5 ms·

that short of a commute? that's a no brainer for cycling to work.

Finnucane 9y ago
Yeah, my ride is about 3 miles each way, so it's pretty easy. I live in the Boston area, so at times the weather can be rough, but it's manageable. If the roads are passable, I can ride (though it is in the 50s today here and expected to get near 70 tomorrow!). In the summer, when it's hot, I leave the house as early as I can manage. After eight years of daily bike commutes, the only serious accident I've had (i.e., injury-causing) was caused by another cyclist, not a car.
- ocschwar 9y ago
  Medford to Haymarket commute for me, starting tomorrow.
sheepz 9y ago
You would think so, but my commute to work is a little over 3 km and I used to drive a car to work, until I realized how ridiculous that was. I know co-workers who live even closer and still they drive.I live in a small town, but people still use cars for everything although we have good bike roads.
- Fricken 9y ago
  I went from a 16 km bike commute to a 3 km one, and 3 km isn't far enough. I usually leave early to spend a little more time on my bike. On an average day the morning ride is the best part of my day.
  - _trampeltier 9y ago
    3km is not so much. From spring to fall I also use my bike for going to work. One way is 21km and it feels great. Often In the morning I would like to make an extra round.
bryanlarsen 9y ago
If anything, it's a little bit short. At that distance, IMO it's more convenient to just pedal slowly while wearing cotton to avoid the hassle of having to shower at work. 10km or so is about perfect IMO. Long enough that it's worth the hassle to get sweaty and have a "real ride", but short enough that you still do it on days where you have a packed schedule. But even better is a 2km commute. Walking is by far the most pleasant way to get to work.
- hycaria 9y ago
  I have 2km and walk but I'm contemplating if I should use my old bike...
  - hobofan 9y ago
    I'd definitely recommend it. I had a 2km commute I walked for about a year, and then a similar length commute for half a year I rode by bike. In the time I walked, my fitness was really bad and I'd get pretty winded even by a small sprint (I didn't do any other sport). When I switched to bicycling, my stamina quickly improved, even tough it was not a long distance + I had the freshness impulse as described in the article.
    - bryanlarsen 9y ago
      I'd prefer to walk at that distance. If I drive to work I get to work tense and/or angry. If I bike I get there over-stimulated, and need some time to drop into the zone. If I walk I get there relaxed and already in the zone.
TulliusCicero 9y ago
Most people in the states with that short of a commute probably still drive, and I don't blame them (because biking in most American cities is absolutely awful).
- jordache 9y ago
  true. I should caveated my statement - that short of a commute w/ dedicated bike infrastructure? That's a no brainer.
  - 5555624 9y ago
    Or at least a non-hostile infrastructure. Until last June, I biked to work, year-round, for 18 years. (I didn't even have a car.) My job moved and I've commuted by car, even though I am slightly closer to the office. Part of my potential cycling route has dedicated bike lanes, sharrows, and even a parallel trail; but, part of it is on a busy state road, with no shoulders and often a half-mile backup for the left turn I need to make. (Yet another part is essentially a two-lane, unlit, country road; but, I can deal with that.) I have not yet ruled out cycling altogether; but, I think I need a better, if longer, route.
- rconti 9y ago
  To me it's like voting. I guess I could complain about why it doesn't do any good and justify not doing it. Or I could just do it, and others see and hear your experiences, and are more likely to do it themselves/consider it 'normal'.
  - TulliusCicero 9y ago
    Oh, I've done it before. Biking to work was my primary method of transportation when I was in the bay area. By American standards, my route was pretty decent, which means that by any sane, objective standard it was trash. I got hit by cars twice the last year before I moved to Germany. Once I had my son on my bike, that was especially fun. I was willing to take some risk, but expecting the average person to is unreasonable. Getting around shouldn't involve serious risk to your person. We'd never accept using "painted walk lanes" everywhere, and yet that standard is considered "pretty good" for biking. It's absurd.
shaki-dora 9y ago
That's the argument for mixed zoning: having offices (plus some retail, medical practices etc) within a 5km radius of home is entirely possible. It's easier in a dense urban environment, but as this post shows, you can even do it with single-family homes with a generous garden. Of course there are still some people who need to use a car or public transport for commuting, especially if you're a couple both invested in specific careers (and can't, say, just transfer and teach at a different school).

