Do you enjoy commuting by bike?

[beanzontoast]

I used to like commuting by bike at any time of the year. Now I enjoy it most in the lighter, warmer months. I gave serious consideration to ticking the third box because I don't feel as safe on the roads as I used to - mainly due to the bad weather (especially freezing rain and icy roads), the deteriorating state of the road surface and the rising incidence of bad driving I've seen down the years in winter and the darker months. These things are not conducive to making cycle commuting enjoyable.

Dave R's comment "no, I just need to get to work" must sum it up for a lot of people. If you can enjoy cycle commuting when you have no option so much the better, but cycle commuting is not always preferable to hopping on a bus or being in the car IME.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

I love it, I get up, get ready and get going no matter what the weather, I hate it when I get called a profanity from a motorist when there was no issue, and it really pisses me off, and I think about giving up there and then, but after 10 mins it passes.

I look back and wonder why the hell I never started years ago, been going to the same place of work for 11 years but only been cycling to it for the last 18 months.

I get to work and I tell people that I can't believe they still pay for the privilege of going by car, they have no parking at work and still have to walk a little, and some people live less than 5 miles from work.

 

[ianjohnson67]

Yes on a whole I pretty much enjoy my commute. It wakes me up in a morning and by the time I get in to work I'm warmed up and ready to go. Compared with my car traveling colleagues who strangely still seem cold when they arrive at work. The return journey is a good wind down before I land back at home too.

I know I enjoy it because I've just bought more winter/wet weather gear to enable year round commuting and having just had the cold/flu/chest bug that has been doing the rounds I'm itching to get back in the saddle in the new year having been consigned to the car for the last 2/3 weeks.

 

[al78]

I enjoy it most of the time, the ideal times are dry, sunny days in the spring/summer which are just the right temperature that you can cycle in shorts/short sleeves comfortably without sweating, also crisp, clear, frosty winter mornings and dark evenings where the fog is forming over the fields and the tree tops poke out of the fog giving a spooky feel to the environment.

Times when it is less than ideal:

1. Spring last year when I had northerly headwinds for weeks on end, which made cycling to work very tiring for me (it is a net ascent to work as well). Those same winds are why we had so much disruption from the Iceland volcano.

2. When the roads are plastered with ice and I start thinking of all the people on here who have come off on the ice and broken bones, and wondering if my number will come up any minute.

3. Continuously wet weather day after day after day and having to keep drying out shoes, waterproofs, only to get soaked the next day as well.

4. When I am suffering fatigue and for some reason the traffic levels are three times what they are normally so I am constantly feeling that I am holding people up.

 

[subaqua]

Love it, just wish some drivers wouldn't be such a***holes.

snap. +1 etc

some days i really don't want to get out of bed , but then think about the ride i am missing and that does the trick.

some days part of the journey is a complete biatch especially where the roadworks are on Ruckholt Road but there will be a great bit that makes up mfor it. freewheling down onto th towpath and seeing the swans in the mist is truly stunning

 

[JDP]

Have only been doing it for a few months but have to say that I always feel better when I do it!

I'm getting my legs back after Xmas and at the moment I feel like I can hammer it all the way. Sometimes wish that my commute was a bit longer!

The only downside is numb fingers when it's icy. Last few times I've had to get other people to open the bike shed at work because I couldn't open the lock!!

 

[Gatley lass]

Feel much more awake after a cycle to work.
Only been cycling since September ( and only 20 minute cycle), but loving the fact that I must, eventually, be getting fitter and I'm not spending fast amounts of money on petrol.

 

[leeman]

commuting by bike is a no brainer, 11 miles into manchester in 45 mins, as opposed to paying a fortune to sit on plague ridden train for an hour, snow forecast for tonight tho . . . . .

 

[400bhp]

commuting by bike is a no brainer, 11 miles into manchester in 45 mins, as opposed to paying a fortune to sit on plague ridden train for an hour, snow forecast for tonight tho . . . . .

Where do you travel in from?

 

[leeman]

romiley in stockport, had to get the train a couple of times b4 christmas due to works do's and stuff, hated it, sardines!!

 

[CharlieB]

Yes on a whole I pretty much enjoy my commute. It wakes me up in a morning and by the time I get in to work I'm warmed up and ready to go.
The return journey is a good wind down before I land back at home too.

+1 to those two observations in particular

 

[Chamfus Flange]

I generally enjoy my commute. There are days when it's not great and that's usually when cycling in rush hour traffic.

Having said that all my commutes by bike are far better than sitting looking at the rear of the car in front going nowhere.

 

[The Jogger]

I enjoy it as I don't get time to jog these days, so I count it as my training. The only downside is it turns my three and a half hour round commute to four hours fifteen / thirty.
When the weather is good I aim for four out of five days including the bike in my commute.

 

[SquareDaff]

Enjoy my commute - culture shock at the start as I got back into it from 10 years of being in the rat race. Won't stop now though. Flu seems to be spreading like wildfire where I work and through thr family and so far it's not touched me. I put in down to the regular exercise I'm getting and lungfuls of fresh(ish) air!! My commute involves a train trip as it's 30 miles each way otherwise - but will be tempted to do the whole thing from time to time when the weather improves!!

 

[redjedi]

I love my commute even if it's cold, wet and/or windy.

Decided to stop during the icy/snowy period just before Christmas as I didn't want to risk an off and injury and hated taking the bus and train to work.

Only started cycling again a few years ago and don't know why I didn't do it earlier. It's now taken over my life