Commuting by Bike

mellowjohnny

Hiya Guys, new to the boards but just had a general question that I hope some of you can comment on.
I've noticed a lot more people commuting by bike over the past few months which is great but I'm wondering why they aren't more of us?

So if you don't commute by bike is there any particular reason why and is there anything that can be done to make to you start?

For example do you think secure bike parking should be provided in all cities?
Do you think employers should provide changing facilities?
Or is rush hour traffic and the british weather just not suitable for commuting by bike?

Thanks Guys any thoughts would be very interesting

UndercoverElephant

mellowjohnny wrote:

So if you don't commute by bike is there any particular reason why and is there anything that can be done to make to you start?

Can I add that if you don't, this probably isn't the forum for you.

Aidy

This would appear to be like walking into a butchers and looking for vegans...

will3

Aidy wrote:

This would appear to be like walking into a butchers and looking for vegans...

I've seen a family butcher but never a vegan butcher. Do they taste of tofu?

UndercoverElephant

will3 wrote:

Aidy wrote:

This would appear to be like walking into a butchers and looking for vegans...

I've seen a family butcher but never a vegan butcher. Do they taste of tofu?

I don't like the sound of these family butchers.

Wallace1492

To answer the poster and to stop butchering families......

I think a lot of people, just can't be bothered. They have enough hassles in the morning without cycling, they prefer to take the train/bus/tube/car and arrive fresh and ready.

I know people in work who talk about it a lot, and even have bikes but I would fall off my chair if I saw then cycling in to work.
It takes dedication, commitment, bravery, nerves of steel and B4lls of iron to cycle commute.

So, you have come to the right forum to talk about commuting, but here we talk the talk and walk the walk....

asprilla

It took me a while to start commuting, after I started cycling, mainly because of the distance (45 mile round trip) and the fact that Mrs Asprilla is fairly petrified that I'm going to die every time I cycle into London.

shouldbeinbed

welcome aboard - the big reason I hear from my car colleagues is the fear of riding on the roads.

but you might want to pose the question on a car forum.

to answer your Q's

do you think secure bike parking should be provided in all cities? Yes - do I think it'll ever happen hmmmmm, but not in the near future

Do you think employers should provide changing facilities? Yes - do I think it'll ever happen widespread- hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, help I can't breathe hahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

Or is rush hour traffic and the british weather just not suitable for commuting by bike? No its fine as long as you're dressed appropriately and ride sensibly

LifeintheSaddle

Whenever I don't cycle to work it's only because for some reason I feel as if it would be easier to get the tube.

Luckily, every time I actually force myself onto my bike, I realise that it's the best thing since sliced bread and wonder why 15 minutes ago, in my sleep deprived state, I thought that paying to be squeezed on the hot smelly tube would in any way be better than cycling through hyde park and past buckingham palace on my way to work.

I think a major reason people don't cycle to work is that they have never tried it and don't realise how good it actually is. It's more energising than coffee in the morning.

Stuey01

LifeintheSaddle wrote:

I think a major reason people don't cycle to work is that they have never tried it and don't realise how good it actually is. It's more energising than coffee in the morning.

cycle to work, then have a large coffee - WHOAH NELLY!!! bouncing off the walls for the rest of the morning :shock:

Mr Sworld

Wallace1492 wrote:

So, you have come to the right forum to talk about commuting, but here we talk the talk and walk the walk...

Surely that should be cycle the cycle! :P [/u]

sicknote

For me it would be a little hard to do it most of the time as my workshop is in the garden but if out on site I do ride if I can and dont have too many tools to take in.

RufusA

@mellowjohn - why do you ask?

Could you by any chance be a school / college / undergraduate / spotty kid* who's got an assignment to do on promoting sustainable transport?

It just seems that every few months a batch of new posters seem to pop up out of nowhere and ask very similar questions. Some take the trouble to create a proper online survey, others seem to do a simple copy and paste from the assignment task!

Not that I'm adverse to answering the questions, but I'd hate to think that we were being hoodwinked in to doing someone's homework for them!

T'sch in my day we had to go on the streets with clipboards, and pluck up the courage to actually talk to people!

