Why?

One of the most common questions I get from people I encounter is why commute by bike? Often, before I answer, the asker will put their own reason forward as an answer to their question. These answers often touch on carbon neutrality and environmental friendliness. Now, I do like to think that commuting by bike accomplishes these things, but if I'm honest with myself I can't say that being environmentally friendly is the main reason I commute by bike. There are more fundamental reasons. When I first learned how to ride a bike, I was fascinated with the idea that I could move myself as quickly as a bicycle permitted me. I also was impressed at how far I could go. These impressions have stuck with me, and I still find myself enjoying the sense of accomplishment that my daily commute brings. I arrive at work with this sense of accomplishment amongst other emotions that I find helpful for preparing for most days at work. I could rattle on at this point about the number of miles that I've ridden to bolster my sense of accomplishment, but I will leave that for you the reader to think about on your own. While I'm on the topic of well being, I cannot ignore the fact that a bracing ride to work each day does really help to clear my mind before having to fill it with whatever the workday might bring. I have also found that I tend to come up with better more workable solutions to problems during my commute. Probably the best explanation for this is that the extra time I do spend on the bike and train gives me extra time to kick things around in my mind. If I drive to work, the time I save is often used in ways which don't permit this kind of thought. Probably more important than either of the above benefits is the fact that I can enjoy the outdoors while riding in a way that is impossible while in a car. There are arguably four seasons in the garden state, and it is enjoyable to watch and feel the transitions from season to season. I also find myself able to predict what the weather will do without having to consult an app. Listening to bird song, and other noises of the suburbs has always been a pleasure to me, and being on a bike in the open air allows me to do this. Most people would expect comments about physical conditioning to be included in a discussion of the whys of cycle commuting. I can certainly say things about it, but I wouldn't have anything novel to say, and, if physical condition were a primary goal, I could accomplish it through road cycling and other means as many others do. My physical condition is good, though I would stop at saying that I commute by bike to maintain it. At this point in my life I have commuted to work more years by bike than by car. I have always found driving an isolating experience, and felt frustrated by it. Cycling removes that isolation, and has provided me with other benefits as well.

Winter Riding

There are many who question my sanity for riding all year round. Having taken winters off from cycling in the past, I found myself questioning why I shouldnt ride in winter. There are definitely things that can make winter riding a challenge, but most of them can be dealt with by the application of logic, and in many cases cash.

I am often asked if I get cold riding in winter, and the answer is always no. I learned many years ago that clothing layers are the cyclist's friend. I also have learned through experimentation how much clothing is necessary to stay warm at a given temperature. My advice to anyone riding in cold weather is to dress in layers, and to have a way to carry extra layers that are shed during a ride. There are lots of different high tech clothing options for light and heat retaining layers.

The biggest issue for most riders in the cold is how to keep hands and feet warm. If at all possible, don't spare expense here. I use Eurotex ski gloves, and have found that they will keep my hands toasty down to 10F (-12C). My feet have been a bigger problem until recently, when I shelled out for a pair of Lake winter cycling boots. These look like Doc Martins with SPD cleats, and will keep my feet warm down to 10F with two pairs of socks on.

Another thing for consideration is weather. It's important to know whether you as a cyclist can deal with road conditions given the weather at the moment. My biggest concern is for sheet ice (black ice as it's known). It is very easy tomlosenyournteaction on this, and I have scars to prove this. If you encounter ice on the road, don't make any sudden movements on the bike, and be ready to put your feet down to stop a fall. Better yet, if you know there's sheet ice on the roads, save your bike commute for another day. I will ride in snow and rain, but not when there's sheet ice.

I find winter to be one of the best times of the year to cycle. There is little risk of overheating, and yet it's easy to stay warm enough with a little planning. I will save what this season can do to a bike for another posting.

The summer is quickly slipping away, and regular commuting will begin again in two weeks.  I have put quite few miles on my folder this summer both commuting and for fun.


I have been riding a Brompton P6R for a little over a year now, and am very happy with it.  I purchased it because a number of people and reviews told me that it was sturdy and well made.  This, I have found to be true.  I was concerned that the smaller wheels would make for a unstable and touchy ride, but this has not been the case.  The bike has a very stable feel to it in all situations that I have ridden.  It does not ride anything like a full size bike, but it took very little time to get used to the way it does ride.  The other thing that I really like about this bike is that it folds into a very small package, which makes it easy to deal with on trains or in busy train stations.

You will notice from the pics that I keep a fairly large seat bag on the bike.  NJ roads are not very clean, and flat tires are a reality of commuting by bike.  I keep a spare tube, pump, 15 mm wrench, multitool, and patch kit in the bag.  I have been able to change a flat in about 5 minutes, though this does bring my biggest complaint about the design of the Brompton - no quick release wheels.

Since May of 2010, I have put about 3500 miles on my Brompton.  I commuted on it every day during the fall semester, and every day since mid February of this year when the roads were clear of black ice.  It has also done a number of recreational trips to New York City, and most recently to the Niagara Falls area.

There are two other drawbacks to the Brompton that I can see.  It is quite pricey for one.  You can expect to pay somewhere around $1300 for a good one.  This seems prohibitive, but you are paying for a design that is well thought out and executed.  The other issue is finding parts.  Since I live between New York City and Philadelphia, both of which have Brompton dealers, getting parts has not been a problem.  I had a long conversation with someone from Hawaii, who refused to buy one because he had no easy source of parts.  Since many of the parts are very specific to Brompton bikes, it's hard to argue his point.  I have been able to use other brands for chain and bottom bracket, but wheels and cogs are very specific to the Brompton.

Starting out

I have been commuting to work by bike and train for some five and a half years now.  A number of friends have suggested that I start blogging about this, since others might be interested in my experiences and possibly my advice.  I will start over the next few months by explaining why I've been riding to work, how I do it, and what equipment I use.

As with any commute, some days of riding to work are better than others.  My main frustrations are delayed trains and aggressive/ignorant drivers.  The benefits are that I arrive to work having gotten some exercise, and I'm much happier than I was when I was driving to work every day.  I feel much less isolated from the world around me than I did behind the wheel of a car.  Very few days pass where I don't have interesting conversations with others during my commute: mostly in train stations or on the trains I take.

This is a brief overview of what I am doing.  As the summer wears on, and the wretched seven week summer term ends, I'll post more details.