Is 15 mile road bike commute too far?

[Jeffrey Pogodzinski]

Hi,

I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.

Would 15 miles each way be too far?

I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.

About how long would it take?

How fast (average speed) can the average beginner go on a road bike?

Thanks, Jeff.

[Ken]

(Jeffrey Pogodzinski) wrote in
m:
> I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.
> Would 15 miles each way be too far?

Lots of people commute farther than that. Depends how much you like biking
(or how much you hate cars).

> I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.
> About how long would it take?

It will probably take you 1-2 hours, depending on traffic conditions.

[one of the six billion]

"Jeffrey Pogodzinski" > wrote in message
m...
> Hi,
>
> I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.
>
> Would 15 miles each way be too far?
>
> I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.
>
> About how long would it take?
>
> How fast (average speed) can the average beginner go on a road bike?
>
> Thanks, Jeff.

It's probably not too far, but that's an individual call. It might take
as long as 4 to till it becomes comfortable, but the great thing about a
bike is you can vary your speed to go at a rate that is comfortable.
Depending on your route how long it takes can vary quite a lot. How many
hills, how much wind (and which direction), and how many lights are the
major factors. With a flat course, no major intersections or wind it
might not be difficult to make it in an hour. That's probably the shortest
time you could expect then depending on all the above factors it could go
twice that high. With average conditions it will probably take about an
hour and 15 minutes. Have fun, I find being on a bike much more fun than
being in a car.

[Marc Plum]

If you are new to bicycling, you may need to work up to it, but it's very
do-able.

My commute is 12 miles out and 14 miles back. The longer route back is
actually easier because of traffic conditions here at 5:00 p.m. My bike is
a somewhat modified hybrid (I put drop bars and a road stem on it, added SPD
pedals, and selected some tires that were better for pavement). It takes me
about 40 to 45 minutes to work, and perhaps 50 to 55 on the way back,
depending on how I'm feeling that day and how much I'm carrying. This is on
very slightly hilly terrain, and there is more climbing on the return trip.
I'm 46 years old and in reasonable shape, but no athlete. The other guy at
work who commutes by bike, rides ten miles each way on a stock hybrid, and
he comes over a much more difficult hill. I don't know how long it takes
him, except that he doesn't seem to think it's too long. He's in his 50s,
but in excellent shape.

Average speed depends on a lot of things, and I suggest doing some test
rides on your days off to get an idea of your own capabilities. I think 15
mph on a lightly loaded bike should be easy enough for most people, and many
can go much faster, but count on being slower at first.

If this bike is being bought primarily for transportation, it may be a good
idea to shop for one that will easily accept fenders and a rear rack, but
that's really a topic for another thread, along with all your other
equipment choices.


Hope that helps.

Marc

"Jeffrey Pogodzinski" > wrote in message
m...
> Hi,
>
> I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.
>
> Would 15 miles each way be too far?
>
> I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.
>
> About how long would it take?
>
> How fast (average speed) can the average beginner go on a road bike?
>
> Thanks, Jeff.

[Doug Purdy]

"Jeffrey Pogodzinski" wrote

> I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.
> Would 15 miles each way be too far?
> I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.

For 12.5 mile suburban/urban commute it takes me a bit less than an hour in
the summer (if there are no pollution warnings), a bit more in the winter
(almost 3 hours in one heavy blizzard but then it would have taken 1.5 -2
hours by car.)

My bike computer reads about 10 minutes less so I spend more than 10 minutes
waiting at stop lights. Depending on your route 75 minutes wris****ch time
sounds right for 15 miles.

I started riding about 5 years ago when I was over 50 and in pretty bad
shape. I hate gyms but really enjoy riding and it makes me feel astoundingly
better.

I usually ride major streets on the way to work with a bit more than a mile
on a multiuse path shortcut which offers refreshing nature, little bunnies,
friendly greetings with other users. On the way home I usually take quieter
routes.

The first few years I explored a lot discovering many alternate routes which
help me keep riding enjoyable instead of a boring chore like driving. Though
lots of great bike gear helps a bit too. ;-)

Doug
Toronto

[Doug Purdy]

Doug Purdy wrote
> I started riding about 5 years ago when I was over 50 and in pretty bad
> shape. I hate gyms but really enjoy riding and it makes me feel
astoundingly
> better.

I should add that I started riding a 6 mile commute in early August and by
mid November switched to the 12.5 mile commute. A down/up ravine I had to
cross made me feel like I might well die trying to climb it. I couldn't even
find my pulse, it felt like sludge. After a few years I climbed out of the
ravine in top gear, with cooperating stop lights of course. I doubt I could
have jumped into the 12.5 mile commute from the start.

Doug
Toronto

[Mark Hickey]

(Jeffrey Pogodzinski) wrote:

>I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.

