COMMUTERS: What do you like most about cycling?

monument

As per the thread title... If you cycle for your commute, what do you like most about cycling?

kenmc

getting the blood flowing, the lungs working and not being stuck in traffic

Undercover Elephant

Arriving awake. I don't know how I managed mornings before I started cycling.

murph226

All of the above and the scenery!

buffalo

kenmc wrote: »

not being stuck in traffic

+1. From my old place, the bus took over an hour, but the bike took 30mins. Though I could snooze or read on the bus. I don't know how anybody can endure driving/sitting in rush hour day after day after day.

kenmc

murph226 wrote: »

All of the above and the scenery!

I would have listed that too, but it'd be a lie

Beasty

Reaching work/home ....

.... but I do try and treat each commute as a TT, trying to beat a PB time or power interval etc

tomasrojo

In no particular order:
You know what time you'll arrive at.
You usually feel very good physically after your commute.
At rush hour it's faster than any other option over distances of 10km or less.
It's very cheap if you stick to utility cycling. Especially if it helps you to avoid owning a car.
Not much trouble parking.
If you make an effort, you can make most of your own repairs, which gives you great independence, which coupled with the physical exercise is very good for your mental balance.

It's a nice side-effect that it doesn't pollute much and makes cities more liveable, but those are not primary reasons why I like cycling.

daragh_

Winning.

Kintarō Hattori

It's just really enjoyable. I know that can seem cheesy but I really like cycling with a purpose. I can take it as easy as I like or push harder. It doesn't cost anything and I can get further quicker than if I were walking. It's good for me which is a nice bonus too.

Jawgap

Being able to smell the world instead of just seeing it.......

......and SCR*








*Silly commuter racing

fletch

Not being bound to a timetable, I can come and go as I please....hate missing a train/bus and having to sit in work for another Xmins waiting for the next one.

DirkVoodoo

kenmc wrote: »

getting the blood flowing, the lungs working and not being stuck in traffic

Pretty much what Ken said. I love cars and I like to drive, but sitting in rush hour in Dublin would drive me mental.

kennyb3

The time saving - i.e getting home at half 6 in the evening having covered 40+km between the two ways and having the whole evening then to do other stuff.

Raam

Fantastic sock choice and opportunity for displaying of socks.

Jawgap

there's also the advantage of being able to eat / drink what I want!

justo

not having to rush to leave the house in the am (i.e. 10 mins late can mean an extra half hour if you're in the car or bus)

great way to pack in weekly execise if you're short on time

every morning is different, depending on weather, wind etc

you don't great freaked out looking at stupid drivers trying to beat all the other cars by racing up the inside lane just to get 100 metres ahead

Cheaper

you can boast about it at dinner parties, in the pub, etc. :rolleyes:

Keep_Her_Lit

This morning.

Glencarraig

Getting passed by a nice lady in lycra shorts !!!!!!! As he soft pedals to let her pass of course !!

StaggerLee

Starting my cycling commuting days tomorrow after too long on buses and trains. Looking forward to posting here.:D

Malari

Glencarraig wrote: »

Getting passed by a nice lady in lycra shorts !!!!!!! As he soft pedals to let her pass of course !!

Shorts!! :eek: What country are you in? Do some people not feel the cold?

It's faster than the car and I just love cycling.

dario28

ALWAYS GUARANTEED A SEAT

BostonB

There is no rush hour or queues. I leave anytime I like. Makes no difference.
Time is very consistent, regardless of time of day.
Kill two birds with one stone, exercise and commute.
I sleep better, and I'm more alert otherwise.
Fewer coughs and colds.
Commuting doesn't feel like lost/dead time.
Don't feel like I've been stuck in a office all day.

I'm just happier when I cycle.

Raam

BostonB wrote: »

Fewer coughs and colds.

I wish

BostonB wrote: »

I'm just happier when I cycle.

Totally

BostonB

I just noticed when I got the train or bus a lot I ended up getting colds and coughs. That I've had a cough/chest infection since Nov I put down to that I didn't cycle enough last year. In general since I started back commuting on the bike, I've had far fewer colds/coughs overall.

Raam

I think it's a circular thing.

Lumen

Raam wrote: »

I think it's a circular thing.

Yeah, it goes in cycles.

christeb

Everything

Feeling good so early in the morning
It gives a bit of fitness
Ladies on bikes
The herons in St Anne's Park for the first bit of my commute
Sunrise
Time saving
No smelly cranky people on the DART
Singing / playing air guitar or drums :rolleyes:

And looking solemn as I explain to the poh-lice that I don't want to waste a day in court / €60 for breaking pedestrain red lights

Paparazzo

tomasrojo wrote: »

In no particular order:
You know what time you'll arrive at.
You usually feel very good physically after your commute.
At rush hour it's faster than any other option over distances of 10km or less.
It's very cheap if you stick to utility cycling. Especially if it helps you to avoid owning a car.
Not much trouble parking.
If you make an effort, you can make most of your own repairs, which gives you great independence, which coupled with the physical exercise is very good for your mental balance.

It's a nice side-effect that it doesn't pollute much and makes cities more liveable, but those are not primary reasons why I like cycling.

Agree with most of them, but a motorbike is faster.

Most important for me is its a great way to wake up.

Crippens1

All of the above but also that I can take a better route that does NOT include Brewery Road!

seamus

christeb wrote: »

Ladies

FYP.

There are fewer finer things than admiring the view on your commute through the city on a lovely summer's morning/evening. You just don't get the same vista in a car or bus for some reason.

Doctor Bob

+1 on everything tomasrojo said above, to which I'd add the flexibility of cycling, i.e. I can stop at will for a shop, chance encounter, etc.

