Author Topic: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat  (Read 315324 times)

Tass

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1450 on: March 16, 2021, 08:07:07 PM »
This post is a kick in my own pants. Daylight savings time means it's still sunny at 5:00 and now is a perfect time to get back in the biking habit.

Arbitrage

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1451 on: March 16, 2021, 08:23:34 PM »
Just sold my car, so there's no choice for me either way.  Gradually buffing up my portfolio of biking clothing to match whatever conditions I might face, especially as I leave SoCal for the PNW.

robartsd

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1452 on: March 17, 2021, 11:02:29 AM »
This post is a kick in my own pants. Daylight savings time means it's still sunny at 5:00 and now is a perfect time to get back in the biking habit.
I agree, for seasonal cyclists it is a great time to get back into it in many areas.

GreenToTheCore

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1453 on: March 22, 2021, 01:32:44 PM »
Just sold my car, so there's no choice for me either way.  Gradually buffing up my portfolio of biking clothing to match whatever conditions I might face, especially as I leave SoCal for the PNW.

Heck yes, this is so motivating to hear about. Congrats!

Weisass

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1454 on: March 22, 2021, 07:53:44 PM »
Just sold my car, so there's no choice for me either way.  Gradually buffing up my portfolio of biking clothing to match whatever conditions I might face, especially as I leave SoCal for the PNW.
That’s awesome! We still have one car for our six person family, but I dream of ditching it someday when the kids get a bit older. It’s so lovely to ride.

Zamboni

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1455 on: March 24, 2021, 06:20:22 PM »
I haven't been cycling to work lately . . . bc work from home.

But, I imagine things will be going back to some sort of normal office schedule this summer or fall. There are a couple of challenging hills on my commute that are probably going to give me a heart attack someday.

So, with that is mind, has anyone tried the swytch kit? I just saw an advertisement for it on youtube and it kept me from clicking "skip ad" as fast as I normally do.
https://www.swytchbike.com/

robartsd

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1456 on: March 25, 2021, 09:56:57 AM »
So, with that is mind, has anyone tried the swytch kit? I just saw an advertisement for it on youtube and it kept me from clicking "skip ad" as fast as I normally do.
https://www.swytchbike.com/
No experience with eBikes yet, but I've thought about retrofitting a bike with something like that. Converting DW's bike to an eBike would make riding together more enjoyable - her maximum sustainable speed is pretty close to my minimum comfortable speed.

Their website is missing some key information: pricing, rim size, rated battery capacity. I don't like that the control interface is located on the battery pack, You have to add the 3 pound battery pack to your handlebars, many other systems allow you to mount the battery inside your front triangle or on a rack which should provide better handling. Unless this is much cheaper than similar systems, I'd probably try something else.

Tass

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1457 on: April 11, 2021, 10:46:00 AM »
5/5 bike to work days this last week. The biking is pleasant, but the sunshine during the commute in both directions is even more worthwhile.

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1458 on: April 12, 2021, 09:39:40 AM »
I haven't been cycling to work lately . . . bc work from home.

But, I imagine things will be going back to some sort of normal office schedule this summer or fall. There are a couple of challenging hills on my commute that are probably going to give me a heart attack someday.

So, with that is mind, has anyone tried the swytch kit? I just saw an advertisement for it on youtube and it kept me from clicking "skip ad" as fast as I normally do.
https://www.swytchbike.com/

I haven't tried this particular ebike kit, but I have test ridden a couple of direct drive ebikes. If I ever end up having to commute to the office again I'm seriously considering switching to an ebike. I didn't realize how much of the pain I used to have was being caused by all the biking I used to do. Six months into WFH and my hip pain was totally gone.

Anyway, this company doesn't actually seem to have any stock, so you can't buy from them anyway. They're also located in the UK so if you're not in the UK, expect shipping to add to the cost. However, that may be a moot point anyway because I couldn't find any prices on the site, so we can't tell if it's a good deal or a rip off.

My advice would be to go to a local ebike dealer and see if you can test ride one of their bikes. Figure out if you even want an ebike. If so, then shop around for whatever bike or conversion kit is a good deal for you.

triple7stash

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1459 on: April 20, 2021, 07:56:55 PM »
It’s been awhile since posting in this forum, but have been lurking. Took a new job during quarantine and will need to dress is business attire and we’re slowly starting to trickle back into the office. Don’t want to haul my panniers full of rolled up work clothes daily. My bike commute is only 1.8 miles flat, so sweating isn’t an issue. Any recommendations on comfy slacks/shirts/outfits to bike in?

BikeFanatic

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1460 on: April 21, 2021, 03:56:24 AM »
Less than 2 miles is easy. I would either roll up my pant legs so as not to get grease on my pants, and just ride in in work clothing. I used to leave clothing at work hung up so I could just bike in my bike clothing. I have heard you can easily ride in a dress with a step thru frame.

TrMama

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1461 on: April 21, 2021, 09:11:02 AM »
Ditto the advice to just bike in whatever you'll be wearing at work that day. Ride slow ish so you don't get sweaty and you'll be fine.