Excellent idea!

>Would 15 miles each way be too far?

No - actually, it's just about perfect. Much under 10 miles and it's
almost not worth the logistics - much over 20 and it starts taking too
much time (for some of us at least).

>I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.

Then you want to take it a little easy the first few weeks, so you
don't burn out and get soured on the whole commuting experience. Your
body will adjust, but if you start putting in 150 miles a week from a
low mileage base, you could hit a real "pit" in your fitness.

>About how long would it take?
>
>How fast (average speed) can the average beginner go on a road bike?

The last work commute I had was almost exactly 15 miles, and would
normally take 45-55 minutes (normally riding pretty hard since that
constituted my "training" as well as my commute). My personal best
was a bit over 41 minutes (there were a lot of stoplights...).

If you're in good shape it shouldn't take too long to get to the point
where you'd be making it in an hour (barring TOO many hills, lights,
nasty intersections, etc.). From there, it just gets better.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

[Bill Davidson]

Jeffrey Pogodzinski wrote:
> I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.

Good for you.

> Would 15 miles each way be too far?

No.

> I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.
>
> About how long would it take?

In order, it will depend upon your condition, the terrain, weather,
traffic and how well your bike is built for speed. There's too many
variables to guess accurately. I suggest that you do a trial run on
your day off to see how long it actually takes and then give yourself
10 extra minutes on the first morning to account for variability and
early morning slugishness. If I had to guess, I'd guess 1.5 hours to
start. Many people can do 15 miles in traffic in under an hour but
they usually aren't beginners. If you do this ride daily, you can
expect to speed up considerably over time.

> How fast (average speed) can the average beginner go on a road bike?

10-15 mph is probably a typical average for the beginner. Some will
be a little faster. Some a little slower. It's also affected by
lights, stop signs, hills, wind direction/speed, traffic, train
crossings etc. All of these except tail winds and downhills slow you
down.

--Bill Davidson
--
Please remove ".nospam" from my address for email replies.

I'm a 17 year veteran of usenet -- you'd think I'd be over it by now

[Garrison Hilliard]

(Jeffrey Pogodzinski) wrote:
>Hi,
>
>I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.

Good for you!

>Would 15 miles each way be too far?

No.

>I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.
>
>About how long would it take?

That depends on how many hills and intersections are on your route.

>How fast (average speed) can the average beginner go on a road bike?


12 mph is reasonable.

[Zoot Katz]

Mon, 04 Aug 2003 18:20:51 GMT,
>, Mark Hickey
> wrote:

>
>If you're in good shape it shouldn't take too long to get to the point
>where you'd be making it in an hour (barring TOO many hills, lights,
>nasty intersections, etc.). From there, it just gets better.

And remains quite consistent. I think that's one great advantage of
bicycle commuting. Barring mechanical problems, you know how long it's
going to take when you leave home. The amount of other traffic has
little impact on bicycle travel times.
--
zk

[Rick Onanian]

On 4 Aug 2003 08:26:48 -0700, Jeffrey Pogodzinski > wrote:
> Hi,
> I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.

Great!

> Would 15 miles each way be too far?

Maybe. Probably at first.

> I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.

I am in not so great shape but have been biking for a few years.

> About how long would it take?

An hour plus changing clothes, filling water bottles, etc.
At least, after you've been riding long enough.

> How fast (average speed) can the average beginner go on a road bike?

As a beginner, depending how quickly you pick up on technique,
your fitness, the terrain, and your bike, I'd bet anywhere from
8 to 16 mph avg.

After a few years riding, okay technique, and a pretty good bike
that's finally dialed in to fit me properly, I get 15.6 mph avg
on relatively flat lands without tiring myself out -- I can talk
to a riding partner while maintaining that speed.

Hilly areas, or if I try to push it, can result in lower avg
speed or pain or tiredness and definately out of breath.

Learning to pace yourself and not overdo it, IMO, is the
hardest part and also the most beneficial.

Get a nice road bike. Make _absolutely sure_ that it's as
comfortable as possible and fits 100% properly. Don't forget
the triple crank (that is, three gears in the front). Ride
recreationally until you feel good about it, then commute with
it.

> Thanks, Jeff.
--
Rick Onanian

[Rick Onanian]

On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 17:17:02 GMT, Doug Purdy > wrote:
> Though lots of great bike gear helps a bit too. ;-)

The toys! That's the best part!

> Doug
> Toronto
--
Rick Onanian

[Jeffrey Pogodzinski]

Thank you all for your suggestions!

I will try a test run this weekend. The only thing I do not like is
the lack of bicycle lanes or a shoulder on some parts of my ride that
can not be avoided.

How do you deal with no bike lanes?

