Phil Suphal
How Long have you been commuting?
4 Years
Why do you commute?
Initially, because my car died and I had no transportation. Before that I would bike to work when it was nice, but nowhere close to all the time.
The South Bend City Planner at that time, John Hunt, biked to work everyday, all year, including weekends when I worked as watchman on weekends for the County/City government building. John was a workaholic and came to work everyday of the week. John was around 60 years old, and the distance to his home was farther than to my home from work; so, when my car died, I figured that if he could do it (in the winter), then I could. And I did, even in the worst weather. It helped that the city had a bikeway along the river from my house to downtown, which basically eliminated getting "slushed" by passing cars, unlike being on the street.
How far do you commute?
Now I am employed closer to home, I only ride about 7 blocks, but previously it was about 2 miles.
Do you commute all year?
Currently, it is easier just to cycle to work, than drive, and quicker than walking. If I were to drive, I would have to pay for a parking tag, and it would take about the same time. In the winter it is much faster to bike. If I drove I would have to clean the snow off my van, warm it up a bit, drive, park in the parking lot, and walk a distance to get to the campus buildings. The reverse would be true when leaving, too. I can bike right to the bike stands, by the building door and it is much quicker.
Again, I used to bike farther (and all year round), when I had a different job, and no car. I would not bike farther in extreme cold weather than what would normally take 15 to minutes to bike in good weather. One has to dress well, and it will take longer if the winter wind is against you and it is below zero (30 minutes for the same distance). In that kind of weather, I would not suggest anyone bike more that 2 miles. Of course it is great when an extreme wind is with you, you almost don't have to pedal! If you bike in extreme weather, it think most people who see you assume that you are crazy and homeless, and not just car-less.
What type of bike do you ride?
In winter and wet weather, I ride a cheap Schwinn MTB that I bought at Target for $100 dollars. I rode the hell out of it and did not take very good care of it, and it lasted two years, then I bought another on of the same model. When riding in the winter, I would recommend only using a cheap Bike, because the salt takes a toll on the gearpack and chains. Save your good bike for good conditions, You can't go that fast in icy conditions anyway.
What gear does a person need to commute?
Biking in the winter should not be attempted unless your bike has mountain bike tires. Some people do not realize this, and base their view of how safe it is on their own concept of how unstable (regular / racing) bike tires are. If you ride in cold weather, invest is a pair of ski goggles, they don't fog, and keeping your eyes warm and protected from the wind is much preferred than tearing up from the exposure. I got a great pair at TJ max for $10. It is grayer in the winter and darker longer, so I would go with little or no tint on the goggles.