For the clothes themselves try to pick slacks that have a bit of stretch. This is very common in women's pants but I think men's pants are starting to be made with some stretch too. It makes them so much more comfortable.

Tass

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1462 on: April 25, 2021, 07:52:44 PM »
I leave pants at work for a week and only bring a new shirt daily. I do get to wear jeans at work though. Most people here don't shower at work after biking, then? I don't but have gotten some weird looks about it.

GuitarStv

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1463 on: April 26, 2021, 06:10:50 AM »
For very short distances you can certainly get away without showering.  My commute is 11 miles each way, so I always end up needing to hit the showers afterwards.

wallet

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1464 on: April 26, 2021, 07:57:38 AM »
I leave pants at work for a week and only bring a new shirt daily. I do get to wear jeans at work though. Most people here don't shower at work after biking, then? I don't but have gotten some weird looks about it.

I have a brick of baby wipes from Costco that I use to clean up in the handicap stall of the washroom and then change into my work clothes.

Zamboni

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1465 on: April 26, 2021, 08:30:05 AM »
Okay, folks, I'm getting serious about this whole bike commute thing. Serious enough to think about giving up my parking pass for work . . . and it will be hard to get that permit back in the current location.

I'm not going to pull the trigger on giving up the parking spot quite yet. I feel like I should give it a year and see how I do in the winter first.

We don't have harsh winters, but cycling in heavy rain just seems like it would be a drag, and part of the commute is on an off road trail with steep hills that get muddy. I remember riding my bike to school in 3rd grade just holding an umbrella and it was fun, though. You all inspire me that I can do it even sans umbrella (cause I won't be able to get up the biggest hills holding an umbrella.)

turketron

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1466 on: April 26, 2021, 08:45:34 AM »
Okay, folks, I'm getting serious about this whole bike commute thing. Serious enough to think about giving up my parking pass for work . . . and it will be hard to get that permit back in the current location.

I'm not going to pull the trigger on giving up the parking spot quite yet. I feel like I should give it a year and see how I do in the winter first.

We don't have harsh winters, but cycling in heavy rain just seems like it would be a drag, and part of the commute is on an off road trail with steep hills that get muddy. I remember riding my bike to school in 3rd grade just holding an umbrella and it was fun, though. You all inspire me that I can do it even sans umbrella (cause I won't be able to get up the biggest hills holding an umbrella.)

Heavy rain is one thing, but would you want to ride in a thunderstorm? I think it's good to at least plan for another option available (even if it's more expensive or less convenient) that you would just use as rarely as possible, or even if you never use it, it's smart to have a backup option identified. If you gave up your parking pass could you still drive and just pay a higher day rate to park, or is there a public transit route? Even if you had to uber in a few days per year you'd probably still come out ahead in the long run, vs. paying for a monthly parking pass.

GuitarStv

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1467 on: April 26, 2021, 08:48:00 AM »
Okay, folks, I'm getting serious about this whole bike commute thing. Serious enough to think about giving up my parking pass for work . . . and it will be hard to get that permit back in the current location.

I'm not going to pull the trigger on giving up the parking spot quite yet. I feel like I should give it a year and see how I do in the winter first.

We don't have harsh winters, but cycling in heavy rain just seems like it would be a drag, and part of the commute is on an off road trail with steep hills that get muddy. I remember riding my bike to school in 3rd grade just holding an umbrella and it was fun, though. You all inspire me that I can do it even sans umbrella (cause I won't be able to get up the biggest hills holding an umbrella.)

Put fenders on your bike, and rain becomes a mild nuisance rather than a giant PITA.  The fenders keep mud and grime off your face, butt, and most importantly your drivetrain.  Once you're not eating dirt all the time in the rain, all you've got to do is keep yourself warm enough (usually just a matter of figuring out the right layers to wear).

I've ridden in many heavy storms/thunderstorms.  Lighting isn't anything to be seriously concerned about, but be aware of reduced traction and increased braking distances.  You also want to keep an eye on winds - anything over 50 km/h steady, or 70 km/h gusts and it becomes more challenging to ride.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2021, 08:50:21 AM by GuitarStv »

robartsd

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1468 on: April 26, 2021, 10:07:49 AM »
Put fenders on your bike, and rain becomes a mild nuisance rather than a giant PITA.  The fenders keep mud and grime off your face, butt, and most importantly your drivetrain.  Once you're not eating dirt all the time in the rain, all you've got to do is keep yourself warm enough (usually just a matter of figuring out the right layers to wear).

I've ridden in many heavy storms/thunderstorms.  Lighting isn't anything to be seriously concerned about, but be aware of reduced traction and increased braking distances.  You also want to keep an eye on winds - anything over 50 km/h steady, or 70 km/h gusts and it becomes more challenging to ride.
If your bike has rim brakes, the wet can have significant impact on brake traction - disk brakes should be less affected. Of course road traction reduction is experienced by all vehicles in the rain; so traffic patterns that might not be overly worrisome in dry weather may also need to be considered.

