Ask MetaFilter posts tagged with Commuting

Which Bike?

Kiwi — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:38:26 -0800

Should I get a racer or a tourer? Are there any particular advantages of a racing over a touring bicycle? I'm talking mainly in terms of differences between frame geometries, mudguard (fender) incompatibility etc.

Specifically, I'm trying to decide between Condor Cycles' Italia and Agio bikes.

Will be used mainly for commuting but also a little racing. This will be my first non-mountain bike; there is something nice about the single-mindedness of a pure racing bike, but will this end up being a bit much in potholed EC1?

Is a folding bicycle right for a train commute in Chicago?

crios — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:46:50 -0800

This is actually a two part question. First, can anybody recommend a folding bicycle? I'm going to need to travel from a train to my work and it's about 2 miles. Would you recommend one of these bicycles for this kind of commute? How do they hold up in the rain and when it gets cold? Is there anything I can do about water flying up from the front and rear wheels? 2nd, does anybody know if you can buy a monthly Metra pass that will allow you to transfer between two Metra lines? Here is my situation. I recently took a job in the western suburbs of Chicago and I live in the northern tip of Chicago. I would need to take the Union Pacific Northern line downtown, switch to Union Station and then take the BNSF route out to the western suburbs. Then from there I would still have to trek 2 miles to my work from the station. My original idea was to buy an old clunker bicycle and leave it at the station to ride back and forth. It would sit there through rain and snow and meteor storms and all that. Now I'm wondering if I should invest in a folding bicycle. I know basically nothing about these bicyles. Does anybody have any recommendations? How easy are they to fold and unfold? How compact are they? Would people hate me on the Metra trains if I got on with one? How does it handle the wet (as well as some snow, I might be willing to ride it through light snow)? How is maintenance? Is there anything I can do about water flying up from the front and rear wheels so that I can keep my nice work clothes from getting all spattered?

As a second part to my question... does anybody know if you can buy monthly passes that will allow you to transfer from one line to another? I'm going to have to transfer from the Union Pacific North to the BNSF line. I can't find anything about this on the Metra site and if I try to buy a monthly pass online I can ONLY buy for one line. Will I have to buy two monthly passes each month?

I would like to use my GPS receiver to analyze my commute.

timmins — Wed, 21 May 2008 12:11:10 -0800

I'm a data dork. Is there a way to rip my tracks and my trip odometer data from my Garmin 60CSx to analyze my commutes to work? I have no intention of monkeying with the device while driving. I want to turn on the GPS receiver, get a fix and head into work. The 60CSx will track driving data like avg speed, highest speed, stop time, etc. It will also record the track. I would like to take both the trip data and the track data and go over it. I live in a county that has inefficient throughways. I want to drive a couple different routes to see which is the most efficient. And yes, I'm fully aware this is nerdy. ; )

For The Green: a bike bag?

horseblind — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:20:26 -0800

Looking for an eco-friendly messenger bag. Used? Recycled? Fabric? What have you? I'm prepping to start commuting to work a few days a week by bicycle. I'm looking for a greeen (eco-friendly) messenger bag that's ideal for this purpose.

I've seen recycled material bags from Freitag, Alchemy Goods, and Timbuk2. I've also searched Ask.MeFi. So far I'm most interested in the Alchemy Goods bag. I'm curious as to what else is available.

More info: I'm a guy. My commutre will be about 15 miles. I'll be carrying a change of clothes, an ipod, phone, maybe a book, sometimes a laptop (I'd be willing to buy a sleeve for that--eco-friendly preferred here too), pens & pencils and the usual day-to-day stuff that winds up in pockets. I like the idea of loads of pockets and (maybe?) at least one internal divider.

What have you bought and did you like it or hate it? Or did you see something you just thought was the bee’s knees even if you didn't buy it. This is my first go at bike commuting. I can look up tips from many sources for the commute itself. What should I Consider or know about getting a good bag? Any usage/tweaking/hacking tips?

