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I live 5 miles away from where i work out here in the boonies, and each day now that's it's colder my coworkers say "your crazy to bike when it's so cold out" has anyone else heard these comments and what do you say to them?

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I just encountered this last night. I walked into the locker room of the little fitness room in our building with my helmet and this guy says "whoa man, you're still riding in this?!? You're making me feel bad; I gave up a few weeks ago." So I just told him that its not nearly as bad as people think and that I get warm within 5 minutes of starting. I showed him the light windbreaker I was still using (the Eddie Bauer Nysqually Shell; its great) and my balaclava and explained that I could either ride warm for 30-40 minutes, or walk in the cold for 5-10 minutes to my train station, wait another 5-10 minutes in the cold for the train, stand for 20-30 minutes in a crowded train, and then walk another 5-10 minutes to the office. Best part was when he said that I convinced him and he was going to start up again.
Nice work, Jeff! Gold star.

I am happy to see some sunshine this morning. I was getting grumpy with the gray. The other more serious reason I bike year round is to help keep depression from nipping then gnashing at my ankles.



JeffB said:
I just encountered this last night. I walked into the locker room of the little fitness room in our building with my helmet and this guy says "whoa man, you're still riding in this?!? You're making me feel bad; I gave up a few weeks ago." So I just told him that its not nearly as bad as people think and that I get warm within 5 minutes of starting. I showed him the light windbreaker I was still using (the Eddie Bauer Nysqually Shell; its great) and my balaclava and explained that I could either ride warm for 30-40 minutes, or walk in the cold for 5-10 minutes to my train station, wait another 5-10 minutes in the cold for the train, stand for 20-30 minutes in a crowded train, and then walk another 5-10 minutes to the office. Best part was when he said that I convinced him and he was going to start up again.
Marty,

Notice the 'I'm wearing shorts' part.

These shorts in fact.
cutifly said:
How tight ?

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
One of my coworkers kind of did a double-take yesterday as we're leaving and I'm wearing shorts with tights underneath.
Eric-- I know just what you mean. Where I'm from, there's the same thought that crosses people's mind when they see a person on a bike. One easy way to tell the difference between someone with a DUI who's on bike and someone who really *wants* to be on a bike is that the DUI rider usually rides an unlubed, squeaky 10 speed with drop bars flipped upside down! Easier to grip? Oh, and they're usually smoking, too! Hee hee!

Cameron Puetz said:
I lived in a small (Pop. < 700) town in Northern Wisconsin for awhile and got the same reaction whenever I rode or walked anywhere. The entire town was about 1 square mile; it really wasn’t that big of deal to walk all the way across town. When I first moved there my neighbors thought that I was some sort delinquent who had too many DUIs or something since I biked places.


Eric Roach said:
When I lived in my home town (about 20,000 pop. located in the Central ILL) I often rode and walked to places by choice instead of driving, which of course is the default for transporting one's self, and the response from everyone was the same when they saw me "do you want a ride?" or at times they would forcefully tell me to get in the car as if I was a lost, crazy man.

I am usually a little more sarcastic now when people comment about riding in Chicago in the winter. I usually tell them, "Yes, I am super human that is the only reason I can be outside in the winter".



Eduardo Acosta said:
I get the questions "isn't it too dark to be biking?" while they're looking at my bike with a bike light on my handbar or when I"m coming into work on a rainy morning they ask, "Did you get wet?"


Co-workers, family and friends started to feel sorry for me and offer me rides everywhere. "You know my offer is still on the table is you want me to pick you up or drop you off..."
So true, it was usually just the DUI'ers, people too broke to drive, and me; I laugh out loud and cry on the inside at this reality.

Unfortunately when I visit I can't ride from parents (new) house into town due to a stretch of shoulderless highway but I'm hoping one day for some train tracks nearby to be officially abandoned so Rails-to-Trails can take it over. I pitched that idea to the mayor when I saw him at a bar (yes, a bar) about a year ago, he asked me if I could write grants to which I replied yes, then he said to get on it... gotta love small town government.

Holly said:
Eric-- I know just what you mean. Where I'm from, there's the same thought that crosses people's mind when they see a person on a bike. One easy way to tell the difference between someone with a DUI who's on bike and someone who really *wants* to be on a bike is that the DUI rider usually rides an unlubed, squeaky 10 speed with drop bars flipped upside down! Easier to grip? Oh, and they're usually smoking, too! Hee hee!

Cameron Puetz said:
I lived in a small (Pop. < 700) town...

Eric Roach said:
When I lived in my home town... .

Eduardo Acosta said:
I get the questions "isn't it too dark to be biking?"...


Steven Lane said:
I sold my car 10 years ago. Since then I haven't paid for gas, insurance, city stickers, or parking tickets, and I never waste time stuck in traffic or circling the block looking for a parking space.

That usually gets a wow. Oddly, many follow with, "I don't know if I could do that."

I'm tempted to break into an acapella version of Suicidal Tendencies Institutionalized "I'm not crazy. You're the one that's crazy! You're DRIVING me crazy!!!"

Best reply, if only for the song.

I like to break it down in terms of being faster in rush hour as well as the money part, plus I can stop anywhere I want "park" and go, no early bird specials, no tickets... the only bad part is February but we also live in a city with the 2nd largest mass transit system so I'll fork over $50 for the train/bus when it's 4 degrees. Fahrenheit.
I just point out that it's not that different than any other time of year as long as you dress appropriately.
Just smile! or "That's funny, I think people are crazy for NOT biking!" and run down all the benefits you get out of it. When they are saying that, it might be a compliment or it might be peer pressure to conform...which do you think it is?? If it might be a compliment, say "Thanks!".
It could be them not being able to wrap their heads around someone voluntarily doing something they see as uncomfortable.

Barbra Mann said:
Just smile! or "That's funny, I think people are crazy for NOT biking!" and run down all the benefits you get out of it. When they are saying that, it might be a compliment or it might be peer pressure to conform...which do you think it is?? If it might be a compliment, say "Thanks!".
One of my co-workers asked me on Monday if I rode. When I told her 'yes', she called me a knucklehead. :)

Strange - it's cold outside, yet I'm wiping off sweat when changing into my work clothes.
Looks like Monday & Tuesday will be reserved for the real crazy bikers. I hope to get out in it . . .

Sunday Night
Clearing and very cold. Lows zero to 5 above.

Monday and Monday Night
Mostly clear. Very cold. Highs 10 to 15. Lows zero to 5 below.
Some co-workers would say I'm crazy for biking in the cold, and I would say, "I'm sweating." Or something like, "I can't believe you put up with taking care of a car in the winter."

Many co-workers and friends are impressed. And I say, "Thanks."

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