Commuter of the Month: Cheryl Colbeck

Age: 48
Occupation: Chemical Technician and Purchasing Agent for Hunter College Chemistry Department
T.A. member since: 1979
The impetus to bike commute: When the subway fare jumped to 50 cents I said, "That's enough!"
How long commuting: Since the mid-'70s - first from Brooklyn. Then I moved to Montvale, 27 miles away. I could only keep it up about two or three times a week. And that winter I stopped riding altogether. It was so hard to get going again in the spring - talk about pain! - I'll never take another season off.
Current commute: Englewood, New Jersey, to Hunter College at 69th Street and Lexington Avenue - about 11 miles each way.
Route: Through the mansion district in Englewood, up Route 505 to Hudson Terrace, across the George Washington Bridge and south on Riverside Drive.
Bike: 1980 Zebrakenko 10 Speed. (Never heard of it? Maybe I need a new bike.)
Gear: A rear rack and panniers carry all my stuff: spare tubes, a pump, tire irons, band-aids, a change of clothes for work, and rain gear. My old Bell "mushroom style" helmet is clunky-looking, but keeps the rain out of my face. And Oakley pilot glasses.
Riding in the weather: It can get pretty complicated trying to prepare for the weather because of the temperature difference between NJ and Manhattan. One winter evening, snow was forecast. We didn't get any in Manhattan, and when I got to the GWB it wasn't frozen, so I figured I was home free. As soon as I got to NJ,
everything was covered in white. Right off the bridge on Rte. 505 there's a long steep hill with no shoulder. No traction? No brakes? No space? I ended up walking my
bike most of the way home from there.
Riding style: When I first started hiking I took it easy - a nice slow pace, kind of
meandering along. Then I decided to get involved with some kind of cycling club. I
heard about T.A. and they were the only bicycling group that also was politically
active. So I would go out on these long rides where people were keeping up a pretty high cadence and riding aggressively; e.g., taking a lane when they needed it. It taught me how to ride with traffic. I felt much more confident riding in the city after that.
Worst commuting story: I think it was back in 1984 when the Port Authority tore
up both paths on the GWB so there was no access at all. We had to fight for a shuttle, which we got, but the last one would leave at 7. One day I arrived at 6:45 and waited. No shuttle. I waited some more, but no shuttle. So I went for the roadway - pedaling like mad and hollering. About 2/3 of the way across I realized why the vehicle behind me wasn't honking - it was the shuttle!
Response from co-workers: Whenever there's the least bit of weather they say, "I
can't believe you rode in today!" But if I don't ride for any reason, they start getting
on me: "You wimped out today, huh?"
Parking and Locking: There's no indoor parking at work, so I use a rack outside the building. I'm maniacal with the locks: I padlock everything down and U-Lock my bike with a cable-lock through my pedals. I've had two pairs of handlebars stolen so now I fill the stem's alien bolt with sodder. And I take my front wheel with me.
Advice: If your just starting out, bike with a group or club. You can learn a whole bunch real fast. Also take a bike repair course, especially if you have a longer commute. Hey, also join T.A. They're great!

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