Bike to work : an update
This week I really hit my stride with the whole bike commuter scene. Somewhat by necesity (my car was in the shop), I rode to work 3 days in a row. After experimenting with a few different routes, I’ve found the optimal balance between distance, traffic, hills, and road conditions (in my case, Wisconsin Ave and State Street). I also discovered realized that my office building has a bike rack on the same side of the building as the gym (& showers) so I can minimize the risk of bumping into anyone in my sweaty condition.
I had my first roadside flat today, but fortunately I had all the necessary equipment to fix it. Surprisingly, it only took about 10 minutes to get back on the bike with a new tube. (I guess I just earned my bike commuter street cred?)
The biking itself is getting easier and faster. I can now consistently make the commute in 30 minutes, which compares very favorably to driving by car. I’ve noticed that I’m eating about 1000 more calories on the days I ride, but I suppose this is in line with the energy I’m using.
Final verdict : bike commuting is easy! fun! inexpensive! green! You should try it too.
Filed under energy, environment, frugal, work : Comments (3) : Jul 17th, 2008 by tadfad
July 17th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
How’s the car traffic (drivers!) treating you? I have a few stretches on my 8 mile commute that are a bit treacherous…but so far most drivers have been considerate of me. How about you?
July 17th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the drivers thus far. I’ve had a few sideways glances thrown my way, but everyone’s been cool.
July 19th, 2008 at 10:24 am
good idea… I think I might be able to track down a bicycle here in China.