Rufus.

*delete as appropriate.

mikeyboy12345

After years of cycling a work colleague of mine has just fluked his driving test and has announced he'll never ride a bike again (unless the car's off the road for some reason).

he's not exactly made of money and, a few months after I started cycling and I've lost shedloads of weight, have great legs, and have saved a fortune on petrol, and can't comprehend why anybody would buy a car for a 5-mile commute, I asked him why: he hates cycling! The whole concept of balancing on a two-wheeled machine and pedalling really ruins his life. I don't really understand, as it is one of the most rewarding things I've ever done. But...I hate the Antiques Roadshow, so I don't watch it. People who HATE being on a bike will never want to cycle, regardless of the positives. Human nature (+ laziness, IMHO)!

mellowjohnny

RufusA wrote:

@mellowjohn - why do you ask?

Could you by any chance be a school / college / undergraduate / spotty kid* who's got an assignment to do on promoting sustainable transport?

It just seems that every few months a batch of new posters seem to pop up out of nowhere and ask very similar questions. Some take the trouble to create a proper online survey, others seem to do a simple copy and paste from the assignment task!

Not that I'm adverse to answering the questions, but I'd hate to think that we were being hoodwinked in to doing someone's homework for them!

T'sch in my day we had to go on the streets with clipboards, and pluck up the courage to actually talk to people!

Rufus.

*delete as appropriate.

Hi Rufus

Thanks for your question, unfortunately I only dream of still being a spotty nosed kid with no more hassle than a school project to worry about!!!!! They were the days!

No I'm a fully grown adult who doesn't mind the bad weather and the odd crazy driver in my quest to get to work! Infact I wouldn't have it any other way my big problem is parking when I get to work and getting changed.
Hence the question.

What I'm really interested in looking into is whether local government should look into provision of secure parking.

Cheers

will3

mellowjohnny wrote:

What I'm really interested in looking into is whether local government should look into provision of secure parking.

Cheers

T'd be lovely woulnd't it? Actually here in CAmbridge there are two indoor cycle parks.



http://www.camcycle.org.uk/resources/cycleparking/

cjcp

will3 wrote:

mellowjohnny wrote:

What I'm really interested in looking into is whether local government should look into provision of secure parking.

Cheers

T'd be lovely woulnd't it? Actually here in CAmbridge there are two indoor cycle parks.



http://www.camcycle.org.uk/resources/cycleparking/

Actually, that photo's not a bad example of why reflectors are a good idea.

squired

I think a lot of people are simply lazy. In some cases cycling would actually take longer than one of the easier alternatives (even though you can partially offset the time because you are actually getting exercise). I can cycle to work in 35-40 minutes, but if I chose to drive it would take nearer 20 (yes, I still cycle).

My office is located in a great place for cycling - lots of fields and empty country lanes. So, when I joined in the summer I expected a large number of cyclists. As it turned there are about 3 regular cyclists and maybe another 3 who do it occasionally. The office has well over 500 people, so the percentage of cyclists is pretty low. It does show that where conditions are perfect for cycling that may not be enough of an incentive. Conversely, a ride into central London (which I used to do) is far nastier in every way, yet lots do it because the alternatives aren't great.

feltkuota

I love biking but would never use one to commute. My journey is 6 miles each way which, in my view, is too short to be classed as exercise. I have a garage and changing facilities/showers etc at work and still I will not commute by bike. Use a motorbike instead.

MonkeyMonster

feltkuota wrote:

I love biking but would never use one to commute. My journey is 6 miles each way which, in my view, is too short to be classed as exercise. I have a garage and changing facilities/showers etc at work and still I will not commute by bike. Use a motorbike instead.

Come off it! You could easily set a fast and hard challenge for that sprint. Easily get your hr up to manage it in 20 mins. Good hard cardio.

sarajoy

Haha, and here's me with the 8 miles to work thinking I'm getting good exercise and about to tell the forum it was the distance that initially put me off!

I thought 8 miles was 'too far'!

Now I think it's a good distance for a commute. I think people have skewed ideas of distance - your usual woman won't realise that in doing a day's worth shopping she may walk a good 10 miles. Because 'only going shopping' tires her out though, she assumes a 10 mile hike would be horrendous!

