things are meant to be fun and enjoyable, if it's 20 degrees out and you're 6 layers deep and just trying to keep from falling over, that's not enjoyable.
Ride for you. People will give you crap for that. Just remember it's your joy not theirs. When you're new to riding the thrill of it overwhelms the inconvenience of it in crap weather.
I never ride unless it's a necessity. I leave at 4:00am and I live in the woods. The deer start at my porch and don't stop for the first 16 miles. I've been down twice because of them, one totalled bike and damn near killed me, the other was a nasty one but I made it OK. They lay across the sides of the freeway like litter in the city. I've lost two brothers to deer in the past 5 years and countless crashes in my area. Calif you know, no hunting does because it's Murder! Sumbithces breed like rabbits and all the babies are far enough along now to take you out.
A lot of older guys I ride with make sure they get home before dusk because of deer..
Did for years, then we moved. Thirty miles further away. The distance wasn't the killer. It was that it was all interstate during rush hours.
Originally Posted by cory464
i have mixed feelings about it. some days i feel like riding, some days i don't. i only ride when i feel like it. but i take crap from guys who ride every day regardless of the weather, blah blah blah. but my thought on it is i'm usually half awake and dragging *** to work so why put miles on the bike that i'm not enjoying? it seems like these guys are typically new to riding, and have something to prove. curious what anyone elses thoughts are.
I typically work from home but now I'm going to the office more (located in SODO area of Downtown Seattle) and riding. I'm a relatively new rider with a big bike, so I look for every opportunity to get experience as practice makes perfect. Because Seattle has horrific traffic, I typically used the light rail system to get to work. Now, I just ride my bike; and I take a longer route to avoid freeway traffic (a 25 minute ride)
I commute on the bike every day I can, about 60-ish miles round trip, mostly freeway, so not too bad. My shift is 7am to 3:30p, so I miss most of the heavy commuting traffic.
My job requires me to dress business casual and I don't like riding in a pair of loafers, slacks and a nice shirt and tie. I also have days that require me to do some travel in and around the area so wearing more appropriate riding gear is a hassle to put on and take off every time I need to leave the office......
I still ride to work a few times a week but only if I know I won't be doing a lot of running around. If there is rain in the forecast no way I ride to work.
It depends on whether I am working for a company that provides a vehicle. I just started another job where I get paid mileage. Just rode 50 miles one way to inspect a project. Took the scooter on a beautiful day near Albany, NY on beautiful back roads the whole way, along the Mohawk river. Plus now that I will put it up for the winter, trying to ride as much as possible.
If I didn't ride to work, I wouldn't ride half as much. I find myself carpooling with Mrs. and/or picking the kids up as much as anything, so those few days when I'm alone, I try to ride if the weather cooperates. And before you guys give me a ration about being a sissy when it comes to rain ... I ride to enjoy the ride, not to prove anything or punish myself. If it's gonna rain, I hop in the truck even when I'm alone. Riding to work is the best way to get seat time in, when I have other obligations. I commute 37 miles one way; my biggest concern is that I leave in the dark and arrive in the dark on the way in and deer are plentiful and STUPID!
Ride to work: For me its limited to just once in a while, say every 7-9 wks on a Friday. I ride for pleasure only, not purpose, and commute traffic is not even remotely pleasurable. I drive an
old beater Import cage as a commuter car. It gets all miles pilled on it with next to zero issues.
09-04-2018, 06:04 PM
