Biking to Work? (North of Seattle)

[Ban Bot]

Some of you are quite experienced at biking—maybe even in the same area!—so maybe you could give me some feedback. I am interested in biking to work but I am not committed to the idea yet. I don’t currently own a bike and it would be an extra 30-45 minute daily commitment + getting ready for work. I would be happy to work in the extra time for fitness but it could be problematic being hot, sweaty, and dirty arriving at work. But the big issues are:

Safety. I want to be completely safe.

Distance. Is 12.5 miles too much? Is an estimated 80 minutes a safe “top end” time estimate? Not sure I could afford an extra 1hr for commute/fitness.

Realistic Fitness Goal. Can I expect to be able to do 25 miles 5 days a week?

Safety. I need to be safe—my wife would kill me if I died in a bike accident!

# Location: I live north of Seattle (Lynnwood) and work in Ballard. We moved here from Everett (26 miles from work) last November and I have been mulling biking ever since.

GOOGLE RECOMMENDED BIKE ROUTE MAP

# Bike commute would be 12.5 miles with ~ 600 feet in elevation gains (~ 300ft net difference). 8 of the 12.5 miles is on the local interurban trail.

# Google Map estimates 1hr 15 minutes to work and 1hr 20 minutes home.

# Work. I work 7am-4pm at a desk job (credit analyst; technically I have a standing desk). Employer encourages biking. We have a shower on site.

# Basic Vitals. 37 year old male. 5’8” 190-195lbs. OK vitals: 60bpm heart rate, 110/60 blood pressure, total cholesterol of 204 (HLD near 70, triglycerides below 60).

# Diet. Pretty simple: a lot of vegetables and lean meats for dinner. 3 eggs for breakfast. Celery and tuna/salmon salad or peanut butter for lunch. I tried low carb last year and got down to 182lbs but settled in at about 185lbs. Have taken a vacation from such (missed fruit) and settled back in at 190-195lbs which has been where I have floated for 10 years.

# Fitness level. Minimal. I walk during breaks at work (~30 minutes a day). I play low impact games with my 9 and 11 year old (basketball mainly). A lot of small house repair on the home we just bought.

# Chronic condition. Multiple Sclerosis. No major deficit but I do get very fatigued if I over exert/get too hot. Doctor says do what I want just know when to stop; has encouraged me to do as much as I can. I personally would like to get 30lbs off my legs and to get in tip top shape.

# Plan rolling around in head: Bike 5-7 months of the year. My original thought was May-to-October but it is pretty dark in October in Seattle. It sounds like April-to-September is a more promising window.

6:48am on April 1st
5:52am on May 1st
5:16am on June 1st
5:16am on July 1st
5:47am on August 1st
6:28am on September 1st
7:08am on October 1st
7:52am on October 31st

If I bike I would plan to bike all 5 days—I need structure/schedule and having the option to pick days and then “cancel” due to weather would be a problem (I am not a morning person).

# Concern: Referring back to the Bike Route Google offers, the default route for the last 4.5 miles on road between the trail and work doesn’t inspire confidence.

GOOGLE RECOMMENDED BIKE ROUTE MAP

# Perk: My kids would be super excited if I had a bike to take them on bike rides on the weekend. We walk, play ball, etc. but would love bike trips.

# I know nothing of modern bikes. The last bike I owned was a heavy Huffy mountain bike when I was a teen. I lived in the country so I biked all over. Our budget is tight but I could justify $500 due to fuel savings. Appears a Hybrid Bike is what I would want? I like shopping Amazon and Costco but a specialty shop may be best to find a good fit? Costco has a basic men’s hybrid right now ($199) that was shockingly light. Don’t know if it is any good.

# I haven’t worked showering out yet. I shower every morning before work (wakes me up, get all the gunk out of my eyes and throat). I hate going to bed sweaty so I would probably have to shower at night after my commute home? Not sure how good I would feel changing into work clothes all hot, wet, and sticky. I know, first world problems…

Again, the big thing is safety, safety, and being able to maintain such a commute. Part of me says 25 miles a day is too ambitious, part of me says given an ample commute window that would be a really good daily allotment of fitness and kill 2 birds with one stone and could be a lifetime means to better health as I could bike until retirement—my MS permitting. And if MS steals my legs it wouldn’t be a loss as I would be in significantly better health when that happens. I wear glasses and I have told my wife that if I do this and can make it work I want Lasek (I hate getting my glasses dirty and am blind without them—one of my issues with the work shower situation.)

But I really need to confirm safe/best travel paths. Someone mentioned to me renting a bike and trekking the route some Sunday.

 

[HN]

# I haven’t worked showering out yet. I shower every morning before work (wakes me up, get all the gunk out of my eyes and throat). I hate going to bed sweaty so I would probably have to shower at night after my commute home? Not sure how good I would feel changing into work clothes all hot, wet, and sticky. I know, first world problems…

what you do when you get home is up to you, but the other part "...changing into work clothes all hot, wet, and sticky..." shouldn't be a problem since you have a shower on site, no?