I have a mountain bike -- Giant ATX 890 -- it has knobby tires.

Should I buy some smooth tires before I try it?

Jeff.

[Donny Harder Jr.]

In article >,
(Jeffrey Pogodzinski) wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.
>
> Would 15 miles each way be too far?
>
> I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.
>
> About how long would it take?
>
> How fast (average speed) can the average beginner go on a road bike?
>
> Thanks, Jeff.

Jeff,

Excellent idea! I commute about 14-16 miles each way to work and it
takes me around 50 minutes at my speed with lights and traffic and such.
I allow myself about thirty extra minutes for flats and unexpected
stuff.

Before I started commuting, I did the route on the weekend. Try it out
and see how long it would take you to bolster your confidence. I did and
have been bettering my time with each run. I can do the ride in 40
minutes if I push myself. Try different routes, too. I started out one
way, and ended up another all the time, finding less traffic or a
more-downhill route.

You also want to make sure you're keeping your bike in good order. More
miles means more wear and tear. And you're now using it to get to work.
Nothing like getting stuck with greasy fingers on the way there. So make
sure you keep your chain and brakes in good order. Keep a spare tube (or
two) and the tools you'd need for that.

And, speaking of a bike, I am using a Gary Fisher Zebrano (lower-end
hybrid) with all the standard equipment, including a suspension
saddlepost. (I did have to get a new rear wheel -- SUPER heavy duty this
time.) This bike is inexpensive enough that I wouldn't be crying if I
lost it and it gives me confidence to tackle potholes and climbing
sidewalks. If I had to commute on a road bike, I'd be worried about
every little thing. Something to consider before getting that bike.

I added fenders, a rack with trunk bag, and a bike computer. I also
bought clothes that dry quickly so I change at work. The computer is
excellent, especially when commuting, so you know how long it REALLY
takes. It also helps you maintain a speed when you know what your
average is. For instance, I know if I maintain 18 mph each way I will
make it to work in plenty of time.

The best part of the ride in the morning is the high I get for about
four hours. It's like having a pot of coffee in the morning without the
potty breaks. You'll love it, too! Just experiement and good luck!

Whew. What a book. :)

[Slider2699]

"Jeffrey Pogodzinski" > wrote in message
om...
> Thank you all for your suggestions!
>
> I will try a test run this weekend. The only thing I do not like is
> the lack of bicycle lanes or a shoulder on some parts of my ride that
> can not be avoided.
>
> How do you deal with no bike lanes?
>
> I have a mountain bike -- Giant ATX 890 -- it has knobby tires.
>
> Should I buy some smooth tires before I try it?
>
> Jeff.

I live in an area with no bike lanes either. Basically you just have to
"take the lane"---ride 18' from the edge of the road and act like you own
it. The more experienced riders here will tell you not to ride on paved
shoulders because drivers will not give you space, and they're right. Part
of my commute is a 50mph road with a paved shoulder, and cars zip right by
with their right tires practically on the line. When I "take the lane" that
doesn't happen. As to your tire question---you can ride on pavement with
knobbies, no problem. It's more efficient to use slicks, but not necessary.
Performance has some nice slicks for pretty cheap.
http://www.performancebicycle.com.

Mike

[David Kerber]

In article >,
says...
> Thank you all for your suggestions!
>
> I will try a test run this weekend. The only thing I do not like is
> the lack of bicycle lanes or a shoulder on some parts of my ride that
> can not be avoided.
>
> How do you deal with no bike lanes?

In the lane.


> I have a mountain bike -- Giant ATX 890 -- it has knobby tires.
>
> Should I buy some smooth tires before I try it?

That would probably help your average speed quite a bit.

--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

[Fred]

"Jeffrey Pogodzinski" > wrote in message
m...
> Hi,
>
> I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.
>
> Would 15 miles each way be too far?
>
> I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.
>
> About how long would it take?
>
> How fast (average speed) can the average beginner go on a road bike?
>
> Thanks, Jeff.

I'm 59 years old and I ride 15 miles (more or less) every morning. It isn't
a commute (it's my daily excercise) but it takes me about an hour on a road
bike. I live in the country and ride on country roads so there aren't any
traffic issues but there is some hilly terrain. I'm in just average shape
for a person my age. The younger guys and those in better shape than I am
do a lot better than 15 mph but that's my pace and I would assume most
people could do at least that. Take care.

Fred

[Eric S. Sande]

>How do you deal with no bike lanes?

The short answer is by operating as a car or motorcycle would in
similar conditions, by taking the lane--all of it--and using
appropriate signals.

I guess the best thing I can suggest is to know what you intend
to do before you do it, then execute the maneuver. You are operating
a light vehicle, and that has advantages and disadvantages, for
example you are fragile and you can't accelerate well--but you have
everything else on the road beat as far as agility is concerned.

