Rob Raux - Observations

Commuting to work in Ann Arbor on a bike - DAY 2

Another day, another commute to work and back on the new bike.

Today the excitement and anticipation had worn off and the fact that I’m actually commuting on a bike to work set in.  It wasn’t an overwhelming thought, but more of a happy one.

It took me about a mile to get into the ride and after that it was smooth sailing.  I think I’ve found a great route to start tweaking.  The base of the route is about 7-8 miles of bike lane along a relatively stoplight free road. The other two miles are either inner city traffic, slow but easily navigable, or through suburban areas which is relatively car free (although it has a few speed bumps — yuck).  Today I made the 9.7 miles in exactly 45 minutes. This includes stopping of course. That means I’ve averaged 13 MPH.  I’m looking to manage 15 MPH to work, which can happen if I suck it up on the hills.

Understanding hills seems very important to the commute since I have quite a few of varying grades. I’ve found some information online that seems to have some tips, however it does seem that practice and training is very important as well.

I definitely think that gloves are a necessity.  I’m going to try and take a look this weekend for a decent pair.  Fortunately they don’t cost much money so it should be a decision of what seems to work best, instead of what I can afford.

Things learned biking today:

1. Hills can make or break you. Assessing the hill and choosing the right gear and right approach is very important. Must try this out tomorrow.
2. Posture is not easy to fix. Continue to work on posture, it’s something to always try and be conscious of until you are able to do it without thinking.
3. Weight matters.  Carry what you need but nothing more.  Easier said than done it seems.