What motivates You?

[tom_pvfc]

Afternoon,
I was just curious what motivates you to cycle to work in your commute? What helps you to get up in the morning and want to cycle?

Some mornings I am very tired and take the easy option to drive to work..
But the main reason I got into cycling to work is to improve my fitness and as I'm in an office job,I don't get much exercise. So the fitness part of it is key for me. And improving my times !

What about yourselves?

 

[Hip Priest]

My only options are bike, bus or train, so the bike always wins out.

Sometimes I have periods where I don't feel like riding in, but I tend to just ride my way through them!

 

[RedRider]

Luckily, I don't have a car and don't like waiting for buses so it's simple. In the end tho', if I didn't enjoy the cycling I'd find another way. Not entirely relevant but I've upped my non-commuting miles this year by planning a singlespeed tour later in the year and the goal of being fit for that has helped. Perhaps if you signed upto some kind of event it would help focus and motivate?

 

[ianrauk]

I am the same as @Hip Priest , bike, bus or train.
I think I am lucky in that I don't need motivation to get on my bike. What ever the weather, fair or foul. getting on the bike for a mornings commute is one of life's great pleasures and nothing beats it for getting to work feeling wide awake and ready to go.

 

[mcshroom]

The traffic jam on the way into site. I can usually get to work faster by bike than car, and feel more awake when I get there

 

[tom_pvfc]

Luckily, I don't have a car and don't like waiting for buses so it's simple. In the end tho', if I didn't enjoy the cycling I'd find another way. Not entirely relevant but I've upped my non-commuting miles this year by planning a singlespeed tour later in the year and the goal of being fit for that has helped. Perhaps if you signed upto some kind of event it would help focus and motivate?

That's a good point. I was thinking of doing a London to Brighton cycle for charity. Guess that could be used as motivation!

And @ianrauk , it does make you feel awake when you get to work! And good on you for doing it through all the weather !

** I do find that it only takes me 5-10 mins longer when i cycle than when I drive.. good point @mcshroom

 

[KneesUp]

I only cycle home as I am able to get a lift with the bike in, and it means I don't have to get hot and sweaty on the way in.

My options to get home are:

1) OH comes to collect me, which means a rushed meal for her and our child, plus two journeys in traffic.
2) Get the bus - ridiculously expensive for a short journey, involves standing around waiting for 20 minutes and then a 10 minute walk after a bus ride that makes me feel travel sick
3) Walk - I did this all last summer. Takes about an hour though.
4) Go on the bike - almost as quick as the car, but is more enjoyable and better for me. My knees give me much less bother since I got back to cycling.

It doesn't take much motivation to get cycling really.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

It used to be to get fit and loose weight, but after 5 years, those have been sorted out. At the moment it is still the most convenient way to get to work, its quicker than the car as there is no parking at work. Quicker than the bus, and its cheaper than all of them. However, about a month or so ago I had had enough of the rain, and vowed that when the forecast is for heavy rain all day like tomorrow, I am going on the bus cause I have lost the motivation to go in all weathers. After 31,000 miles it has lost its novelty a bit.

 

[Southside Mike]

Due to my job I can only cycle in two days a week and I have to say that it doesn't really need much motivation - I really enjoy my cycling days. I get a 25 mile cycle and do a full days work - there's no way I could get that much exercise any other way. Bad weather doesn't really bother me (which is just as well as I live in Glasgow)

 

[Feastie]

Save £££ compared with public transport.

Also commuting by bus or tube at rush hour is really unpleasant and unpredictable - waiting 15 mins for an 'every 5 mins' bus and being late, sitting stuck in traffic, jamming yourself into a packed carriage under somebody's armpit, having people insert themselves in front of the yellow 'danger' line on platforms that you'd been standing behind as per instructions... just to get that extra millisecond ahead of you. Honestly, public transport commuting is like a competition and it's actually really stressful. Much rather go at my own pace where the only stresses are RLJ's/annoying other road users who at the end of the day if you stay away from them, they don't actually affect you so... that's really it, actually. It's much more relaxing to cycle. I had to commute for a month at the start of the year and I wouldn't ever like to repeat it.

If I could drive on the other hand... Still saving a lot of money on petrol by cycling, I imagine. Depends on how much of a dent that is in the weekly budget!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

No car, unsociable working hours requiring taxis, sporadic public transport to my work: those are the reasons I started commuting by bike.
No motivation needed to choose the bike over the bus, it's so much more convenient plus it keeps me fit.

 

[400bhp]

I work so I can cycle to it.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I'm with @Hip Priest and @ianrauk : bike, bus or train. Although, I've used bike for every commute to and from work for 5 years now. I'm not sure I even remember how to use bus and train . Plus, all that money to spend on bike parts replacements needs to come from somewhere.

 

[Cuchilo]

I work from home but still put a few miles in before I get there

 

[Deleted member 1258]

For over 30 years I was car free, I cycled all year round in what ever the British weather could throw at me, these days I have a car, but providing its dry I go for the bike most days, I don't think motivation comes into it, its just what I do and have done for years