Try to keep the surprise factor low. The other road users need to
know your intentions, and you need to know theirs.

You will find that the more you ride your route the better it will
be in terms of safety and predictability. If you do one thing each
ride better than the last time, it will add up.

You may also have a local bike club that can assist you with tips,
routes, etc. If you tell us where you live (just the city) there may
be someone here with local knowledge.

Bicycle commuting is a challenging and rewarding experience, given
that you have to go to work anyway you might as well have fun doing
it and reap the health and financial benefits.

(commercial mode off)

P.S.--Yes, the slicks will help.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------

[Rick Onanian]

On 4 Aug 2003 15:36:31 -0700, MortDubois > wrote:
> for this. I find that I have to really watch myself to make sure that
> my riding isn't using up the energy I need to deal with the rest of my
> life - especially after work, when my children/wife/house demand

Strange, I find that such pesky things as work and family
take up all my riding time. I could ride hundreds of miles
per week, but instead, I do things like spend time with my
girlfriend, work, go to school (on the few nights I don't
see my girlfriend), and so on...all the while, wishing I
could be out riding.

Then, when I finally get a chance, it's 95 degrees and
pouring rain. Or it's 2 degrees and snowing.

Time is my problem. I don't have the energy either way.
Actually, I suspect if I rode more, the excersize would
make me more healthy, more energetic, and cause me to
sleep better + require less sleep.

> Paul
--
Rick Onanian

[Pete]

"Eric S. Sande" > wrote in message
...
> >How do you deal with no bike lanes?
>
> The short answer is by operating as a car or motorcycle would in
> similar conditions, by taking the lane--all of it--and using
> appropriate signals.

Take the lane, when appropriate. Not necessarily all the time.

Pete

[Eric S. Sande]

>Take the lane, when appropriate. Not necessarily all the time.

True. My bad.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------

[Thomas Reynolds]

(Jeffrey Pogodzinski) wrote in message >...
> Hi,
>
> I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.
>
> Would 15 miles each way be too far?
>
> I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.
>
> About how long would it take?
>
> How fast (average speed) can the average beginner go on a road bike?
>
> Thanks, Jeff.

My commute used to 15 miles one way (it is longer now). If you are in
good shape it shouldn't take much more than an hour, unless the hills
are terrible. If it helps, once I got into it, I would go a couple of
months without ever driving my car to work.

You may try riding on a weekend to check out the best (safest) route.
The safest route is not always the shortest. Also, if you live in a
major city, you may find some streets with wide bike lanes are not
always too safe if they cross a freeway. At rush hour the traffic
getting on and off can make even a marked bike lane dangerous.

The best way to stay alive while riding in traffic is **be more alert
than the motorists**.

But don't let this discourage you. Enjoy.

Tom

[Fabrizio Mazzoleni]

Zoot Katz wrote in message >...
>And remains quite consistent. I think that's one great advantage of
>bicycle commuting.

And looking like a FRED. I think that's one great
disadvantage of bicycle commuting.

Why do you types have to wear crap and ride
junkers?

What makes me angry about you guys is that
the general public sees you every day and gets
the impression all cyclist ride hybrids or other
lamers and wear dorky gear from those general
bike shops.

I'm devoting all my time to putting forward the
image and lifestyle of the euro pro and you
types are ruining that for me.

[Bill Davidson]

Jeffrey Pogodzinski wrote:
> I will try a test run this weekend. The only thing I do not like is
> the lack of bicycle lanes or a shoulder on some parts of my ride that
> can not be avoided.
>
> How do you deal with no bike lanes?

No bike lane and no shoulder--take the lane.
Narrow shoulder (less than 3 feet)--take the lane.
Wide paved shoulder (5 feet or more)--ride the shoulder; it's practically a bike lane.
3-5 foot shoulder--Use your judgment.

Luckily for me, I seldomly have to deal with this. Most roads
where I ride either have bike lanes or very wide right lanes. I
don't much like taking the lane but I do it when it makes sense;
even if it does infuriate some drivers.

> I have a mountain bike -- Giant ATX 890 -- it has knobby tires.
>
> Should I buy some smooth tires before I try it?

I highly recomend them; especially given the distance. They will make
you faster. It's very noticable.

Cheap ones here:

http://www.nashbar.com/results.cfm?category=121&subcategory=1084&storetype=&estoreid=&init=y
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/subcategory.cfm?Cat_ID=22&Sub_ID=5430

I would tend to go with this one:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=2314
It's cheap, kevlar and handles high pressure for an ATB tire (45-90psi).
Higher pressure means lower rolling resistance which means you go faster.
It also means a harsher ride but given the distance you're covering, I'd
think you'd welcome any reduction in the commute time.