Runrunrun

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1469 on: April 26, 2021, 10:45:21 AM »
Paging the bike commuting experts: What would you do in this situation?

One particular intersection is holding me up to start bike commuting, going to try to explain it to the best of my ability.

So the freeway is basically going perpendicular (E/W) to the roads I need to take south to work. The problem is, every road that goes under the big main freeway where the on and off ramps are, has no crosswalks, bike lane, or any sort of shoulder and I'm not sure how you bike through these. I have looked at multiple routes that go under the freeway further E & W and each road has the same problem. (No crosswalks or walking paths, its crazy!)

I feel really wary of biking past the on big on ramps, and the speed limits are all 45MPH and up. The only roads that go under the freeway are big 4 lane boulevard type roads, with this no crosswalk/shoulder deal at the on ramps. The sidewalks and crosswalks just stop and don't resume again til about a third of a mile

Hopefully this paints a picture? And if so...... What do you do?? Just go through it? Every now and then I'll see a pedestrian trying to navigate through this and it looks terrifying.

Hoping I can get some tips. I found some good paths for the rest of the drive once I can figure this piece out.


windytrail

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1470 on: April 26, 2021, 10:50:30 AM »
Paging the bike commuting experts: What would you do in this situation?

One particular intersection is holding me up to start bike commuting, going to try to explain it to the best of my ability.

So the freeway is basically going perpendicular (E/W) to the roads I need to take south to work. The problem is, every road that goes under the big main freeway where the on and off ramps are, has no crosswalks, bike lane, or any sort of shoulder and I'm not sure how you bike through these. I have looked at multiple routes that go under the freeway further E & W and each road has the same problem. (No crosswalks or walking paths, its crazy!)

I feel really wary of biking past the on big on ramps, and the speed limits are all 45MPH and up. The only roads that go under the freeway are big 4 lane boulevard type roads, with this no crosswalk/shoulder deal at the on ramps. The sidewalks and crosswalks just stop and don't resume again til about a third of a mile

Hopefully this paints a picture? And if so...... What do you do?? Just go through it? Every now and then I'll see a pedestrian trying to navigate through this and it looks terrifying.

Hoping I can get some tips. I found some good paths for the rest of the drive once I can figure this piece out.

Can you post a Google street view for us to analyze?

bloodaxe

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1471 on: April 26, 2021, 10:50:48 AM »
Paging the bike commuting experts: What would you do in this situation?

One particular intersection is holding me up to start bike commuting, going to try to explain it to the best of my ability.

So the freeway is basically going perpendicular (E/W) to the roads I need to take south to work. The problem is, every road that goes under the big main freeway where the on and off ramps are, has no crosswalks, bike lane, or any sort of shoulder and I'm not sure how you bike through these. I have looked at multiple routes that go under the freeway further E & W and each road has the same problem. (No crosswalks or walking paths, its crazy!)

I feel really wary of biking past the on big on ramps, and the speed limits are all 45MPH and up. The only roads that go under the freeway are big 4 lane boulevard type roads, with this no crosswalk/shoulder deal at the on ramps. The sidewalks and crosswalks just stop and don't resume again til about a third of a mile

Hopefully this paints a picture? And if so...... What do you do?? Just go through it? Every now and then I'll see a pedestrian trying to navigate through this and it looks terrifying.

Hoping I can get some tips. I found some good paths for the rest of the drive once I can figure this piece out.

Some alternative things I've done for challenging routes:

* Bike through parking lots of businesses
* Cut through grass fields/parks
* Bike briefly on nearby trails

Not sure if any of these applies for your situation. If you are comfortable, you can share a google map link of the route. Just change the start and end to nearby places.

robartsd

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1472 on: April 26, 2021, 11:05:05 AM »
Paging the bike commuting experts: What would you do in this situation?

One particular intersection is holding me up to start bike commuting, going to try to explain it to the best of my ability.

So the freeway is basically going perpendicular (E/W) to the roads I need to take south to work. The problem is, every road that goes under the big main freeway where the on and off ramps are, has no crosswalks, bike lane, or any sort of shoulder and I'm not sure how you bike through these. I have looked at multiple routes that go under the freeway further E & W and each road has the same problem. (No crosswalks or walking paths, its crazy!)

I feel really wary of biking past the on big on ramps, and the speed limits are all 45MPH and up. The only roads that go under the freeway are big 4 lane boulevard type roads, with this no crosswalk/shoulder deal at the on ramps. The sidewalks and crosswalks just stop and don't resume again til about a third of a mile

Hopefully this paints a picture? And if so...... What do you do?? Just go through it? Every now and then I'll see a pedestrian trying to navigate through this and it looks terrifying.

Hoping I can get some tips. I found some good paths for the rest of the drive once I can figure this piece out.
Freeways can be a big problem. I once lived near a freeway I had to cross by bike daily where the shortest route was a busy road like you describe. That road did have sidewalks though. Best time to cross was during rush hour because traffic was bad enough that cars were generally going slower than bikes at that time.

