Husband would need to commute 17.3 miles each way to work. A couple of issues for him: He must be at work at 5:15 am. He is a supervisor (needs to look somewhat presentable), and there are no showers at work. (Summer temp can reach 100 degrees and it is humid.)
I work as an interpreter by appointments all over town (2 miles - 30 miles from home). I am willing to bike as much as I can within close proximity to home.
This is very ambitious of you two and I am proud that you want to attempt bicycle commuting! You have a long post with lots of concerns so I've written up a long reply.
I agree that 17.3 mi is a tough commute for your husband.
Regarding the distance:
1. Others in this forum have done halfsies. You drive to work with your bike and then ride back. The next day you ride to work then drive back. Repeat.
2. You should do a dry run or two to try to find a feasible route on a non-working day so you can determine how much time and energy to budget towards your ride.
3. Look into the possibility of doing a park and ride. In my hometown, buses will let you throw your bike on the front for no additional charge. You could bike to a bus stop a comfortable distance away and then ride the rest of the way in. You have multiple stops to choose from, you can vary the distance depending on how you feel that day.
4. Remember that there are others doing long distances too! Check out
this thread (working up to a 26 mile commute).
Regarding the weather:
1. If he starts his ride in the wee hours of the morning, the temperature will be at or very new the LOW temperature for the day, not the high. This can be a huge difference. Many times when I thought I would be fighting off sweat, it turns out that I was more worried about being too cold! Then on the way back, he can sweat to his heart's content because he'll arrive home where there is a shower, fresh clothes, and an understanding and supportive family waiting for him.
2. You can choose how vigorously to ride in. Riding a bike fairly lazily is as strenuous as walking, but pushing yourself is as taxing as running. Just because you are on wheels instead of legs, you still get a choice on how hard you do or don't push yourself.
3. Remember the spotlight effect: no one actually gives a shit even if you DO get sweaty. They're not paying attention to you as much as you think they are. And even if they do say anything, just be honest. "I am trying out bicycling commuting, and I'm obviously still working out the kinks" tends to draw interest and encouragement from other people, not disgust.
4. You don't need a shower to freshen up. A simple washcloth goes a long way.
5. Even if all of the above fails, you can just bike in when the weather is favorable. Even 40% of your working days is a huge improvement!
Your husband could also look into alternatives such as scooters or a motorcycle, which are cheap and get GREAT mileage (like 70-100 MPG). This is still mustachian, it's just talked about less often on these forums.
I think YOUR plan of biking sometimes, if your route is short enough, is sound. You will eventually learn what is and isn't within your biking range, and you can ease into it.
My biggest issue: I am very uncomfortable riding a bike. I would go as far as to say it's terrifying for me to ride among cars. I am hoping to lose the fear as I become a better bike rider, and get in better shape. Having lost two friends in bike accidents (both experienced, one a commuter, the other training for a triathlon), and having my family call me crazy and stupid for wanting to do this does not help with my confidence.
I feel you. I lost two friends in car accidents, and they were both experienced. One was a dedicated car commuter (he commuted in his car
every day!) and the other was training for a track day.
Okay, not really, but I wanted to point out that we all know people who have died in auto accidents. Our first reaction is always "What a terrible tragedy, I miss my friend very much" but then no one says "I could never drive a car like that and risk the same fate!"
And regarding your family, they also think of it as dangerous and they want to prevent you from taking what they view as unnecessary risk, because they love you. But of course, you know that bicycling can be very safe and the real risk you are afraid of is working the ratrace and not having control over your life (a much more terrifying prospect to me!)
My girlfriend is also afraid of traffic. She is afraid that someone will text while driving, not see her, and flatten her and her bike like a pancake. Her reaction to this is to ride as far to the right as the can to get out of the way of cars. But this is dangerous, and I'm trying to break her of the habit. The safest way to ride with traffic is to BE SEEN by TAKING THE LANE, and only allow cars behind you to pass when both you and the car feel it's safe to. Don't even give them the opportunity to think "Maybe I can squeak by."
The next thing is to DRIVE PREDICTABLY. If a driver sees a bike acting like a car, they will know what to do. If they see a bike going on and off the sidewalk, weaving in and out of parking cars, appear out of a blind spot all of a sudden, make turns suddenly without signalling, and the like, they will have much more trouble keeping you safe.
Since I started bicycle commuting I've gone out of my way to research safe biking techniques. Just like to took you time to be taught how to drive, it's worth it to take the time to teach yourself (or be taught) how to safely and legally ride a bike on city streets!
You should acquaint yourself with the bike lanes in Roanoake.
Google Maps has a bike lane overlay that has helped me discover many routes in my town. You'd be surprised how many lovely, quiet, tree-lined bicycle-friendly residential roads and bicycle paths there are right there alongside the giant busy highways you usually think of when you think about your commute. You may be spending less time surrounded by cars than you think you will be.
Anyone heard of the FlyKly bike wheel? Would love to get one for him since it seems it would really help with his commute, but they are $800 and won't come out for another little while.
There's lots of ways to give an electrical assist to a bicycle. The FlyKly (which I am pronouncing as "flakey" in my head) is a Shiny New Spendy(tm) way of doing it. Others on this forum can speak better to their experience with it.
We have an 18 month old. I am not comfortable riding with him around cars for now, but I would like to get a bike trailer for him and groceries. I hear Burley and Thule are great, but super expensive. Any suggestions?
It is worth mentioning that the area we live in (Roanoke, VA) is not very affluent and CL has slim pickings. How far away would it be reasonable to drive to buy bikes?
Craigslist for trailers. I see trailers fairly often for a fraction of retail. Just like kid-sized anything, people dump them super cheap when their kids outgrow them.
For driving distance, if you can save more than $1 per mile away it is, it's mathematically worth driving for. (Figure .50 in car costs per mile, round trip, and that's the expense of driving to get a discount or better selection.) Of course, if it gets you starting this Grand Experiment that much faster, perhaps it's worth an even longer drive.
Any advice as to what bikes we should get, how much we should spend, or any encouragement will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Get a bike that FITS! One that you feel comfortable riding. For a beginner this is the most important guideline. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) it's the ONE thing that can't be marketed as a feature or recommended to you by Internet forumites ;), because it's different for every person. If you don't know what you feel comfortable on, visit some bike shops and just test ride a shitload of bikes. There's no better way to learn what works for you. Ask to start with a hybrid, since it's in the middle in terms of riding position (The Trek FX 7 was mentioned and is a good first test ride), and go from there.