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Riding a bike is not fun if you're doing it to commute - having to do it in all weathers, in traffic that feels unsafe, even if you don't feel like it and got p

Riding a bike is not fun if you're doing it to commute - having to do it in all weathers, in traffic that feels unsafe, even if you don't feel like it and got poor sleep etc. It's really fundamentally not the same.

Muromec 3y ago
Then don't commute in bad weather and in unsafe conditions. Working from home and improving road infrastructure is totally an option.
- ponector 3y ago
  Work from home is an option only for some office folks. Would you be happy if your baker, barber, car mechanic will not commute to the workplace if it is raining?
  - scatters 3y ago
    I'd be happy if they have an easier and safer commute because everyone else is staying home.
  - Muromec 3y ago
    This kind of argument goes both ways. See —- having a car is also an option only for a minority of people, so please stop having it.
david-gpu 3y ago
> Driving a car is not fun if you're doing it to commute - having to do it in all weathers, in traffic that feels unsafe, even if you don't feel like it and got poor sleep etc. It's really fundamentally not the same In a town that is minimally designed to facilitate the movement of people instead of cars there are multiple modes of transportation available to commuters, including but not limited to public transit for those days when you don't feel like walking or riding a bike.
tomcar288 3y ago
I spent almost an entire year e-biking to work 7 miles and back 7 miles. I can tell you, all the issues you mentioned are correct. I think, if we had dedicated bike lanes that were away from the main roads, at least we can address the safety issue. that would go a long way towards getting me back to commuting on an e-bike. One more big issue for bikes is the cost of it. I've commuted almost 1100 miles on my ebike and already have had 3 flat tires! That's a cost of about 10 cents a mile which means that the cost of flat tires is twice as much as all my other bike commuting costs (depreciation and repairs). So, we also need to address the nails and screws on the paths issue. i think that would be greatly solved with increased bicycle adoption.
- analog31 3y ago
  That's like 30 bucks per flat! But given your original tires will certainly wear out, start researching puncture resistant tires now. And a patch kit. ;-)
  - tomcar288 3y ago
    I'm able to fix the front flat tires much more cheaply: just the cost of the inner tube about 6$. but the flat tires happen most frequently in the rear. the problem is I can't remove the rear wheel myself because the frame doesn't fit perfectly. so, it's nearly impossible to remove the rear wheel unless you're really talented mechanically.
- nradov 3y ago
  Most bikes come with the cheapest possible tires and inner tubes. If you're going to ride a lot then it's worth buying something more robust, even if they're a bit heavier. Continental Gatorskin tires are pretty good, and you can also get puncture resistant tubes with thicker walls and internal liquid sealant. It also helps to carry a CO2 inflator with a few cartridges. Much faster than a hand pump.
  - sevensor 3y ago
    I have thousands and thousands of miles on my bicycle tires. The cheap tires on my commuting bike kept wearing out, and I eventually switched to a high-quality replacement with a high latex content. I haven't had to replace the tires since, and the visible wear is minimal. I cannot recommend good tires strongly enough.
actionablefiber 3y ago
> Riding a bike is not fun if you're doing it to commute - having to do it in all weathers, in traffic that feels unsafe, even if you don't feel like it and got poor sleep etc. It's really fundamentally not the same. With good infrastructure, like PBLs, cycletracks and dedicated trails, it really is that fun. DC is an extremely good place to bike commute and I do it in all weather. Anywho if you got poor sleep and decided to drive, everyone else is living at the mercy of your alertness. I'd rather you rode a bike.
analog31 3y ago
With the exception of unsafe conditions, riding in all weather is a blast. Though I don't know if I'd think so, if the weather included 100+ degree heat. And I'm fortunate to have terraformed my riding conditions through years of refining my route. I'm of the opinion that route choice is the #1 safety factor for cycling. Granted it's not for everybody, but the extremes and unpredictability are actually part of why I love the great outdoors.
blacksmith_tb 3y ago
Hmm, at this point I have to be in the office 4 days a week thanks to ratcheting up RTO, but my bike commute is the best thing about that, sitting around during the pandemic just made me lose muscle and feel down. In the PNW, snow and ice aren't usually a problem, so it's just lots of cold rain, but with decent gear that isn't really a problem.
- paul80808 3y ago
  Same here. I commute 3 days per week, 15 km each way. It takes me 35-40 minutes, but I enjoy it and get great exercise. I spend the time thinking about my day, and am happier and more productive if I've gotten that exercise. I do get the occasional flat, but I learned to change it myself, and can get a new 4$ tube on in about ten minutes. I pack rain pants and a shell and just put them on if a bit of rain comes. I only give up when the roads are snowed in and haven't been cleared yet, which is only a few days per year. Most complaints about weather and maintenance are easily dealt with with a few basic skills and simple preparation. It might sound like year round commuting is extreme - but ive found it far easier and far more enjoyable than I expected.
kyleee 3y ago
A bike ride is much more invigorating than driving the car. I feel much better after even a short bike ride. No similar benefit from driving a car.
UtopiaPunk 3y ago
Riding a bicycle as a primary form of transportation isn't for everyone. But it is for some people today. By building safer bicycle paths, cycling can work for more people tomorrow. And by advancing technologies and subsidies, e-bikes can open up cycling to more people still. Even if cycling is a thing that some people only do in pleasant weather, individuals and society benefit from more people cycling and less people driving cars.
Ar-Curunir 3y ago
Driving a car if you have not slept is not just a danger to you, but to many other people.
CalRobert 3y ago
I do this with my kids and it's still pretty fun. Though admittedly it's nicer when the weather is good (just like driving).
Fricken 3y ago
On an average day my bike commute is the best part of my day
lanstin 3y ago
It's still more joyous than driving in those same conditions. The wind against the cheek, the body warming up with exertion, the endorphins or whatever when you finish, the biker is much closer to these things than the driver.
otikik 3y ago
> in traffic that feels unsafe I understand that's how it is in the US, but there's many places where that is not a problem.

