To commute or not to commute....
Discussion
shielsy said:
£500 for the train ticket or take the bike? It's 60 miles each way from Milton Keynes to Chancery Lane, London. Bike is a CBR600f4.
£500 a month I presume? I made the bike choice when it was £4k a year but mine was ~35 miles each way, I allowed that my bike would be worth £0 quite quickly, budget for tyres, petrol, scottoiler/ chain and sprockets and those days when the weather is that crap or you're tired and you will still take the train. 120 miles a day/ 600 miles a week is going to rack up servicing too, what are the intervals on the CBR?
I currently commute 75 miles each way from Suffolk to Russell Square on a K1300S. I priced it up and running my K1300S, including fuel, tyres, servicing, depreciation etc. it's only very slightly cheaper than getting the train. However, the train cost included the cost of driving my car to the train station and parking.
What's not included in the financial calculations is convenience factor of being able to leave a few minutes later or eelier and not having that feeling of being totally powerless when the train departures board simply says cancelled.
What's not included in the financial calculations is convenience factor of being able to leave a few minutes later or eelier and not having that feeling of being totally powerless when the train departures board simply says cancelled.
I lose my car parking permit on Wednesday and therefore the bike will become the only viable means of me getting to work (work is in the middle of nowhere)...
Its around 25 miles a day and I will also be on a 2003 CBR600F4i. I've already started caking it in ACF-50 and it already has a Scott Oiler. I've just had to explain that I'm going to be late / working from home whenever its likely to be icy because the roads around me are hilly and not treated - just not worth the risk. I'm doing it out of necessity rather than 100% free choice and don't expect to save anything financially - not convinced you will either.
Its around 25 miles a day and I will also be on a 2003 CBR600F4i. I've already started caking it in ACF-50 and it already has a Scott Oiler. I've just had to explain that I'm going to be late / working from home whenever its likely to be icy because the roads around me are hilly and not treated - just not worth the risk. I'm doing it out of necessity rather than 100% free choice and don't expect to save anything financially - not convinced you will either.
I'd actually err on the side of the train or at least the train most days. But this would also depend on if I was going to get a seat on the train or if I would have to stand up.
Riding in Central London is OK but outer London and the 'burbs are a PITA. There is also the risk of a crash and if you have to filter, then that is a bit of mental workload. Sometimes some f
ktard parks their scooter ridiculously close so it is very difficult to get your bike out from a parking spot. I also don't like riding in a lot of traffic in the hours of darkness and there are plenty of hours of darkness coming up.
This morning I got the train and read a book, then combined that with a walk from the overland station to the office instead of finishing with the Tube for some excercise.
Riding in Central London is OK but outer London and the 'burbs are a PITA. There is also the risk of a crash and if you have to filter, then that is a bit of mental workload. Sometimes some f
ktard parks their scooter ridiculously close so it is very difficult to get your bike out from a parking spot. I also don't like riding in a lot of traffic in the hours of darkness and there are plenty of hours of darkness coming up. This morning I got the train and read a book, then combined that with a walk from the overland station to the office instead of finishing with the Tube for some excercise.
Train
- Pro's - book, sleep, tv shows, movie etc, quick, dry, warm, etc
- con's - cancellations, no seat, set times (although regular), not having your own space, etc
Bike
- Pro's - leave and arrive when you want, your own space
- Con's - parking, showering etc, wet weather and winter time!, having to still "ride back" when tired
Personally i would leave the biking to the summer and maybe do a couple of trips in a week on it.
- Pro's - book, sleep, tv shows, movie etc, quick, dry, warm, etc
- con's - cancellations, no seat, set times (although regular), not having your own space, etc
Bike
- Pro's - leave and arrive when you want, your own space
- Con's - parking, showering etc, wet weather and winter time!, having to still "ride back" when tired
Personally i would leave the biking to the summer and maybe do a couple of trips in a week on it.
Try it. It's 60 miles, but Google Maps quotes 1.5hrs. Maybe a spot quicker on bike.
Train and tube is quoted as being an hour each way.
At Chancery Lane is outside of Westminster, so parking bays are free. However I would hunt down a multistory car park in preference. Street parking bays are terrible for Scooter folk shoving their bikes in and scraping everyone elses bikes or preventing you getting yours out. Most multi-stories are free for bikes and have CCTV too.
Most of your ride will be M1, which will be mind numbing. The last leg, Brent Cross and down past Euston will get busy. Not a relaxing commute.
