# Cycling vs train: pros and cons



## mustang1 (22 Jan 2019)

If I use train, I put on jeans, top, jacket, and go. Oh yeah, and take headphones. Enjoy a movie or audiobook. 

If I use bike, well, there's a whole bunch of stuff that needs to be done. Layer up for clothes to get there, have different set of clothes for return journey, shower at end of journey. Find gloves, need hat, ensure lights are charged. Even if this is done the night before (which it isn't), it's still something that needs to be done. And sometimes, doing all that can become a real flamin' chore.

Benefit of cycling is I get exercise. But to me there is no other benefit. But I don't get any elevated feelings of "wow I feel so set up and ready for work after a nice bike ride" because quite frankly, I don't. I enjoy my work enough that I don't need any exercise in the morning to "set me up for the day".

So what are your pros and cons for cycling vs whatever your alternative transport is?


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## steveindenmark (22 Jan 2019)

If you dont like it dont do it. Just ride when you like.

I like riding my bike. I ride in the sun or in the rain. My commute is 40km a day and I do it most days of the year. I do have a car. Tomorrow I will be in the car as it is - 7 degrees at the moment. 

It keeps me fit and I like riding in nature. But maybe I like because it is not the easy option.


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## Ming the Merciless (22 Jan 2019)

It's quicker
It's cheaper
It's more reliable
It's more consistent
It's healthier
It's good for mental health
I'm more connected with my surroundings
I'm more alert
I'm more awesome.


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## mjr (22 Jan 2019)

The opening post only looks true to me if you live at the train station and so can get there without glove, hat or lights (for me, I have to either cycle or drive to a station - occasionally, a bus is possible but even then, I'll be standing outside at the bus stop and train platform), plus you could reduce the cycling faff by riding a bike with bolted-on lights a little more sedately in street clothes - the riding isn't that much slower and it's still 2x to 3x the speed of walking.

So for me, it's cycling most times, including to the train sometimes.


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## Supersuperleeds (22 Jan 2019)

Pro for cycling: I'm cycling

Con for train: I'm not cycling


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## rossw46 (22 Jan 2019)

Supersuperleeds said:


> Pro for cycling: I'm cycling
> 
> Con for train: I'm not cycling



Very well said, I like that.

My daughter was born 7 months ago, so my cycling has been severely cut down since, but now she's sleeping better, I've hit the cycling hard again, commuting in zero or lower, in the light and darkness, I feel so much happier, sticking it to all the people in the massive queues in their boxes, and the same to all of them in the sardine can that runs on rails, which is often delayed, or cancelled.


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## chriswoody (22 Jan 2019)

I cycle to the train station, fold the bike up and relax for 25 mins. Then at the other end, unfold the bike and ride to work. Overall it's too far to ride and the train/bike combination is perfect for me. 

However, I also live in Germany where we have double decker trains and the bike carriage is literally the entire lower deck of one carriage, though in summer it can get insufferably packed.


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## Drago (22 Jan 2019)

Cleaning and oiling the chain on an Inter City 125 takes weeks!


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## Andy in Germany (22 Jan 2019)

I like cycling and I am a train nerd so I also like riding on trains.

German trains generally have good cycling provision and it is increasingly free.

I am a very happy camper.


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## classic33 (22 Jan 2019)

No travellng time, allowing for late/missed services(bus or train). Used to allow for one of each missing.

Cycling got the same trip, start and finish points, done quicker. With normally only myself to blame. No time allowance for missed/late runners. Had a bit of fun in the process.


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## kevin_cambs_uk (22 Jan 2019)

Drago said:


> Cleaning and oiling the chain on an Inter City 125 takes weeks!




Lol!

Nice one chief!


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## kevin_cambs_uk (22 Jan 2019)

Money
I hate wasting money going to work when bus or car only saves About 10 minutes

I say to people at work , would you pay 7 quid to save 10 minutes to which there is a silence


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## Thomson (22 Jan 2019)

True. I cycle in all weathers as I took a pay cut to change jobs closer too home. 20 miles to under 3. If it’s really bad or something ok I get picked up but that not very often. It means whatever wage I do make it’s mine. I grudged paying £2.70 on a bus once. So for me cycling was purely for saving money.


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## mustang1 (23 Jan 2019)

Supersuperleeds said:


> Pro for cycling: I'm cycling
> 
> Con for train: I'm not cycling


That's excellent!