Muromec 3y ago

Then don't commute in bad weather and in unsafe conditions. Working from home and improving road infrastructure is totally an option.

ponector 3y ago
Work from home is an option only for some office folks. Would you be happy if your baker, barber, car mechanic will not commute to the workplace if it is raining?
- scatters 3y ago
  I'd be happy if they have an easier and safer commute because everyone else is staying home.
- Muromec 3y ago
  This kind of argument goes both ways. See —- having a car is also an option only for a minority of people, so please stop having it.

david-gpu 3y ago

> Driving a car is not fun if you're doing it to commute - having to do it in all weathers, in traffic that feels unsafe, even if you don't feel like it and got poor sleep etc. It's really fundamentally not the same In a town that is minimally designed to facilitate the movement of people instead of cars there are multiple modes of transportation available to commuters, including but not limited to public transit for those days when you don't feel like walking or riding a bike.

tomcar288 3y ago

I spent almost an entire year e-biking to work 7 miles and back 7 miles. I can tell you, all the issues you mentioned are correct. I think, if we had dedicated bike lanes that were away from the main roads, at least we can address the safety issue. that would go a long way towards getting me back to commuting on an e-bike. One more big issue for bikes is the cost of it. I've commuted almost 1100 miles on my ebike and already have had 3 flat tires! That's a cost of about 10 cents a mile which means that the cost of flat tires is twice as much as all my other bike commuting costs (depreciation and repairs). So, we also need to address the nails and screws on the paths issue. i think that would be greatly solved with increased bicycle adoption.

