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[cc_alan]

Who's riding to work?

We used our stimulus check to buy bikes for the family from a bike shop. They were running a sale and from what I've seen, it's pretty common for shops to do lifetime basic adjustments on the bikes they sell which is nice. I'm pretty intimated by bike shops but the employees are wonderful.

Currently, I probably fill up maybe twice a month which comes to about $100 a month for my car. So, before I bought anything else for my bike (rack, bags, etc.), I had to find out if I could actually do the ride (can't spend money until I find out if I'm going to save money). It's about 45 min-1 hr to get to either campus and I can finally ride 1-2 hr five days a week. No hills but the wind gets pretty wicked. I'll take wind over hills, however.

The first few days were not fun. I'd get home from a ride (not too strenuous) and I'd want to take a nap for the rest of the day. I'm still a little tired and a bit sore after a ride but nothing serious so I suppose this means I'm getting into a slightly different shape than I am right now...

I've got the bike set as far as carrying books, papers, and my laptop, but the one thing I'm concerned about is sweating.

There's no way I can ride to work and not change. I sweat too much! I don't have access to a shower so I'm going to try a combination of odorless baby wipes and lightly scented body spray. I've set up my work schedule so I have time to cool down and change my clothes.

What do others do about the sweating and clothes problem?

Alan

[grasshopper]

Wear clothes that are cycle-friendly (skirts and a light top work well for me - the wind evaporates a lot of the sweat), and take it slow.

[larryc]

As soon as you meet anyone, say "Oh my--is that you?" and wrinkle your nose. They won't be sure.

[dr_dre]

Are you sure there is no shower at the campus gym you might use? My advisor cycled to work and would change into a suit once he got to his office. He looked happy, but in his place, I would have tried to get a shower in at the gym. Not that he smelled or anything, I'm just saying I would have been more comfortable that way. What a great way to save money, help the planet, and stay in shape, though! Best of luck with it.

[undisciplined]

I second dr_dre on the shower idea. Do a little investigating and you might be surprised how many showers are lurking on campus. Does your uni have a shiny new recreation center plus an "old gym?" At one uni where I taught, the psych building how showers, due to experiments they ran.

[zarathustra]

You need to talk to Octo...she's a pro at riding her bike to work.

I've been planning on doing this but I haven't gotten my bike to the shop to get it fixed (it snaps out of geer on hills, of which we have many).  And I'm pretty out of shape, so I'm working up to it.

I have to figure out the whole shower thing too.  If I ride to work and shower there, I might as well use the gym too (once I've worked up my strength).  This means getting up about 3 hours earlier than I'm used to.  To me, that's a major lifestyle change. 

[prytania3]

My bike ride to work is only about 20 minutes, but I have hills, many hills. I have to get to work a little earlier in order to dry off before class.

We do have showers, but if I have to schlep an outfit, etc. to school in order to ride my bike, I know I simply won't ride my bike.

Sure, I'm a little sweaty when I arrive, but I look at it this way: first, it's summer, and second, the more I do it, the easier it will get, and the less I will sweat.

We had a prof (now retired) who rode her bike to school every day (didn't even own a car), and she basically biked uphill the whole way and she lived farther from the school than I do. She'd walk in cool and fresh simply because she'd been doing it for so long. Never broke a sweat.

[cc_alan]

Dr_Dre- yep. No shower at my CC's campus (the one that has my office). The other campus (main one) does have one, however. Our car payment ends next year and we plan on getting a family membership at the YMCA. Since there's one near my campus, that will fix the shower issue.

Wear clothes that are cycle-friendly (skirts and a light top work well for me - the wind evaporates a lot of the sweat), and take it slow.

I did recently buy some synthetics that help with the sweat evaporation. I had been wearing a cotton short and pants and I'd get home dripping with sweat.

As soon as you meet anyone, say "Oh my--is that you?" and wrinkle your nose. They won't be sure.

But I already do that with flatulence. I'm afraid it won't work if I over-use it.

I have to figure out the whole shower thing too.  If I ride to work and shower there, I might as well use the gym too (once I've worked up my strength).  This means getting up about 3 hours earlier than I'm used to.  To me, that's a major lifestyle change. 

