Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bicycle and commute

Impervius!

Salvor Hardin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:33:14 -0800

Underground in a secret lab, the hive mind works feverishly and with a single purpose: to create...the perfect Boston bicyclist! Impermeable to wind, water, ice, slush, and mud, there's nothing Boston can throw at him that he can't handle! We had our first really miserable, blinding drenching ice/slush/rain-pelting-down days in Boston. My SO and I have decided that we're going to make ourselves waterproof.

We'd like suggestions for picking out some waterproof bad-weather bicycling gear. I imagine we'll need:

jacket, pants, shoes, eyewear, headwear, handwear, etc (anything else that you've found helpful?)

to combat the nasty winter weather that Boston can dish out. Specifically I want something that can keep me some close approximation of dry during a 4 mile bicycle commute. Let's say we each have up to $200 to throw at this (hopefully it won't take that much).

I'm a 6'2" male, she's a 5'2" female.

Here are my priorities (in approximately descending order):

1. Keeps me DRY! I'm talking hermetically-sealed/space-worthy.
2. Flexible (i.e. suitable for bicycling-type movements)
3. Stops the wind
4. Simple/fast to remove (I'm usually behind schedule, so speed of operation is desirable)
5. Not too many pieces (I'm terrible about losing accessories)
6. Not too much $$
7. Doesn't accumulate too much sweat

Any ideas are welcome! My SO already has a normal set of rain gear, and she still ends up completely drenched by the end of the ride, so I think we need something a bit extraordinary.

I've seen this question, but brands and products change a lot, and I didn't see the fervent testimonial I was hoping for. My favorite from that was the deep-sea fishing gear, but I'm not sure if it'll be flexible enough for biking, or if it'll interfere with the chain.

Thanks!

Slimpstreaming behind a random?

Tapioca — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:32:55 -0800

Do you think it is rude for Alice (a commuter cyclist) to slipstream behind Bob (another commuter cyclist, who doesn't know Alice)? By 'slipstreaming' I mean riding in the wind-free pocket behind the lead cyclist. Hope I've got the terminology right - think I've also seen it called 'drafting'.

Does it depend on headwind speed? Length of time? Other factors?

(I tried to frame this a neutral hypothetical. This happened on my morning commute today, but I'm deliberately not revealing whether I was Alice or Bob)

What's the best alternative to bananas as fuel for a ~12 mile cycle commute?

primer_dimer — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:59:19 -0800

What's the best alternative to bananas as fuel for a ~12 mile cycle commute? So I've recently started commuting to work by bike again, only this time it's a bit further than I've done before - about 12 miles. I need to make sure I put some fuel in my tank before setting off. The standard advice on cycle forums seems to be a banana 20 mins before setting off. I hate bananas. What should I eat instead?

I need general advice about bicycle commuting and specific recommendations for Seattle.

GPF — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:11:27 -0800

I need general advice about bicycle commuting and specific recommendations for Seattle: where to live for commute to UW, bike shop recommendations, must have equipment, neighborhoods to avoid, good routes and trails, and the like. I'm planning a move to Seattle. Lots of good threads on the green about Seattle info and bicycling info. The Seattle department of transportation maps and guides seem fantastic -- any personal experience you could add to using them would be much appreciated.

I'm considering using a bicycle as my main commuting vehicle to the University of Washington. Obviously, closer is better but closer means higher rents and more undergrads -- right? In searching for places to live, I'm trying to gauge how far from UDub I can get and have a tolerable commute. I'm a pretty good judge of my fitness and stamina for it, but I don't have any idea which neighborhoods make for a convenient ride. As in, I'd prefer an hour long ride on an easy trail to a twenty minute ride on a hilly five-lane road. Are there any definitive architectural encumbrances (e.g. bad bridges, freeway crossings, etc.)?

Bonus for family friendly parks nearby and cheap rents. Double bonus for specific apartment or landlord recommendations.

I'd also love some recommendations for bike shops - especially ones that trade in used gear and cater to the commuter.

Gigantor Needs Commuter Bike

Anonymous — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:13:58 -0800

I'm huge. I want to get a commuter bike. What's a good one? I'm 5'11", 350 pounds on a large frame. I want to get a commuter bike for about a 1.5 mile each way commute over flat terrain, preferably one with minimal gears. What's a good bike? I like the look of Electra cruisers.

How to get to work faster on a bike?

Siberian Mist — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:50:10 -0800

Two years ago I sold the car and started riding my bicycle to work, about 26 km a day. However, over those two years, my average speed has not increased, in fact I think I'm actually a little slower than last year. Help me get to work faster! I'm interested in a simple approach: a basic training program, maybe- I don't want to change bicycles or go single speed.

How can I keep my bike while riding the bus?

DandyRandy — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:39:45 -0800

I've been doing a combo bike/bus commute on LA Metro for about a month now, and I find myself obsessing about how easy it would be for someone to steal my bike off the rack mounted on the front of the bus with no one being the wiser. Is there something I could do/use to at least make thieving my bike a little more inconvenient, yet not add much to the time it takes ME to get it off the rack? On reread, sort of self-defeating I guess - any ideas at all?

How can I give up driving to become a bike commuter?

croutonsupafreak — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 00:16:59 -0800

Help me get in shape & learn what I need to know so I can start biking the seven miles to work (and seven miles back)! Right now, I'm getting cardio exercise at the gym for 30 or 35 minutes five days a week -- mostly on elliptical machines, but sometimes on recumbent bikes. I walk a lot on weekends. It will take me about a month to save up the cash to get my bike in the condition it needs to be in where I can start riding it to work. I'm looking for things I can do now to get in biking shape, and after I get my bike to prepare for a full fledged commute.

My goal is to be bike commuting 14 miles round trip five days a week by the end of the summer. What should I be doing in the next month to get in shape before I am able to start riding? What should I do once I have a good bike to gradually build up to full commuting?

I'd also love advice on practical stuff I should know before becoming a bike commuter. (Example: a friend tells me that a comfortable seat and padded bike pants should be a high priority.)

Some background: my office is extremely alternative-transportation friendly, with safe bike storage, a locker I can use, and a shower. For a while in high school I was biking 10 miles a day to stay in shape, but that was more than 12 years ago. Since then, I haven't ridden much. Until about six weeks ago, I hadn't even worked out regularly for close to a year. I don't know much about bikes, but I live near a non-profit community cycling center in Portland.

Advice for a first-time road biker?

symphonik — Sun, 04 Sep 2005 14:08:28 -0800

What is your advice for a first-time road biker? I just recently moved to the SF Bay Area/Silicon Valley from Colorado, where I was used to being able to basically walk out my door and go hiking. Since that particular fitness activity is not as convenient here, and due to other factors like rising gas prices and traffic, I decided to pick up a road bike (a Specialized Allez 24).

I was fitted by the clerk at the store, so it's a pretty good fit and it's adjusted well. I've biked before, but never regularly and never strictly on a road bike. What advice would you, the experienced road biker with the streamlined helmet and the funny-looking sunglasses (or not :), offer to a first-timer? Since the plan is to bike to and from work, advice on negotiating traffic, being a courteous member of the road, and other bits like just how to ride comfortably is especially appreciated, but all advice is welcome.