Can you become addicted to the cycling commute?

[Hip Priest]

I tend to drive in about once a week, if I'm running errands after work and I can't do them on the bike or if its raining in the morning, I did about 30 years of all weather cycle commuting and recon I've earned the dry drive in when its p****** down.

I'd be tempted to use the car if the journey was appealing, but I work in a city and find rush hour traffic unpleasant. Today I met my wife after work, and we set off for home at the same time, her in the car and me on the bike. It was a journey of around 6 miles and I beat her home.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I'd be tempted to use the car if the journey was appealing, but I work in a city and find rush hour traffic unpleasant. Today I met my wife after work, and we set off for home at the same time, her in the car and me on the bike. It was a journey of around 6 miles and I beat her home.

My commute is six and a half miles each way, thirteen miles a day. I've a dual carriageway about a mile from my house that takes me to about a mile from work, though it can get busy its normally a quick drive, so using the car isn't too bad.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

Yes
How the heck do you manage to fit it all in around your family life though ? I would love to do the mileage you do but with wife/kids + manual job i dont have the energy or the time.

I get up 3-4 hours before I start work. Mrs-Me & Mini-Me are still in bed so it doesn't effect anything we do as a family.

 

[cyberknight]

I get up 3-4 hours before I start work. Mrs-Me & Mini-Me are still in bed so it doesn't effect anything we do as a family.

How old , mine are 3 and 8

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

How old , mine are 3 and 8

Mini-Me is almost 6.

 

[skudupnorth]

I commute by bike because it is faster than driving but that's not to say i actually enjoy it all the time,i would rather be doing it for fun.

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

I left work at 19:00 yesterday evening so during my commute it went dark. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy riding at night, everything feels really still. There was one section of nothing but just me, strange to describe but you'd never get that feeling in a car.

 

[cyberknight]

I left work at 19:00 yesterday evening so during my commute it went dark. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy riding at night, everything feels really still. There was one section of nothing but just me, strange to describe but you'd never get that feeling in a car.

Is there something special on your saddle ?

 

[Andrew_P]

I am addicted to watching the miles increase and fairly often I don't feel like it and think about the using car but then I remind my self that 95% of the time after the first 5-10 minutes everything is lovely. The thought of it, weather included is often far worse than the reality and I know I would miss it at the other end.

 

[Lonestar]

Not addicted now,glad to get it out of the way with all the roadworks.

 

[BrumJim]

Much the same as you. Addicted and I can't get out. I'm anything from flat to a complete misery when I've not cycled in.

 

[ianrauk]

Not addicted now,glad to get it out of the way with all the roadworks.

Go a different, longer route. Problem solved.

 

[ianrauk]

Addicted is when you leave the house in torrential rain and turn left to go the longer way rather then turn right for the direct route.

I have now been commuting to my current work place for over 10 years and only ice and deep snow will stop me cycling commuting.
Train and motor commutes can do one.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I must be addicted, because I'm somewhere to the right of this chart, according to this site: http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm
My actual commuting distance is 25.75km to work and 31.75km from work, and the above site says the straight-line distance is 22.1km.

 

[jonny jeez]

Not riding no. but i did become a little addicted to exercise a few years back.

I have a mate who is definitely addicted to cycling and suffers very real symptoms when he misses a ride.