How would a pedestrian get across the freeway? If there are no pedestrian routes that you can use, the next best option would be to take control of a lane traveling as you would in a (very slow moving) car. You will probably get many drivers honking or yelling at you because obviously roads are for cars and delaying them a few seconds is a gross injustice.

Runrunrun

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1473 on: April 26, 2021, 11:30:00 AM »
Paging the bike commuting experts: What would you do in this situation?

One particular intersection is holding me up to start bike commuting, going to try to explain it to the best of my ability.

So the freeway is basically going perpendicular (E/W) to the roads I need to take south to work. The problem is, every road that goes under the big main freeway where the on and off ramps are, has no crosswalks, bike lane, or any sort of shoulder and I'm not sure how you bike through these. I have looked at multiple routes that go under the freeway further E & W and each road has the same problem. (No crosswalks or walking paths, its crazy!)

I feel really wary of biking past the on big on ramps, and the speed limits are all 45MPH and up. The only roads that go under the freeway are big 4 lane boulevard type roads, with this no crosswalk/shoulder deal at the on ramps. The sidewalks and crosswalks just stop and don't resume again til about a third of a mile

Hopefully this paints a picture? And if so...... What do you do?? Just go through it? Every now and then I'll see a pedestrian trying to navigate through this and it looks terrifying.

Hoping I can get some tips. I found some good paths for the rest of the drive once I can figure this piece out.

Can you post a Google street view for us to analyze?


Here is a google map link showing the direction I'm trying to go, if it doesn't work let me know. I'll probably just delete in a couple days.



I'm definitely willing to adjust the route but want to keep it under 10 miles.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2021, 01:22:11 PM by hipsail »

bloodaxe

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1474 on: April 26, 2021, 12:10:47 PM »
Paging the bike commuting experts: What would you do in this situation?

One particular intersection is holding me up to start bike commuting, going to try to explain it to the best of my ability.

So the freeway is basically going perpendicular (E/W) to the roads I need to take south to work. The problem is, every road that goes under the big main freeway where the on and off ramps are, has no crosswalks, bike lane, or any sort of shoulder and I'm not sure how you bike through these. I have looked at multiple routes that go under the freeway further E & W and each road has the same problem. (No crosswalks or walking paths, its crazy!)

I feel really wary of biking past the on big on ramps, and the speed limits are all 45MPH and up. The only roads that go under the freeway are big 4 lane boulevard type roads, with this no crosswalk/shoulder deal at the on ramps. The sidewalks and crosswalks just stop and don't resume again til about a third of a mile

Hopefully this paints a picture? And if so...... What do you do?? Just go through it? Every now and then I'll see a pedestrian trying to navigate through this and it looks terrifying.

Hoping I can get some tips. I found some good paths for the rest of the drive once I can figure this piece out.

Can you post a Google street view for us to analyze?


Here is a google map link showing the direction I'm trying to go, if it doesn't work let me know. I'll probably just delete in a couple days.

https://goo.gl/maps/YJaYqCfbsmQ4YYve7

I'm definitely willing to adjust the route but want to keep it under 10 miles.

Yea that looks tough.

I would go down S Plaza Trail. Looks a lot more comfortable. Here is what I mean:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Yard+House/Taylor+Farms,+2599+Dam+Neck+Rd,+Virginia+Beach,+VA+23453/@36.839355,-76.1009099,1379m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m29!4m28!1m20!1m1!1s0x89ba959f10624ac1:0xdc2876cb7652bc7e!2m2!1d-76.1363368!2d36.8415917!3m4!1m2!1d-76.1273709!2d36.8359131!3s0x89ba9576bf94f4d3:0xcd16c4783b70ea25!3m4!1m2!1d-76.0976434!2d36.8393435!3s0x89ba953807dd3651:0x706a180f389b13cf!3m4!1m2!1d-76.0900819!2d36.8383966!3s0x89ba9535f36d22eb:0x714f8a98a52f4dff!1m5!1m1!1s0x89bac079c78a2ab3:0xd8a5ab5a8f880c2a!2m2!1d-76.0586587!2d36.7834104!3e1

You could also take the bus just to get past the difficult parts of the route. Then bike the rest of the way:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Yard+House,+4549+Commerce+St,+Virginia+Beach,+VA+23462/Independence+%26+Edwin,+Virginia+Beach,+VA+23452/@36.8344505,-76.1436673,2758m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89ba959f10624ac1:0xdc2876cb7652bc7e!2m2!1d-76.1363368!2d36.8415917!1m5!1m1!1s0x89ba957f564a1ec5:0x8b21042176564e96!2m2!1d-76.131929!2d36.827087!3e3


GuitarStv

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1475 on: April 26, 2021, 12:12:35 PM »
Paging the bike commuting experts: What would you do in this situation?

One particular intersection is holding me up to start bike commuting, going to try to explain it to the best of my ability.

So the freeway is basically going perpendicular (E/W) to the roads I need to take south to work. The problem is, every road that goes under the big main freeway where the on and off ramps are, has no crosswalks, bike lane, or any sort of shoulder and I'm not sure how you bike through these. I have looked at multiple routes that go under the freeway further E & W and each road has the same problem. (No crosswalks or walking paths, its crazy!)

