Biked to work!

[dmaze]

I took advantage of the above-freezing temperatures yesterday to actually bike into work for the first time since, well, I worked at MIT. This worked out pretty well; at just over 3 miles, the trip took 25 minutes, time-competitive with the bus but not requiring careful synchronization. On the route I took it was probably faster than driving in rush-hour traffic. And they've converted a couple of parking spaces in the garage into a locked bike cage, with five or so ordinary bike racks inside, which converts to "lots of parking".

Now, if I can (a) get my bike research/shopping done and (b) increase my bicycle carrying capacity I'll be set...

Comments

[plymouth.livejournal.com]

I'm debating between pannier bags and clip-in pedals as my next bike upgrade. Which is more important - bike faster or carry more stuff? (My roomate who is a much more serious biker than I tells me I'll gain about 2-3mph right away from the clip-in pedals).

[fredrickegerman.livejournal.com]

Definitely clipless pedals. SPD-alikes are getting cheap, too.

Especially useful if you're commuting through a lot of traffic lights. You beat the cars through.

[dmaze]

I didn't find clipless pedals to increase my speed particularly, but I have gotten quite used to them at this point. (Less-knobby tires and a pump with a pressure gauge were each good for 2-3 mph.) But I don't have any sort of bike-mounted bag right now, which does limit the amount I can carry around. I've mostly been doing "long day trips" over "commute by bike" so far and so the amount of things (lock, water, spare tube, small tools) I can carry on my back has been good enough.