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## smutchin (23 Jan 2019)

mjr said:


> The opening post only looks true to me if you live at the train station and so can get there without glove, hat or lights



Quite. My commute is too far to cycle do train us the only option. But I live about 6km from my home station so I usually cycle there, which I do in normal clothes and generally without breaking sweat (except on the days when I’m late setting off so need to hurry).

If my commute were <20km, it would be a no-brainer - a nice sensible bike with mudguards, dynamo lighting and rack, ridden in the clothes I intend to stay in for the day, at a moderate pace.


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## Sharky (23 Jan 2019)

When I was commuting into London, 
- I would treat my ride as training for a race, but on some mornings, I would be racing for a train.


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## ianrauk (23 Jan 2019)

The pros of getting a train......
It reminds me how crap public transport is and how much better it is cycling.


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## rivers (23 Jan 2019)

Cycling: Get up, put on cycling stuff, shove clothes and laptop into backpack, head out the door. Approximately 50-60 minutes later, arrive at work. Cost: £0 (as long as I stop buying bikes)
Train: Get up, get dressed, shove laptop into backpack, walk to bus stop, wait for bus. Get off bus, walk to train station, take train to Bath, get on bus other end. Approximately 40-60 minutes later, arrive at work. Cost £12ish.
Bus: Get up 30 minutes early, get dressed, shove laptop into backpack, walk to bus stop, wait for bus #1. Get off bus, wait for bus #2. Get off bus, wait for bus #3 or walk last mile to work. Approximately 60-120 minutes later, arrive at work. Cost £4.20
Motorbike: Get up, get dressed, put on motorbike kit, shove laptop into backpack, get motorbike out of the back garden, ride to work, potentially freeze. Approximately 45 minutes later arrive at work. Cost: £3ish?
Car: Get up super early, get dressed, shove laptop in backpack, head out the door 2 hours before needing to be at work so I don't get caught in horrendous traffic and get a parking spot so I don't have to park in the overflow car park and get a bus to work (therefore adding 60 minutes+ to my day). Approximately 30-60 minutes later arrive at work and walk 10-20 minutes to the office depending where I get a parking spot. Cost: £5/day plus £15/month for a parking permit.

I enjoy the ride to work, even in the cold. It allows me to clear my head and it keeps my mind from running a mile a minute.


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## clf (23 Jan 2019)

Cycling pros: 
Consistent journey time
Cheap
Healthy
Better for the environment
Not in an enclosed area suffering someone elses farts, BO, diseases or the odour of last nights food and drink consumption.

Public transport pros:


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## mjr (23 Jan 2019)

clf said:


> Public transport pros:


Faster over long distances. I can get to Cambridge in a bit over an hour (train) or Norwich in a bit under two (express bus), whereas cycling the whole way to either would take over four. 

Also, it doesn't depend on my physical condition. As long as I can get to the nearest stop 100m away, although that does mean connections so higher costs and longer/limited times (we don't have through ticketing and the express buses don't accept the local smartcard) so I'd usually cycle to the nearest express stop 2-3 miles away.

That's all I've got, though.


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## Bazzer (23 Jan 2019)

Train - No bus is available to get me to a train station, so it's a 2 1/2 miles walk to the nearest one, or I have to pay for parking. And with being on a Northern Fail route with Trans Pennine Express as an occasional option, the service is (even with a railcard) expensive, unreliable, crap. Then a walk of little over a mile at the other end. If I bike train bike, then I have to leave work early to make sure I can get my bike on the train, because bike space is so limited and at the times I would prefer to travel home, is usually taken up with passengers playing sardines because there are insufficient carriages.
Bike gets me in half and hour earlier than the first train, although I do leave half an hour earlier than I would have to do if travelling by train. I can leave work when I want and am largely the master of my own destiny, although I do prefer to avoid peak time as my journey has probably less than 2 miles (out of 17) of dedicated cycle lanes or shared use paths.
But if I get the timing right for an express train and it runs on time, the train going home is quicker than by bike, even with walking from the station.
I love riding in the dark which is probably 6 months of the year for the time I leave and riding gives me time, at least in my head, to put the world to rights.
My main downside to commuting is being hungry.


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## MichaelW2 (23 Jan 2019)

What distance is your commute.
How far are work and home from the station.


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## mustang1 (23 Jan 2019)

Drago said:


> Cleaning and oiling the chain on an Inter City 125 takes weeks!



Mickle method


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## mustang1 (23 Jan 2019)

classic33 said:


> No travellng time, allowing for late/missed services(bus or train). Used to allow for one of each missing.
> 
> Cycling got the same trip, start and finish points, done quicker. With normally only myself to blame. No time allowance for missed/late runners. Had a bit of fun in the process.