I feel really wary of biking past the on big on ramps, and the speed limits are all 45MPH and up. The only roads that go under the freeway are big 4 lane boulevard type roads, with this no crosswalk/shoulder deal at the on ramps. The sidewalks and crosswalks just stop and don't resume again til about a third of a mile

Hopefully this paints a picture? And if so...... What do you do?? Just go through it? Every now and then I'll see a pedestrian trying to navigate through this and it looks terrifying.

Hoping I can get some tips. I found some good paths for the rest of the drive once I can figure this piece out.

Can you post a Google street view for us to analyze?


Here is a google map link showing the direction I'm trying to go, if it doesn't work let me know. I'll probably just delete in a couple days.

https://goo.gl/maps/YJaYqCfbsmQ4YYve7

I'm definitely willing to adjust the route but want to keep it under 10 miles.

It looks like there's a decent cycling crossing under the expressway using the S. Plaza Trail route:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Yard+House/Taylor+Farms,+2599+Dam+Neck+Rd,+Virginia+Beach,+VA+23453/@36.8316459,-76.1043134,15z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x89ba959f10624ac1:0xdc2876cb7652bc7e!2m2!1d-76.1363368!2d36.8415917!1m5!1m1!1s0x89bac079c78a2ab3:0xd8a5ab5a8f880c2a!2m2!1d-76.0586587!2d36.7834104!3e1

It's got a segregated bike lane and everything!  The route that you first sent looks like it would be suicide during rush hour.  Too many lanes, and too many distracted drivers trying to merge on/off.  Technically it would be possible to ride (you would have to be lit up pretty good and be taking the whole lane - which is going to piss off drivers) . . . I'd really want to try to avoid it though.

EDIT - whoop, bloodaxe beat me to it.  Definitely the better route to take!
« Last Edit: April 26, 2021, 12:15:02 PM by GuitarStv »

robartsd

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1476 on: April 26, 2021, 12:16:49 PM »
Here is a google map link showing the direction I'm trying to go, if it doesn't work let me know. I'll probably just delete in a couple days.

https://goo.gl/maps/YJaYqCfbsmQ4YYve7

I'm definitely willing to adjust the route but want to keep it under 10 miles.
Simply asking Google Maps for biking directions suggest going 2.5 miles east to cross the freeway on Plaza Trail avoiding interaction with freeway ramps (even has a bike lane for the actual freeway crossing). This makes the trip about 8.5 miles.

Looks like you'd have the choice of taking a lane or riding a sidewalk along Virginia Beach Blvd for that 2.5 miles east, then head south on mostly residential roads. You might also use Bonney Rd for this E/W travel depending on traffic patterns. An old rail line just south of Central Park looks like a good candidate for a rails to trails type project for E/W access aligned with Southern Blvd; but that's not an option at present.

Runrunrun

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1477 on: April 26, 2021, 12:34:24 PM »
Here is a google map link showing the direction I'm trying to go, if it doesn't work let me know. I'll probably just delete in a couple days.

https://goo.gl/maps/YJaYqCfbsmQ4YYve7

I'm definitely willing to adjust the route but want to keep it under 10 miles.
Simply asking Google Maps for biking directions suggest going 2.5 miles east to cross the freeway on Plaza Trail avoiding interaction with freeway ramps (even has a bike lane for the actual freeway crossing). This makes the trip about 8.5 miles.

Looks like you'd have the choice of taking a lane or riding a sidewalk along Virginia Beach Blvd for that 2.5 miles east, then head south on mostly residential roads. You might also use Bonney Rd for this E/W travel depending on traffic patterns. An old rail line just south of Central Park looks like a good candidate for a rails to trails type project for E/W access aligned with Southern Blvd; but that's not an option at present.

Oh Wow yea I totally overlooked the plaza trail somehow - thanks everybody! The extra sets of eyes has solved it!

Weisass

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1478 on: April 27, 2021, 05:01:12 AM »
Hey all! Looking forward to my commute this week.... last week I put 50 miles on my new tern hsd (bought at a discount, because it was the demo at the shop). Such a smooth, pleasing ride, and I can’t wait to add more.

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1479 on: April 30, 2021, 10:05:05 AM »
I took my bike to the LBS while I was on a trip so I wouldn't be without it for too long. It just hadn't been seen by a professional in a while and the brakes were not braking as hard as they should. I mean, I'm a slow rider, but it was starting to feel not so safe.

I really appreciate that they put it up on the stand, gave it a quick once-over, and told me that it really only needed the brakes adjusted. They didn't try to sell me anything else and they tightened my fenders and rack and no extra charge, so all that is pretty nice!

I continue to fantasize about getting an ebike. I am soooo slow. It takes me every bit of 20 minutes to get to work, and it's less than 4 miles, and every day going up the hill I think I am going to die. I would love to put a few extra minutes back in my day. I'm really short, though--I have a "petite" frame that I think is 16 inches? Is that a tiny frame? It is the tiniest size I could find for an adult-size bike, and before that I had a 24 inch kid's bike. And I dread the process of finding one that would fit.

