Sunday, September 07, 2008

Big wheels keep on turning

Now that my 14-month vacation is over and the new school year has begun, I've been biking to work every day. I plan to do this for as long as the weather stays clement (I biked to work in December for one day of the transit strike, and it's not an experience I want to repeat), and now I realize that there's no excuse for not having done this (except in rare occasions) before. I live and work less than a block from the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, so I just have to cross Riverside Drive, and then there's no car traffic for the rest of the route. I guess the excuse is that I live and work two blocks from express subway stops, and the subway is just enough faster that in past years I haven't made the effort to get up slightly earlier to bike. But having a later class schedule this year has tipped the balance.

Pros:
  • Twice-daily exercise without going out of my way.
  • Even if biking takes slightly longer than the subway, it's a completely predictable length of time, determined only by how fast I pedal. The subway often has unforeseen delays.
  • No more waiting on humid platforms or crowding in on rush-hour trains.
  • Saves money: I haven't bought an Unlimited MetroCard yet.

Cons:
  • Have to change clothes upon arrival at school, adding to the effective door-to-door time even further.
  • Less convenient to go somewhere other than straight home after school (though not such a big deal since I can leave my bike at school overnight).
  • It might start raining during the day (not really a problem - see above).
  • The subway was where I did all my extracurricular reading, so that's not happening anymore. (Reading a book on a bike would be dangerous. So would an audio book, to a much lesser extent.)
The pros are ahead for now. I'll be back on the subway when the weather changes.

4 comments:

  1. i've considered biking to school, but the sweat factor effectively nullifies that option

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  2. I've found that it's chilly enough in the morning, especially right on the river, that this isn't a significant factor on the way to school (I wear shorts and a T-shirt to bike to school and change when I get there), and in the other direction when it's warmer, I can shower when I get home.

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  3. I actually prefer my bike commute during the winter (on days with no ice) to my summer commute because it is not sweaty at all. I switch to full-finger gloves, a wind resistant jacket, and earmuffs, and I am good until it drops below 20. i can wear my work clothes too since it is cold enough to not sweat. with the right accessories (pretty cheap) I bike year round except days where i need to wear a suit, it's raining when i want to leave, or there is ice. The latter conditions are not just unpleasant but substantially less safe.

    Kudos to you BZ!

    You may also notice a few other benefits: sleeping better, feeling more rested, and being more alert upon arrival at work to name a few.

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  4. I'm starting to think that my bike commute to work (1 mile, 8 minutes) is short enough to provide the Cons but not the Pros...

    In fact, I think that the only benefit for me is that it's my speediest option -- bus and foot don't compare.

    So I'll keep doing it, but it would be nice to at least get good excersize on my commute if I can't read. :)

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