So that's another thing. If I am ever late to Mrs Mustang's events, if I use the train and am late, at least I can blame the train. If I were on the bike, it's all down to me .


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## mjr (23 Jan 2019)

mustang1 said:


> So that's another thing. If I am ever late to Mrs Mustang's events, if I use the train and am late, at least I can blame the train. If I were on the bike, it's all down to me .


Not really IMO: you can blame the traffic like motorists do, or you can blame the headwind or a puncture... best if it's actually true. Better if you allow enough time for them


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## icowden (23 Jan 2019)

Also, you don't *have* to go the full sea slug to cycle. Wear a normal T-shirt, cycling jacket, and your favourite shorts. Keep trousers / suit and work shoes at work. Roll your work shirt and pants and stick them in the rucksack with your lunch and you are ready to go!

Like a lot of people, I do a bike / train combo (although when the weather warms up a bit I'm going to try and bully myself into doing a full 20 mile cycle from London Bridge to Walton.


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## mustang1 (23 Jan 2019)

Dogtrousers said:


> Not really a simple comparison because as so many people have shown it depends on many things. Do you live near the station? Is it an easy journey or do you have to change? What is the traffic like on your cycling commute? How far?
> 
> I'm afraid the London traffic defeated me last time I tried commuting and I reverted to the train.
> 
> I may give it another go sometime.



Easy journey on train. About 45 minutes .
Car 1h.
Bike 1.25h including shower time.


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## palinurus (23 Jan 2019)

If the station was anywhere near where I work I'd definitely get the train more often. It isn't though, once I rode to the station on my Brompton, got the train (it takes a matter of minutes to get to the town I work in), what with the short wait at the station and the long-ish- rather uphill- ride from the station at the other end it saved no time over riding the whole way. Slow and steady does it.


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## ukoldschool (24 Jan 2019)

You could do both - get a folder, cycle to the station, and then cycle to work the other end. Its a compromise, but it keeps fitness levels up and saves money paying for parking at the station.
Pro's - no real need to shower at the end of your journey, get to sit (stand for me...) in comfort for the majority of the way, I particularly enjoy my cup of tea & kindle 
Cons - you obviously don't do as many miles, and the miles you do are like a full on sprint race, or at least they are for me to make sure I get the 7.48 and the 5.13


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## smutchin (24 Jan 2019)

ukoldschool said:


> saves money paying for parking at the station.



Just did a quick calculation and worked out that it would take about 16 months of not paying daily parking charges* at my home station to offset the cost of a new Brompton (S2L Black Edition being my preferred benchmark model).

Of course, that doesn't factor in the other associated costs of car ownership (fuel, depreciation, servicing etc) which you are also reducing by not using it every day to drive to the station, or the fact that there are many cheaper folding bikes available, both of which would significantly reduce the payback period.

Also doesn't factor in the tax savings of making the bike purchase through a C2W scheme, which would reduce it even further.

Also doesn't factor in days when you need to use the car rather than the bike for whatever reason (injury, too much stuff to carry, make up your own reasons, but be realistic and admit that you will take the car occasionally).

All in all, it's not quite as simple as saying you save the parking charges but the economics are still very much in favour of cycling to the station rather than driving.

*£3.15 daily; calculation assumes 5 days a week for 47 weeks a year = £740 a year, hence 1.35 years to offset the Brompton


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## mjr (24 Jan 2019)

smutchin said:


> Just did a quick calculation and worked out that it would take about 16 months of not paying daily parking charges* at my home station to offset the cost of a new Brompton (S2L Black Edition being my preferred benchmark model).
> 
> Of course, that doesn't factor in the other associated costs of car ownership (fuel, depreciation, servicing etc) [...]
> *£3.15 daily; calculation assumes 5 days a week for 47 weeks a year = £740 a year, hence 1.35 years to offset the Brompton


That's surprisingly cheap to me. Now £5.70/day in King's Lynn, although season tickets are available if you do it daily - but at first glance they don't look much cheaper if you go 5 days a week. https://uk.parkindigo.com/en/car-park/kings-lynn-station-car-park


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## smutchin (24 Jan 2019)

mjr said:


> That's surprisingly cheap to me.



Yes, and to me too. I initially guessed at £6 but thought I'd better check for the sake of accuracy.

