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July 6th, 2009 | Posted in Technical Writing 19 Comments »
This weekend I attempted to bike to the new location that my work is moving to — Riverton, rather than downtown Salt Lake City. It’s a 15 mile commute from my house in Eagle Mountain, part of it along the Jordan River Parkway trail, which is a scenic, paved route wide enough for a couple of bikes.
The idea of biking to work appeals strongly to me on several levels. If I biked 30 miles a day, I’d be in great shape. Getting more exercise tops of the goal lists of most people. Also, given a sedentary job in IT, where I sit calmly and quietly in a computer chair eight hours a day staring at a screen, an active ride through the outdoors is a constant fantasy. I also don’t have a second car, so not buying one would fit right into my current budget.
Last weekend I decided to make a test ride. I actually don’t have a racing bike, just a cruiser, but it has seven gears. The Jordan River Parkway Trail extends from Saratoga Springs (near Eagle Mountain) to Riverton and on to Salt Lake City. Unfortunately, the trail has a two mile gap in part of it (the connection between Utah and Salt Lake County) and is under construction in another place (near Inlet Park at Pioneer Crossing).
I started at about 2 p.m., and after some adjustments to my derailer, some trial and error in the route, and conversations with people about the right way to go, I was off to my destination.
The ride along a milky green Jordan river is refreshingly scenic. It winds and snakes around through marshlands, over quarries, under windmills, past hot springs, through golf courses, and beside chirping birds, squirrels, and lizards.
After pedaling for about an hour and a half, I emerged near 12600 Redwood Road to the sounds of laughing, splashing kids at the South County pool. After a bit of wandering around the Riverton area, in which I forgot exactly where the new work location was, and so never formally found it, I zipped back along the trail home, past the marshlands, over little bridges, under the windmills, through the golf courses, and eventually climbed (with a lot of self-encouragement) the three-mile hill back up to Eagle Mountain.
I’d never ridden that far, at least not since a 100-mile scout ride as a teenager. I was surprised I could do it. My quads didn’t hurt, but my lungs did. And I was a bit sunburned on my hands (where I forgot to apply sunscreen), and exhausted from the heat.
I’m all for riding to work on a regular basis, but the idea has several problems. First, the bike trail needs some more work. To avoid traffic, I need to go a back route that adds another couple of miles to the commute. But the trail’s entry point from the back route has a closure where the city is building a new bridge. The other entry point requires me to cross some unwanted traffic, but it is doable.
Another problem is that about nine miles up the trail, the trail ends for a bit, and I have to reroute along a traffic-filled street (Redwood Road), which has sidewalks part of the way but is mostly under construction. Most of this construction won’t be finished until “Fall 2009,” which is a vague, noncommitttal date.
Assuming that crews do finish the construction and remove the gaps from the trail or finish the road so that I could ride along its sidewalks after the trail ends, I face several others problems: winter, time, and the carrying of equipment.
During winters here in Utah, it snows frequently. While roads may be cleared, trails aren’t. Riding along an icy trail would be dangerous. At some point I’d probably slide off the trail into the Jordan river, meeting an icy death. Additionally, riding in snow and cold wind does not look remotely fun.
Time is another factor. Even if I upgraded my cruiser for a slick racing bike, improving my speed from 10 mph to 15 mph, it would still require at least an hour commute each way. That’s a lot of time commuting. Compared to a car that could get me down and back in 20 minutes, would it really be wise to spend so much time on a bike, especially when, according to recent studies, you can get the equivalent exercise in six minute exercise bursts each week?
Also, I’m not quite sure how I carry a laptop and lunch back and forth. The laptop would jostle a lot, and a crash could quickly end the computer. Bringing a lunch would also be somewhat of a pain. I imagine the only way to feasibly carry these items would be through some bike panniers, which would add to the bike’s weight and increase the time of the commute.