--Bill Davidson
--
Please remove ".nospam" from my address for email replies.

I'm a 17 year veteran of usenet -- you'd think I'd be over it by now

[Eric S. Sande]

>What makes me angry about you guys is that the general public sees
>you every day and gets the impression all cyclist ride hybrids or
>other lamers and wear dorky gear from those general bike shops.

It's actually worse than that, Mayonnaise. Some of those nimrods
are roadies that have started buying their gear from Chinese surplus
shops and so forth. Oh, the shame.

>I'm devoting all my time to putting forward the image and lifestyle
>of the euro pro and you types are ruining that for me.

Well, we have to get to work and so forth.

--

_______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________
------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------

[Erik Freitag]

In article >,
(Claire Petersky) wrote:

> Depends on how hilly the ride is, and how many lights and traffic you
> have to contend with. My ride is relatively hilly -- only one flat
> section -- and is somewhat more downhill in to work and uphill for the
> way back.

Oddly enough, my commute (26 mi one-way and a max of 3x week) is uphill
and into the wind in both directions. Or maybe that's just me.

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
"Eric S. Sande" > writes:

>>I'm devoting all my time to putting forward the image and lifestyle
>>of the euro pro and you types are ruining that for me.
>
> Well, we have to get to work and so forth.

Not to mention getting to the bowling alleys, bingo halls,
beer stores, thrift shops, walk-in clinics, employment
centers, and those "general" bike shops.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Powered by FreeBSD
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

[R15757]

(Thomas Reynolds) wrote:

<< You may try riding on a weekend to check out the best (safest) route.
The safest route is not always the shortest. >>

this is some of the best advice I have read on this NG in a long time. I would
say that the safest route is rarely the shortest. And the most enjoyable route
is rarely the shortest. And the route of your bike commute is likely to be
quite different from the route of your car commute.

Note to OP: all this advice about "taking the lane," popular though it may be
to repeat, needs to be taken with a serious grain of salt. The road you have
described (50mph no shoulder) is one of the worst types of roads for cycling.
Attempting to "take the lane" here could very well cause more problems than it
solves. Things could get very nasty depending on how busy the road is in both
directions, what time of day it is, what the culture of traffic is in your
area, what drivers are used to in terms of the traditional use of the road over
the years, etc. If this road is anything like some of the roads I have had to
ride at certain unlucky periods in my life (I imagine a very narrow busy 2-lane
road w/ zero shoulder) I would say avoid it if at all possible. There is no
good way to deal with such a road. Taking a lane is no magic cure-all. The
rider is left with only bad choices and unsavory trade-offs.

Be careful out there. Don't forget to watch for cars coming at you in the wrong
lane. Also, some people find eyeglass mirrors to be very helpful on this type
of road.

Robert

[Max]

(Jeffrey Pogodzinski) wrote:

> Thank you all for your suggestions!

I would reiterate that you'd be happier w/ inverted tread (like a car)
tires vs. knobbies. I have some kenda 1.9" tires i run at 80 pounds,
muuch faster than any knobbies!

Make sure you have the ability to fix a flat should you have one on the
way. I carry an inflator, spare tube and a patch kit and levers.

> I will try a test run this weekend.

Excellent idea!

Sometimes adding a mile or three to your ride can be worth it if it
keeps you off of the Indy 500 amateur practice track. Think (no
gagging) outside of the box -- i greatly simplified my commute after
discovering an abandoned railroad bridge that crosses the interstate,
I-88, just west of the Fox River in Illinois. Sometimes cutting through
a parking lot can simplify things, too.

Take your time on the ride, if you're feeling time pressure, just leave
earlier. It's a lot easier and safer.

..max
enjoy!

--
the part of >
was played by maxwell monningh 8-p

[Stephen Harding]

Jeffrey Pogodzinski wrote:
>
> Thank you all for your suggestions!
>
> I will try a test run this weekend. The only thing I do not like is
> the lack of bicycle lanes or a shoulder on some parts of my ride that
> can not be avoided.
>
> How do you deal with no bike lanes?
>
> I have a mountain bike -- Giant ATX 890 -- it has knobby tires.
>
> Should I buy some smooth tires before I try it?

As others have stated, you should "take the lane" and invest in some
road tires for your MTB.

Being more assertive as a bicycle road vehicle takes a little getting
used to, but sometimes the worst thing you can do is shyly pedal along
a busy road with no shoulder a mere pedals length away from the curb.
Get out at least a couple feet or more from the curb. Some drivers
might not like it but tough luck.

No need to run yourself into a storm drain with the cover on the "wrong
way", or pothole or piece of muffler or nails or glass...or clipped by
some driver with poor depth perception, just so some impatient motorist
won't lose 5 seconds waiting for an opportunity to pass you safely!