Do factor in cost of tyres, chain, etc. Do budget on getting knocked over a few times and needing ad-hoc repairs... For winter, you're going to need some decent textiles, heated grips/gloves etc. Inside the M25, roads will remain generally rideable throughout the winter, but as you'll be going beyond that, I expect there will be a number days when you won't be able to ride.
You will however save a little cash not forking out tickets for days you off on holiday, sick or working from home. You will be immune to strikes and delays. You'll always get a seat. Once you start filtering like a courier, heavy traffic may slow you a little, but never hold you up.
Train and tube is quoted as being an hour each way.
At Chancery Lane is outside of Westminster, so parking bays are free. However I would hunt down a multistory car park in preference. Street parking bays are terrible for Scooter folk shoving their bikes in and scraping everyone elses bikes or preventing you getting yours out. Most multi-stories are free for bikes and have CCTV too.
Most of your ride will be M1, which will be mind numbing. The last leg, Brent Cross and down past Euston will get busy. Not a relaxing commute.
Do factor in cost of tyres, chain, etc. Do budget on getting knocked over a few times and needing ad-hoc repairs... For winter, you're going to need some decent textiles, heated grips/gloves etc. Inside the M25, roads will remain generally rideable throughout the winter, but as you'll be going beyond that, I expect there will be a number days when you won't be able to ride.
You will however save a little cash not forking out tickets for days you off on holiday, sick or working from home. You will be immune to strikes and delays. You'll always get a seat. Once you start filtering like a courier, heavy traffic may slow you a little, but never hold you up.
HiFiHunter said:
Do factor in cost of tyres, chain, etc. Do budget on getting knocked over a few times and needing ad-hoc repairs...
Yes it's surprising when you pro-rata the running costs over each journey how much it costs for consumables.I was contemplating staying over in the travelodge near the office (£35 per night if booked far in advance) vs commuting by bike.
£20 per 160 miles of fuel in the bike made it feel far cheaper to go by bike vs staying over.
Then i realised that it costs £5 per 160 miles in tyre rubber!. Plus depreciation, wearing the bike out quicker and getting bored with it meaning i'd more than likely change bikes more often.
I've now booked the Travelodge for the next 6 months 1-2 nights per week. No brainer.
jackh707 said:
My biggest problem commuting on bike is helmet hair and my freshly ironed short looking like crap when I get there.
Other than that, slap on a set of PR3/4s. WD40/ACF50 everything, get heated grips and off you go.
I use one of these (available on amazon) http://shop.eaglecreek.com/packit-garment-folder-m... keeps shirts nice in my kriega rucksack until I put them on, some fold marks, but straight ones and no creases.Other than that, slap on a set of PR3/4s. WD40/ACF50 everything, get heated grips and off you go.
GuyMarks said:
I now bike 9 months, then drive / train / work from home for the worst three months of weather.
Same here, have done this for the past 16 years, a mixture of town and motorway commuting. I aim to ride to the end of Nov then knock it on the head until end of Feb, although last December was unusually mild so I biked right up until Christmas. In doing the same route for such a long time I've observed far more SMIDSYs once the clocks go back and the nights get darker, despite using this as my trigger to Hi-Viz up. Throw in a bit of early morning black ice and I give it a wide berth just for personal preservation. Self employed = no pay if injured and not working.
dapearson said:
Yes it's surprising when you pro-rata the running costs over each journey how much it costs for consumables.
I was contemplating staying over in the travelodge near the office (£35 per night if booked far in advance) vs commuting by bike.
£20 per 160 miles of fuel in the bike made it feel far cheaper to go by bike vs staying over.
Then i realised that it costs £5 per 160 miles in tyre rubber!. Plus depreciation, wearing the bike out quicker and getting bored with it meaning i'd more than likely change bikes more often.
I've now booked the Travelodge for the next 6 months 1-2 nights per week. No brainer.
That's not a really fair comparison as you'll spend more money on food/drink/hookers in the Travelodge...I was contemplating staying over in the travelodge near the office (£35 per night if booked far in advance) vs commuting by bike.
£20 per 160 miles of fuel in the bike made it feel far cheaper to go by bike vs staying over.
Then i realised that it costs £5 per 160 miles in tyre rubber!. Plus depreciation, wearing the bike out quicker and getting bored with it meaning i'd more than likely change bikes more often.
I've now booked the Travelodge for the next 6 months 1-2 nights per week. No brainer.
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