Doug, I've been commuting year round for fifteen years so far. It is the best part of my day. since I start and finish by doing something I enjoy
I work in an urban hospital with remote parking and shuttle bus service that I would not know how to navigate since bike commuting is so much easier of an approach. I park in the garage next to the elevator lobby, security cameras overseeing my bike in the rack. My commute is about the same duration as my colleagues bus from the parking lots when considering their wait for "the next" shuttle because one just left or was full. They also have to dress for the same weather as I do, or should. I gain my daily start of peace, personal effort and the benefits of the time with increased circulation as I ply the unexpectedly quiet streets. The benefit at the end of my long days is just as nice. If I've accumulated a black cloud over my head like Charlie Brown, I don't get into the car with it intact, drive home with it and bring it in the house with me. My ride home separates me from that and sometimes I will even take the long way home to ensure that. I began commuting when the security of a bike parked for 12-14 hours was a risk so I did not ride my Rambouillet and got a Surly Disc Trucker in dark green as my rack bait bike (I let it be sort of filthy aside from the drivetrain, cables and housings for camoflage). I did change the front wheel to a dyno hub, saddle to a B-17 and bars to a Nitto RM-03. No one wants to steal an old steel bike with bar end shifters and an antique saddle bag. when others come with their flashy-colored, STI shifted, CFRP, deep section wheel things. I was involved in design and placement of racks and facilities for bike commuters when the current green facility was in its final stages prior to opening. I wear scrubs at work and they fold nicely for changing from cycling appropriate clothing. I have my Carradice Nelson LongFlap on my saddle loops. I have mounted my mini pump's frame mount bracket on the lateral dowel inside the bag and I have my scrubs and a small stuff sack with wallet, ID, lunch etc. in a "summit bag", a glorified shoulder-strapped stuff sack for climbers to use on a summit effort so they don't have to lug their whole backpack to the top of a mountain. It fits right into the Nelson. I replace my summit bag with my cycling shoes, helmet, gloves and cap in the Nelson as I lock up. As a long time convert to clipless pedals/shoes I'm willing to cope with stowing them and carrying a pair of Crocs to wear from my bike to my locker where I keep the shoes I'll wear all day. I am able to be fully sufficient in my commuting and don't need a stock day to preposition or collect clothing. I leave my two locks on the rack, it's a spot that has three CCTV cameras on constant feed to the facility police to account for entry and exit of vehicles, approach/entry of elevator lobby. It's a modern pediatric research and teaching facility with outpatient and inpatient services in the same campus, built recently with the latest degree of safety and security incorporated. So much in our lives has been optimized and refined to make things less of an effort in general that a part of my brain is left unsatisfied by the resulting lack of problem solving, coping or effort, mental or physical, that is necessary in a day. It's the the same reason that I use friction shifting and 8-spd cassettes on my Rambouillet upon reflection. Bicycling to work gives me a controlled exposure to things that challenge the normal, starting with weather. I appreciate the experience resulting from responding to things like the cold, wet, changing road conditions, traffic and events that challenge my normal routine and have kept me alert, poised to alter my paradigm and exercise my situational awareness to start and end each day. May not be a rewarding route to ride or as long of a ride as I might prefer some days and the bike is not perhaps my first choice for the experience. Use it or lose it applies and I'd rather use it. Andy Cheatham Pittsburgh. On Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at 9:41:39 PM UTC-4 Doug H. wrote: > I rode today and noticed the quietness of my Clem. The friction shifting > is almost noiseless and the Silver2 shifter is perfect. The front shifter > is the clickety Sun Race that works just fine but does make noise. After a > somewhat stressful day at work the ride was just what I needed. I have > considered commuting but haven't taken the plunge yet. My commute would be > 50 minutes and about 9 miles each way I think, which isn't bad and would > help clear my mind. I know Roberta has started bicycle commuting and I'd > love to hear hers and others experiences, challenges and benefits. > Doug > Athens, Ga > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/0f9b80d8-6b4a-4b92-beae-c3be1a44a4c5n%40googlegroups.com.
