Will more people each year commute on bicycles? (disposal, live in)

[FreightTrainRunning]

My wife is out of town for a few weeks next month so maybe I'll experiment with commuting to work during that time. I'm her ride to work normally so I can't bike when we're commuting together. It's all uphill from the North Side to East Liberty so I'll probably need a quick shower once I get to work though. If I take the Jail Trail, it's almost all protected trails until I get into Oakland, then I'd probably take Elseworth the rest of the way.

[gortonator]

Originally Posted by GeneW

My wife is out of town for a few weeks next month so maybe I'll experiment with commuting to work during that time. I'm her ride to work normally so I can't bike when we're commuting together. It's all uphill from the North Side to East Liberty so I'll probably need a quick shower once I get to work though. If I take the Jail Trail, it's almost all protected trails until I get into Oakland, then I'd probably take Elseworth the rest of the way.

Yep - it's a bit of a grind up to Fifth coming off the bike trail, but then it's a stroll along Ellsworth to East Liberty. I ride most of that that route all the time from work to the gym and traffic is easy and drivers seem pretty used to cyclists around there. I've never had any problems.

[grep]

For a new bike commuter, you may find it nice to bike the route to work on a weekend first. Give yourself plenty of extra time the first time you actually go to work. And remember that once you start doing it regularly, within a couple weeks your body will adjust: you'll feel less tired during exercise, more energetic even at rest, and you'll sweat less when riding. And you may slowly start increasing in speed, too! And remember, have fun with it!

[gortonator]

Originally Posted by grep

and you'll sweat less when riding. And you may slowly start increasing in speed, too! And remember, have fun with it!

get real!!! Especially not if you start to get faster ...

Luckily my ride to work is virtually all downhill ...

[airwave09]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

If you lived in Arlington and worked Downtown it just ain't happening. Due to this I think bicycle commuting with forever be a niche due to circumstance.

Now I know every bicyclist on the internet can climb any hill in the world with 1 leg or can do backflip no-handed 720 tailgrabs over Pittsburgh's obstacles, but for the rest of us human folk that's the reality.

The buses all have bike racks now. Also, the inclines can be used as well.

[grep]

Originally Posted by gortonator

get real!!! Especially not if you start to get faster ...

Luckily my ride to work is virtually all downhill ...

If you're out of shape and going 12mph, this can be a real workout. (I don't mean *you*, just somebody who is out of shape). Your body is not used to this amount of exertion; it's not very efficient at getting oxygen and delivering it to your muscles; your muscles aren't very strong.... but this can all change.

Your body will adjust to biking if you start to do it regularly. What once felt hard will feel easier. For me, I used to get pretty sweaty biking up Liberty ave from the Strip to Bloomfield. Now I hardly do, because I bike so much that to me this isn't a big hill, and it doesn't stress my body. Eventually you may have the same level of comfort at 15mph that you once did at 10mph, and of course the effects of evaporative cooling increase the faster you're going. At 5mph, you're not getting very much of it at all. I still sweat a lot when I'm really challenging myself, but that's no longer on my daily commute.

I'm not trained in sports medicine or anything, but this is how it's worked for my as I've biked more and more over the years, and I assume it would hold true for most other people too.

[airwave09]

Originally Posted by Buckeye Burgher

If you haven't noticed....our terrain does not make us the most bicycle-friendly city on the planet.

My kids never even learned to ride because when they were at that age we lived atop a hill
with a truly breathtaking descent.

Aside from those fortunate enough to live in the East End-North Side-South Side corridor with
jobs lying within that zone, it is just never gonna be a practical solution.

Say it with me now, the.. buses.. have.. bike.. racks.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by airwave09

The buses all have bike racks now. Also, the inclines can be used as well.

Originally Posted by airwave09

Say it with me now, the.. buses.. have.. bike.. racks.

Meh. I think if you're to to the point that your commute requires a T, bus, or incline, you're not truly bike commuting. It's great that you can incorporate some exercise and fresh air into your commute, but it's still ultimately a transit commute and not a bike commute.

Not to mention each bus can only accommodate two bikes max. In theory you can take one into the wheelchair area, but that's unlikely to be possible during typical commuting hours.

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by ferraris

Meh. I think if you're to to the point that your commute requires a T, bus, or incline, you're not truly bike commuting. It's great that you can incorporate some exercise and fresh air into your commute, but it's still ultimately a transit commute and not a bike commute.

Not to mention each bus can only accommodate two bikes max. In theory you can take one into the wheelchair area, but that's unlikely to be possible during typical commuting hours.

No, that is only on the T (and incline):
Port Authority of Allegheny County > Rider Services > Bikes on Transit

(unless you have a folding bike)

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by ferraris

In theory you can take one into the wheelchair area, but that's unlikely to be possible during typical commuting hours.

Is that even allowed? I've never seen it tried.

[edit: I see above that doo dah answered my question before I asked it.]