Position is everything.
Before talking about distance, speed, or stamina — posture first.
If the seatpost height is off by even a little, your lower back will complain.
Saddle tilt matters too. It can't be arbitrary.
Too tilted forward? Less pedaling power.
Too tilted down? Well, uncomfortable in a certain area — if you know what I mean.
City bike vs road bike.
I've tried both on this 12 km route.
City bike? Most comfortable on the body.
But slow.
Road bike? This is my Wimcycle Nitro 700C — the bike I've had since middle school.
The difference is significant.
More leaned forward, arms take some of the load — maybe around 10% shifts there.
I don't know how to measure that scientifically, but that's what it feels like.
Legs are fine.
Sore? Yes.
But within a normal range.
Not the kind of sore that leaves you drained all day.
What I was actually worried about wasn't my legs.
My testicles.
Haha, yes, seriously.
Turns out it's fine, as long as you wear shorts that are loose in the middle.
Don't wear tight ones. Trust me.
Helmet and lights, non-negotiable.
Helmet first.
I hesitated for a moment about appearances.
But — one head.
So the helmet stays.
Same with lights.
I leave early in the morning, when it's still dark or just barely light.
White light in front, red light in the back.
Both on flashing mode.
Why flashing? I think other vehicles are more alert when something is moving and blinking.
Easier to catch with the eye than a static light.
Whether that's scientifically true or not, I feel more confident on the road with that mode.
When I arrive at the office, I charge both of them immediately.
My work desk has an outlet connected directly to the monitor — Type-C and Type-B ports if I remember correctly — so I just plug them in and that's it.
Ready for the ride home.
Two of my most embarrassing moments.
First, the chain got stuck in the rear derailleur.
At a red light. On a hill, no less.
I was shifting to a lighter gear while climbing toward the red light, and the chain slipped right into the spokes.
Completely stuck.
Hands covered in oil and dirt, but I left it until I got to the office to clean up.
Second, a plastic bag full of bananas.
I hung it on the rear rack, thought it was safe.
But as the bike swayed, the swinging slowly worked the bag into the spokes.
Bag torn.
Wheels spin up, bananas fly.
Survivors: 2 out of 4.
50% survival rate. Not bad, honestly.
The fix that made the biggest difference.
The hissing sound between the brake pads and the rim finally disappeared.
Before, it was like I was braking the whole time without realizing it.
Once fixed, the bike felt so much lighter.
A small thing, but a big effect.
About the clothes.
I have 3 work shirts made from something like athletic fabric.
Lightweight — when I hold them they feel thin and slightly slick.
I don't know what the fabric is called, but it helps a lot.
Travel time.
About 40 minutes.
Strangely, the commute to work is faster than the ride home.
Because my house is at a higher elevation than the office.
Home = uphill.
About pollution.
Leaving in the morning, roads are quiet, minimal pollution.
Morning air in Bali is still fresh — sometimes you can even smell incense from yards where people have just set out their offerings.
Leaving work early is the same — avoiding the after-office rush.
Both easy on the nose.
Showering and changing clothes.
Work shirt, pants, and underwear I carry in my bag.
Soap, lotion, and perfume I've kept at the office since the start.
There's a bathroom, a drying rack, even an exhaust fan.
So wet clothes dry pretty quickly.
The clothes I wore on the way there, I wear again on the way back.
Gross? Maybe to some people.
But they're dry by then.
Just a faint smell of sweat. Ha.
Maybe next time I'll try going home in my work clothes instead.
Not sure yet. Undecided.
About carrying things.
At first I used a backpack.
Two downsides: both my back and the bag would get soaked with sweat, and my shoulders got tired fast if the bag was heavy.
Solution: rear rack.
I bought a universal one that comes with cargo straps.
Now I use a regular zippered tote bag, place it on the rack, then loop the cargo strap over the top to clamp it down.
Not tied down tight, but secure enough for a 12 km trip.
Back free, shoulders relieved.
Way more comfortable.
About the banana incident? That was before the cargo strap era.
Now I'm more paranoid, so more careful.
Oh — I leave my laptop at the office.
I go in every day, so I can do that.
Not brave enough to put a laptop on the rear rack with just a cargo strap.
If I need to bring a laptop, I'd probably need pannier bags.
The kind that hang on the side of the rack, not on top.
More secure, more stable.
But I'm not there yet. Later.
Closing.
Trial and error.
That's the core of it.
Nothing is perfect from day one.
And if something goes wrong mid-ride? There's always Gojek.
That safety net is what gives me the courage to keep trying.
At first I was a bit self-conscious.
Felt like people were watching me on the road, at red lights, in the office parking lot.
But then I realized — they forget in seconds.
People are busy with their own lives.
Now? Happy.
I prefer calling it commuting rather than exercising.
Because the actual goal is to get to the office, not to a gym.
But the bonus is a healthier heart. I'll take it.
And the thing I love most?
People's reactions when they find out I bike 24 km round-trip every day.
Shocked.
Sometimes disbelieving.
Even though I'm still learning too.
But it does feel pretty cool. Ha.