[KSTejaswi]

A 2003 Hercules Thriller bicycle (basic model : no gears, shocks), which was purchased by my dad, for me to cycle to school then, is now being used by me to commute to work, 6.5km from home.

My situation:
1. Dad needs his car
2. Brother needs my car
3. I don't like the Avenger so much as to use it daily
4. The 1992 Rajdoot is too precious to be abused in OMR traffic, or be left uncared for in the open parking lot at the office

My options:
1. Pay and use company cab/bus. Would cost me ~40minutes in the morning (including the walk to pick-up point, traffic, route determined by others' pick-up points, etc.), ~60mins in the evening, in addition to a few thousand rupees monthly.
2. Take the bus. Costs a lot less than the cab, but atleast 10mins more in terms of time. Both ways.
3. Pedal power. Wouldn't take more than 25~30mins, and would cost next-to-nothing in terms of running costs.

I chose the third option.

Looked for an electric+pedal bicycle, but wasn't sure if I would stay committed to this. If I gave up, it was a big waste of money.

Looked at other options, but the asking price was always too high, considering my uncertainty of sticking with this mode of transport, for precisely the reasons many members have already listed in this thread.

So, I got my 18-yo cycle serviced and went for a dry run on a weekend. And it felt great, this reunion. It felt just as comfortable, familiar and exciting as it did when I used to cycle to school. I purchased a decent quality helmet from Decathlon and considered myself all set.

I started cycling to work in Sep'2019 until the lockdown in March'20, and resumed this mode in mid-Dec'2020.

This is not to say that there are no hurdles.

To (try &) keep myself safe, I stick to the service lane for the most part. I'm of the opinion that a safe speed in any kind of traffic, is the speed of the traffic around you. Normally, given the nature of the service lane here, speeds are low, making it far safer for cycling, than the main road. I cross the road at a major signal, where there are cops. Ultimately, I feel this mode is just as safe/unsafe as a motorcycle, on my route.

To tackle pollution and sweat, two major factors are route and time. Perhaps 8:30am is not peak time on my route, or being closer to the beach helps with a decent amount of breeze, I'm not sure... But somehow, pollution is not a major factor for me. In other words, it would be the same if I travelled by cycle, bike or bus.

Sweat, is an entirely different thing. Chennai, in any season, is hot and humid. I fill air to a higher PSI, unbutton the top button and cuffs, and cycle slower where possible. I find that as I cycle more often, my stamina increases and (it may be my perception) sweating seems to be a little less. Also, it helps immensely that my bag is strapped to the rear carrier using a bungee cord.

When I get to office, I find that I'm sometimes better off than most folks who come by bike, carrying their bags on their backs! After a quick wash, I'm fresh and ready to tackle the day ahead.

Theft isn't a concern for me. I don't expect anyone to steal my old cycle when presented with far better, newer, feature-rich alternatives standing around mine Anyway, since my company doesn't offer a specific parking area for bicycles, I park along with the security guys, contract labour, etc. In my opinion, a friendly chat/greeting with these guys does a lot more for safety than CCTV cameras

For most errands and odd-jobs within a ~5km radius, I prefer my cycle. It actually saves time compared to the car (can't take small by-lanes/shortcuts, lose time looking for an appropriate place to park) within this range.

So, yeah, first choice for commute, for me, is pedal power. I understand that my circumstances may be unique, and may not work out quite so well for others.

[punto_]

While I love the idea of cycling for short distances, I totally feel insecure riding in our cities. Unless the traffic sense improves tremendously, I don't think I'll take it up. I generally don't feel safe on any 2 wheeler in our cities, I rarely take the scooter that we picked up and get onto it only if we have proper helmet that too within couple of kms.

[Big Smoke]

Voted for a very strong NO!

And only because of 1 reason = the DEADLY POLLUTION!

And this is from a person who used to cycle 20-24 kms daily, just for fun, during the pre-covid times.

Post lockdown, I started my research on the effects of pollution on our lungs in India. The results would boggle your mind!
Forget about all the insecurities and high risks involved. I might sound harsh, but cycling daily would cause you to die (probably due to lung cancer) much before climate change would.

If this thread was relevant for a developed country, I would've voted for YES.
Of all places in the world, India is possibly the WORST place for cycling, or for that matter, using any 2 wheeler, for urban commuting (no, a face mask isn't the solution folks).

Of course, the market shows the opposite trend. But any well - researched health conscious person would actually shiver at the thoughts of daily cycling, and that too for urban commuting!

In India, cycling for passion makes 100% sense. But for urban commuting, it shouldn't be used on a daily basis. Yes, for the occasional trip to the nearby store, it makes immense sense. But for urban commuting on a daily basis, covering km in the multiples of 10, it is basically slow - poisoning yourself.

For all the health freaks, an air conditioned gym is the best option.
For daily urban commuting, an air conditioned car is the best option.

Cycling for urban commuting daily makes sense only if a majority of the population is cycling daily. But in India, for every cyclist, there are 1000 other ICE cars polluting the environment. They do not think of the cyclists trying to save the world!
At the end, it's the cyclist who is at a loss.