LifeintheSaddle

Stuey01 wrote:

LifeintheSaddle wrote:

I think a major reason people don't cycle to work is that they have never tried it and don't realise how good it actually is. It's more energising than coffee in the morning.

cycle to work, then have a large coffee - WHOAH NELLY!!! bouncing off the walls for the rest of the morning :shock:

I tend to drink the coffee before cycling and it always feels like I can cycle 10 times as fast and be annoyingly bouncy all morning

iPad

For me, when I was in London I thought about cycling the 8 miles to work, but as I was living in zone 6 and working on the boarder of zone 2 and 3 the 16 minute tube ride was not a major issue as I always got a seat. Also I couldn’t find a route that didn’t involve cycling along the A40 (the fast end that is) or working out some phenomenally complex route that would have required a sat nav.

Now I’m in Sheffield there is very little time difference between cycling or driving (in fact I work with people on the same estate that I seen on my journey to work and will always get to work before them). There is also the issue of no parking round here (don’t get me started on that..!) and the only other option would be to take a bus that only runs once an hour. So cycling is the best option, with of course the added benefit of increasing fitness and decreasing weight.

feltkuota

Monkey Monster

Don't doubt I could get my HR up and set a fast and hard challenge. Whether that is 15 or 20 minutes is neither here nor there. Doing so against a backdrop of congestion and traffic lights is, to me, very unappealing..

MonkeyMonster

Fair enough mate, I used to do a bit less of that distance in before my new job and its now 8 miles and found it still fun and good for me even on london's roads. Each to their own.

The Rookie

I started cycling for the excercise (as well as saving a few bob - ahem), my commute is through a rural area as I live on the edge of my town and work on the edge of the city, its 7.5 miles which to my mind is an ideal distance for a reasonable bit of excercise (20-25 mins depending on wind) and yet practical (my drive saves me 10minutes as its all open roads).

Due to a lack of facilities (no showers) I have to drive one day a week to carry in shirts/trousers wash in a can for the next week (have to carry a laptop daily, so don't want to add more weight!) and will occasionally bottle it due to severe weather (no facilities remember if I get soaked/muddy) and sometimes I need to use a car during the day for work travel.

Simon

highwaymunky

iPad

Now I’m in Sheffield there is very little time difference between cycling or driving (

Where abouts in Sheffield do you commute from and to? I do a 12 mile commute into and out of sheffield that would take 35 mins on the bus or 45 mins bike ride.... I bike!

mellowjohnny

I see the Government have now announced a planned extension to the Cycle to Work scheme, putting pressure on employers to provide secure parking and changing facilities.
Unfortunately I understand there are no tax breaks for the employer so I'm not sure what incentive there is for them to invest.
It'll be interesting to see if companies actually make these additional provisions, still good news for anyone who works for local government!

Mr Sworld

Can you give us a link for that Johnny?

mellowjohnny

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/u ... heme-23768

Article and further link explaining expansion to scheme, usual big companies appear to have signed up but it'll be interesting to see if any of the thousands of medium sized companies that most of us work for will sign up!

PARIS75

The Beginner wrote:

I started cycling for the excercise (as well as saving a few bob - ahem), my commute is through a rural area as I live on the edge of my town and work on the edge of the city, its 7.5 miles which to my mind is an ideal distance for a reasonable bit of excercise (20-25 mins depending on wind) and yet practical (my drive saves me 10minutes as its all open roads).

Due to a lack of facilities (no showers) I have to drive one day a week to carry in shirts/trousers wash in a can for the next week (have to carry a laptop daily, so don't want to add more weight!) and will occasionally bottle it due to severe weather (no facilities remember if I get soaked/muddy) and sometimes I need to use a car during the day for work travel.

Simon

a quality down to earth post that belongs in the commuting forum and I daresay encompasses the reasons why most of us commute. No 'scalping', carbon £5k machines look at me its raining so i took the tube , lycra, RLJ'ing, pavement hopping, prancing around the office showing off their bulge type post

well done that man (or woman)