Please give me your details on biking to work

[Lordosis]

This is something I would really like to do. I recently started jogging on my lunch break and dealing with the sweaty issue is manageable. But maybe I need to ask others opinions.

My main issues is time. I hesitate to leave any earlier in the morning or arrive home any later because that just puts more on my wife dealing with the kids. And it obviously will not work on days I have to pick them up on the way home. There will not be enough time to bike home to get the van.

The weather looks decent friday. Maybe I will try my first attempt!

[burritos]

This is something I would really like to do. I recently started jogging on my lunch break and dealing with the sweaty issue is manageable. But maybe I need to ask others opinions.

My main issues is time. I hesitate to leave any earlier in the morning or arrive home any later because that just puts more on my wife dealing with the kids. And it obviously will not work on days I have to pick them up on the way home. There will not be enough time to bike home to get the van.

The weather looks decent friday. Maybe I will try my first attempt!

Yeah, I feel you. If the wife is not on board, that can be a deal breaker. Not sure if "Hey Honey, there's a guy on the the internet that says biking to work is great!" is going to fly. But you never know. And yeah, picking up kids with a bike could be problematic. Good luck.

[ChicSkiier]

This is something I would really like to do. I recently started jogging on my lunch break and dealing with the sweaty issue is manageable. But maybe I need to ask others opinions.

My main issues is time. I hesitate to leave any earlier in the morning or arrive home any later because that just puts more on my wife dealing with the kids. And it obviously will not work on days I have to pick them up on the way home. There will not be enough time to bike home to get the van.

The weather looks decent friday. Maybe I will try my first attempt!

How many kids do you have to pick up? We have the radwagon ebike and can pick up our kids (6 and almost 8 yr old) on the back. Hubby can ride bike to work (battery lasts approx 45 mi depending on how much you use pedal assist, etc).

[Lordosis]

Yeah, I feel you. If the wife is not on board, that can be a deal breaker. Not sure if "Hey Honey, there's a guy on the the internet that says biking to work is great!" is going to fly. But you never know. And yeah, picking up kids with a bike could be problematic. Good luck.

Yeah I doubt the argument that some guy named "burritos" from the white coat investor forum said it is great would work lol.

I have a pretty sweet set up for biking. 3.2 miles with only a 200ft change in elevation and the uphill part is coming home. only 1 traffic light and most of it is on a 45mph country road with ample shoulders.

The negative is that is is generally pretty cold in the morning except for 2 months of the year.

ChicSkiier 4 kids. It would be difficult to tow them. Plus daycare is 3 more miles in the wrong direction.

[burritos]

Yeah I doubt the argument that some guy named "burritos" from the white coat investor forum said it is great would work lol.

I have a pretty sweet set up for biking. 3.2 miles with only a 200ft change in elevation and the uphill part is coming home. only 1 traffic light and most of it is on a 45mph country road with ample shoulders.

The negative is that is is generally pretty cold in the morning except for 2 months of the year.

ChicSkiier 4 kids. It would be difficult to tow them. Plus daycare is 3 more miles in the wrong direction.

That route is begging to be biked. Get the annoying "bright yellow jacket" to buffer the morning cold.

[Neuro-doc]

[QUOTE=Lordosis;n270452] The negative is that is is generally pretty cold in the morning except for 2 months of the year.


Cold in the morning is a good thing. You can always put on an extra layer to stay warm.

It's the hot, humid summer mornings that are harder to deal with.

[burritos]

[QUOTE=Neuro-doc;n270495]

The negative is that is is generally pretty cold in the morning except for 2 months of the year.


Cold in the morning is a good thing. You can always put on an extra layer to stay warm.

It's the hot, humid summer mornings that are harder to deal with.

When riding home, when it's warm/hot, that usually mean there's going to be a tailwind for me. Tailwind=fun. Probably kind of like riding an ebike.

[Lordosis]

[QUOTE=burritos;n270547]

When riding home, when it's warm/hot, that usually mean there's going to be a tailwind for me. Tailwind=fun. Probably kind of like riding an ebike.

