Not sure if we have one in NY (anyone know?) My commute is 8 miles one way through a thousand lights. Takes me anywhere from 15-20 minutes by car, depending on timing. Fortunately, we have a relatively flat canal trail (multi-use) that runs somewhat parallel to my commute and is only 1/2 mile longer. Averaging 20-22mph on the trail, I am in the office in about 25 minutes. On a good week, this saves me a 5 gallon fillup. Sure it saves a little dough, but the real payoff is listening to other people complain about their last fillup. I have no sympathy for the person that drives an Escalade and complains that they're spending over $100/week on gas.

I do extensive work with alternative energy and fuels research, and anytime someone asks me what they can do to save on gas I tell them, quite simply, "drive less: ride more." Most common response: "If I buy a bike, then I just spent all the money I saved on gas." Second most common response: "I'm not going to ride a bike 5 miles just to get to work." Obviously you can't help most people.

9.7 miles to work and I used to ride every day until my son went into day care and I had to drop him off every morning. That finishes in 6 weeks and he goes to Kindergarten, so I get to start riding to and from wrok every day again. 22 minutes by car, 27 by bike.

If I figure out a safe way to bike 23 miles through Newark, NJ, I would. If I take local-ish roads, the distance is down to 21 miles, but that doesn't mean those roads are any kind of bike friendly. Then theres the issue of just having ridden my bike for an hour with no place to shower once I'm there.

I could ride to the train station, take that to Newark, change trains and head to Secaucus, change trains again and head to Clifton, and then ride to work. But then I'd have increased my commute time and cost. Even taking out the Secaucus to Clifton leg on the train would be a cost increase while increasing the time even more.

Now, should I get the job I'm interviewing for next week, it would be a 20 mile commute into the mountains which would be good coming home, but tough first thing in the morning. And that's assuming the roads are even bike friendly (and I know that more than a few along the way are not) and there's a place to take care of that shower issue once I'm there.

So in short: I'd love to but it's just not feasible any time soon.

18 miles each way for my commute --about 5 miles at the start on some busier country roads, then 5 miles on a paved rail-trail. Then city streets for 2 miles, then back on to a paved trail and into downtown Grand Rapids, MI to my office. There is a gym in my building so I can shower and change into work clothes. Only problem is that I frequently have meetings with clients at night, which often means I cannot bike-commute. :-( I hate paying $3.92 per gallon for gas. OPEC SUCKS!

I've only biked to work during bike-to-work weeks (well, I "bike" to work most of the rest of the time, with the help of internal combustion [but at 42-45 mpg]). I hope to do it more during the summer; this works because it gets light early enough that I can have a bit of daylight while the traffic is still lighter. I'm 8 miles from work via the direct route; taking a less death-defying route makes it 13. We have a few showers in our building so I can "shower" when I get there (=gentle trickle of tepid water).

I am living in BRazil and here, at my city is very dificult to go work by bike, but, when I lived in another city, I done that. ITs great. good lucky to all and please, keep your eyes open with cars.

wow! glad to hear you're OK!
(bikes are replaceable, bodies...not so much!)

Just a friendly reminder to wear your helmets, kids... It goes without saying that this is the best thing you can do to increase your safety on the bike. Around here in So Cal, I see so many beatnic kids riding around on fixies without helmets... I cringe every time I see it... too many horror stories for me.

Unfortunately, I don't have a bike-friendly job... Carrying tools can be a bit difficult on the bike, but I would love to do it if I had a job where I could leave all my equipment at one central location.

Yip - my first time. Planned it out for two weeks.

Took a 30 mile route through the hills so I could avoid the handlebar mustache in Murray and the polygamists in Bluffdale. Stopped at a 24-Hour Fitness within a couple miles of the office to hose off my stinky self. Wore my street clothes the last couple miles and gained a whole new appreciation for chamois shorts.

I brought some spare street shoes and breakfast foods to the office yesterday so I wouldn't have to pack them on the bike.

I'll do it again. But probably not more than about once a week.

I think that is as worthy an accomplishment as doing an Oly or Sprint Tri. You planned it, organized it and executed it. Great job.

Now that you've done it once, the next time will be sooo much easier, then it will be something you take for granted. Then.. voila! it's a habit. Then you really come to enjoy it, look forward to it and, voila! it's an addiction! :o

No, wait.. we can just do it until we need glasses, right?

keep up the good work,

PoC