Might be a good investment, though, especially if we stay a one-car family.

GuitarStv

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1480 on: April 30, 2021, 12:06:30 PM »
I continue to fantasize about getting an ebike. I am soooo slow. It takes me every bit of 20 minutes to get to work, and it's less than 4 miles, and every day going up the hill I think I am going to die. I would love to put a few extra minutes back in my day. I'm really short, though--I have a "petite" frame that I think is 16 inches? Is that a tiny frame? It is the tiniest size I could find for an adult-size bike, and before that I had a 24 inch kid's bike. And I dread the process of finding one that would fit.

Where did you buy the bike from?  If it was from a big box store, you may have acquired a bicycle shaped object rather than a bicycle.  These BSOs are often extremely heavy and outfitted with poor quality components and knobby tires - all of this will work together to slow you down.  FWIW, my wife is a small woman (5'3") and she was comfortable with a Giant Escape in xs size.

If you do have a real bike, it's possible that you've got the saddle adjusted too low.  Try getting someone to hold the bike upright (or lean against a wall or something while you do this) and sticking your heels on the pedals.  Then pedal backwards.  If your saddle is properly adjusted your heels should just barely be contacting the pedals when they're furthest from your body.  If you can easily do the heel/backpedal thing, then your saddle is too low and you'll need to work much harder than normal to get anywhere.  Most people adjust bike saddles too low by default because a properly adjusted saddle usually forces a rider to dismount when stopping (you definitely can't stay seated and put both feet flat on the ground on both sides).


There are other things that could be causing your troubles, but the two above are the most common things to check first.
« Last Edit: April 30, 2021, 12:10:04 PM by GuitarStv »

erutio

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1481 on: April 30, 2021, 12:44:13 PM »
Also, 4 miles in 20 minutes doesn't seem exceptionally slow.   That's about 12mph.

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1482 on: April 30, 2021, 01:05:12 PM »
Also, 4 miles in 20 minutes doesn't seem exceptionally slow.   That's about 12mph.

Ha, I just looked it up and it's actually only 3. And I know I'm slow because I always, and I mean ALWAYS, get passed. I never pass anyone, literally ever.

I continue to fantasize about getting an ebike. I am soooo slow. It takes me every bit of 20 minutes to get to work, and it's less than 4 miles, and every day going up the hill I think I am going to die. I would love to put a few extra minutes back in my day. I'm really short, though--I have a "petite" frame that I think is 16 inches? Is that a tiny frame? It is the tiniest size I could find for an adult-size bike, and before that I had a 24 inch kid's bike. And I dread the process of finding one that would fit.

Where did you buy the bike from?  If it was from a big box store, you may have acquired a bicycle shaped object rather than a bicycle.  These BSOs are often extremely heavy and outfitted with poor quality components and knobby tires - all of this will work together to slow you down.  FWIW, my wife is a small woman (5'3") and she was comfortable with a Giant Escape in xs size.

If you do have a real bike, it's possible that you've got the saddle adjusted too low.  Try getting someone to hold the bike upright (or lean against a wall or something while you do this) and sticking your heels on the pedals.  Then pedal backwards.  If your saddle is properly adjusted your heels should just barely be contacting the pedals when they're furthest from your body.  If you can easily do the heel/backpedal thing, then your saddle is too low and you'll need to work much harder than normal to get anywhere.  Most people adjust bike saddles too low by default because a properly adjusted saddle usually forces a rider to dismount when stopping (you definitely can't stay seated and put both feet flat on the ground on both sides).


There are other things that could be causing your troubles, but the two above are the most common things to check first.

It's a Cannondale Quick from a bike shop in Georgetown--you can't get the really small frames at big box stores!

I don't think the saddle is too low--I definitely have to get off the saddle if I am stopping, unless I'm by a curb. Maybe I could go up a smidge. I did move it up several years ago when I heard that most people have it too low :-).

Open to more suggestions but I think I'm just out of shape and naturally slow!

GuitarStv

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1483 on: April 30, 2021, 01:12:04 PM »
Open to more suggestions but I think I'm just out of shape and naturally slow!


Barbell squats?


:P

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1484 on: April 30, 2021, 01:57:11 PM »
Open to more suggestions but I think I'm just out of shape and naturally slow!


Barbell squats?


:P

Before the gyms closed I used to could do like 150? Maybe more when I had been practicing awhile. Deadlift close to 170. I was also like 25 pounds lighter, so less to haul up that hill. It didn't seem to make a ton of difference. Until my gym opens back up I can only do 60 lbs because I don't have a rack and that's all I can lift over my head :-).

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1485 on: April 30, 2021, 02:21:08 PM »
If you've done a lot of weightlifting in the past you may have a tendency to pedal using a too high gear. This means your cadence will be low and it feels very difficult. When riding it's more efficient to pedal using an easier gear at a higher cadence. Especially going uphill. Think "Spin to win" as you're riding. You'll initially feel more out of breath, but your endurance will improve without needing to be fitter.