And there’s also the issue of clothes. I wear business casual at work, so after riding hard for an hour, I’d need to perhaps shower and change clothes, which would add some more time. There aren’t any permanent lockers at the new work facility — just your own desk area.
Overall, biking to work could take two and a half hours each day, maybe three. And it would be seasonal only, weather permitting.
I know someone in my neighborhood who manages to bike to work, despite all of these obstacles. He drives to Bluffdale, about 30 minutes away. He then rides 26 miles to work. He’s in great shape and doesn’t sweat enough to shower (I think). He also rides the 26 miles back to his car and returns home. He only rides to work about three days a week.
Perhaps the practical bike-to-work solution would be a hybrid model of driving and biking, similar to my neighbor’s. And a fully stocked work locker with an array of work clothes, deodorant, shampoo, and other items. Given all of this, I think the alternative exercise option — working out at lunch in the company gym — is more realistic.
For those of you who bike to work, how do you do it?
Tags: bicycle, biking, exercise, work, working out
Of course, biking is big here in Denmark, and I think people just toss everything into the backpack and take a chance. Some have showers at work. Some don’t.
What I see as dangerous in your situation is the path. People aren’t used to bikers in the US (in most areas). The bits where you are exposed to traffic are dangerous – not because of your behavior, but because of the others. IMHO. I’m a scaredy cat when it comes to bikes and traffic.
Right now, my boss is training for an Iron Man so he drags all his gear back and forth every day. He wouldn’t blink twice at your situation.
I once biked semi-regularly about 45 minutes (each way) to work. Lunch was not a problem. All my workplaces have provided lunch as part of our pay package.
Just a few totally random thoughts to muddy the waters…
Thanks for the comment, Karen. Those guys who do Ironmans seem like they’re from another planet. I guess I’m not that die-hard.
I wish people biked more in the U.S. I think part of the reason they don’t is because some cities are spread out too far, so it’s not feasible.
My experience is also Scandinavian, which might be telling. I don’t know. Anyhow, I only bike to work during the summer season, because of the shower problem. There is a shower at work, but I don’t want to spend another 20 minutes showering and changing clothes, which means that I don’t take the bike to work when it’s so cold that I have to wear a lot of protective clothes that warm me up.
During the summer season, I take the bike to work perhaps twice a day. There is a cycle trail almost all the way, and it’s cleared from snow within hours in winter. The distance is exactly ten miles and it takes me 40-45 minutes depending on wind direction and strength. I eat lunch out but even if I didn’t, bringing lunch in the side bag I have would be easy.
Johan, thanks for the encouraging reply.
After the snow melts from the trails I bike everyday to work (I only go into the office two days a week and live about four miles though). Living in Anchroage, Alaska there is a lot of bike paths and ways to avoid traffic, and it actually takes me about the same amount of time to bike vs ride in the morning because I don’t have to wait for red lights.
I just use a backpack. I try to keep extra clothes at work, but most days I can shove them and my laptop in it. We have a small gym with showers at our office. If you think about it, you have to get ready every morning so really that doesn’t add any extra time…you just do it some where besides home.
I haven’t done it yet, but a lot of people here have studded bicycle tires and commute all winter. It can be very cold even after the snow melts, so you just have to learn to dress right (it was cold even last week and I didn’t dress right and paid for it!).
I would say do it as often as you can. Tons of reasons to do it, but the main one for me is it helps clear your mind and gets you set for a great day.
Kale, thanks for the tips and advice. Alaska has always been one of those areas I’ve dreamed about visiting someday.
Studded snow tires for a bike? Seems extreme, but I guess if you really want to do something, you find a way, right?
Check out the commuting forum at bicycling.com http://forums.bicycling.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/692104717 tons of info there on how to pack / get ready for work, etc. I’ve been biking to work three days a week for the past month or so. I bring all my clothes in with me on Monday (in the car) and take home the dirty clothes on Friday. I leave my laptop at work (I have a personal system I can work on from home), but if I did need to transport it, I would do so in a rack mounted pannier. I leave my toiletries in a locker in our gym, where I shower / get ready each morning.
