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I'd like to begin commuting again to my office next year in Austin when I'll have moved to a new place. Same office, new residence. I haven't done it in awhile and the new commute will bring the one-way trip from about 4 to 5 miles with some uphill/downhill to about 11 miles (depending on routing). Google Maps says I have about 1 hr 10 min one way for the commute. I normally work from 11 to 8, so I have plenty of time off most rush hours, and even in the summer the ride home will be at or after dusk. Question here is, is it worthwhile to save up for an e-bike with integrated lights to use for this commute? I have a Salsa Fargo and it's treated me well but the thought of 2 hours in the saddle on commute makes me a little weak-kneed, and also I had a rather embarrassing problem of running out of battery life on my lights. An e-bike, I think, would help with night-time commuting (integrated lights!) as well as getting some extra assist boost uphill and on straightways. I'll have it garaged with electricity at both locations, but maybe I want to also use it to make errand stops on the way to/from work and around Austin's downtown. Budget-wise, I'm looking at something like the Trek Allant+, so 6k USD would be around the target (with some flexibility). (link: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/hybrid-bikes/electric-hybrid-bikes/allant/allant-9-9s-stagger/p/30259/?colorCode=black_red) In terms of "is it realistic to bike that far on a regular work night", I did do the other commute 5 days a week for several months before my work priorities changed pre-lockdown. I think I'd be comfortable with the commute once I got back into it.
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Aug 4, 2020 13:38
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| # ¿ May 21, 2024 04:24 |
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bicievino posted:I don't think that's an unreasonable distance to be commuting, but there are a few things that would sway me one way or the other on the e-bike. Personally, I have trouble riding 11 miles without getting a bit sweaty. #goonproblems I guess. My approach has been to shower once I get to work, so it isn't actually adding time to my morning routine, just shifting it around, but for some folks that isn't an option. If you don't have the option to shower at work (or close by - I use a gym in the building), then an ebike could make the difference, especially during the summer. I work in one of those snooty tech offices around here so I do have access to a shower, and I'm not wholly un-familiar with bike-commuting. Usually I will stack a week's worth of clothes at work and shower (if necessary, usually not), towel, change, good to go. Once I actually get to the office it doesn't actually matter unless I have a meeting (which I would probably just try to take from home or block out as unavailable during that window), so the main concern is "getting there and back home" rather than the remaining other logistics. The main thing is compared to my previous non-ebike commute I'm adding an extra 5 miles in both directions but I still have a reasonably big hill to climb and descend. This is a sample from Google Maps at what the new elevation profile is projected to be on one of the routes (they are all more of less the same):  This is what the return home trip looks like:  Since I'll be moving in Feb 2021 it'll be dark much faster and cooler in general, but even when I was biking in the middle of the day a couple years ago for my summer commute it wasn't that bad. I'm a big guy, so sweat just tends to come with the territory. I also will admit that the climb being heavy and carrying stuff kinda blew since the old commute had the climb on the return leg. Hadlock posted:I did a pretty flat commute in Dallas, about 3 miles, I was not super sweaty when I arrived, but I had to buy myself a fan for the office to keep myself from sweating once I got there. I also have abnormally not sweaty Scandinavian genes. I used Cateye and Bontrager Flair RT lights and even on that modest commute they had a tendency to crap out or I'd forget to charge em. One time I forgot and I was stuck in the dark on the way home on multiple huge hills and generally kind of lost in Texas Hot Soup Rain and it was around that time I was like "you know, this still beats driving, generally, but gently caress me and also this". Took me 2 hours that night to get home and it was a Wednesday. That was almost three years ago, and ever since then I had the general idea of buying an ebike with integrated lights. A dynamo also sounds good purely for the lights, but I was also considering the pedal assist that an ebike can provide for those hills. I'd totally consider a dynamo if I wanted to go long distance for recreation.
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Aug 4, 2020 16:38
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The things that I like about the Allant are that it has integrated wiring, a beefy battery, and pedal assist instead of a throttle. I want to be moving while on the bike, which I found I liked more when I tried out other ebikes. I don't think I need to carry too much stuff but I already have a selection of panniers and other miscellaneous bag mounts to go off of. I should be clear here that I'm not specifically looking to buy the Allant, but I did have another goon that works on ebikes as his main bread and butter recommend its predecessor, the Super Commuter, a while ago. I found as a bike commuter I had a clearer head coming into the office and a more relaxed and restful evening coming back. Yeah, it had its literal ups and downs, but I'd like to get back to that again as much as I can while also not completely gassing out from a double-length commute. 20 to 23 miles a day in hill country with pedal assist I think is pretty doable. Since others were balking at that price point, I'm open to other suggestions, but I am not interested in buying an electric scooter. I already have a car and a motorcycle for if I want to get to work via fully motorized transit.
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Aug 6, 2020 02:31
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Following up on earlier in this thread, I did buy an ebike, but in the meantime I am getting familiar to being in the saddle again with my Salsa Fargo. I'm curious to know if people have gear suggestions for biking in above body heat temperatures. Used to, I was using those cooling gaiters and a lot of water, and I'm looking at those sunblocker sleeves to go with all the Lycra. Any other recommendations for riding in the heat? I also started using Komoot to try and look for quieter roads but I think it's not super popular in Austin. I'll have to be the one making all the highlights over here! e: also, any tips for pre/post ride stretches and avoiding saddle sores? aldantefax fucked around with this message at 22:26 on Aug 27, 2020 |
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Aug 27, 2020 22:23
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Entropist posted:After coming home I stretch my arm towards the beer bottle and deadlift it to my face. Ah, I have back and flexibility problems, so this is more of a "how to enjoy biking as a commute method but also not spend the rest of the day and following day without pain in the butt and lower back" kind of question. If that's reserved exclusively for athletes and bike racers, then I'll see myself out. Similarly, I'm also looking to commute in all seasons up and downhill, and Austin's summers regularly crest over 100F during the daytime. With my commute being 5 to 10 miles one way, I am looking to not die from heat exhaustion and still be able to go about the rest of my day. I also was under the impression this was the thread for commuting help and advice, but again, I am mistaken. e.pilot posted:lol stretching before or after rides Well, glad someone got a laugh!
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Aug 28, 2020 15:53
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