Otherwise, check the basics like making sure your brakes aren't rubbing (I know you've already done this), gears aren't grinding and that your tires are properly inflated.

One thing that sucks for shorter riders is that the bike (or at least all the components) weigh the same regardless of the fact you may be lighter and weaker than someone who's 6ft tall. This is why some kids often struggle to even push their bikes around. The frames are made from cheap, heavy steel and the components weigh just as much as an adult bike. If you're hauling stuff, pack as light as possible.

If you want to work on fitness for riding faster, try incorporating some dynamic exercises. Think squat jumps or explosive step ups to build power. Just be very careful not to hurt yourself since it's easy to do with these kinds of exercises.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1486 on: April 30, 2021, 02:28:42 PM »
My lowest gear is not low enough for that big hill. It is good for smaller hills. They checked the gears at the bike shop and I do inflate my tires.

I already do squat jumps, sometimes with weights!

All this troubleshooting, I keep circling back to I must just be naturally slow. But I am still open to ideas...

GuitarStv

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1487 on: April 30, 2021, 03:21:06 PM »
It sounds like you should have the horsepower to go quickly on the bike, your bike isn't a BSO, and you're roughly seated correctly.  The list of things it can be caused by is rapidly shortening.  Any chance there's a mechanical issue?
 Maybe one of your brakes is rubbing?  Try lifting the bike and make sure that both the front and rear wheel spin freely.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1488 on: April 30, 2021, 03:51:03 PM »
It sounds like you should have the horsepower to go quickly on the bike, your bike isn't a BSO, and you're roughly seated correctly.  The list of things it can be caused by is rapidly shortening.  Any chance there's a mechanical issue?
 Maybe one of your brakes is rubbing?  Try lifting the bike and make sure that both the front and rear wheel spin freely.

I just got it back from the shop, where I had them professionally adjusted :-). They gave it a quick once-over and said that was the only problem. Actually the brakes were much too loose and I had to squeeze super hard to stop!

Maybe it's psychological and I just need to will myself to go faster!

TrMama

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1489 on: May 01, 2021, 09:45:14 AM »
Maybe you're riding in an area with a bunch of super athletes? My town is the home of many of the national triathlon and cycling training teams. Plus, there are a ton of amateur athletes. Many of them are decades younger than I am. I'm not put out at all when people like this pass me.

It's totally OK to be slow. You're dong better than many, many people just to be out there. Also, I always feel like I'm going to die for the first 10 min of every workout. I suck at warming up slowly and I have exercise induced asthma, so it takes that long for my body to remind my brain to slow down.

La Bibliotecaria Feroz

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1490 on: May 01, 2021, 10:23:00 AM »
Maybe you're riding in an area with a bunch of super athletes? My town is the home of many of the national triathlon and cycling training teams. Plus, there are a ton of amateur athletes. Many of them are decades younger than I am. I'm not put out at all when people like this pass me.

It's totally OK to be slow. You're dong better than many, many people just to be out there. Also, I always feel like I'm going to die for the first 10 min of every workout. I suck at warming up slowly and I have exercise induced asthma, so it takes that long for my body to remind my brain to slow down.

LOL, this is totally fair. I live in Denver. People do pass me in street clothes on regular bikes, but we are a pretty fit city and I don't know what they do on the weekends!

My only other ideas are that I am really cautious, so I am slowing down and speeding back up a LOT (and do not pick up much speed down hills) and my aerodynamics are terrible because I invariably have fully laden Wald baskets overflowing with random canvas totes bags, often full of library books.

I would not have biked today except my husband needed the car. It was very awkward, actually--I burned my arm pretty good on the steam from my tea kettle and would have liked to just drive to work and stop at Walgreens for aloe on the way. But since he needed the car, I had to drive to Walgreens, come back, and bike to work! At least it was a nice day for it.

Tass

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1491 on: October 22, 2021, 09:51:08 PM »
How often should I replace my chain?

(I got a warning about this being an old thread but dangit it's my thread and I can revive it if I want to.)

Askel

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1492 on: October 23, 2021, 04:05:53 AM »
How often should I replace my chain?

(I got a warning about this being an old thread but dangit it's my thread and I can revive it if I want to.)

If there's any damage- bent or stuck links, that's a good sign, but usually wear is what forces a chain replacement.

Easiest way to measure wear is with a chain checking tool, but you can also use a ruler: https://www.bikeradar.com/features/how-to-know-when-its-time-to-replace-your-bicycle-chain/

You may not notice anything wrong at all with a chain that no longer meets spec, but it's good to replace it before it starts causing weird wear issues on more expensive parts like cassettes and chain rings.

GuitarStv

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1493 on: October 24, 2021, 01:35:15 PM »
Just crack out your measuring tape.  A new chain is (or should be) exactly 12 inches across 12 links.  When you measure 12 links being more than 1/8th of an inch it's time to replace your chain.


