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I would like to start bike-commuting to work, sometimes (maybe 2 or 3 times a month). My situation is this. I work 2 or 3 days per week for 24 hour shifts. I work about 40 miles away from where I live. The first 5 or 6 miles of my trip to work are going to be on a gravel road. Currently, I only own my tri-bike and a beater mountain bike.
My first thought is that I need to get a decent mountain bike (hybrid?). But other than that, what other considerations do I need to take in? Suggestions welcome.
Bernie
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"Slowbern has always made astute observations."-Casey 03/10/2009
2013-2014 Detroit Lions---13-3 until proved otherwise.
You're talking about spending at least five hours a day to commute...that is a substantial investment. When I commuted, it was 22 miles one way and took about the same amount of time as rush-hour driving, thus I could justify the biking. I replaced the knobby tires on my mountain bike with smooth 1.75-inch tires that were OK for both gravel and paved roads. I had a place to shower and to store work clothes at my work place. Good luck
Bob Williams
Cross bike or similiar set up would also work for this. Make sure you know how long it will take you and then add time for headwinds possible flats/mechanicals. Lights, lights, lights, you cannot have too many. Figure out how to carry work clothes etc. Mesenger bags are good for shorter trips, I prefer panniers for longer ones, but panniers have to work with your setup. Make sure your chainstays are long enough. Is there a place to change and/or clean up at work? Where will you park the bike? do you need a lock? What happens when it rains? (mine is 5 miles I just get wet, 40 miles of rain is different) Commuting is fun just remember it all takes a little longer and requires you to be organized.
Jim
**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*
Bob,
Thanks for the suggestion and encouragement. Actually, because it is a 24 hour shift I am thinking that it will be about 2:30-2:45 one day and about the same the next day when the shift is over. Showering, eating, clothes are not a problem. I have a locker room and all of that available to me.
I see the roads and weather as my major factors.
Bernie
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"Slowbern has always made astute observations."-Casey 03/10/2009
2013-2014 Detroit Lions---13-3 until proved otherwise.
You work 24 hour shifts?
And you want to wake up early to ride to work and stay up later to ride home?
You know, I guess some people just don't need much sleep. I know I'd be teleporting home to get into my bed.
It sounds great. Try to work out a back up plan. You're a firefighter right? How exhusted are you coming off a shift? Is a 40 mile ride really a great idea then?
If you can work out the schedule and be without the car for short periods of time, you can look at driving in, biking home, then biking in and drivng home the next shift. 80 miles surrounding 24 hours of firefighting sounds risky to me, but you can make that call much better than I.
I commute 23 each direction, but can take a train home, so I have options if the weather turns particularly bad, etc.
Weather is something you can dress for with adequate planning but roads require some reconnoitering to find the safest route. Biking extra miles in order to gain a safe route is well worth it. My one-way commute by car in the Washington DC area was 17 miles but by bike was 22...the additonal five miles gave me cars at 30 miles per hour vice cars at highway speeds, a worthwhile trade-off.
Bob Williams
It is definitely something that I can't do everyday. But I figure that if it is my first shift for our work cycle, or my last, I would be able to guage my efforts well enough to do it within my abilities. My parents live very near to where I work, and my in-laws live about 1/2 way, so there are some bail-out points if need be. But good suggestion. Thanks.
Bernie
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"Slowbern has always made astute observations."-Casey 03/10/2009
2013-2014 Detroit Lions---13-3 until proved otherwise.
The 24 hour shift is not that bad, as we can sleep after 5:00 PM (if there are no emergency calls). But, yes, it can be tiring, which is one of the reasons I can only plan on doing it every so often. Currently, I drive in early every morning that I work and run through the neighborhoods for an hour, so exercising before the shift is something that I am used to already.
Bernie
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"Slowbern has always made astute observations."-Casey 03/10/2009
2013-2014 Detroit Lions---13-3 until proved otherwise.
I was wondering about the Cross Bikes and whether they would make a good commuter. It seemed to me that they would.
Carrying clothes is not really necessary, as I have all of my uniforms and such at work already. We also have a locker room and laundering facilities that I can use. I have a larger Camelback that I think can fit most of the stuff that would need for the commute.
Mechanical issues is another thing that worries me. But then again, if I got a flat tire in my car on the way to work, I would be in pretty much the same place.
Bernie
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"Slowbern has always made astute observations."-Casey 03/10/2009
2013-2014 Detroit Lions---13-3 until proved otherwise.
I think a crossbike would make a wonderful commuter. Even just putting cross tires on my touring frame lets me commute year round.
Jim
**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*
Cross bikes would work, but they would be overkill. You don't need suspension front end for gravel. Any good touring bike would work great. Something like marathon 35-622 tires would be ideal.
For that distance you need:
1. good strong headlight,lithium HID is best
2. backup emerency light
3. 2 spare tubes
4. all weather gear
5. fenders are nice
6. strong tail light
7. front side clearance lights may keep some bozo from turning into you http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=&sku=2149&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=
8. either a pump or spare co2 cart's
9. a cell phone is not a bad idea
10. about 3 or 4 pairs of those cheap disposable gloves are great for keeping junk off you when you're working on a flat in dim light
After a 24 hr shift, I wouldn't try to set any speed records, but it should be doable.
The perfect bike for you is the Bianchi Castro Valley but put some cyclocross tires on the wheels if the gravel road is technical. The bike sells for only $800 and I've seen them for less.
Dave in VA
I try to commute a couple times a month as well and I extend my rides to the distance you are considering. My commute can be as short as 20 miles but last week I made the trip in 35 and the trip home 55. All in the daylight thanks to the summer.
I usually prepare the day before by bringing my clothes in. I always have a towell and toiletries at work.
I really enjoy it because it allows me to get a long ride day in mid week and I don't waste an hour commuting by car. I'm going to work out anyway, so I figure by commuting I am adding an hour onto my day. Good luck.
I second the suggestions for bright clothes and head/tail lights.
"The more you sweat today, the less you bleed tomorrow"