£3.15 is actually for the 'unofficial' station car park (the council-run one on the down side), the official station car park (on the up side) is £3.60 per day or £16.60 per week. On-street parking is also unrestricted around the station but you have to get there before 6.30 to find a space. I would be very much in favour of the council slapping down some double yellow lines in the worst affected streets but that would only serve to outrage the tiny-minded locals even further (very few houses in the residential streets near the station have off-street parking).

Of course, if your daily parking charges are in the region of £5-6, that just makes the case for cycling even stronger.


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Jan 2019)

mustang1 said:


> Easy journey on train. About 45 minutes .
> Car 1h.
> Bike 1.25h including shower time.



Yeah what is it about car drivers sitting in their commute sweat all day at work?


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## mustang1 (25 Jan 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> Yeah what is it about car drivers sitting in their commute sweat all day at work?



Err I don't get it?


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## EltonFrog (25 Jan 2019)

Trains are useless. All they do is take from where you don’t live to where you don’t want to go. 

They should abolish the railway network and brownfill the real estate for housing and work places, and make all the railway lines cycle paths.


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## mjr (25 Jan 2019)

mustang1 said:


> Err I don't get it?


Only the cyclist in the examples mentioned showers and - especially in summer - plenty of motorists definitely look hot and bothered going nowhere in what are effectively mobile greenhouses. Trains can also get pretty unpleasant,depending what yyou're on and how overcrowded it is.


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## Grievesy (26 Jan 2019)

in my old job, I could cycle the commute of 10 miles in 30 mins, it took me 40-45 mins to commute by car as it was rush hour (this is using the same roads)
in my current job, it is 5 miles of mainly cycle paths, it takes 5 mins longer to cycle than it does to drive, but I don't get to see no Rabbits or foxes on my drive :P

When I got to my work on the bike I felt energized, alert, happier, ready for the day, had more thinking time and hungry. (could eat more!)
When I took the car I was frustrated about traffic, annoyed at other drivers, and generally get into work all hot and bothered.

Generally I feel sometimes it's better to slow down to appreciate things more. gives you more perspective.

Never done trains, but in my experience they are late, cancelled, overcrowded and full of ignorant people staring at phone screens or headphones blaring.

Should also note, I am a typical tight fisted jock, I'd rather use the works showers and towels  saves more coin.


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## HLaB (26 Jan 2019)

Another factor for me is flexibility. If Im on the bike I can leave any time but with the trains I'm tied by their timetable which is pretty poor.
Plus the train is always rammed too.


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## Ming the Merciless (26 Jan 2019)

HLaB said:


> Another factor for me is flexibility. If Im on the bike I can leave any time but with the trains I'm tied by their timetable which is pretty poor.
> Plus the train is always rammed too.



I had that when my commute involved train and bike. An extra 10 mins at work and I would be home an hour later. Colleagues who,drove did not get it. I was protective of the time I got away by.


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## mjr (26 Jan 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> I had that when my commute involved train and bike. An extra 10 mins at work and I would be home an hour later. Colleagues who,drove did not get it. I was protective of the time I got away by.


Funny because when I drove to work for a few years, if I was an extra 10 mins then I might as well work an extra hour (yay flexitime meant it was an hour less some other day) as sit in all the queues. Similarly in the mornings, I could leave home at 7 and arrive at 8, or leave at 7.30 and arrive at 9 if lucky  Cycle journey times are far more consistent, even with headwinds whipping off the north sea!


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## icowden (28 Jan 2019)

But if you have a longer journey and a folder, you still gain some flexibility. For example when I see the dreaded "DELAYED" on every train going to my usual station, I can get a train that goes vaguely near where I live and cycle back from there.


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## beany_bot (30 Jan 2019)

I can't actually think of a single benefit of the train. Being lazy doesnt count, being able to work doesnt count because thats not good for mental health (working on the way to work). cycling is good switching off time for the mind. 

I'll grant you that in the winter it is a bit of a faff getting ready to cycle, but its only minutes.


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## icowden (30 Jan 2019)

The benefit of the train is that if you have a very long journey, you can get to work!

My journey by bike would be 24 miles, which is too much for me to do twice a day (although i am thinking of trying it as an occasional cycle). So instead I cycle 1.5 miles to the station, fold the bike, get the train, cycle 1.5 miles to work and the same going home.

The bonus of the bike is that when the trains are broken I have alternative routes that I can use and just cycle a few extra miles home.


