Commuters sharing their stories

Super Commuter Stories

Name: Gene
Bike: logo trike
Distance: 2.5km
Duration: 10 minutes
Frequency: 5 days a week

Why ride?: I have been in the cycling industry for a fair long time as a soigneur. Then I did a ride across the states one winter and got hooked. THEN I came to Australia with an Anustralian wife with the belief that we were going to tour Australia....not! A few years after, I got chronic fatigue, luckily I found an effective product and got beyond CFS. Then got a job again, and gave up Centre Link support, and when the rent was to be raised for the homes west apt, gave that up to cycle tour Australia...and get out of Perth for the winter. I rode up to Derby WA, before needing employment to continue the journey. I work as a courier for Derby Freight now and bush camp while here.

I ride about a 100km per week other than just to/from work. And try to get in a 50km ride at the weekend.

The best benefit? Has been the gradual incredible increase in my health and losing 15 kilos. I still need a lot of sleep due to the CFS, but am comfortable knowing that I can safely continue on.

Name: Peter F
Bike: TCR2
Occupation: Accountant
Distance: 18km round trip
Duration: 50 minutes per day
Frequency: 5 times a week
Why ride? Don’t drive
Best Benefit? relaxing way to go to and from work.

I ride to work because I don’t have and never have had a car licence. I used to get the bus into work but took up cycling some years ago and haven’t looked back. It is just such a nice way to go to work and acts as a break between work and home. It has kept me reasonably fit without having to go to a gym. I change my route regularly so I get to see a side of Perth that I wouldn’t normally see. Driving around in car is a bit like watching TV you get separated from what is going on around you and even though you get to where you’re going, you don’t feel or really see what is happening.

Name: Martin K
Bike: Avanti Team road bike, Trek fuel ex 9.8 MTB, Rocky Mountain RC70 Disk converted to a fixie and a Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper FSR
Occupation: Project Engineer
Distance: 20-ish km each way
Duration: 55 minutes each way
Frequency: 2 to 3 times a week
Why Ride? fitness, quicker than public transport, cheaper than driving & parking
Best Benefit? burning off the beer gut and being able to wear lycra ;-)

Seriously though.... I don’t wear lycra........real bikers wear baggy shorts !!
For me, commuting partially solves the dilemma of a busy work life that leaves precious little family time, fun time and exercise time. By cycling to work I get the opportunity to do something fun whilst getting some exercise. It’s also quicker than commuting by bus and train, which means I get to spend a little extra time at home with the family.

 

 Name: John L
Bike: Trek 1000 & Trek Madone 5.2
Occupation: Fleet Technical Officer
Distance: 48km round trip
Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes per day
Frequency: 4 days a week (to work)
Why ride? : Saves the planet, my finances and sanity – no traffic jams!
Best Benefit: It keeps me happy by stimulating those endorphins. The best way to start the day!

I ride to work because it there are too many reasons not to. My journey entails the most scenic parts of Perth and the Swan River. We live in the best city in Australia for our excellent bike path network so why not use them? I see my commuting to work as “multi tasking”. It reduces stress levels whilst providing the opportunity to maintain fitness in the same time I would be otherwise stuck in traffic, doing nothing and feeling frustrated. I have met some amazing people during my cycling journeys - cyclists just seem to be a happier bunch than motorists. I would encourage anyone to give it a go!

Name: Bobby C
Bike: Not sure of the make or model but it is a hybrid with half rice/half chips pedals
Occupation: Engineer
Distance: 12-15km round trip
Duration: 15-20 mins each way
Frequency: Monday to Friday

Why Ride? There is no doubt that it is invigorating and enjoyable to cut through the traffic and enjoy the fresh air on a morning and evening ride. I also take great pleasure in deciding before each journey what to listen to on my mp3 player during the commute and have managed to get through several albums this year already. I detest the bus as I find the sallow faces of fellow passengers slightly damaging to the soul, I cannot justify driving, paying a small fortune for parking and depriving my wife and offspring from transport for the day and running to work is a bit much really and a little unnecessary.

I have considered skateboarding to work but as I don’t own a skateboard and have never skateboarded in my life this plan has never really taken off, I suppose that scootering could be an option (either with or without motor) but my mod phase ended as I succumbed to a glabrescent future. Riding also presents a myriad of cathartic opportunities to climb upon my high horse and abuse passing motorists for a range of traffic infringements.

Best Benefit? Without a doubt it is to be able to tuck my trousers into my socks and still be socially acceptable. 

 

Name: Matthew Poole
Bike: Single speed road bike
Occupation: Contracts Administrator/Lawyer
Distance: 7.5km each way
Duration: 20 minutes each way
Frequency: 5 times a week
Why Ride? Answer to most of the world's problems
Best Benefit? Exercise

I ride to work every day. I like it because it takes no longer to get to work than catching the train, and is much faster than driving, yet I achieve something in time that would otherwise be wasted. It's free, which is great as I am a real Ebenezer Scrooge when it comes to expenses associated with work. It's also emission free, which is very important to me. In all walks of life, I like using no more than is necessary, so I get a buzz out of transporting myself to work with 8kgs of bicycle rather than 1500kgs of car. Although I always wanted to be a beach based lawyer, I've discovered it's not really possible and by necessity I now spend most of my waking hours working on an office tan. The time I get to cycle is precious fresh air time I wouldn't otherwise get. And the more fresh air the better, there's nothing like riding home in a storm after being trapped with a computer all day. I arrive invigorated instead of exhausted.

 

Name: Cate
Bike: Avanti mountain bike
Occupation: Senior Project Officer
Distance: 25km return trip per day
Duration: 60 minutes return trip per day
Frequency: Four times a week
Why Ride? I enjoy it
Best Benefit? Quicker than other forms of transport

I ride to work four days a week. On two of these days I ride with my sister which gives us the opportunity to catch-up on the week’s events. I have made a positive influence on my sister who is a busy mum with young children and works part-time. She tells me it’s much easier to ride with someone (me!) as it is often difficult to find time to exercise – riding to work makes exercise easy and doesn’t impact family time. Riding allows me to leave home or work when I want without incurring any waiting times or delays compared with other forms of traffic. The satisfaction I get when I cross Lake Monger walk-bridge, seeing the freeway traffic bumper to bumper, is priceless! The peak-hour traffic always reinforces my decision that riding is a much better option and reminds me of the small contribution in making the environment more sustainable. The cost of using a car to drive to and from work paid off my bike in just over two months. The savings made from riding allows me to take more holidays which is a real incentive. Riding is an enjoyable way to start and finish the working day and I feel better for it.
 

 

Tell us why you ride to work and help inspire more people to get on their bike.