What makes riding a bike into work attractive...

[Lazy-Commuter]

As I sit at a desk all day - it's a great way to get some exercise which I can build into my working day without having to commit any extra time to it.

^ That. Plus ..
- Being out in the fresh air, even in the rain.
- Seeing the Autumn colours / spring blossom / bluebells (depends on season!)
- Seeing the bunnies and squirrels in the woods.
- The social interaction of saying "hi" to (nearly) all the other cyclists and (most of) the peds on the way to work. I've even been known to stop and chat to a few!!!
- Arriving at work with a brain full of endorphins from all (?!) the exercise
- Setting a new PB up the damn hill out of my village
- Enjoying laughing at all the "Alpha Males" in their shiney willy extensions on the bypass trying to shave a few tenths off their PB to / from the station and all the jockeying for position that goes with it.
- Being able to stuff my face (more or less) all day and still lose weight, albeit slowly.
- Being on a work trip a few weeks ago and leaving my colleagues for dead on a walk up a mountain in some free time.
- Having friends introduce me to people as "the one that cycles to work .. EVERY DAY!!" as though I'm some kind of hero / nutter / celebrity.
- Saving a few pence on diesel.
- Spending the few pence saved on diesel - and not a few pounds besides - on the bike and accessories.
- Not being contaminated on the train by all those people who don't wash their hands.
- Not being stressed in traffic in the car when I'm trying to avoid all those people on the train who don't wash their hands.

I even manage to get a shower in at a Leisure Centre half a mile up the road from work.

 

[snapper_37]

I'm attracted to cycling to work as;
a) It saves on petrol
B) It saves me having to go to the gym
c) It makes me feel good and I don't have to feel guilty about eating lots of chocolate curries.

All of the above.

Plus

d) Nothing can beat a ride into work at 6.00 a.m on a lovely sunny morning.
e) Stress release from traffic jams and plank drivers. It's great to see the stress levels of drivers floating around their 4x4s like aura.
f) Not having great hassle from the boss if I'm a couple of minutes late as I 'ride to work'. Don't quite get that but who cares.
g) It's a great feeling going home, especially on a Friday.

 

[fossyant]

5 miles is enough - add a few on if needed you hardened roadie you !!!

Shortest for me is 7.5 miles, just over 20 mins, longer route is 11 miles. I could do a 6 mile route, but it is really busy on one stretch, so a skirt round it. In better weather I'll do the longer route, or add on a 20 mile return. I've started even commuting to other sites 'on buisness miles'..

No shower for me, but have my own office, so deo, baby wipes etc all there. Leave shoes at work and ties !! Spare shoes at home for 'other site commutes'. Trousers brought in on a Mon, home Fri. Daily stuff is shirt, socks grundies - don't get creased if you fold it well.

Dry stuff using a desk fan - hang kit on hangers on the shelf. Also have a radiator if needed. Bikes is locked in public, although we now have a secure shelter.

For other site commutes, I take a spare base layer, along with a full set of work clothes - have secure parking, and either a shower or disabled loo to change in. Put sweatty clothes in rucksack.... does mean some of my stuff is damp after the meeting, but a dry base layer makes it better. Again carry some babywipes and deo. Back at the office, I'll dry it with the fan.

Car - takes 40 mins to do 6 miles, plus I deliberately don't have a car park pass. Bus takes over an hour. Bike 25 mins.......

Other sites take 20 mins on the bike 5 miles (from my main base). Bus - about 45 mins...depending upon when the students get on.......

So get a good 100 miles training in each week, add that to weekend...... Get home early, have time do see kids, housework, fettle bikes...no need to go out training again......

Does tend to mean you have a dedicated commuter bike though, or 'bad weatherised' bike.

Get on with it.....come on !

 

[BentMikey]

There is a smug satisfaction of being regarded as relatively fit when your office colleague's are salad dodgers.

Quality!!