Should I buy a loft in Bridgeport, CT?

rocketpup — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 05:07:56 -0800

Should I buy a loft in a restored industrial building or the Columbia Records Tower in Bridgeport, CT? I'm an NYC commuter currently renting on Long Island. I am looking to buy something later this year but am probably going to try to get out of New York to find some lower prices and taxes. I've discovered a few loft developments in Bridgeport, CT that seem to be right up my alley. One (Federal Arms) is on Charles St. another is in the Columbia Records Tower and the last one is called Lofts on Lafayette, on Lafayette obviously, and close to the train station which would be ideal for my commute. Can anyone with some local knowledge give me some insight into the neighborhoods, what direction they're heading, the broad demographic groups I can expect from my neighbors, etc.? If anyone has any knowledge of the real estate market in Bridgeport, and can give me an idea of whether those lofts are expected to increase in value (mortgage crisis not withstanding), or to tank, whether I have any room to bargain on the asking price, etc. that would be amazingly helpful.

Thanks, Connecticutians!

Bike commuting in Boston -- best route between Cambridge/East Boston?

olinerd — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 07:28:44 -0800

For a friend: commuting by bike, need to get to Cambridgeport half the week and East Boston the other half. Best bike routes? Best places to live? A friend is just moving to Boston and is starting work at a company where he will spend half his time at an office in Cambridge (by the River St Whole Foods, about .6 miles from Central Square) and the other half in East Boston (Jeffries Point, about a mile from Maverick station).

He would like to commute by bike and only bike. He would prefer no T if possible. A car is not an option.

Question 1: if he lives in Cambridge near the Cambridge office (his first choice), what's the best route to bike to where he needs to be in Eastie without risking his life more than necessary?

Question 2: if this is pretty unfeasible, where's the best place to live to make it feasible? Charlestown/Chelsea area? IANAB(icyclist) so I have no idea how this stuff works or what is considered a reasonable biking distance.

(yes, this is similar to a previous question I asked, but with the difficulty of bike vs car/T....)

Getting out while the getting's good

libraryhead — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 07:41:28 -0800

Should we try to sell our house in a down market? Nearly two years ago my husband and I bought a house in the 'burbs. It's a decent enough place, not as swank as many in the neighborhood, but in pretty good repair and the decor is "updated" (read, bland). We had little saved for a down payment, and the mortgage is enormous. We can afford the monthly payment (& the mortgage is fixed, so it's not going up), but we're not putting much in savings. He just took a new job a couple towns over, and, since I do all the driving in the family, it's increased my commute by about 50%. I hate driving this much in traffic and I don't like the size of our carbon footprint.

I want to sell the house. I'm getting increasingly anxious about the financial burden this house represents. The market is very slow in our area and now is a terrible time to sell. According to Zillow.com our house hasn't lost value from when we bought it, but based on the sales I'm seeing in the neighborhood, I'm not sure that's true. Everything seems to stay on the market for months and months and ends up selling for tens of thousands less than the initial listing. I think we're on the cusp of a real recession and the market will continue to fall, but there's no way to know for sure.

If we did sell, we could get a place (maybe buy, probably rent) closer to Mr. Libraryhead's job in a more walkable area. This area also has access to public transportation so I wouldn't have to drive him to work. Coincidentally this area is a lot cheaper than where we live now. Based on sampling Craigslist, our combined savings on the mortgage and utilities could be as much as 50%. We'd probably have less space (we have more than we need now -- just filled up with clutter) and less or no yard, which would be a loss for the kids and the dog and the garden, but we could mitigate that by looking for a place with a park within walking distance. On the down side we would be moving out of one of the best school districts in the state into one of the worst, but I suspect we'd move again before the kids start school anyway.

Other factors: We have a two-year-old girl and I'm two months' pregnant with our second. I'm working part-time now, but will likely quit my job once the baby comes. My income is a negligible contribution to the family coffers, as most of it goes to pay for childcare and commuting costs. Our friends are spread all over the metro area, maybe a little closer to the new town. Family is out of state.

So, should we try to sell? Wait till spring or list it now? Put some money into fixing it up a bit or just get out? Mr. Libraryhead believes we won't be able to sell the house so we should just stay put and deal. I look at the prospect of driving on route 3 during rush hour for several years and I want to kill myself.