[anjan_c2007]

Cycling on Indian streets ! A big "NO". Could be OK only in the early mornings when there is almost no traffic.

I would prefer cycling in the developed Western European countries and the US, where many urban agglomerations have cycling lanes.

Here in India, if I regularly cycle in the city traffic during the rush hours, I may feature in a video (CCTV image) in the very much viewed "Accidents in India" thread here on teambhp, most likely in a hit and run case.

[daretodream]

Voted No.
Reasons:
1. Distance: My office is 22Kms one way (Iblur to WTC).
2. Safety- I DONOT trust the Bangalore traffic to have my back.
3. Weather- In Bangalore one sees winter, summer, monsoon in same day.
4. Carry-on- I need to carry a laptop bag(and some documents) which is not convenient.
5. Freshness: I need to be presentable and fresh when I am in office. While office has shower rooms and washrooms, I do not want to carry a separate bag.
6. Creature Comforts: I like to listen to Books on Audible, HBR to keep learning. I can do that from my cycle.

For me, at best, cycles can be weekend rides around the locality.

[rdst_1]

Originally Posted by ads11

Now of course anyone who sees this will know in India, that lane would immediately be clogged by motorbikes, scooters, hawkers and pedestrians. But I think there is an opportunity in small sectors at least to create cyclist friendly corridors.

Maybe don't give up on India that soon. Chandigarh has much better cycle lanes than these and a good distance between the actual road and the cycle lanes. I agree it can't be done in most Indian cities but when there are cities like Chandigarh where they can be, it gets done in a much better way. And in fact, they are all over the city and not just on a central lane, like the example you posted above.

[Godzilla]

Voted yes.

I commuted to my office at Chennai for almost 4 years on my cycle. It is about 10 Kms from my home and I was as fast as a two wheeler in the same stretch. Sometimes even faster as I can simply carry my cycle across a divider if I need to when there is heavy traffic. I use to wear a T-shirt and change to my shirt at the office restroom.

I now commute to my gym in my Fuji which is the fastest way compared to all modes. There is space in my gym to park cars but it is mostly full. It is hardly 5 Kms and it makes no sense to drive a car to the gym. I can ride my Vespa but there is a railway gate in my area (hometown) which might increase my commute time by 15 mins sometimes, with my cycle I can simply walk the crossing.

I love when people give attention to the cycle rider. There is a learning curve of 3-6 months before one feels comfortable to cycle in heavy traffic. For those who are starting the cycle journey please be patient and commuting by cycle will be rewarding after a while.

Having said all this I do use other modes when it is too hot, rainy, or when I am tired. Life is all about options. IMO cycling is a fantastic and must have option. Forget about climate change, atleast our tummies might change

[poised2drive]

Great Thread.

I have been browsing through the Bicycles thread on the Tbhp , of late as I want to reduce my dependence on the bike.

Given the steep rise in fuel prices , it would be a good time to start cycling- to reduce the hole in the pocket and some fat in the belly.

And my commuting distance is ideal for cycling as it is around 1.5 km . Though Walking is better, in the sultry weather of Vijayawada, it is draining .

The only thing stopping me is for the
1. fear of maintenance
2.lack of knowledge on buying one and the corresponding maintenance worries
3. lack of proper parking space at my place

And I am searching the threads if any help can be offered for points 1 and 2
As I am a large guy weighing about 100 kg and 179 cm , I am looking for an MTB - bad roads and I am not looking for any long rides - mostly it will be utilitarian than pleasure.

Visited Decathlon twice and checked out their BTwin bikes , but I was worried about the maintenance issues.

Any help is highly appreciated !

[ads11]

Originally Posted by rdst_1

Maybe don't give up on India that soon. Chandigarh has much better cycle lanes than these and a good distance between the actual road and the cycle lanes. I agree it can't be done in most Indian cities but when there are cities like Chandigarh where they can be, it gets done in a much better way. And in fact, they are all over the city and not just on a central lane, like the example you posted above.
Attachment 2123914

This is wonderful to see! I don't necessarily want to be all pessimistic but too often I've found things go sour back home. A planned city like Chandigarh to my mind would be an ideal candidate to implement cycle friendly infrastructure like this. I'm sure there must be a fair few smaller cities and towns where with the right impetus from local govt it can be done.

My worry though is say that adjoining road was logjammed. I have a bad feeling you could find opportunists with their motorbikes or scooters resorting to that cycle path. I suppose though if the same traffic cameras that automatically issue Challans were set up in a way along cycle lanes it could go towards preventing license plated vehicles from running amok on them.

[rdst_1]

Originally Posted by ads11

This is wonderful to see! I don't necessarily want to be all pessimistic but too often I've found things go sour back home. A planned city like Chandigarh to my mind would be an ideal candidate to implement cycle friendly infrastructure like this. I'm sure there must be a fair few smaller cities and towns where with the right impetus from local govt it can be done.

My worry though is say that adjoining road was logjammed. I have a bad feeling you could find opportunists with their motorbikes or scooters resorting to that cycle path. I suppose though if the same traffic cameras that automatically issue Challans were set up in a way along cycle lanes it could go towards preventing license plated vehicles from running amok on them.

