Cycle commuting- part two

Last month I began commuting by bike for the first time. I blogged about my experience and at the time I was not sure if I would make it a routine thing. Since then I have cycled to work about half a dozen times and have really enjoyed it. This piece is about how I have been getting on with my cycle commuting and to highlight the advantages.

Okay, its not my commuting route and its not me, but I don't have many pictures of the route. This is Paul cycling in the Scottish borders, very close to the border with England

I have noticed that when I finish work I feel excited about the journey home. It is like a mini adventure to jump on my bike and pedal home, whereas taking the bus or walking does not get me this excited.

My confidence in traffic is increasing. Although a large part of my route is off-road, through the Meadows, the green heart of Edinburgh, there is a section in Edinburgh's busy city centre. I feel much more relaxed when tackling this.

It is now dark in the evenings, so my lights have become an essential bit of kit. On my summer cycling trips I rarely make use of my lights, so they have never been used this much before.

Normally my bike is not used between September and March because of the generally poorer weather and shorter days, but cycle commuting has allowed me to extend my "season" into November. Even though my commute is only about 6 miles return it is giving me a regular opportunity to have a bike ride.

I used to be dead against city cycle commuting and was determined to only use my bike for countryside forays where the roads are quiet. I had been afraid of the traffic, but I have discovered that I can cope with it and I am glad that I took the plunge. There are many advantages to using your bike to get to work and I am now a convert.

Advantages of cycle commuting

1. Feeling of excitement. Getting on my bike is something I associate with adventure. I love the feeling of beginning and ending my day with a bike ride.
   
2. Exercise. The muscles in my legs feel good. My heart gets pumping on the uphills. I feel more awake when I arrive to work. Walking the same distance does not provide the same exertion.
3. Fresh air and nature. My route takes me through the Meadows and there is a downhill section where I have the breeze in my face and I can smell the autumn leaves. I can hear songbirds and sometimes there are squirrels foraging on the ground.
4. Faster. My journey by bike takes around 20 minutes, walking almost one hour and the bus can be 30 minutes or more in the rush hour traffic.
5. Less congested than walking on pavements. The cycle lanes in the Meadows are like a cycle superhighway. They don't get built up with a huge number of bikes, so that I am able to maintain a steady speed without needing to slow down for cyclists in front. If I am walking I find the opposite to be true- the paths in the Meadows can be very busy with people moving at different speeds and it is necessary to slow down or change course to pass people.
6. More time on my bike. Instead of only using my bike at the summer and on days off I can potentially use it everyday. The more time I spend on the bike, the happier I am.