Will I get a darn parking spot at the Riverside MBTA station?

irisell — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:53:23 -0800

Boston Metro Filter: Does the greenline riverside MBTA station parking lot fill to capacity during the day? I moved from Boston to Framingham - and am adjusting to all of the many ways to get back into the city. I have tried the Framingham/Worcester commuter rail line and it works but I am looking into other options. If I get to the riverside mbta station around 10am will it be full? If so how early must one get there to have a spot?
THANKS!

Options for commuting between London and Cambridge?

ThinkNut — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 21:54:46 -0800

What is the most reasonable option for commuting between London and Cambridge? My partner needs to live near University College London, and I'll be going to Cambridge, but not really making any money so the cheaper the better-- if you can quote costs that would be fabulous. I've heard its minimum 30 pounds, which seems steep for a commute...

Full figured fender frustration

Slacker Manager — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 20:09:33 -0800

As wetter weather descends upon Oregon, I'm on the hunt for fenders for my Surly Karate Monkey. I'm running Schwalbe Big Apples for commuting. The Monkey is a 29er and these tires take up a lot of space! I need to find fenders that'll fit. What fender solution has worked for your 29er/Big Apple setup?

Working in Brooklyn

suasponte — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 07:17:48 -0800

A friend of mine has received a job offer in the Flatbush Avenue/Brooklyn College area of Brooklyn -- the last stop on the #5 train. She knows nothing of this area, and wants to know if it's a safe area to work, and whether the commute back to Manhattan (often at night) will be a concern.

What can I expect commuting in Boston?

olinerd — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 16:41:40 -0800

Commuting in Boston: where should I move to minimize the suck? My office is currently located in Cambridge between MIT and Harvard. It's moving in the next 12-18 months to either South Boston or East Boston (South Boston currently looking like the most likely candidate, but it's already changed twice).

I am about to move. I'm looking around both East and South Boston, especially since prices in those areas are still relatively low, but I'd like to look in other neighborhoods too. Problem is, since I've been commuting just on the T (Redline, Kendall --> Central + walking, a total of 25 mins) or driving (along Mem Drive for 10 minutes), I don't want to add a TON of time to my commute -- I like not having to get up wicked early to make it in to work by 8:15.

So: what other Boston neighborhoods wouldn't suck? Assume I'm probably driving to work, but I'd still like to be near the T. Where is safe, fun, and caters to the n00b yuppie such as myself? One I have in mind is JP -- Google Maps says the drive to either potential office location would be 20 minutes or so, but what is that actually like in the morning?

Of course, I also need to consider my continued commute to Cambridge for the next 12 months...

Any recommendations greatly appreciated!

How dangerous is a bumpy ride to work for my laptop?

agent99 — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 11:36:02 -0800

Commuting by bike and carrying a laptop in a pannier: good idea or recipe for a data disaster? I've started commuting 11 miles to work on a Brompton fitted with a front carrying bag, with a PowerBookG4 (and lots of other things) in the bag. The ride is sometimes quite bumpy; how bad is this for my laptop? Any ideas for how to dampen the vibrations? Would wrapping it in a sweater be sufficient, should I rig up some kind of foam cover, or is there a bag or sleeve that would be helpful? Or should I just not be putting a laptop in a bike bag in the first place? (I know I could carry it in a bag on my back but would really really like to avoid that).

How to avoid the forward pitched feeling on my bike?

The Deej — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 17:14:07 -0800

Yet another BikeFilter question, but the high concentration of cyclists here compels me to ask. Should I keep using my current bike for commuting, modify it, or get something else, to avoid that pitched-forward, numb-hands feeling? I have already gotten some good info from the many previous questions and posts. In fact, it's due to the high number of cycle-related posts I finally decided to start commuting to work by bike. My bike is an el-cheapo road bike. What we used to call a 10-speed or an English Racer. Despite its less than stellar pedigree, and after adjusting and tightening everything the bigbox store didn't do properly, it actually rides great, except for one thing: I feel pitched forward, with too much weight on my hands. I grip the upper part of the handlebar, not the curved lover part. I don't care about speed, but going home is slightly uphill. The pitch is not enough to prevent me from riding, or make it miserable, but it's enough that I waste energy adjusting myself and whining about it. My theory is that the gut I am trying to lose is a big part of the reason for the forward pitch. The seat angle/height is not the culprit, as I have already adjusted it. I have also raised the handlebar as much as possible, which isn't much.

