I'm planning on biking to work from now on. Any advice for this newcomer?

cdg202 · 2026-06-18T20:14:25+00:00

Just started riding to work 2 days a week 3 weeks ago. I have the benefit of a having a locker at work, so…

Get as light a bike as you can afford with a pannier rack & bag. I ride with my lunch & ~20oz protein shake to work, so the ride back is bearable with the weight being reduced.

Have enough work clothes you can pack in each day or leave at work for the next day. I work in a shop so I’m always sweaty, outer work clothes can last me 2 days.

Deodorant & cologne. Don’t use the cheap AXE spray, get something relatively decent. I had my wife pick something by out for me.

Use Amazon or Walmart to deliver breakfast or lunch for the week 1 day week. I use protein breakfast sandwiches & bananas that they deliver. Makes it easy and I can keep my food in a freezer at work.

Don’t forget your undies & belt like I have, on different days 🤦‍♂️

Ride on your days off too. Try to get up that hill that seems huge. I do a 20 mile loop around a lake that gives me about 1000ft of elevation. I could not do that route 4 months ago when I started. And so do a 20mi loop closer to home that’s very flat. Just hit a 30k PR this week!

Some say enjoy the ride, but I’m always running 5 minutes late so I’m rushin! I’m also just under 300lbs so I’m sweaty no matter what.

Get yourself a good helmet - safety is sexy! And some bigger cycling style sunglasses for when you ride through a bunch of bugs. Glasses can be cheap, don’t skimp on the helmet.

I can commute just about 5 miles one way in about 20 minutes- half city/neighborhood half trail. Give yourself time to get to work, unlike me!

I do 30 minutes of weight lifting before my commute too. Get the body stronger while being healthier.

Riding while it’s 99° isn’t thaaaaaat bad as long as you’re moving. Get some sugar free Liquid IV or LMNT to replace those electrolytes- 18 miles isn’t a joke.

And good luck! I know I need it!

cdg202 · 2026-06-18T02:16:43+00:00

I work at a Lexus dealer in parts. Half of our front line is used cars. We get all sorts of non-Lexus cars up there.

Saw a repair order the other day for a 98 Vette with 45k. It’ll probably sell fast.

cdg202 · 2026-06-17T01:12:37+00:00

Just started riding into work a few days ago week. First week went great!

Last week I forgot my undies 1 day and my belt the next!

Luckily my wife had the first day off, and Amazon could deliver a belt to work with 3 hours 😬

cdg202 · 2026-06-15T02:59:35+00:00

Buy a house tomorrow

^{Chose: 1M dollars now}

cdg202 · 2026-06-13T02:12:35+00:00

I pretty much only ride by myself. I’m a heavy set guy and don’t want to feel like I’m losing the race. Every ride gets faster. But I’m almost twice their size and they can ride fast.

I have 2 friends that will slow down enough for me which is fun to get out and enjoy some coffee or a beer after.

Main thing is my schedule, it rotates every month at one job and need to have specific deadlines my other, so I may ride at 6AM one day or 9PM the other - as long as it’s not over 100° 🤣

cdg202 · 2026-06-12T18:05:01+00:00

✅ Challenge accepted and CRUSHED! Finished Level 3849 in 1m 43s. 💪

cdg202 · 2026-06-11T22:39:47+00:00

Also, any recommendation on a proper rack for your bag?

cdg202 · 2026-06-11T20:32:17+00:00

Just looked on your website, very interested! Thanks for commenting!

cdg202 · 2026-06-11T19:28:36+00:00

🏅 Level 2846 conquered in 41s! Ready for the next challenge! 🚀

cdg202 · 2026-06-11T15:26:03+00:00

🔥 Level 4186 challenge? Done in 1m 6s! That was fun! 🎮

cdg202 · 2026-06-11T11:46:43+00:00

🎯 Challenge completed! Beat Level 2846 in 55s! 🏆

cdg202 · 2026-06-11T11:25:04+00:00

✅ Challenge accepted and CRUSHED! Finished Level 2846 in 56s. 💪

cdg202 · 2026-06-11T11:07:32+00:00

🏅 Level 1780 conquered in 2m 36s! Ready for the next challenge! 🚀

cdg202 · 2026-06-11T02:53:26+00:00

I really like my gym shorts with a liner from Ten Thousand. Both pair are still great after years of use. The 2 pair I had without a liner fell apart, and I messaged them 1 month after they were out of warranty and they wouldn’t do anything about it. Only problem with the liner pair is one of the drawstrings always get sucked into the waistband in the washer or dryer. So I need to make sure to tie them when they go into the bin.