Just make sure to tell your grandkids that it was a headwind both ways.

[Lordosis]

I did it! I made it in on my first ride in! My 20 year old POS bike did not fall apart yet. 5 of the 24 gears are working. The rear brakes work well enough but the front are shot. I had to hold the handles at a 5-10 degree angle to go straight. And the seat cover is disintegrating shedding rubberish flakes everywhere.

If I prove to myself that I will continue to do this I will get something new. Any suggestions? I am cheap and would not be interested in anything over a couple hundred bucks. I am not looking to set any records or even look good. I just want to get from point A to B. Pretty much anything will be better then what I have.

[Kamban]

If I prove to myself that I will continue to do this I will get something new. Any suggestions? I am cheap and would not be interested in anything over a couple hundred bucks. I am not looking to set any records or even look good. I just want to get from point A to B. Pretty much anything will be better then what I have.

The problem with cheapness is that when you spend $150-200 on a WalMart bike you do get a POS. I did the research a few years ago and found the sweet spot is a bike from a bike brand costing around $600. Now if you can find that bike on Craigslist for $250 or so that will be a bargain. But with summer approaching, you might have missed that window.

I am not sure how good Costco bikes are.

[Lithium]

I did it! I made it in on my first ride in! My 20 year old POS bike did not fall apart yet. 5 of the 24 gears are working. The rear brakes work well enough but the front are shot. I had to hold the handles at a 5-10 degree angle to go straight. And the seat cover is disintegrating shedding rubberish flakes everywhere.

If I prove to myself that I will continue to do this I will get something new. Any suggestions? I am cheap and would not be interested in anything over a couple hundred bucks. I am not looking to set any records or even look good. I just want to get from point A to B. Pretty much anything will be better then what I have.

Just look on craigslist and take whatever you find in for a tune up.
You can get a decent bike for $200 there but you’ll probably want to shell out some more money on gear. Think flat-resistant tires (hopefully you know how to change a flat), a rear carrier, maybe a saddleback and polyester/neon clothing.

[BruinBones]

Congrats on your first ride to work!
If you like your old bike (fit, feel, sentimentality, etc.) then a visit to your local bike shop to tuneup or replace brakes and gears may run you in the $150-$200 range. Then you can start adding other stuff and DIY.
Another alternative is to check Craigslist, as others have suggested, for a used upgrade, and to sell your old one on CL, too.

[Lordosis]

Kamban New POS is better then old POS right? I would rather spend 200 and have it crap out in 5 years then spend 600 so that it can last 10 or 15. I am trying to be practical and realize that I just will not use it enough to make it worth getting something expensive.

Lithium Yeah I have changes a bunch of bike tires. I made the mistake on wearing my work clothing this morning. My wife convinced me that since it was 41 degrees I would not get sweaty but she forgot to account for how out of shape I am. I feel bad for my patients and coworkers today

BruinBones Thanks! I do have an I do not think my old bike is a very good bike but it has served me well over the years. Maybe I will look into getting it fixed up. Probably less wasteful that way and maybe slightly cheaper. I just would hate to shell out $150 and have it be a POS again next year.

[Kamban]

Kamban New POS is better then old POS right? I would rather spend 200 and have it crap out in 5 years then spend 600 so that it can last 10 or 15. I am trying to be practical and realize that I just will not use it enough to make it worth getting something expensive.

You are optimistic if you think that $200 will last 5 years and will also give a comfortable ride. Better to buy a high quality used than a new cheap junk.

Here is a Craigslist ad from your neck of the woods. Jamis is a good brand. This might be a bargain at $200. If no sale - keep searching

https://binghamton.craigslist.org/bik/d/vestal-jamis-hybrid/7313110924.html

[Zaphod]

Dont live far enough away to bike, could run. Shower is a big deal, I dont know how people are not being gross after or hot forever. In reality it ends up just eating too much time and since I live a whole song and a half away, its easier to just run after/before. I do think it may be great for consistency. Would have to see cost of shower install.