As far as driving in traffic, it takes a bit of getting used to, but once you get comfortable, it’s not an issue. I ride on the road in the SF Bay Area, the traffic here is pretty bad, but my riding experience is much more enjoyable on the road than it was when I used to take the bike paths. Less stopping, less people walking three wide down the center of the path, etc.
-Brian
Brian, thanks for the link to the forum and resources. I also appreciated your sharing of how you make the biking routine work with clothes and traffic.
Before I started working from home, I biked to work frequently (though only half the distance). I used a backpack for my stuff.
Make sure you have a kit for minor repairs (esp. for flat tires). Nothing like walking the last 5 miles or having to call for a ride to put a damper on the experience:).
Overall, I thought it was a great way to start and end the day.
Thanks for the comment, Dick. Yes, I was talking to a colleague yesterday who mentioned that street bikes get a lot more flat tires than mountain bikes. In my biking ignorance, I didn’t know this. Definitely will be carrying a pump and extra tube.
I’ve biked to work occasionally in the last few years, and I’ve generally enjoyed the experience. I view it as a once-in-a-while commute option (maybe once a month or so), not an everyday one. Much of that is because I live 27 miles away from the office, and I also drop my son off at daycare in the morning.
On the days that I do choose to bike in, I either ask my wife to drop off our son or I head out after dropping him off. I also don’t bike the entire 27 miles. My wife’s office is about ten miles from our home, so I drive to her office and park there. I then bike the 17 miles from her office to mine. For reference, I live in eastern San Jose, and my office is in Palo Alto. My wife’s office is in downtown San Jose.
The route I take has bicycle lanes over about 90% of the route (for those familiar with the area, Homestead Rd and Foothill Expwy are much of my commute), so that definitely helps in terms of safety. I also keep a repair kit in a little bag under my bike seat. My company provides laptops, but if I know I’m going to bike, I keep it at work. I also make sure I have a change of clothes locked up at work as well. I have a hydration backpack to store water and snacks, so with that and a helmet, I’m all set.
My office has showers and provides towels, and I can be done with that inside of 15 minutes. My office also provides lunch service, so I’m good there too.
To me, the main reasons I like biking to work is that it is good exercise, and I am also doing something to reduce my carbon footprint. Regarding carbon footprint, my family schedule doesn’t allow me to make use of public transportation; all of the express bus routes to Palo Alto are done by the time I drop off my son. Also, given the distance, biking to work on a daily basis isn’t feasible. But, I’m trying to do what I can.
Scott, thanks for sharing your tips and experiences biking to work. I hadn’t considered the carbon footprint, but that certainly is another feel-good benefit of the non-auto option.
Nice post Tom! I admire the attempt to figure out a non-car solution to get to work! With current conditions, I guess you won’t find a suitable solution until a combination of mass-transit enters the picture. I live in Layton and have the convenience of the FrontRunner, so I bike 8 minutes to the station and then take it into Salt Lake City where I bike another 12 minutes to where I work on 1700 South and State. We’ve also pressured our work to include a shower to accommodate the sweaty bike ride. In your case, carpooling might be the best solution. There is a Facebook app called ZimRide that everyone in Utah needs to start using so we can develop a critical mass of available “ride buddies”. You should check out cleartheairchallenge.org and find out what other options exist – the catch 22 with winter is that the air quality is poorest then but biking to work not so pleasant.
It really boils down to planning. When I bike to work, it is a 38-mile round trip ride. I just have to closely watch the weather and bring in clothes and showering supplies the day before. Cycling is great exercise and in Colorado, we only have a few months of good, hot, cycling weather.
My company also has a workout facility with showers and that seems to be less complicated, but well worth the hassle of dragging around the workout bag.
If you can make it work, the payoffs are endless.
Hi Tom,
I guess I’d better give you the Dutch perspective, even if I am an exiled Brit.