One other consideration: Design your route as *a bicyclist* rather than
a motorist.

You might be surprised to find that alternate, possibly longer or less
direct routes by bicycle don't have the time penalties they would in a
car.


SMH

[Mark Hickey]

"Fabrizio Mazzoleni" > wrote:

>Zoot Katz wrote in message >...
>>And remains quite consistent. I think that's one great advantage of
>>bicycle commuting.
>
>And looking like a FRED. I think that's one great
>disadvantage of bicycle commuting.
>
>Why do you types have to wear crap and ride
>junkers?
>
>What makes me angry about you guys is that
>the general public sees you every day and gets
>the impression all cyclist ride hybrids or other
>lamers and wear dorky gear from those general
>bike shops.
>
>I'm devoting all my time to putting forward the
>image and lifestyle of the euro pro and you
>types are ruining that for me.

Far from it, Fab! I always tried to maintain proper kit level when
riding to work. Sure, that meant I had to drive my clothes in every
couple weeks, but I was able to look marvelous on my way to work. And
the best part was I could cruise around the parking lot for a while
when I got there so all the folks who drive to work (the shame!) could
see how it should be done.

I did have to compromise a little and ride MTB shoes and pedals, but
made sure they looked like "real road shoes" so I wouldn't have to
listen to the "tsk, tsk, tsk" from the Real Roadies [tm] I passed.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

[Mark Hickey]

Erik Freitag > wrote:

>In article >,
> (Claire Petersky) wrote:
>
>> Depends on how hilly the ride is, and how many lights and traffic you
>> have to contend with. My ride is relatively hilly -- only one flat
>> section -- and is somewhat more downhill in to work and uphill for the
>> way back.
>
>Oddly enough, my commute (26 mi one-way and a max of 3x week) is uphill
>and into the wind in both directions. Or maybe that's just me.

It shouldn't be a problem - after all, your miles are shorter than
ours... oh, and I hear that in the southern hemisphere, the rides are
all downhill and with the wind in both directions. That must make it
hard on those Aussie sprinters in the Tour!

;-)

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

[Menotomy]

That's a pretty long ride if you're working in the middle of that commute.
A road bike would be best, but be sure to add fenders, lights and a rack.

Vin - Menotomy Vintage Bicycles, Inc.
http://OldRoads.com


>Hi,
>
>I am thinking of buying a road bike to commute to work every day.
>
>Would 15 miles each way be too far?
>
>I am in pretty good shape but new to biking.
>
>About how long would it take?
>
>How fast (average speed) can the average beginner go on a road bike?
>
>Thanks, Jeff.
>
>
>
>
>
>

[Tanya Quinn]

(Jeffrey Pogodzinski) wrote in message >...
> Thank you all for your suggestions!
>
> I will try a test run this weekend. The only thing I do not like is
> the lack of bicycle lanes or a shoulder on some parts of my ride that
> can not be avoided.
>
> How do you deal with no bike lanes?
>
> I have a mountain bike -- Giant ATX 890 -- it has knobby tires.
>
> Should I buy some smooth tires before I try it?
>
> Jeff.

Hi Jeff,
I commuted for a while on a mountain bike with knobby tires and it was
fine. However once I replaced the tires with slicks I was much happier
- I could go faster with less effort.

You don't need bike lanes to ride on the road. You should ride
vehicularly - the same as you would drive a car, with the exception
that you keep as far to the right as practicable. Which is usually
about 3 feet out from the curb - if you hug the curb you will get the
impression that cars are out to kill you as they whiz by and leave you
minimal room, and its nice not to ride over storm sewers etc. If there
is not sufficient room for a bicycle and a car in the same lane then
ride in the center of the lane so cars need to change lanes in order
to pass, rather than give the impression there might be room.

You may need to try a couple of routes before you find one you like. I
have a different route going to work and coming home because of what
works out best for uphill vs. downhill and also for traffic patterns
at different times of the day.

Here's some ideas for picking routes:
1. residential roads - when you are a beginner these will seem
attractive as they are less trafficked. However those speed bumps and
stop signs designed to slow traffic through the neighbourhoods will
slow you down too, so its a quietness vs. speed tradeoff. They also
may require more turns and not as direct of a straight line.
2. minor arterials - find the road that you would pick if you were a
car and look at what is parallel to it. Often these are good choices
since they go straight through, have traffic lights instead of stop
signs. But they may be less attractive to cars because they have less
lanes slowing down the speed - bad for them, good for you.
3. speed limits and effective speeds - the slower the cars go the more
comfortable it is to share the road with them. So choose roads with
lower speed limits, or roads that are more congested. While picking
busier roads may seem counterintuitive, congestion can slow traffic
down to biking speed - perfect :)
Generally roads with high speed limits, not so wide lanes, no shoulder
and frequent traffic should be avoided. On low frequency traffic roads
with high speeds (such as country roads) the low traffic makes it easy
for faster traffic to pass.
4. Width of roads - wider lanes make it easier to share bike and cars
in one lane without any conflict. (its like having a bike lane but
without the white stripe) However wider lane roads also tend to move
faster (see point 3)

