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Comment by baguasquirrel | Hacker News Reader

My my all the hating on bikes here. What gives? Have any of you actually commuted on a decent bike-- not one of the cheap $300 Walmart ones? It's glorious.

Is it wrong for Denmark to impose such a high tax? There's probably better economic means to accomplish the task. But the hating on the bike counter? Now that's just silly.

If you're in SF South Bay, there are plenty of low-traffic roads where you will beat the cars back home and be much, much less stressed out from not needing to jockey in traffic-- at least if you could give up your prejudice for a moment. It also does your burn rate well for those of you doing startups.

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I commute on a bike that's several levels below a cheap $300 Walmart one -- and it's glorious. Every day, I get to work in a better mood than when I left home. I defy anyone who drives to work to make the same claim honestly.

I agree completely -- 5 days ago my bike commute took me through 6 inches of snow. The day after, -25°F (-31.6°C) windchills. Your body gets used to the cold if you bike every day as winter sets in. There really is nothing like putting on the thermal underwear + face mask and pedaling home. Keeps one's spirits up during these short winter days.

If anything, hot summer days are harder. After all, you can always add layers if it gets colder, but public decency suggests that removing layers caps out at shorts and t-shirt.

What are the temperatures like in your area? If I biked to work, at least 6 months out of the year I'd arrive a dripping, sweaty mess.

Northeastern rustbelt city. Hot and muggy in the summer, freezing cold in the winter (it's raining today but last Thursday and Friday were baltic), soggy the rest of the year.

Oh, yeah: and hilly. And there are almost no bike lanes.

So shower when you get to work instead of before leaving for work. Or, don't bike. There is no magical thing that is going to prevent you from sweating.

Indeed. My commute is a critical part of transitioning between home and the office.

When I was in Boston I loved my ~30 minute bike commute. That could be extended if I wanted to take a long way home and see a bit more of the Charles.

I now live in Toronto, a few hundred yards from where I work. I really miss the bike commute. :(

I build myself a fixie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-gear_bicycle) from an old bike last summer and I now always take a longer way home because it's really fun to ride. The bike did cost me under 100 euros :)

While I'd agree about car vs bike, I'd prefer public transporation. On a bus or subway, I can get some pleasure reading done, which I'd rather do.

Incidentally, the City of Vancouver formally ranks the priority of transportation modes in its planning:

1. Walking

2. Cycling

3. Transit

4. Driving

Edit it would be nice if HN supported more than a tiny subset of markdown syntax.

Bike or car, I can only conclude that you enjoy being at work more than being at home. I can't think of a single incentive that would cause me to arrive at work in a better mood than when I left home.

Home is where my "life" is. Work is where... well where I work

I'll take your word for it that biking in California is glorious.

However, biking in the rainy, cold, northern Europe is anything but glorious. Yes, it's very nice in the summer, it's the remaining 9 months that are bad. Let's just say that the overwhelming majority of the people I see biking in Copenhagen don't seem to enjoy it very much. I bet the majority of them would really want a car instead, but chose not to get one because of the very high price due to the extra tax.

Even biking in California can be tough. I gave it up because drivers are so unfriendly and I don't like feeling sweaty when I get to work.

>>biking in the rainy, cold, northern Europe is anything but glorious.

Let us not exaggerate. Biking in northern Europe is OK -- if the roads are ploughed, you have the right clothes and winter tyres (2 * 60 Euro for my bike, shudder. Damn thieves.)

The "right clothes" is admittedly a bit much this week, when it is below minus 10 Celsius. Sigh, maybe I should look for a job down south, in warm and sunny Copenhagen.

>>I bet the majority of them would really want a car instead

I bike because I need the exercise. I won't get a car until I live so I get enough exercise anyway.

I think you have the right idea: if you need an environmental bubble (a car) to get between your larger environmental bubbles (home, work), the problem may not be you, but rather your environment. Live somewhere you could [theoretically] get by without clothing, insulation, or electric heat/AC, and I guarantee you a better life.

I wouldn't call this exaggerated. Biking to work in anything below 0°C isn't what I'd call safe or comfortable. The winter tires available for bikes are ok, but cycling outside in a huge winter suit is everything but.

This wouldn't work in Norway. Only 35% of the population live in the larger cities, I know lots of people who have a 60km (~35 miles) commute. Hell, I even know people who get on a plane daily to go to work.

Denmark is also damn flat, at least compared to Norway, which is more "mountainy", like Switzerland.

It does work in Norway for a lot of people. I used to bike to and from school through most of winter, and most of my friends did the same. If you need a "huge winter suit" you're not dressing properly.

Maybe it won't work for as many people as in Copenhagen, but that doesn't mean it doesn't work and wouldn't work for a lot more people than presently.

Exactly. The second you start moving, a "huge winter suit" will cause you to overheat very quickly.

> If you're in SF South Bay, there are plenty of low-traffic roads where you will beat the cars back home

Yes, there are plenty of low-traffic roads in the South Bay, but how many people can bike faster than cars go on said roads?

$300 for a average bike is not cheap. Even in USA, where in my opinion the bikes are very overpriced.

Yet, if you want top of the line bike $300 is not enough.

I don't know, but any half-decent front wheel (hub, spokes, inner and outer tire) will already set you back at least $50. And there are lots of different other parts on a bike.

Even in the Netherlands where we have a mass market for cheap bicycles they still cost at least €200 (new).

Where do you see hating on bikes?

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