Paparazzo wrote: »

Agree with most of them, but a motorbike is faster.

That depends to a great extent on the nature of the roads and traffic. Motorbikes are essentially two-wheeled cars, in traffic terms, i.e. not allowed to use bus lanes or cycle lanes, not allowed to lane split, etc. Wherever a bike is faster than a car, it is also faster than a motorbike (or should be).

Paparazzo

Doctor Bob wrote: »

+1 on everything tomasrojo said above, to which I'd add the flexibility of cycling, i.e. I can stop at will for a shop, chance encounter, etc.



That depends to a great extent on the nature of the roads and traffic. Motorbikes are essentially two-wheeled cars, in traffic terms, i.e. not allowed to use bus lanes or cycle lanes, not allowed to lane split, etc. Wherever a bike is faster than a car, it is also faster than a motorbike (or should be).

Motorbikes can filter through traffic, and no guard will ever stop one for using a bus lane. In city centre bumper to bumper traffic its much the same as cycling, but as soon as you're out of that, a motorbike is faster.

Bicycles are great for shortcuts. The canal has some good routes, and there's a handy one through Jamestown Rd/Kylemore Way near blackhorse that's handy

langdang

Wakes you up.
Guaranteed a parking space.
You never need a hanky on a bike;)

Do ye commuter cyclists have shower facilities at work ?

BostonB

RoverJames wrote: »

Do ye commuter cyclists have shower facilities at work ?

That might be better as a poll in a new thread. Maybe?

fletch

RoverJames wrote: »

Do ye commuter cyclists have shower facilities at work ?

Yes I wouldn't do it if I didn't have a shower.

petethedrummer

RoverJames wrote: »

Do ye commuter cyclists have shower facilities at work ?

No. Wet rag, dry towel, deodorant.

Raam

petethedrummer wrote: »

No. Wet rag, dry towel, deodorant.

Pete washes himself with a rag on a stick.

CramCycle

Undercover Elephant wrote: »

Arriving awake. I don't know how I managed mornings before I started cycling.

Same here, if I didn't cycle in I'd just fall asleep as soon as I got in, really sets me up for the day

RoverJames wrote: »

Do ye commuter cyclists have shower facilities at work ?

Yep but a packet of baby wipes will do the trick as well, I rarely use the shower though, I don't seem to stink to much, I think

Paparazzo

RoverJames wrote: »

Do ye commuter cyclists have shower facilities at work ?

I do. Nowhere to put a wet towel though.

BostonB

RoverJames wrote: »

Do ye commuter cyclists have shower facilities at work ?

Yes but I don't use it. Takes too much time. Use accessible loo. Has a sink, and loads of room. I bought in a few plastic hooks so I can hang stuff up. A change and a quick was takes 5 mins.

kennyb3

Wash basin for me too. Bar of soap, face towel, baby wipes, towel and deo.

BostonB

Paparazzo wrote: »

I do. Nowhere to put a wet towel though.

I hang mine in a press. With all the computers in the office is warm enough that most things dry very quickly.

BostonB

kennyb3 wrote: »

Wash basin for me too. Bar of soap, face towel, baby wipes, towel and deo.

Baby wipes perfect for cleaning oil of hands (from puncture repairs etc). Also great for cleaningbike down without water. Alcohol in them I think.

mookie2007

BostonB wrote: »

I hang mine in a press. With all the computers in the office is warm enough that most things dry very quickly.

Just wondered what one of the following 3 commuters tend to do?
1) Do you wear full cycle gear on your commute and bring your work clothes with you and change in work?

2) Do you wear over garments over your work clothes to protect them?

3) Are the clothes you wear on your commute acceptable in your work environment. Ie whatever you wear on your commute you keep on you all day?

petethedrummer

Raam wrote: »

Pete washes himself with a rag on a stick.

A stick? Good idea.

CramCycle

mookie2007 wrote: »

Just wondered what one of the following 3 commuters tend to do?
1) Do you wear full cycle gear on your commute and bring your work clothes with you and change in work?

2) Do you wear over garments over your work clothes to protect them?

3) Are the clothes you wear on your commute acceptable in your work environment. Ie whatever you wear on your commute you keep on you all day?

I qualify for both 1 and 3. I prefer to wear in my cycling gear and change but I can get away with wearing my work clothes in on the bike as most of the time we are allowed to be quite casual. One occasion where I forgot my clothes and head to wear my bike gear round all day. The ladies loved it, one even screamed (with joy and admiration I presume). There is another guy in my building who has a suit in his office that he puts on when there are important meetings but the rest of the time just wears his lycra round the place.

I used to have over garments but I found they acted like a lagging jacket and you would get to overheated no matter the time of year, NSFW (or fashion) in my opinion.

BostonB

mookie2007 wrote: »

Just wondered what one of the following 3 commuters tend to do?
1) Do you wear full cycle gear on your commute and bring your work clothes with you and change in work?

2) Do you wear over garments over your work clothes to protect them?

3) Are the clothes you wear on your commute acceptable in your work environment. Ie whatever you wear on your commute you keep on you all day?

Its gonna depend how long your commute is. Under 20 mins you'd probably get away with work gear. Beyond that you'd probably have to change. Mine is about 40~70 mins. So I leave a gym bag in work will a change or two. Too hot to cycle in work clothes. or over garments for me.

petethedrummer

CramCycle wrote: »

There is another guy in my building who has a suit in his office that he puts on when there are important meetings but the rest of the time just wears his lycra round the place.

Eh? Where do you work?

CramCycle

petethedrummer wrote: »

Eh? Where do you work?

UCD Health Sciences, he's a supervisor of some PhDs in the School of Medicine.