 

[yenrod]

>Car - takes 40 mins to do 6 miles, plus I deliberately don't have a car park pass. Bus takes over an hour. Bike 25 mins.......

Didn’t realise it takes that long to get inot Manchester CC. No wonder they’re thinking of a congestion charge !

 

[summerdays]

For me it gets the blood pumping around my body ... and I feel alive then you get that high from doing exercise, followed by the smug feeling as you pass all the fat unfit folk sitting in their cars going nowhere. I can smile at them, I can smile at pedestrians and I can chat with other cyclists at junctions - why wouldn't you cycle?

 

[fossyant]

Yenners - the main bit of my commute is South Manchester - East to West.

When going into Manchester Centre, I can ride a 'long route' (less busy roads) into town in 40/45 minutes - 13 miles - 4 miles longer than the car route which takes 45 mins to an hour by car - Train and walking is about an hour, and a bus into town...probably well over an hour..

Gridlock, but not as bad as London....

PS I'm seen as "SUPER FIT".......far to many couch potatoes about !

And I've had a good chat with a fair few cyclists at times !!!

 

[hackbike 6]

Avoiding the London Underground which has hardly been expanded in the 27 years i have been commuting.Also I have my own space most of the time.It's convenient.Mainly rely on myself and not public transport.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

For me it gets the blood pumping around my body ... and I feel alive then you get that high from doing exercise, followed by the smug feeling as you pass all the fat unfit folk sitting in their cars going nowhere. I can smile at them, I can smile at pedestrians and I can chat with other cyclists at junctions - why wouldn't you cycle?

I did find myself starting to rant out loud to the World in General going through a Tesco car park the other week: I was taking a shortcut through to my "long cut" round the lakes near where I work 'cos it was such a lovely day*. On this particular day, there seemed to be millions of cars all frantically to'ing and fro'ing in the car park, reversing in and out of spaces and generally getting in the way all because everyone wanted to be as close as possible to the doors to the store.

Like I said, it was a lovely day so I started off talking to myself along the lines of, "why don't you park a bit further away from the store and try walking a little bit for a change .. " (getting louder now) ".. you never know you might even like it and do it a bit more often .." (LOUDER) ".. and then YOU MIGHT NOT ALL BE SO F'ING FAAAAAAAAAAATTT!!". Not really sure where that came from, but it got me some worried / amused looks.

* I actually took much too much of a long cut and was late for work. But hey ho!

 

[hackbike 6]

^

 

[palinurus]

I'm too lazy to do any ironing, cycling gives me the perfect excuse for wearing wrinkly shirts.

 

[J4CKO]

Being able to claim the moral highground in any "Green" argument.

I would rather take a Cheese grater to my nads than use public "trampsport"

You get to wear Hi-Viz !

Muscular legs

I find I digest food better

Dont get stuck in traffic, though under it is a risk.

Free Showers

Save on petrol

Calim HBP (tm) points for bad weather rides (Hard B4stard Points)

Get to spend on Bike equipment

Get to spout drivel on here

Get to make MTB mates feel like the part timers they are

Car feels so fast after the bike

Dont need to feel guity about not going to the gym

Dont need to spend on the gym

 

[Dayvo]

20-minute ride to work

long, hot shower

change into work clothes

relaxed breakfast

7.5 hours later

long, hot shower

change into cycling clothes

15-minute ride home

relaxed cup of tea

 

[First Lift Last Call]

Can justify more bikes! Perfectly reasonable to spend the £3000 I would spend annually on travel (using tube in London, owning car etc - neither of which I do now) on bike stuff. Plus get to keep bike in office and gaze at it adoringly all day.

 

[ComedyPilot]

10 minutes in, 10 mins back again. Baby wipes and Lynx. Haven't put petrol in my car since July. Feel a lot fitter, old clothes hang off me, muscular thighs/bum (complemented on by a woman that pinched my bum at a recent works do!)