 

[Necrolezbeast]

Sounds like you have a great idea of where to start. I think that the 5-days a week commute may be too much for the first few weeks, but you'll get to the point where you can do it consistently and easily after a couple weeks of trying.

I can only imagine that living in Seattle you'll need to stock up on good rain gear. Some good lighting is a must for for safety as well.

As for what bike/type of bike you should get... that really is up to you... If you're actually going to be using the bike 5-days a week at some point, I would recommend using that $500 limit to get as much bike/gear as you can with it.

Remember to factor in all the supplies into that budget: helmet, panniers (or backpack for work clothes/stuff), lighting, gloves, and clothing (you're not going to need a jersey, but a few bike chamois, which can be worn as tights, or if you don't like that look just wear them under some normal clothes, are nice to ease the sore butt that you're going to be getting.

 

[Ban Bot]

Thanks for the feedback.

what you do when you get home is up to you, but the other part "...changing into work clothes all hot, wet, and sticky..." shouldn't be a problem since you have a shower on site, no?

That won't be an issue. Me not being a morning person, showering blind at work, and then when I get home is an extra time sink on top of an extra 45 minutes commuting. Not the end of the world but I try to keep my schedule "thin." Part of that is being there @ home with the family, the other half is the "easier" I take things the better I feel (MS). I don't think the bike ride is going to kill me if I take it at a casual pace but rushing around and frustrated and tired are scenarios I have learned I need to avoid. 🙂 Stress sucks for everyone but is especially bad for MS. It took me years to figure this out and I am at a much happier place knowing how to relax, avoid triggers, and prioritizing. I am hoping biking can be a good way to get some low impact fitness back into my life and prioritize my health more. About 4 years back I swam 30 minutes 3-5 times a week and felt really crappy. Walking has been AOK. I am hoping biking can be a comfortable uptick that doesn't wipe me out. I am excited to try.

Remember to factor in all the supplies into that budget: helmet, panniers (or backpack for work clothes/stuff), lighting, gloves, and clothing (you're not going to need a jersey, but a few bike chamois, which can be worn as tights, or if you don't like that look just wear them under some normal clothes, are nice to ease the sore butt that you're going to be getting.

One of my coworkers overheard me talking with a biker coworker and she volunteered a bike that has been in her garage a couple years! Her husband (70) I guess bought a nice bike about 5 years ago but her got a pace maker and the last couple years has only walked.

I picked up enough gear to do some weekend rides with my sons to start off practicing. I picked up a Giro Savant helmet, some padded shorts, jersey, gloves, and a patch kit and irons. That should be enough to get started.

I didn't realize how much gear is needed to do this right. To do the work commute I will need a rack, panniers for work clothes/lunch, pump, multi-tool, extra tube, lock, fenders (rain), and when it gets darker (sunrise is like 4:30am right now) strong LED lights and a reflective vest. But I am going to hold off on all this until I can manage a 25 mile trip. No point buying all this stuff if I cannot make the commute. But I am confidant I can. The weather is fantastic right now in the area and I have talked to a couple coworkers who bike and are approachable about it who offered to help me find the best path to the local trail so I can be as safe as possible.

QUESTION: Mirrors. Thoughts on these? I know some frown on these. I am 100% deaf in my left ear. I have to be very careful in my van as emergency vehicles coming from the left I don't usually hear (!) On a bike I don't think this will be an issue (cars damper sound) and you should always look before you turn.

 

[Ban Bot]

Any advice on sunglasses over prescription glasses? My glasses as 5-1/2" by 1-1/2". I am absolutely blind without them (haha need 100pt font on a 19" 1280x1024 monitor arm lengths away to even read text. Safe to say I don't roll out of bed without first securely putting my glasses on).

LensCovers are $16 and seem to review OK, if not clunky. These looked light and more "bike-y" but not sure my glasses would fit in them. I actually have an old pair of glasses with the same prescription I could try to mount.

 

[Ophir]

I used to have a 25 mile one-way commute, and when I would ride in, I would break it up into separate legs:

- Day 1: Drive to work with bike, riding gear, and change of clothes for next day. End of day, leave car at work and ride home.
- Day 2: Wake up early, bike to work, shower, and change into clothes I brought with me the day before. End of day, pack bike in car and drive home.

That way I'd avoid riding both legs on any given day.