I eventually want to get a different bike, (Trek Lime maybe, or some other bike with upright handlebars, but not a mountain bike) but for now I am wondering: As I lose weight, will the smaller gut reduce the hand-pressure enough that I won't worry about it? Should I put my mountain-bike handlebars on my road bike? (Yes, they will fit, but then I have to modify the brake levers.) Do I flip the handlebars over so they curve UP, allowing me to sit up straighter? (I don't care about the dork factor. I am already an old fat guy on a bike. OK, middle aged, and chubby.) How bout an extender for the neck of the handlebar? Do I just bite the bullet now and buy, if not the bike I really WANT, a different kind of bike? (For now it has to be cheap, like boxstore cheap.) Or, am I just being too picky, and not allowing myself enough time to acclimate?

Any input appreciated, as well as input for what bike I might ultimately want. Data: I am male, 45, 5'10" 220lbs. (trying to lose 40), and in good health otherwise. I ride about 4 miles one way to work in 15 minutes at a pretty leisurely pace. My "ultimate" bike probably can't be more than $600. A "stopgap" bike would have to be $200 or less. NOT interested in racing, competing, showing off my speed. AM interested in commuting, cruising, having fun, getting in shape. Thanks all!

Byke March 2001

moooshy — Mon, 14 May 2007 17:03:32 -0800

[ChicagoFilter] I am going to attempt to bike to work, which means biking along the lake from Andersonville to the Navy Pier area. Any tips? I haven't biked in 10 years, and don't want to be killed by racing pros. I want to get into this bike commuting thing, for health reasons and because it's fun. I'm just about to get a nice, comfy bike for the trip -- and will be biking from roughly the middle of Andersonville to Navy Pier. Is it a straight path down? How long do you think this will take? Are there any bike etiquette things I should be aware of? General as well as specific tips are most welcome. :)

Safe neighborhoods between Loyola and Fulton Market?

christie — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:26:36 -0800

Calling all Chicagoans: I will be working on Fulton Market, just west of I90/94. My roommate will be attending Loyola (Lake Shore campus). We both want easy commutes. Suggestions for fun, safe areas to live in that will be convenient for both of us? I have read other related threads, but I am hoping for advice that is a bit more specific to our situation.

How to Get There? (Greater Boston area)

Firas — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 11:07:09 -0800

CluelessFilter, MassachusettsFilter: "Mobil station at exit 17 off 495 in Franklin". Totally lost about how to find out whether this location is even vaguely accessible via the MBTA/commuter rail? I can plug in an address at the MBTA site but I have no idea how to find nearby addresses or that of the Mobil station at that particular exit.

Criteria for buying a bike

beniamino — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 09:06:35 -0800

What criteria are important when buying a bike? My wife needs a new bike for her short commutes around a college town, and occasional longer rides. She has looked at two models: a Dawes 301 and a Marin Larkspur (left-middle). To an untutored eye, they seem roughly equivalent in terms of weight, geometry and equipment. However, the Marin (£359) costs £90 more than the Dawes (£270). We know that the Marin is a decent bike (I have one), and we have a vague fear that the cheaper Dawes may have the reliability of an old British sports car.

What criteria should we use to distinguish these bikes? They all seem to use similar third-party equipment (Shimano brakes etc), so does it even matter whether we buy brand X or brand Y?

Hey, that's my bike?

ontic — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 09:39:29 -0800

I want to start bicycle commuting to work. It's about 6 miles each way. I have no idea what kind of bike I need. I have no experience with bikes in general. I want to be comfortable and, if possible, not look like a dork. I guess I need help with the very basics of choosing and outfitting a bike. Question balloons further out of control inside. I have no intention of ever riding long distances or trails. The road conditions are pretty good and the route I've chosen is fairly flat: paved roads, mostly state maintained with a few potholes here and there. They're country roads, so very little traffic until I get into town (small town, not much traffic there either). My work requires me to dress somewhat nicely (slacks/jeans and a button-up shirt), and bring books back and forth. No real place to shower, but I can change and don't sweat too awfully much.