To get respect from motorists, be assertive (but not aggressive), have
courteousy for cars but don't assume that you have to move for them
either, signal your turns, stop for all traffic lights (even with no
cars coming)

If there are other cyclists in your area, or some kind of local group
with email, they are great resources to ask about route planning. You
may find out shortcuts you never knew existed.

Be sure to have good front and rear lights when riding at night -
visibility is important! You never know when you might have to stay
late at work so even if you don't think you'll be riding after dark
they are good insurance.

As for the distance - If you live somewhere with decent public transit
that you can take your bicycle on, you could try doing a half bike and
half transit if you find the distance to be much. Or if there is
somewhere you can park your car conveniently halfway if you drive you
can do a half drive half bike. It may take a while before your commute
feels easy enough to do every day.

HTH
Tanya

[Derek]

My commute to work is about 14.3 miles so it is similar to yours in
distance. My route dosesn't have any significant climbs, and I spend
all but 4 or 5 of those miles on the bike path so I have no cars to
deal with for the most part. When I'm off of the bike path I take back
streets with the exception of the last road that leads to work. So
probably just under a mile is spent on a busy street.

My shortest time for this commute has been 48 minutes. Obviously I was
haulin' a*s that day and had a tailwind to boot. The longest it has
taken is 65 minutes, when I was either not feeling well or having a
really slow recovery day. Since I vary my rides to work with recovery
days and very hard work days (intervals and time-trial speed runs) I
can be pretty well worn down if things are also tough at work. Like
today for instance is a recovery day, but I'm feeling pretty poorly
given yesterday's workout was so hard, and I've been riding either 5
or 6 days a week for several weeks now. I'm really gonna be going home
slowly today.

The two most important things I've found when commuting like this and
putting in major efforts, is getting enough sleep and eating so you
have energy. Its not as easy as it sounds, beleive me.

Good luck!

[Rick Onanian]

On Tue, 5 Aug 2003 19:28:51 -0400, David Kerber >
wrote:
> Depending on what time I go out, it's easy to get the wind against you
> both directions in Narragansett. If I start out going norte around noon
> or so, by the time I turn around, the sea breeze has filled in from the
> south and I'm riding into it again.

The parts of Narragansett I've been to, while windy,
at least tend to be pretty flat...it's uphill both
ways here in East Greenwich.

--
Rick Onanian

[Tom Sherman]

Fabrizio Mazzoleni wrote:
>
> Zoot Katz wrote in message >...
> >And remains quite consistent. I think that's one great advantage of
> >bicycle commuting.
>
> And looking like a FRED. I think that's one great
> disadvantage of bicycle commuting.
>
> Why do you types have to wear crap and ride
> junkers?
>
> What makes me angry about you guys is that
> the general public sees you every day and gets
> the impression all cyclist ride hybrids or other
> lamers and wear dorky gear from those general
> bike shops.
>
> I'm devoting all my time to putting forward the
> image and lifestyle of the euro pro and you
> types are ruining that for me.

A recumbent is even better, since you can dispense with the cycling
clothes and just wear wicking fabric "travel clothes".

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

[Dan Daniel]

On 4 Aug 2003 16:22:42 -0700, (Jeffrey Pogodzinski)
wrote:

>Thank you all for your suggestions!
>
>I will try a test run this weekend. The only thing I do not like is
>the lack of bicycle lanes or a shoulder on some parts of my ride that
>can not be avoided.
>
>How do you deal with no bike lanes?
>

Take the lane, or find another route.


>I have a mountain bike -- Giant ATX 890 -- it has knobby tires.
>
>Should I buy some smooth tires before I try it?
>

Yes! Yes, yes, yes....... Well, if you can't find get tires right
away, don't worry and don't let it stop you. Just realize that losing
the knobbies will make a big difference.

>Jeff.

Lots of good things said by others, and I hope that it goes well for
you. One thing that I didn't see mentioned is one-way commutes. Ride
in one morning, get home another way (bus, car pool, etc.).

Or drive the car to work on Sunday and bike home. Then ride the bike
in on Monday.....

The point being that if you are new to commuting, have other options
available, at least until you build up some experience. And if you
find the couple of hours are taking too big a hunk out of your day,
you'll have ways to make the 15 mile trip five times a week.