Some suggestions:
- Scout out a good, safe route. I would actually ride an extra 3 miles each way to avoid some real sketchy sections.
- Get good lighting fore and aft (multiples for aft).
- Get a good riding jersey and bike bag(s).
- A good riding bib and clipless pedals will become need to haves.
- Always bring two extra tubes and way to pump them up. I like the CO2 canisters and bring at least two. Tubes go in jersey with wallet, phone, keys, and arm warmers; canisters in bike bag with bike tool and patch kit. I also bring GUs and shot blocks in a small front bike bag.
- Learn to change a tire on the fly.
- Get contacts and photochromatic riding sunglasses. I wear glasses with Transitions lenses all day, every day and prefer the added peripheral vision from contact and wraparounds. Performance Bikes has nice riding shades for $20-40.
- Keep your head on a swivel and learn to anticipate drivers' moves. Most people don't understand how exposed you are and how few options you have to avoid disaster.
- Learn to ride in a straight line while looking backward. Always look backward, use clear hand gestures, and make eye contact when crossing into traffic. Stop and let traffic clear if you are unsure. No shame in that.
- When you're looking forward, be constantly on the lookout for potholes, debris, weird stuff, and other drivers. They love to pass at full speed and slam on the brakes to make the driveway. Be very aware of that.

You'll be fine, just be careful and respectful of traffic.

 

[Ban Bot]

Ophir, that is some great advise. MUCH appreciated!!

 

[Denly]

I starting to ride this yr 23km(or 14miles) round trip, I average 3 1/2 min per km(0.62mile) including stop light.

I ride 2-3 times a week depend on weather, I don't ride if rain. The first few time is going to be tough but you will get used to it.

Here is a list of gears I picked up
-I picked up a cheap used PLAIN single speed with 25x700 tires, you may want something wider.
-helm, glove, lights, tools kit, portable pump and lock
Gear I am looking for
-bike rack and saddle, you will need it.

your 80min looks high to me, if I can do it under 70min a gear bike should be 20% faster at least.

Check out all the parks in your way, you will be able to find short cut through the park.

time your speed against traffic light, you able to save a lot of energy.

Car go way faster, if the road is not clear stop and wait if you need a left turn.

Listen, you can usually tell if there is a car behind you.

watch out for car that looking to turn right.

for the "right lane must exit" situation, give a hand signal and stay on the lane that go straight

Watch for squirrel, they do jump out.

 

[bradley]

Your Google map route link isn't working.... 12.5 miles both ways is doable for a semi-novice and a great overall investment in your health. Although 5 days a week might be rough on the knees, so consider taking a mid-week break.

Personally I would scout out roads having speed limits below 40MPH with the most bike lanes and/or service roads and lights. Googlemaps and GPS is the greatest tool known to we bicyclists. The elevation should be as flat as possible.

Since you will be cycling a hefty 500 miles a week, yes, the odds for an accidents will increase. Therefore do *whatever* it takes to increase your safety under every possible condition, including ample reflectors, LED lights, a mirror, panniers with tools, pump, extra inner tube, a rain jacket, burner phone etc.

Another good suggestion is to purchase an electric bicycle (with a rear brushless 500-1000W motor, a nice steel frame and good suspension) to pedal assist you, especially on hills. As you become more competent you can use the electric motor less. On days where it's very hot and humid or you are tired, you can use the motor more.

I also believe an electric bike will help to increase safety by allowing you to better keep with the traffic flow. It will also get you to your destination in half the time. A 36-48V 10Ah lithium-ion battery could possibly get you back and forth to work on a single charge. A detachable battery would allow you to charge it at work.

Either you can DIY or buy a fairly decent pre-built ebike nowadays. It's a very fun hobby within itself.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=90bf4a630492ee0fbd03eac54cfe6444

 

[Ban Bot]

This is the path I have mostly settled on (I will take Fremont instead of Dayton but google maps doesn't like that change):

Google Map

13.3miles with modest elevation changes (630ft gain, 305ft descent). I used a little heat map tool that shows what roads bikers most heavily travel:

http://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#15/-122.34430/47.76078/blue/bike

For the ~ 5 miles of city travel all the roads I am taking are max 30MPH and a few long stretches (8th) have bike lanes are posted bike roads (Fremont).

The other 8 miles is on a dedicated bike trail with minimal road intersections, on/off path detours, etc.

If I built up to commuting 5 days a week (seems ambitious right now... maybe an end of early Fall goal before I have to stop for the dark/bad weather?) I would be traveling 26 miles day / 130 week. That would do wonders for my root beer belly 🙂

Thanks for the ebike tip. Down the road if my legs weaken it could be something I look at.

 

[finglobes]

Since the boss encourages bike commuting thats a big part of any problems out of the way. I would be sure to have flat resistant tires. Well traveled commuting routes often have all kinds of debris on the shoulders. The heavier you are (and your not a light biker if around 200lbs) the easier stuff will penetrate tires. I was getting 1-2 flats a week at 230lbs. I switched to Schwalbe Marathons and only got flats once or twice a year

http://www.schwalbetires.com/marathon-plus-page

Last summer a friend was going full speed down a hill and got a flat. He broke two vertebrae and was in hospital a long time. More robust tires add a little weight but you wont really notice unless your going into the Tour de France etc.


I use Serfas on my MTB (which I use on road mostly)

http://www.amazon.com/Serfas-CTRB-Tire-Survivor-Drifter-Tire/dp/B003BYUZB6