A brief bit of research seems to suggest there is something called a "racing" bike and a "touring" bike, but then the discussion seems to turn to technical things. I've also seen some webpages and former AskMe's about "comfort" bikes, which sounds very promising, including bikes that let you sit up-right, which sounds really promising. But what are the trade-offs for sitting up-right in terms of ergonomics, speed, etc? I've read some things about getting a bicycle "fitted" at a bike shop. Do I need this? Will they do it for any kind of bike? Will any bike shop be willing to do it for a bike I don't buy from there?

Also, what else do I need other than the bike? A helmet, I suppose. Any special kind? Do I need a rear-view mirror?

Vital stats: I'm shorter, not terribly light guy, yet (but I'm hoping the commute will help with this). The first few times riding in will probably be a little challenging for me, even given the flat surfaces. And I have always had bikes that certainly weren't very comfortable for me to ride, so I didn't ride them.

Biking to work in the city

leotrotsky — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 12:46:53 -0800

How dangerous is riding a bicycle to work in a major city relative to driving or taking public transit?

Commute times across London (Wimbledon / Reading, Wimbledon / Windsor)

kiwi.es — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 15:55:06 -0800

Any experience with real-world commute times between Wimbledon and Windsor (UK) and Wimbledon Reading? Car or train? Hi all, I'm looking at places of work in Windsor and Reading -- anyone got any experience with regular travel times for Wimbledon <> Reading and Wimbledon <> Windsor?

Seems to me actually more or less the same -- around 1h15m by car if you average 10mph anywhere you're not on a motorway.

Can't shake that fever!!!

iurodivii — Fri, 10 Mar 2006 09:55:11 -0800

Motorcycle filter: I live in the U.S. and am trying to decide on a new motorcycle (read on and on and on)... 1) I have put 13,000 miles on my Suzuki LS 650 Savage in the last three years. (MSF certified before mile #1)

2) The wifey is taking the MSF course, starting today.

3) I commute 7 miles, one way, with a stop at school in the middle, each work-a-day. Generally slow, in-town speeds, no interstates. I live in Florida, and intend to ride Every Day.

4) I have taken a few weekend trips, but now that the wifey will be riding alongside me (much more comfortable than pillion on the Savage) I forsee our weekend rides increasing with her experience...I intend to start some overnight tours as her confidence and skills allow.

5) The wifey will be taking the reigns of the Savage upon her completion of the MSF course.

6) This is where you come in...I am looking at my next bike. I have been researching and the following is my short list of the bikes that will fulfill numbers 3 & 4 above:

BMW 650 cs -- probably too pricey, but seems to fit the bill

Honda vfr (preferably late '90's model)-- seems like overkill, but I have to consider it because a good friend (who already sold his) RAVES about it.

Kawasaki z750 -- looks a little too sporty for my tastes, but I'm more interested in the right feel than looks.

Suzuki sv650 -- lacks fairing and the 's' model is too sporty in its posture. Also I do want something that will both perform in the daily rides, but yearns, not just complies with, the weekend/tours.

Suzuki dl650 v-strom -- I can only touch tip-toes here and the bike feels top-heavy (I am 5'9" 130lbs) though it seems like a very good all around bike (a tour-er that has some sport in it)

Yamaha fz6 -- This one really feels right, but is the 4-cylinder overkill for the everyday ride (same question for the vfr)? Also will I wish I had gotten a bike with full-fairing when I ride long-distances and in the rain? Otherwise this one is my front-runner.

I want a standard seating position. Something sporty, but not a sport. Something that can tour, but not a tourer. It will have to ride every day, and it should YEARN for the open road, not just comply with it.