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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1495 on: November 30, 2021, 03:48:43 PM »
My lowest gear is not low enough for that big hill. It is good for smaller hills. They checked the gears at the bike shop and I do inflate my tires.

I already do squat jumps, sometimes with weights!

All this troubleshooting, I keep circling back to I must just be naturally slow. But I am still open to ideas...

Can you get your gears changed (add lower gears) to be able to go up the big hill?  I have 2 bikes- one for commuting that can only go up little hills (made more for flat riding) and another that has lower gears- I go slow but can spin (granny) it up high hills (for me).

I'm short and slow too. 

Don't spend your time worrying about who is passing you, just focus on enjoying the sites, being outside cycling, try to keep your upper body relaxed (don't clench handlebars) to keep taking in those deep breaths to keep pedaling and sometimes standing up to pedal is good too. 

Also, are you comfortable shifting gears?  Maybe your riding in too high of a gear?

Or consider reducing your crank length?  My lower geared bike also has 150mm cranks too- supposed to make it easier to go up hills and easier on short legs  (making a smaller circle).  My commuter is 170mm and each time I switch, I can tell the difference and takes a few seconds to adjust. 

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1496 on: November 30, 2021, 04:49:59 PM »
My lowest gear is not low enough for that big hill. It is good for smaller hills. They checked the gears at the bike shop and I do inflate my tires.

I already do squat jumps, sometimes with weights!

All this troubleshooting, I keep circling back to I must just be naturally slow. But I am still open to ideas...

Can you get your gears changed (add lower gears) to be able to go up the big hill?  I have 2 bikes- one for commuting that can only go up little hills (made more for flat riding) and another that has lower gears- I go slow but can spin (granny) it up high hills (for me).

I'm short and slow too. 

Don't spend your time worrying about who is passing you, just focus on enjoying the sites, being outside cycling, try to keep your upper body relaxed (don't clench handlebars) to keep taking in those deep breaths to keep pedaling and sometimes standing up to pedal is good too. 

Also, are you comfortable shifting gears?  Maybe your riding in too high of a gear?

Or consider reducing your crank length?  My lower geared bike also has 150mm cranks too- supposed to make it easier to go up hills and easier on short legs  (making a smaller circle).  My commuter is 170mm and each time I switch, I can tell the difference and takes a few seconds to adjust.

Oooh, that's an intersesting idea. Don't know if it would be worth doing on an 11-year-old bike with rim brakes, but maybe I'll ask my LBS what it would cost! If I had to sacrifice higher gears, that would be no sacrifice at all- I usually ride my brakes down hills, not try to pick up speed.

A sprightly young yoga teacher told me at the library that she had decided not to bike because she didn't want to go up that big hill, which made me feel a little better. (We'll ignore that she said her bike is super heavy as my extra pounds probably at least balance out the weight of the bike.)

I appreciate the encouragement! I am still plugging along and haven't broken down and bought an ebike yet.

Funniest encouragement I've received this year: A gentleman sitting on his front porch called out, "Put your back into it, mama! You're almost there!" As I can be self-conscious about my weight gain (which is definitely not helping), I appreciated the suggestion that, if anything, I did not have ENOUGH ass to haul myself up that hill, LOL. I don't generally like to be shouted at but that gave me a giggle.

Askel

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1497 on: November 30, 2021, 05:10:03 PM »
Another option to consider- ain't no shame in pushing the bike uphill.  I recently acquired a bike dedicated to winter commuting which due to it's belt drive and internally geared hub has gearing much higher than any of my other bikes. There are a couple of hills on my commute that the winter commuter cannot climb with me pedaling. However, when I pushed the bike uphill on foot, I found I was faster doing that than pedaling any of my geared bikes up those same hills.  (I track my commutes in strava and have the data to back this up).

It's something I learned before in mountain bike racing- sometimes it's just faster to get off the bike and run it.

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1498 on: December 11, 2021, 10:18:57 AM »
Another option to consider- ain't no shame in pushing the bike uphill.  I recently acquired a bike dedicated to winter commuting which due to it's belt drive and internally geared hub has gearing much higher than any of my other bikes. There are a couple of hills on my commute that the winter commuter cannot climb with me pedaling. However, when I pushed the bike uphill on foot, I found I was faster doing that than pedaling any of my geared bikes up those same hills.  (I track my commutes in strava and have the data to back this up).

It's something I learned before in mountain bike racing- sometimes it's just faster to get off the bike and run it.

@Askel, I tried this and it's a game-changer! It feels a lot safer to be out of the traffic on the sidewalk and I don't think it takes much, if any, extra time. Thanks for the suggestion!

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Re: Start Biking To Work - cycling newbies chat
« Reply #1499 on: December 11, 2021, 12:46:07 PM »
I had got out of the biking habit when I was between contracts and then was rather enjoying the empty bus commutes once I began going into the office again but this past week has been utterly maddening, with entire series of buses just not showing up. So I rode on Friday and it's so much nicer! Even with the unconnected bike path sections with inevitable roadworks in between the sections, it was still better being on my bike than waiting futilely for a bus that never shows up.