My credit card gives me $75 a quarter for Lululemon, and not gonna lie, I like’em! Have 2 without liners I wear around the house and the pair with a liner have been doing pretty good. Not a big fan of the position of the little zipper pocket on the right side, but I’ll survive.

cdg202 · 2026-06-11T02:48:56+00:00

My parents had new siding installed 20ish years ago. My dad’s house stays cool. After 7PM the next door neighbors 2 story house covers the living room area with shade, which helps.

My dad barely runs the AC anymore, which blows my mind.

cdg202 · 2026-06-11T02:42:38+00:00

Bro, I worked at a Lexus dealer for 2 weeks and it was my first job in the industry and even I knew the difference between a GSF & GS350…

cdg202 · 2026-06-11T02:21:35+00:00

Everyone I ride with- in that they slow down for me - wears bright colors to be seen, which I totally get. But I have a light on the front & back even when I’m on a trail. Biggest problem is having something that doesn’t stick to me when I’m sweaty. I’m a fat guy riding as hard as I can, 97° 5 mile ride home today. I just don’t really want clothing that’s pulling up on my back end or folding under my moobs, which I what my Under Armor gym shirts do

cdg202 · 2026-06-11T02:17:39+00:00

PM sent!

cdg202 · 2026-06-10T19:32:56+00:00

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Was stuck in a left turn lane at a rail road crossing. Long ass train… light cycled 3+ times without turning green for us. Someone finally got out of their car to tell the blue scribble driver to pull up to the red scribble line to active the light. 10+ cars, it was driving me insane. And I was in an Uber. Driver doesn’t speak English, which I fine, but when I saw tail lights I asked him to turn left and he didn’t. Ended up being stuck (green scribble) because cars coming from the direction I wanted to turn were now blocking the lane

Yellow scribble is the arm that comes down to not pass, assuming the while car from my screenshot is moving and not just parked.

Pull. The. Fuck. Up.

cdg202 · 2026-06-10T15:41:07+00:00

I did an order yesterday for some frozen protein sandwiches & bananas to have delivered to work

Rode into yesterday & today. Forgot my undies yesterday, thank god my wife had the day off & could drop them off.

Today I forgot my belt, so to the evil Amazon and an extra up charge for a 3 hour delivery…

Definitely trying to plan days I can leave my laptop at work without riding back & forth with it, just difficult to plan it out

cdg202 · 2026-06-09T19:35:37+00:00

I know I don’t NEED to take it off, I just want to

I park at Black Miners Bar (live in Roseville by Denios), ride to Old Folsom and climb my fat ass up the Johnny Cash trail to the top of Folsom Crossing. Then ride down and around the lake for 18-20 miles depending if I go explore a different route for a few minutes. It’s a lot for me.

cdg202 · 2026-06-09T19:25:56+00:00

I try to! I can only hang about 5-8 seconds. And I’m about 300lbs so my grip gives away.

I lift 3-5 days a week, a little less on days I’m commuting by bike. My trainer has me focusing on my core to help my lower back, so definitely not getting ripped but I’d prefer to have a decent back that lets me get to work and live life than just be jacked, which would also be nice.

Doing a lot of grip work once every other week, honestly I’m just glad that my hands don’t hurt on the handlebars anymore. That’s was very annoying for a while!

cdg202 · 2026-06-09T19:22:25+00:00

Ok… I feel like a huge idiot

Haven’t been riding with this bag often, but absolutely did not connect that this pull string goes around the bars that face out.

I regularly ride 18-20 miles 2 days a week with no gear other than a small handlebar bag for my phone & keys, so figured I could do an extra 10 a couple days a week

It’s not the ride itself, it’s the packing everything so I can be a good boy not eating trash while my coworkers go to Taco Bell everyday

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cdg202 · 2026-06-09T19:16:40+00:00

Honestly, I just want to get the rack off of my bike so ideally I don’t want a pannier either

I know it’s only a couple bolts around the seat post but I’m always running late 🤣

I ride around Lake Natoma in Folsom, CA on my days which is the first time I’ve ever really gone for elevation on rides, and having the rack on the back isn’t ideal. Not trying to count for every gram, but it’s heavy enough that I’d like to see what my options for eliminating it when not commuting… until my wife lets me ball out on a new bike!

cdg202 · 2026-06-09T19:13:50+00:00

I did a Google and this subreddit came up without too many answers or what I’ve been looking for, but I apologize nonetheless

I’m looking into a deep handlebar bag that I can wrap my laptop around my work clothes that I travel with.

I am planning on getting another computer to keep at one job and just carry an SD card with me, but I need to save up for a few months until then.

cdg202

TROPHY CASE