I have approx a 30 minute car commute to work each day. According to google maps(which you can do bicycle directions), its 15-16 miles, and would translate into a 1:20:00 ride. I am not sure at which pace they figure this trek would be accomplished at. All I know is that there is only about a 5 mile stretch that is pure bike trails. The rest would be city streets.
Anyone have any input? I am most interested in hearing from bike commuters, or people who know bikes, frames, tires, etc.
[quote]Chickenmcnug wrote:
Any bicycle commuters out there?
I have approx a 30 minute car commute to work each day. According to google maps(which you can do bicycle directions), its 15-16 miles, and would translate into a 1:20:00 ride. I am not sure at which pace they figure this trek would be accomplished at. All I know is that there is only about a 5 mile stretch that is pure bike trails. The rest would be city streets.
Anyone have any input? I am most interested in hearing from bike commuters, or people who know bikes, frames, tires, etc.[/quote]
I used to commute by bike quite a bit. Every commute is different so it’s hard to say how long it would take you but it’s hard to believe that a 15-16 mile commute would take 80 minutes. When I commuted I lived outside of Washington DC and commuted into the city. When I was on surface streets I don’t think I moved much slower than if I was driving and sometimes I moved faster. If the bike path is flat, you should be able to ride between 15-20 miles per hour on that stretch. Of course as you get better at biking you will get faster.
[quote]dcb wrote:
I used to commute by bike quite a bit. Every commute is different so it’s hard to say how long it would take you but it’s hard to believe that a 15-16 mile commute would take 80 minutes. When I commuted I lived outside of Washington DC and commuted into the city. When I was on surface streets I don’t think I moved much slower than if I was driving and sometimes I moved faster. If the bike path is flat, you should be able to ride between 15-20 miles per hour on that stretch. Of course as you get better at biking you will get faster. [/quote]
Yeah, I was gonna say that their estimate doesn’t sound right. On the exercise bikes I can do a fairly brisk 20 miles an hour. But on the streets, I have to account for stop lights and whatnot.
I am going from San Jose to milpitas. So its all silicone valley traffic. By car its 3 different freeways. By bike, it looks like a pain in the ass.
I figure it would save money, cardio in the gym, and de-stress me.
Anybody have any idea on equipment i would want to use for this? I am most familiar with mountain bikes. And I would imagine i could swap out the tires for less resistance. As for specifics, i am pretty clueless.
[quote]dcb wrote:
I used to commute by bike quite a bit. Every commute is different so it’s hard to say how long it would take you but it’s hard to believe that a 15-16 mile commute would take 80 minutes. When I commuted I lived outside of Washington DC and commuted into the city. When I was on surface streets I don’t think I moved much slower than if I was driving and sometimes I moved faster. If the bike path is flat, you should be able to ride between 15-20 miles per hour on that stretch. Of course as you get better at biking you will get faster. [/quote]
Yeah, I was gonna say that their estimate doesn’t sound right. On the exercise bikes I can do a fairly brisk 20 miles an hour. But on the streets, I have to account for stop lights and whatnot.
I am going from San Jose to milpitas. So its all silicone valley traffic. By car its 3 different freeways. By bike, it looks like a pain in the ass.
I figure it would save money, cardio in the gym, and de-stress me.
Anybody have any idea on equipment i would want to use for this? I am most familiar with mountain bikes. And I would imagine i could swap out the tires for less resistance. As for specifics, i am pretty clueless.[/quote]
I grew up in that area and I can tell you right now that you’ll get run the fuck over on any of those roads. I assume, based on the distance, that you are headed from South San Jose to Milpitas through the East Side. The East Side can be kinda rough in some parts. You’re gonna get fucking stapled to the road.
101 North to 280 to 680 or something like that? Or are you going through downtown SJ (101 to 87 to 680/280)? Either way, you’re probably looking at a lot of travel on some high, high traffic roads. It’s probably safer and way easier to drive. The traffic in that area sucks cock no matter what you travel by car, but on most of those roads in that area it will suck just as bad on a bike. You’re bound to get plowed by some dickhead (Celtics?) making a right turn with no concept whatsoever of the bike lane.
[quote]dcb wrote:
I used to commute by bike quite a bit. Every commute is different so it’s hard to say how long it would take you but it’s hard to believe that a 15-16 mile commute would take 80 minutes. When I commuted I lived outside of Washington DC and commuted into the city. When I was on surface streets I don’t think I moved much slower than if I was driving and sometimes I moved faster. If the bike path is flat, you should be able to ride between 15-20 miles per hour on that stretch. Of course as you get better at biking you will get faster. [/quote]
Yeah, I was gonna say that their estimate doesn’t sound right. On the exercise bikes I can do a fairly brisk 20 miles an hour. But on the streets, I have to account for stop lights and whatnot.
I am going from San Jose to milpitas. So its all silicone valley traffic. By car its 3 different freeways. By bike, it looks like a pain in the ass.
I figure it would save money, cardio in the gym, and de-stress me.
Anybody have any idea on equipment i would want to use for this? I am most familiar with mountain bikes. And I would imagine i could swap out the tires for less resistance. As for specifics, i am pretty clueless.[/quote]
If you do decide to ride, getting some slimmer smoother tires would be best in the beginning. Just in case your not to fond of it, but if you get into it I would recommend getting a street bike. Lighter and easier to push around.
Something like this would work. Just walk into a bike shop and tell the clerk what you’ll be riding.