Chandigarh has fantastic infrastructure for using cycles for commuting. Apart from the main roads, the inner roads between the sectors are also very wide on which one can cycle very safely, despite the increase in number of cars. Growing up, I used to cycle everywhere thanks to the wide roads and low traffic. Now there are these dedicated cycle tracks on almost all main roads. However, now I hardly see people using cycles apart from the ones who have to. The sad thing is I see very few kids using cycles now. From personal experience, I think increase in use of ACs also has a big impact. Once you get used to living in air conditioned rooms, using a car over a cycle even for small distances becomes second nature. Of course the tropical climate of our country doesn't help either.

As for your second point, thankfully, Chandigarh motorists seem to be more disciplined than the rest of the country. I think not having a lot of traffic jams, and there being a lot of cops around helps as well. I have very very rarely seen scooter/motorcycles on the cycle paths. Even in other areas, like jumping red lights etc. Chandigarhians have much better discipline. I mean, nowadays, we have traffic lights every 500m-1km in Chandigarh so no point jumping a light just to go and wait at the next one, but even before, when there weren't so many traffic lights in Chandigarh, people used to jump lights very very rarely. It is one of the best cities to live in India but I had to leave because of the increased cars and traffic among other reasons. Apparently, what I should have done was go and live in Delhi/Mumbai for a few months and that should have helped me realize Chandigarh was still miles better.

[alphadog]

I voted NO. I am a keen cyclist and do good number of kms every weekend.

But, I would not use my road bike for commute. I would have loved to cycle everyday and do my bit to reduce our use of hydrocarbons.

The reason is only one - our hot, humid inclement weather and the dust on road. If I were to cycle to work, by the time I get there, I will be drenched in sweat and grime and then have to shower off and change. That just increases the inconvenience and does not help in any way. I am doctor and time is of the essence. In a different country with cooler weather and maybe better roads, I might have.

Cheerio!

[interest]

I think it is not practical to compare the higher adoption of cycles in western countries with the case in India. Most European countries have weather that allows you to cycle to office without getting drenched in sweat. In India, I can imagine how disheveled I would look in a client meeting if I had reached there cycling (read- sweaty, crumpled clothes, dirty face). Some have suggested bathing after reaching office but I think it is a massive waste of time if I have to spend more time on commute and then again on bathing after reaching office. I would much rather spend this time with my family. The other concern on my mind is the safety. A lot has been spoken about road accidents but I also think that a car can prevent me from getting mugged or attached by snatchers or mobbed by beggars and vendors at crossings. Lastly, a big chuck of our economy depends on the automobile sector. If there is a massive hasty adoption of cycles , I can imagine that it would become a self fulfilling prophecy that we would only be able to afford cycles after that due to the GDP decline.

[qaqa]

The answer ultimately depends upon where the cycle is being used. I was gifted a cycle for my birthday a couple of years ago (not-so-subtle hint about my fitness methinks). I tried to use it on Bangalore streets, but found it challenging to use even for quick errands in the neighbourhood - the traffic made me extremely uncomfortable. So the bike sat sulking in a corner for over a year.

Come lockdown, I shifted base to Mysore (my hometown) and took my cycle with me. Best decision ever. In Mysore, I am able to use the cycle for most errands and runs in a 5-km radius very comfortably - the traffic is more sensible, the roads are wider and the pollution is much lower. Mysore's weather is similar to that of Bangalore, which also helps.

In Mysore, I have been taking my car out only for longer distance intra-city trips (rare in a place like Mysore).

So, it is definitely feasible to use a cycle for urban commuting in certain cities and areas. However, in overgrown metros like Bangalore, definitely not an easy choice.

[5252rpm]

I tried office commute when I worked at Chennai - Siruseri as I had no major physical activity and gaining weight. But the dust, blazing sun and reckless traffic in OMR made the things worse. Moreover office did not had an option to take a bath as I will be in all sweaty if I try riding from Shollinganallur to Siruseri. Also had to carry my formal office wear too! So eventually dropped the plan. Switched to bike again.

When I started studying here at Pilani, again had to switch back to cycling. I got a Hercules StreetCat for campus commutes. Back to cycle feels so much nostalgic, healthy and refreshing. Its breeze to park, easy to fix and can carry anywhere. This one has no gears, no disc break,no suspension and 100% mechanical, 0% head ache. I love this solid feel!
I am loving this and sincerely wishes to keep cycling as part of my life.

[amarprusty]

Voted Yes

Started cycling in school at Cuttack-Odisha on my Atlas SLR cycle gifted by dad next used rented cycle in engineering college at Berhampur-Odisha got job moved to Delhi-US-UK on projects finally landed in Infosys Bangalore where I met ThunderBolts Cycling Group and restarted city cycling and have been riding since last 10-15 yrs

Now with petrol-diesel price hike 5-10 km rides alone is best on cycle with a carrier and backpack for grocery-fruits-veggie

I switched from a MTB to a Hybrid bike with mudguards and carrier along with led lights and reflectors always wearing a reflective jacket and helmet for safety

Covid lockdown -Work From Home and increasing fuel price has reduced traffic in Bangalore and many companies are going full permanent WFH closing offices