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## booze and cake (30 Jan 2019)

Cycling pluses:
Cheaper
More enjoyable
More reliable
No timetable/hours of service
Usually quicker, around London definitely, longer journeys less so.
Learn more and see more of your surroundings
Potential to explore and do off the cuff detours
Positive mental health and buzzy exercise endorphins
Legs and buns of steel, and I'm less fat than I otherwise would be.
The great British public can be easily ignored/avoided if you wish.
Cyclists are mostly awesome and look out for each other, its like being in a club, even if you're not in a cycling club

Cycling cons;
Selecting the wrong clothing choices for the weather that happens can result in getting soaked and cold.
Form attachments to bikes so I don't want to sell them, resulting in much less space in my flat for other things
The expense of keeping multiple bikes on the road
eBay addiction, to try and reduce costs of the above
Can't buy trousers online, need to try them on first-see legs and buns of steel point listed earlier.
Lemming peds on phones and drivers on phones with a total disregard for their safety and yours
Crashing, it usually always hurts, and recovery takes longer the older you get
Bike thieves and indifference to bike crime as its low level. And related the sad fact any nice bike cannot be locked outside in London in confidence that it and/or its parts will still be there when you get back, even with good locks.
Cycling long distance makes you seem a weirdo to some people, I'm too old to care about this and I think couch potatoes are the weird ones

Trains pros
I can cover more than 200 miles in a day, if the trains actually work.
Less care needed with clothing choices and weather checking
If your bike is broken and you have no car or other means of transport, then the train is an option.
Nothing else

Train cons
Expensive, prices vary hugely across operators and certain times/dates
Unreliable, the longest list of excuses for poor service known to mankind!
Pathetic amount of cycle spaces on most trains
Utterly disjointed service since privatisation
Some operators you cannot reserve a bike space online
The great British public are on it, erggh.
If you're on a Virgin train the whole carriage which contains the toilet stinks of urine.
The food is awful and is a rip off

In summary bikes rock and trains suck.


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## icowden (30 Jan 2019)

But when used together they can also be pretty good...
(and if you have a folder you don't need a bike space)


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## confusedcyclist (7 Feb 2019)

kevin_cambs_uk said:


> Money
> I hate wasting money going to work when bus or car only saves About 10 minutes
> 
> I say to people at work , would you pay 7 quid to save 10 minutes to which there is a silence


Truth is, not many people have ever sat down to consider the true costs of motoring. Other's only look at the cost of fuel. There is a whole host of hidden costs, (poor health, air quality, taxation and spending on roads etc etc). Truth is, most people don't think. Full stop.


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## united4ever (15 Feb 2019)

for me the tram is overcrowded - standing room only with not much personal space so not much good for watching a movie or reading in comfort. plus people sniffing and sneezing all around. plus the cost. bike wins on almost every criteria.


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## al78 (20 Feb 2019)

beany_bot said:


> I can't actually think of a single benefit of the train.



I'm sure you can if you can be bothered to think about it. Some immediate ones come to mind:

1. Sitting on a train is more pleasant in poor weather conditions.
2. Using a train saves on personal energy, meaning no danger of feeling wiped out after a 30+ mile round trip.
3. Using a train is safer in icy conditions.
4. Using a train is quicker (much of the time).
5. Using a train means less dealing with smart-phone-dumb-users.
6. A train is feasible for some journeys that are impractical by bicycle.

YMMV, a lot depends on how good your local rail services are.


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## al78 (20 Feb 2019)

confusedcyclist said:


> Truth is, not many people have ever sat down to consider the true costs of motoring. Other's only look at the cost of fuel. There is a whole host of hidden costs, (poor health, air quality, taxation and spending on roads etc etc). Truth is, most people don't think. Full stop.



Well yes, people don't think about costs of driving that are outside the field of vision, or externalised, any more than people think about the environmental costs of flying abroad on holiday, or eating a nice juicy steak.


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## classic33 (20 Feb 2019)

al78 said:


> Well yes, people don't think about costs of driving that are outside the field of vision, or externalised, any more than people think about the environmental costs of flying abroad on holiday, or eating a nice juicy steak.


Bought half a cow for less than £40. Steak an all.


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## Svendo (20 Feb 2019)

I commute by bike all year round through snow and ice and sun(?!). 9-20miles depending on time and weather. I drive in maybe twice a year on average due to illness or other commitments.
When I did use the bus/train as I’d broken my arm I did have time to read a lot more than I otherwise do. I also got fat and grumpy.


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## Ming the Merciless (20 Feb 2019)

al78 said:


> I'm sure you can if you can be bothered to think about it. Some immediate ones come to mind:
> 
> 1. Sitting on a train is more pleasant in poor weather conditions.
> 2. Using a train saves on personal energy, meaning no danger of feeling wiped out after a 30+ mile round trip.
> ...