My only other real question is can you provide me with any experience you've had with buying used vs. buying new? It seems that the break-in period is (pretty hotly contested) important and, of course, its always fun to get something new; but should I try and save a thousand bucks to get something with a few thousand miles, or should I just go ahead and give in to my desire and get a bright, shiny, new one? [I am really enthralled by the process of breaking a bike in and 'making it mine.' Is there anything to that?]

I could write all day about these, and I will be responding to your suggestions. Please give me any personal experience you've had, good and bad about any of the bikes in this list. Also feel free to suggest any other bikes you think are missing from my consideration. I know that this is a pretty specific question and I have put it on my favorite motorcycling forum, but AskMe is so great that I just had to ask...

Hub-motor drive electric bicycles?

loquacious — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 01:40:13 -0800

Do you have any first or second hand electric bicycle experiences, particularly with the new hub drive retrofit kits? I'm sick of waiting for buses - but I'm entirely uninterested in "giving up" and buying a big, bulky, wasteful car. I've got a meager 18 mile commute, round trip in a town that has something like 500 days of sunshine a year - it's even sunny here in Phoenix on the days it rains in Monsoon season. My shifts are generally long enough that I can get a full charge back into a battery.

I'm looking at these particular models: 600 watt brushed motor and 400 watt brushless motor, both front wheel hub-motor designs. This seems to be a pretty good price.

I'm also interested in the chain-gear driven "LashOut" electric bike, but the bike they mount it on sucks greatly. (I had a chance to ride one on the streets recently. The motor/gear combo has some serious pickup and oompf, but the bike is a piece of crap.) They apparently don't have a proper "LashOut" add-on kit, yet. Only the old Currie "ElectroMotiveDrive" model, which looks hinky and is apparently rather inefficient, and the precursor to the current "LashOut" design.

Does anyone have any first or second hand knowledge about the reliability, speed, cold-start power and durability of these new, imported hub-motor-drive models linked to above?

Long, anecdotal disclaimer: Yeah, I can ride that 9 miles, easily. The bike I have probably has 20,000-40,000 miles on it, and the one I had for 8 years before that probably had twice that. I love biking and cranking, but I get to work all sweaty and gross, and there's no showering options, and I deal with staff, faculty and students at a helpdesk all day long. I get really sweaty. I'm a large, hairy mammal with well a well functioning cooling system. I'm also looking to extend my bike-travelling range. I was recently in a rather hardcore but broad-spectrum bike shop looking at commuter/mountain bike style hybrid bikes, and when I asked if they had any electrics the guy got all snooty on me. "Bikes are meant to be pedaled!", the guy said. "Yeah, I pedal mine a lot. I have a 10 mile commute, and I'd get to work all sweaty. Plus it gets to be like a gazillion degrees here in the summer." "Well, I bike 20 miles to work every day! Even when it's a hundred and twenty!", he said in a superior tone. *blink* "Uh, yeah, but you work in a bike shop. I have to wear a shirt and frickin' tie and deal with corporate doofusii all day. I really want an electric bike". As a further example of this anti-powered bike bias, just before I went into this store I met the nice fellow who had the LashOut bike that I tried on the streets. Some yuppie yelled some sort of bike epithet at us as he cranked by in his spandex and $3,000 Klien carbon graphite full suspension mountain bike. We stood there and talked for a while and the guy rode by and yelled something at us again, then proceeded to go rack up his bike on his frickin' Lexus SUV and drive off. Grr. Damn your SUV-drivin' yuppie hide, I want an electric commuting bike - not a 5 pound mountain bike that's the price of a small car I only ride on weekends on the street.

Overcoming motion sickness

frykitty — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 07:34:46 -0800

I'd like to read during my commute, but get motion sickness when I do. Any tips on overcoming this annoying malady? I'm not commonly motion sick, but reading gets me every time. A search turned up only unhelpful information. I have a 30-minute bus commute, and would prefer to read a book rather than haul out the CD player loaded with audiobooks.

Getting from EWR to Wall Street

Kwantsar — Wed, 01 Jun 2005 17:50:43 -0800

I need to get from EWR (Newark, NJ Airport) to Wall Street at noon on a weekday. While there's no rush, I can't afford to waste a lot of time. Will this work? How long will it take? Other suggestions?