analog31 3y ago
That's like 30 bucks per flat! But given your original tires will certainly wear out, start researching puncture resistant tires now. And a patch kit. ;-)
- tomcar288 3y ago
  I'm able to fix the front flat tires much more cheaply: just the cost of the inner tube about 6$. but the flat tires happen most frequently in the rear. the problem is I can't remove the rear wheel myself because the frame doesn't fit perfectly. so, it's nearly impossible to remove the rear wheel unless you're really talented mechanically.
nradov 3y ago
Most bikes come with the cheapest possible tires and inner tubes. If you're going to ride a lot then it's worth buying something more robust, even if they're a bit heavier. Continental Gatorskin tires are pretty good, and you can also get puncture resistant tubes with thicker walls and internal liquid sealant. It also helps to carry a CO2 inflator with a few cartridges. Much faster than a hand pump.
- sevensor 3y ago
  I have thousands and thousands of miles on my bicycle tires. The cheap tires on my commuting bike kept wearing out, and I eventually switched to a high-quality replacement with a high latex content. I haven't had to replace the tires since, and the visible wear is minimal. I cannot recommend good tires strongly enough.

actionablefiber 3y ago

> Riding a bike is not fun if you're doing it to commute - having to do it in all weathers, in traffic that feels unsafe, even if you don't feel like it and got poor sleep etc. It's really fundamentally not the same. With good infrastructure, like PBLs, cycletracks and dedicated trails, it really is that fun. DC is an extremely good place to bike commute and I do it in all weather. Anywho if you got poor sleep and decided to drive, everyone else is living at the mercy of your alertness. I'd rather you rode a bike.

analog31 3y ago

With the exception of unsafe conditions, riding in all weather is a blast. Though I don't know if I'd think so, if the weather included 100+ degree heat. And I'm fortunate to have terraformed my riding conditions through years of refining my route. I'm of the opinion that route choice is the #1 safety factor for cycling. Granted it's not for everybody, but the extremes and unpredictability are actually part of why I love the great outdoors.

blacksmith_tb 3y ago

Hmm, at this point I have to be in the office 4 days a week thanks to ratcheting up RTO, but my bike commute is the best thing about that, sitting around during the pandemic just made me lose muscle and feel down. In the PNW, snow and ice aren't usually a problem, so it's just lots of cold rain, but with decent gear that isn't really a problem.

paul80808 3y ago
Same here. I commute 3 days per week, 15 km each way. It takes me 35-40 minutes, but I enjoy it and get great exercise. I spend the time thinking about my day, and am happier and more productive if I've gotten that exercise. I do get the occasional flat, but I learned to change it myself, and can get a new 4$ tube on in about ten minutes. I pack rain pants and a shell and just put them on if a bit of rain comes. I only give up when the roads are snowed in and haven't been cleared yet, which is only a few days per year. Most complaints about weather and maintenance are easily dealt with with a few basic skills and simple preparation. It might sound like year round commuting is extreme - but ive found it far easier and far more enjoyable than I expected.

kyleee 3y ago

A bike ride is much more invigorating than driving the car. I feel much better after even a short bike ride. No similar benefit from driving a car.

UtopiaPunk 3y ago

Riding a bicycle as a primary form of transportation isn't for everyone. But it is for some people today. By building safer bicycle paths, cycling can work for more people tomorrow. And by advancing technologies and subsidies, e-bikes can open up cycling to more people still. Even if cycling is a thing that some people only do in pleasant weather, individuals and society benefit from more people cycling and less people driving cars.

Ar-Curunir 3y ago

Driving a car if you have not slept is not just a danger to you, but to many other people.

CalRobert 3y ago

I do this with my kids and it's still pretty fun. Though admittedly it's nicer when the weather is good (just like driving).

Fricken 3y ago

On an average day my bike commute is the best part of my day

lanstin 3y ago

It's still more joyous than driving in those same conditions. The wind against the cheek, the body warming up with exertion, the endorphins or whatever when you finish, the biker is much closer to these things than the driver.

otikik 3y ago

> in traffic that feels unsafe I understand that's how it is in the US, but there's many places where that is not a problem.