It takes me 45 mins to walk to the nearest station. Plus of course I will need to get there a few minutes early so I do not miss the train. It then takes 35 minutes the other end to walk to place of work. I can cycle from home to work in 45 mins. Using the train would take significantly longer all of the time.


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## MrGrumpy (19 Mar 2019)

Train can be convenient and quicker for me but its expensive and the service is god awful. I bring you Scotrail run by a Dutch company Abellio who are totally screwing the life out of the service....... Hence its an absolute last resort to get the train and I mean the last resort !!!!


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## Brandane (19 Mar 2019)

Pros.....
1. Train is warm and dry.

Cons......
1. Train only runs once per hour from my local station.
2. It costs more than cycling.
3. Work is only 1 mile from home, so to take a train would involve over-shooting work by about 3 miles and having to backtrack. Which I suppose makes it a bit of a no-brainer!


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## al78 (17 May 2019)

confusedcyclist said:


> Truth is, not many people have ever sat down to consider the true costs of motoring. Other's only look at the cost of fuel. There is a whole host of hidden costs, (poor health, air quality, taxation and spending on roads etc etc). Truth is, most people don't think. Full stop.



That is right, people don't look at externalised costs, they only see tangible costs, because that is what is in their field of vision. It is common to all aspects of living, not just transport. People don't think about the externalised costs when they buy cheap clothes from supermarkets (how do you think they can sell clothes that cheap if someone else somewhere isn't chipping in).


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## al78 (17 May 2019)

Assuming we are talking about journeys where both modes of transport are practical:

Pros of train: faster if the journey is direct, more comfortable outside rush-hour with rammed full trains, conserves personal energy and effort to do other things.
Cons of train: Can be slower on certain journeys which require changing trains and are indirect (e.g. Horsham to Haywards Heath). Disruption can make the journey frustrating. Some members of the public are thoughtless knob heads.

Pros of cycling: Exercise, fresh air; little cost; door to door; sometimes feel good after the ride.
Cons of cycling: Vulnerability extenalised onto me by motor vehicles; a grind in poor weather or constant headwind; often takes longer; sodding traffic lights that go amber-red when I am 50 meters away, then have a bloody long red phase by which time I have a convoy behind me that all must overtake the cyclist before the next light goes red; sometimes have an energy slump afterwards from double figure mileage.


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## MichaelW2 (20 May 2019)

mustang1 said:


> If I use train, I put on jeans, top, jacket, and go. Oh yeah, and take headphones. Enjoy a movie or audiobook.
> 
> If I use bike, well, there's a whole bunch of stuff that needs to be done. Layer up for clothes to get there, have different set of clothes for return journey, shower at end of journey. Find gloves, need hat, ensure lights are charged. Even if this is done the night before (which it isn't), it's still something that needs to be done. And sometimes, doing all that can become a real flamin' chore.
> 
> ...



Most commuter cyclists enjoy the exercise and fresh air. The duration of a cycle commute is always the same +-30seconds, if you invest in quality commuting tyres.
My London commute used to take 50mins -+ 20 mins by underground and 50mins +- 30 secs by bike.
Cyclists can stop off at the supermarket, load up panniers with some midweek essentials and be on their way with minimal disruption.

It is true that cyclists like to shower. Drivers and train passengers never need to waste time showering, ever. At the end of a crowded commuter journey in a heatwave, with delays, most rail passengers are relaxed and fresh as a daisy.

Personally, I shower in the morning, ride 5 miles to work at a steady pace without sweat and head to my desk without the need for any cool down.


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## mjr (21 May 2019)

MichaelW2 said:


> Drivers and train passengers never need to waste time showering, ever. At the end of a crowded commuter journey in a heatwave, with delays, most rail passengers are relaxed and fresh as a daisy.


Oi, your sarcasm has dripped on the floor and you should wipe it up before it leaves a stain!


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## Ming the Merciless (21 May 2019)

al78 said:


> I'm sure you can if you can be bothered to think about it. Some immediate ones come to mind:
> 1. Sitting on a train is more pleasant in poor weather conditions.



Nope still prefer being out in the weather on the bike than squeezed into a crowded commuter train.


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## RichK (28 May 2019)

Train is marginally faster for me (we bought this house based on it's proximity to the station). Service is regular but still standing room only at peak periods. Train has had extended periods of being unreliable (part of why I moved to cycling). Cycling is less expensive, more fun & better for body & mind.


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