That's also what I'm trying to do- a lifestyle change. Cycling to work means: 1 hour for riding, 30 min. for cooling down and changing, setting my personal schedule so I can still get to work if something happens, and getting home later that I usually do.

I'd like to do more than just cycle to work. I want to go to the grocery store, quick errands, etc. My city has a lot of bike trails and many of them are off-street which helps keep me away from cars.

I work very much from habit and I'm concerned that if I don't keep this habit long enough, I'll give it up very quickly. I can easily see myself driving to work because it's easier. "Fortunately", the price of gas helps kill that thought.

Alan

[cc_alan]

My bike ride to work is only about 20 minutes, but I have hills, many hills. I have to get to work a little earlier in order to dry off before class.

We do have showers, but if I have to schlep an outfit, etc. to school in order to ride my bike, I know I simply won't ride my bike.

Fortunately, we don't have any serious hills around here (midwest city) so I don't have to worry about that. The wind can get pretty strong. Some rides will be 30 min one way and 45+ back because of the head wind.

Carrying all the stuff including clothes is a big issue for me. I've ridden a few times with my books and laptop just to get a feel for it, but I haven't done the entire routine yet (ride, change, and work). We'll see what happens next week!

What's the rule-of-thumb for starting something new and sticking with it? Isn't it something like 3 months?

Alan

[grasshopper]

I love my bike. We just lived a grocery story together lo this half hour ago. It was wonderful.

The only thing I don't like about biking is helmet hair.


Maybe if you gave your bike a name, and some sparkly fringe thingies for the handlebars, you'd be more inclined to ride it regularly?

[dr_dre]

I think this sort of setup can be easier for those (often men) who don't have a wide array of professional clothes. My advisor just keeps a couple of suits at work and brings in a new shirt.

Can't you use one of those emergency showers in a science lab? Heh.

[iomhaigh]

Check with the theatre department -- we often have such niceties as showers, laundry facilities, steamers, irons, etc.  The costume people will know. 

[cc_alan]

I love my bike. We just lived a grocery story together lo this half hour ago. It was wonderful.

The only thing I don't like about biking is helmet hair.


Maybe if you gave your bike a name, and some sparkly fringe thingies for the handlebars, you'd be more inclined to ride it regularly?

Baseball cards in the spokes. That's the ticket.

A name for my bike... hmm... what about Fred?

Helmet hair! It was a problem until I got a hair cut. We'll see, however.

I was thinking about keeping some clothes at work since I don't need too much but I'm going to try and bring them with me. If it's too much of a hassle, I can leave some things in my office.

And I should clarify why I know there are no showers on my campus. We have two campuses (campi?). The main one is a real, grown-up campus with a gym, a cafeteria, business office, etc. The one I normally work at is downtown and the college leases one floor of a large two-story building (used to be a downtown mall, I think). The floor we occupy was remodeled many years ago. So it's pretty much a bunch of classrooms and a central office area where the assistants, dean, and instructors have their offices.

Alan

[_touchedbyanoodle_]

I say accept the sweatiness and the helmet hair. It will add to your charm. Seriously, if you walk in to the classroom with that pant leg rolled up, your hair wet and tousled, and a helmet in tow, you'll be the "prof who bikes." That's a good image. If you really want to drive the point home, wheel the bicycle into the classroom with you. I always do that, ever since "The Day All Bike Seats Were Stolen and Thrown into the River." (Not a cool prank.)

Now, for me, I require multiple bikes to suit various purposes. I have the good ol' road bike, for longer treks. Then, I have the hybrid for casual jaunts. Finally, I have the very old Huffy we found in an old barn that has a giant basket on front. That's the grocery store bike.

None of these bikes have names, but they do have bells. Bells are good. Bells teach you to own the bike.

[chemystery]

Dr_Dre- yep. No shower at my CC's campus (the one that has my office). The other campus (main one) does have one, however. Our car payment ends next year and we plan on getting a family membership at the YMCA. Since there's one near my campus, that will fix the shower issue.

Get yourself a big bucket.  Stand in it.  Turn on the safety shower in the chem lab.  Unless you are at one of those rare campuses that has a drain for the safety shower.  Then forego the bucket.  If anyone asks, you are working with deadly chemical right before work each morning and must use the safety shower to make sure no one else comes into contact with it indirectly.  This should also ensure you plenty of privacy during the shower.