[Robin Hubert]

"Tanya Quinn" > wrote in message
om...
> (Jeffrey Pogodzinski) wrote in message
>...
> > Thank you all for your suggestions!
> >
> > I will try a test run this weekend. The only thing I do not like is
> > the lack of bicycle lanes or a shoulder on some parts of my ride that
> > can not be avoided.
> >
> > How do you deal with no bike lanes?
> >
> > I have a mountain bike -- Giant ATX 890 -- it has knobby tires.
> >
> > Should I buy some smooth tires before I try it?
> >
> > Jeff.
>
> Hi Jeff,
> I commuted for a while on a mountain bike with knobby tires and it was
> fine. However once I replaced the tires with slicks I was much happier
> - I could go faster with less effort.

Alot faster with alot less effort.

>
> You don't need bike lanes to ride on the road. You should ride
> vehicularly - the same as you would drive a car, with the exception
> that you keep as far to the right as practicable. Which is usually
> about 3 feet out from the curb

That is an off-hand measurement that is both vague and misleading. Lane
widths vary and so do shoulders, as well as the presence or absence of hard
shoulders.

>- if you hug the curb you will get the
> impression that cars are out to kill you as they whiz by and leave you
> minimal room, and its nice not to ride over storm sewers etc.
>If there
> is not sufficient room for a bicycle and a car in the same lane then
> ride in the center of the lane so cars need to change lanes in order
> to pass, rather than give the impression there might be room.

Very good.

>
> You may need to try a couple of routes before you find one you like. I
> have a different route going to work and coming home because of what
> works out best for uphill vs. downhill and also for traffic patterns
> at different times of the day.
>
> Here's some ideas for picking routes:
> 1. residential roads - when you are a beginner these will seem
> attractive as they are less trafficked. However those speed bumps and
> stop signs designed to slow traffic through the neighbourhoods will
> slow you down too, so its a quietness vs. speed tradeoff. They also
> may require more turns and not as direct of a straight line.
> 2. minor arterials - find the road that you would pick if you were a
> car and look at what is parallel to it. Often these are good choices
> since they go straight through, have traffic lights instead of stop
> signs. But they may be less attractive to cars because they have less
> lanes slowing down the speed - bad for them, good for you.
> 3. speed limits and effective speeds - the slower the cars go the more
> comfortable it is to share the road with them. So choose roads with
> lower speed limits, or roads that are more congested. While picking
> busier roads may seem counterintuitive, congestion can slow traffic
> down to biking speed - perfect :)
> Generally roads with high speed limits, not so wide lanes, no shoulder
> and frequent traffic should be avoided. On low frequency traffic roads
> with high speeds (such as country roads) the low traffic makes it easy
> for faster traffic to pass.
> 4. Width of roads - wider lanes make it easier to share bike and cars
> in one lane without any conflict. (its like having a bike lane but
> without the white stripe) However wider lane roads also tend to move
> faster (see point 3)
>
> To get respect from motorists, be assertive (but not aggressive),

Some people don't know the difference. I prefer to be aggressive when
necessary.

>have
> courteousy for cars

Do not, I repeat, do not have courtesy for cars. This might sound trivial
to you, but the wording is important to the meaning of language. Cars are
operated by people and you do not give courtesy to inanimate objects. And
only respect a motorist if they deserve it.

>but don't assume that you have to move for them
> either, signal your turns, stop for all traffic lights (even with no
> cars coming)
>
> If there are other cyclists in your area, or some kind of local group
> with email, they are great resources to ask about route planning. You
> may find out shortcuts you never knew existed.
>
> Be sure to have good front and rear lights when riding at night -
> visibility is important! You never know when you might have to stay
> late at work so even if you don't think you'll be riding after dark
> they are good insurance.

Yes, please spend more than a minimal amount of money on the weakest light
you can possibly buy. I'm constantly amazed at the number of idiots who
think their life is worth no more than a $15 or $20 headlight

>
> As for the distance - If you live somewhere with decent public transit
> that you can take your bicycle on, you could try doing a half bike and
> half transit if you find the distance to be much. Or if there is
> somewhere you can park your car conveniently halfway if you drive you
> can do a half drive half bike. It may take a while before your commute
> feels easy enough to do every day.
>
> HTH
> Tanya

Nice post.

Robin Hubert )

[David Kerber]

In article >,
says...
> On Wed, 6 Aug 2003 20:17:21 -0400, David Kerber >
> wrote:
> > Yes, most of Narr is pretty flat, but have you ever ridden down the hill
> > to the water by the URI Bay Campus? That's a workout coming back up.
> > According to my computer, it runs about 14%. It's short, though.
>
> What computer do you have that measures grade?

My Specialized (don't remember the model) does; it has an altimeter, and
combining that with the odometer with a little math gives you the grade.

--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.