Yeah, my ride is about 3 miles each way, so it's pretty easy. I live in the Boston area, so at times the weather can be rough, but it's manageable. If the roads are passable, I can ride (though it is in the 50s today here and expected to get near 70 tomorrow!). In the summer, when it's hot, I leave the house as early as I can manage. After eight years of daily bike commutes, the only serious accident I've had (i.e., injury-causing) was caused by another cyclist, not a car.

ocschwar 9y ago
Medford to Haymarket commute for me, starting tomorrow.

sheepz 9y ago

You would think so, but my commute to work is a little over 3 km and I used to drive a car to work, until I realized how ridiculous that was. I know co-workers who live even closer and still they drive.I live in a small town, but people still use cars for everything although we have good bike roads.

Fricken 9y ago
I went from a 16 km bike commute to a 3 km one, and 3 km isn't far enough. I usually leave early to spend a little more time on my bike. On an average day the morning ride is the best part of my day.
- _trampeltier 9y ago
  3km is not so much. From spring to fall I also use my bike for going to work. One way is 21km and it feels great. Often In the morning I would like to make an extra round.

bryanlarsen 9y ago

If anything, it's a little bit short. At that distance, IMO it's more convenient to just pedal slowly while wearing cotton to avoid the hassle of having to shower at work. 10km or so is about perfect IMO. Long enough that it's worth the hassle to get sweaty and have a "real ride", but short enough that you still do it on days where you have a packed schedule. But even better is a 2km commute. Walking is by far the most pleasant way to get to work.

hycaria 9y ago
I have 2km and walk but I'm contemplating if I should use my old bike...
- hobofan 9y ago
  I'd definitely recommend it. I had a 2km commute I walked for about a year, and then a similar length commute for half a year I rode by bike. In the time I walked, my fitness was really bad and I'd get pretty winded even by a small sprint (I didn't do any other sport). When I switched to bicycling, my stamina quickly improved, even tough it was not a long distance + I had the freshness impulse as described in the article.
  - bryanlarsen 9y ago
    I'd prefer to walk at that distance. If I drive to work I get to work tense and/or angry. If I bike I get there over-stimulated, and need some time to drop into the zone. If I walk I get there relaxed and already in the zone.

TulliusCicero 9y ago

Most people in the states with that short of a commute probably still drive, and I don't blame them (because biking in most American cities is absolutely awful).

jordache 9y ago
true. I should caveated my statement - that short of a commute w/ dedicated bike infrastructure? That's a no brainer.
- 5555624 9y ago
  Or at least a non-hostile infrastructure. Until last June, I biked to work, year-round, for 18 years. (I didn't even have a car.) My job moved and I've commuted by car, even though I am slightly closer to the office. Part of my potential cycling route has dedicated bike lanes, sharrows, and even a parallel trail; but, part of it is on a busy state road, with no shoulders and often a half-mile backup for the left turn I need to make. (Yet another part is essentially a two-lane, unlit, country road; but, I can deal with that.) I have not yet ruled out cycling altogether; but, I think I need a better, if longer, route.
rconti 9y ago
To me it's like voting. I guess I could complain about why it doesn't do any good and justify not doing it. Or I could just do it, and others see and hear your experiences, and are more likely to do it themselves/consider it 'normal'.
- TulliusCicero 9y ago
  Oh, I've done it before. Biking to work was my primary method of transportation when I was in the bay area. By American standards, my route was pretty decent, which means that by any sane, objective standard it was trash. I got hit by cars twice the last year before I moved to Germany. Once I had my son on my bike, that was especially fun. I was willing to take some risk, but expecting the average person to is unreasonable. Getting around shouldn't involve serious risk to your person. We'd never accept using "painted walk lanes" everywhere, and yet that standard is considered "pretty good" for biking. It's absurd.

shaki-dora 9y ago

That's the argument for mixed zoning: having offices (plus some retail, medical practices etc) within a 5km radius of home is entirely possible. It's easier in a dense urban environment, but as this post shows, you can even do it with single-family homes with a generous garden. Of course there are still some people who need to use a car or public transport for commuting, especially if you're a couple both invested in specific careers (and can't, say, just transfer and teach at a different school).