how do you feel you benefit from commuting to and from work?

[mattsr]

I only commute about 5 miles each way, and I love every minute of it- even when it's p*****ng down and blowing a gale -it becomes a bit of an adventure!! There are times when I sit at home and think I can't be bothered, but as soon as I'm on the bike the energy levels pick up and I arrive at work raring to go. And there are colleagues at work who think I'm bonkers for cycling all the time, even though the journey takes less than half an hour. If things have been a bit fraught at work, it's all forgotten by the time I get home, often after a beautiful moonlit ride- one night I followed a barn owl along the road for quite a while.

And when I get home, I can have a post-work beer or two with a slightly less guilty conscience!

 

[MontyVeda]

My commute is about two miles.

Getting from Lancaster to Morecambe by car between 8.30 & 9.00am takes about twenty minutes, if you're lucky. By bike it takes ten. It's a no brainer! Plus I don't drive.

 

[Mushroomgodmat]

excluding the cost of the bike (about £1000 for the bike over the last 2 years)

Upsides:
£4-5 a day in saving of parking petrol, or bus fare each day If use my bike
As a family we only need one car now - saving maybe £3-5k saving (car/tax ect)
Im about as fast on my bike as others are in a car/bus
Massive amount of enjoyment and personal satisfaction
I have never been fitter.

Down sides..
Sometimes get wet
Went down in waist size, had to rebuy jeans and trousers
Occasional puncture are a pain (though not had one in about a year)

 

[BrumJim]

1) Fitness. Every day I get almost 50 minutes of lung-busting, heart pumping exercise. Every day. Try doing that at the Gym. OK, some might, but most would get bored. Getting home and then going out for exercise is not my idea of fun. I'm home, I want to crash. Does it work? I'm 41. I've just had a health check-up. I'm the only person I know of my age that has ALL the parameters in the target range. Before I started cycling, my bad cholesterol was a little too high, and my good stuff a little too low. I don't suffer bad knees, bad wrists, bad elbows. I'm in a better condition than the 20-year-old me.

2) Stress. I'm never stuck in one of Birmingham's traffic jams, looking at being 30 mins later home than usual. I'm never staring at other cars as they take the wrong lane or cross the solid white line to try and beat the queues. And whatever has gone wrong in the day, or whatever I'm about to face, can be taken out on the pedals.

3) I've got a new hobby, and one that has given me a sense of achievement, of pride. I started off doing 6 mile commutes, then 30 mile weekend runs, then 50 mile Sportives. This year I've done over 100 miles on 3 occasions. The last was 140 miles including over 3,000m of climbing up some serious hills. Can't believe I've done it myself, but was the toughest thing I have ever done. And it all started with a daily 6 mile commute. Without that, I'd never have got to the next stage.

 

[wmtlynx]

I drive for a living and cycling is a good way of unwinding on the way home, being less involved in the traffic battle and getting some wind in my face. Took a fortnight or so to get up to a standard where it was no longer an effort. It's like being a kid again, seeing how fast I can go and going "wheeeee" down hills. I don't have to find time to work out, or wait around for buses. Finance-wise I can share my car with my girlfriend, so she doesn't have to buy a car of her own. It's all about experiencing life for me, instead of staring at the world through a sheet of glass.

Anyone thinking of commuting should do it. You'll probably hate it for the first few weeks, but after that it becomes addictive :-)

 

[redcard]

Best thing is just having a hobby that is actually good for you. My commute is almost 2 hours each way, so fitting in the gym is a bit tricky. Cycling half my journey is the perfect solution. I set my alarm for 540am and ride every morning. 6 months ago I struggled to get up at for an 8am alarm and smoked 20 a day.

Now I get a high from seeing the increasing definition in my calves. And owning other wannabes on the open roads!

 

[Norm]

As well as the obvious health benefits, I'm the only one who cycles, which is a grand talking point around the company, guaranteed journey times, not blocking a parking space which are in short supply, I get to ride in with my son most days, as his school is close to my office, and I have no guilt at picking up the flat white on the way in.

 

[Nick Stevenson]

My daily commute is only a 7 mile round trip but I started commuting when I received a bad back injury and was advised it would help which it really did plus I rediscovered how great cycling was again and now regularly do 30-60mile runs off road with friends, makes me feel fit if nothing else as I approach 40 :-)

 

[RedRider]

Realty? That's very decent of your employer.

Yeah, good innit. I also do a bit of cycling between three sites while I'm at work but the cash is there even if just commuting.

 

[RedRider]

Realty? That's very decent of your employer.

Just to add, it's a good deal for them too. Bear in mind the greater health and punctuality it likely brings, add it to the goodwill engendered and it makes us more reliable employees.

Not only does the organisation have these small but welcome cycle-friendly nuggets but my immediate manager's a proper bike fanatic. In the last few weeks he's loaned me three different saddles to try out. San Marco Rolls, some Selle Italia or other and now an Arione Tri 2. This last one's a great saddle.

If only I was paid enough for me to actually buy one I'd be perfectly happy in my job.

 

[SW19cam]

All of the above benefits. I remember thinking about the potential benefits before I started - but once I started commuting by bike, why did I continue? Simple: because I love it.

It would be interesting to know the statistics of people freely giving up cycling once they had started. I can't imagine giving it up until the Doc tells me to.. (and I do hope that's another 50 years away...)

 

[wisdom]

Its an easy answer for me(or set of answers)
Makes me feel a lot better whilst at work
Helps with fitness
Helps with weight loss{1.75 stone off this last few months)
Dont have to use the car as much which is a massive saving on fuel
Look forewards to travelling every day whatever the weather
Helps unwind after a stressfull day
Nice to be in the fresh air as much as possible

And the big one i enjoy cycling

 

[growingvegetables]

For the employer? I arrive buzzing and alive, wide awake and ready to get stuck in.
For the family? By the time I'm home, all the cr@p that work has thrown at me is long forgotten. [OK - that wee stop off for a guilt-free pint and the Guardian crossword may help .]

And for me? So far, I've made work and family happy. So I might just keep quiet about enjoying it so much, being fitter and healthier, relishing the banter with folks along the road, and feeling the turning seasons changing in my bones.

 

[nick.b]

For the employer? I arrive buzzing and alive, wide awake and ready to get stuck in.
For the family? By the time I'm home, all the cr@p that work has thrown at me is long forgotten. [OK - that wee stop off for a guilt-free pint and the Guardian crossword may help .]

And for me? So far, I've made work and family happy. So I might just keep quiet about enjoying it so much, being fitter and healthier, relishing the banter with folks along the road, and feeling the turning seasons changing in my bones.

This!

 

[Edwards80]

I like my job and the commute was the biggest downer of the day. Now I love the commute I think that would justify it.

Additionally though, I've lost nearly 3 stone (and I wasn't overweight!) - it saves me about £100 a month and I've discovered I like road riding so much I've joined a club and love that too.

All good