Commuting By Bike

My plan of commuting to work by bicycle began today. I decided I should try biking to work everyday to prepare for an upcoming bike vacation in late September. I have always thought about biking to work since it is less than 5 miles away from home.

I hesitated because I didn't want to get to work all sweaty. Most of the ride is flat, but there is one long hill as I pass the Santa Monica Airport on Walgrove Ave. It is hard to get up that hill without breaking a sweat. To address this, I joined the gym that is in the office complex I work in. They have nice showers with towel service. It is great to be able to shower and not have to carry a wet towel around afterwards. As an added bonus, I might add a short workout to my morning. The gym membership will set me back $55 a month, but I can save $58 a month if I stop purchasing the EZ transit pass. I'll just keep a debit card handy for the few times I may take the bus instead of riding.

There are a few things I am thinking about buying to help with the commute. First is a new bike. I have a mountain bike and a beach cruiser, but I think it would be a lot nicer to have a bike with skinny tires for road riding. Perhaps I'll get a hybrid bike. I also want to get some panniers to carry my clothes and occasionally a laptop or notebook.

There is plenty to read about concerning bike commuting:

http://www.bikecommuter.com
http://www.bikecommute.com
http://www.bicyclinglife.com