I bike 15 km (9 miles) each way most days; not for ideological reasons but because I like cycling and hate sitting in traffic. Cold doesn’t bother me, nor a bit of rain, but for ice and heavy rain I take the car.
I can do it in 45 minutes on a sport cycle, but then I get to work soaked in sweat; to get there and keep my co-workers as friends takes me an hour. But I found a cheat; I have an electric bike and can do it in 40 minutes and still arrive fresh.
I can recommend electric bikes; they (at least here in NL) are battery-assisted; this means that there is a sensor on the pedals, and the motor power is a percentage of the pedal power. Stop pedalling and the the motor cuts out. So I get the exercise-equivalent of about a 5-mile bike ride (each way) as I cruise through the woodlands and past the cows and horses in the fields. I call it ideal!
— Derek
Hi Tom,
I do a 25 mile round-trip a couple of times a week. I really enjoy the fresh air, the chance to do some exercise and catch up on the ever increasing mountain of podcasts waiting for my
ear!
Last week I thought I’d try a ‘little’ detour to circumnavigate a lung-busting hill in the middle of the ride in. Now – I’m not sure if the ‘Trans Pennine Trail’ signs I followed (a walkers / cyclists route in the UK) had been tinkered with, or my own internal compass went haywire, but after fours hours of performing ever-decreasing circles – I passed the same pub three times and it wasn’t open on any of those three passes or I’d have been in and ordering something strong! – I rang into the office, booked the day as holiday and made the long trek home.
My colleagues now leave written directions for me so that I can find the toilets, the kettle and the meeting rooms around the building so that I don’t go MIA again!
We don’t have shower facilities in our office building but I heartily recommend baby wipes – they truly are the sweaty cyclist’s best friend.
Love the blog / podcast – keep up the good work.
Hi Tom,
I bought a bike for commuting to work last summer, when gas prices were peaking. I used it few times per week through the fall, and then stopped after DST ended, because I am a scaredy cat about riding in the dark. Since the time changed again this spring, I have only ridden a couple of times. I guess the reduction in gas prices also reduced my motivation.
For me, it’s a 15 mile round trip (with a shower available at the office), mostly on quiet streets, until I get right into downtown Austin. Each direction takes about 40 minutes, so it’s about an hour with showering and changing (but no other work-out time required on those days). I have a pannier bag for my purse, lunch, work clothes, pack towel, and riding-home clothes. I carry a big zip-lock bag for the sweaty riding-to-work clothes; the pack towel dries on the handlebars during the day. I don’t find that the pannier slows me down. I’d hesitate to carry a laptop, though.
There was one factor that significantly affected my choice of bike: hills. People who are avid bikers no doubt take them in stride, but I am a wimp. And my house is about 200 ft higher in elevation than my office. Going to work, that is no problem, but coming home, it can be a long, slow slog. When I was considering biking to work, I knew that the prospect of pushing up hill at the end of a long work day might deter me from even getting on the bike in the morning. So, to give myself a psychological boost, I bought an electric-assisted bike. Mainly the motor pushes while I pedal, but I can also twist a throttle for pure electric power. Generally, the motor means I can ride in one gear higher than I would without it. So, when I’m in first gear with the electric bike, I would otherwise be walking. And I do get down to first gear on some of the homeward hills. I say that this is a psychological boost, because the bike frame itself is much heavier than a regular bike, and the battery and motor add more weight. So it may be a wash as far as total effort required. But on the emotional level, it’s what works for me.
That’s a pretty hefty bike ride! I ride to work but its only a few miles (around 3?) so its a short ride of about 10 miles. I think in your situation I would bike some days but not all, perhaps when the weather is nice, there is nothing worse than a long bike ride in the pouring rain and then having to be at work after! Would be very good excercise even if you only did it a couple days a week, not to mention the fuel you would save.
This is what i bike with when I go to work….
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/NRxO2KO0xbwDTFM8iKMW1A?feat=directlink