Depending on how much you ride other terrain (single track, fire roads, etc) getting a second pair of wheels might be a good idea, so you’re not taking tires on and off constantly. Just swap the wheel set.
I used to bike to work everyday. Took me thirty minutes one way at a steady pace but could get it down to 23 or 24 minutes when I was feeling energetic. A few hills too for good measure. Also quite a good way to chill before and after work.
All came to an end when I go hit by a 75 year old in a Benz and broke both my wrists after a 2 meter launch off my bike.
If you do decide to cycle to work just keep you wits about you as most drivers are complete nob jockeys.
I used to mtn. bike everywhere I went. Given the topography of the region and road conditions, I went with full suspension and off road tires. Solid frame and road tires would have been more efficient, but for a lot of riding I was cutting through hollows, gas lines, and power line trails.
I did get hit by a car though. Lady on a cell phone, not even drifting, just rolling right through a stop sign with me on her hood. A lot of people are not nearly as conscientious of a driver as they would like to believe, and this was pre-texting/blackberry/digital pacifier stuck to their face. Defensive does not even begin to describe how you have to ride.
I’d honestly have to say that unless it is extremely popular in the region and people are acutely aware of bike traffic on the roads that will be ridden, it is not the best idea.
I’m telling you OP, I know that area well. Do not ride your bike. It may be more cost-effective as far as gas goes, but everything else is going to be a total bitch for you. Unless you take some wildly circuitous route that takes you down a bunch of residential streets, you’re going to be stuck on some seriously-congested roads for the entirety of your commute. If you leave at an early enough time to avoid this sort of traffic, you should be able to avoid it just as well in your car, and unless you work long hours, you’ll still be heading back right in the middle of the shit. How long have you lived in the Bay Area for? Don’t you know how little regard the drivers there have for bikers? Hell, I hit a biker once and just kept going like it didn’t even happen and no one turned me in (I bounced the fuck out of Cupertino because I was driving while slipping in and out of a whisky-induced blackout).
Edit: my attorney has advised me to recant me previous sentence, so, uh…I was just kidding about that last part. But seriously, the other thing to take into consideration is that that side of the valley has some horrible smog issues in hot weather, only slightly better than LA’s at times. Do you really want to be huffing and puffing along next to a bunch of failed dotcommers on the verge of road rage in that shit?
I would suggest getting a rode bike and putting on some road/offroad hybrid tires. You’ll get the best bang for you buck as far as speed goes there. It shouldn’t take you 1:20 to go 15 miles, but don’t expect to average 20mph your first time out there either.
I used to compete as a triathlete and road cyclist, so I did a lot of commuting on my bike aside from training. The drivers in my area don’t act that badly toward cyclists, but people from more dangerous areas always talked about buying cycling jerseys that say “County Police” on the back in big letters (and then “I Support” in tiny letters right above it).
Oh, and also try and get really good at memorizing license plate numbers…
As a hater of bikers, I would advice against it. Its not that I hate bikers, its just that they make it worse for everyone else. I respect the biker who follows all the rules, but most fail to yield to stop signs and red lights and stop signs bu still want to take up a whole lane. A sidewalk works just as fine for them. They also like too take up 2 lanes when its only 2 of them. I know they have a right to the road as much as car but they hardly ever follow the rules.
[quote]jre67t wrote:
As a hater of bikers, I would advice against it. Its not that I hate bikers, its just that they make it worse for everyone else. I respect the biker who follows all the rules, but most fail to yield to stop signs and red lights and stop signs bu still want to take up a whole lane. A sidewalk works just as fine for them. They also like too take up 2 lanes when its only 2 of them. I know they have a right to the road as much as car but they hardly ever follow the rules. [/quote]
sidewalks have drive ways that become suddenly filled by the broadside of a car coming out of a lot. This happens to me a lot. It is dangerous for the inegrity of side panels on the car as well as my prospects for keeping all my teeth
Also Pedestrians who never hear you zipping up behind them and could step into your path which is dangerous for both of you. I feel really bad If say I scare a new mom with a baby stroller.
When I bike I try and switch between road/shoulder/sidewalk as conditions call for it, but the sidewalk is not just as good except that it is much safer for the cyclist.
When I drive I try and give a cyclist a lane even if they don’t take it. I don’t want to kill or maim someone…then I’d really be late for work.
It’s really simple… if you’re not riding on a bike path or in a bike lane, you follow the same road laws as a car. Which means not riding on the sidewalk. It’s called a sideWALK for a reason.
This also means stopping at stop signs and red lights. And riding single file when on the road.
I commuted by bike to work for around 6 months. It was a 5 mile ride, and took just un der 30 minutes or so. Riding a bike in traffic is slower than you would think! I was able to ride in a bike lane almost the whole way, but it still felt a little dangerous at times.
I then moved to an office which is 10 miles from home, and seemed a little too far to bike easily, and doesn’t have a shower. I decide to ride a motor scooter instead, which has worked out very well. You don’t get any exercise, but it does get you to work quickly (if you ride agressively and lane split it can be faster than a car)and cheaply- I get 75 MPG on my 150cc scooter. There is an element of risk, but I actually feel safer on the scooter than on the bike- you are going the same speed as the rest of the traffic, and you are a real vehicle and “own” your lane. You just have to watch for idiots who don’t see you. I also have a silver motorcycle jacket and a white helmet for safety and visibility.