"On Business Trip" Episode 10: Between Sunrise and Train Frustration

What motivates bike commuters beyond physical fitness – a snapshot of everyday cycling

To bring our short blog series on bike commuting to a provisional close, we wanted to know why you commute by bicycle and what conditions you face along the way. An analysis of more than 40 responses reveals one thing above all: once people switch to commuting by bike, they love it and almost always stick with it – even when conditions are far from ideal.

📊 The hard facts: Who commutes by bike and how often?

The survey results paint a clear picture:

Most respondents cycle to work three to five days a week. Bike commuting is therefore not an occasional activity, but an established routine. For many, it has clearly become an integral part of their family and professional lives.

As the participants came from the cycling and commuter community – and most of them even describe themselves as passionate cyclists – the results are hardly surprising: many respondents cover between 20 and 40 kilometres per day, while some ride more than 40 kilometres.

The bicycle is therefore not merely a leisure vehicle or a means of transport for short journeys, as politicians often seem to assume. A large proportion of respondents commute by bike throughout the year, while a significant number take a break during rain, snow or icy conditions.

The longer the commuting distance, the more likely people are to occasionally replace the bike with a car or public transport during the working week.

The only clearly negative finding is the limited sense of safety. On average, respondents rated their perceived safety between six and eight out of ten. There is considerable room for improvement here, even though many of you have probably already optimised your cycling routes as much as possible.

❤️ Why people really choose to commute by bike

Based on the findings above, the main reasons for cycling to work are remarkably consistent:

• Enjoyment of cycling
• Mental health and stress relief
• Physical fitness
• Greater reliability compared with cars and public transport

What is particularly interesting is the combination of rational and emotional motivations. Many respondents originally switched to the bicycle because delays and what one participant called “collapsed public transport” had become unbearably frustrating.

They quickly discovered that cycling was not only more enjoyable and healthier, but also significantly more reliable.

One participant summed it up perfectly:

“By commuting by bike, I turned part of my day into quality time that had previously been dominated by irritation and frustration.”

The bicycle does not simply replace another means of transport. For physically active people, it can transform “lost time” into valuable time and improve their overall quality of life.

The best moments: Nature beats infrastructure

Bike commuters enjoy being outdoors, observing their surroundings and using physical activity as a balance to everyday work. The open-ended responses made this particularly clear:

• Sunrises are the absolute classic.
• Encounters with nature – including animals, changing seasons and different weather conditions – and the daily variety are frequently mentioned.
• Several respondents also highlighted the opportunity to reduce work-related stress and arrive home feeling relaxed.

One response perfectly captured this feeling:

“When I arrive home and can no longer remember what I did at work ;)”

It is a moment many regular bike commuters will certainly recognise.

⚠️ What causes frustration: It could be so good, but…

Now we come to a less pleasant subject. Constant appeals for cooperation, consideration and respect for traffic rules do not appear to be reaching many motorised commuters. There is also considerable room for improvement among decision-makers in politics and public administration.

Although commuting distances vary greatly, the biggest problems are unfortunately very similar.

1. 🚗 Drivers

• Insufficient passing distance
• Aggressive behaviour
• Vehicles parked illegally or blocking cycle lanes

2. 🛣️ Cycling infrastructure

• Poorly designed or suddenly ending cycle paths
• Unsafe routing through roadworks
• A patchwork of individual sections instead of a connected cycling network

3. ❄️ Weather and road conditions

• Ice, snow and wet roads
• Inadequate snow and ice clearance

The weather is therefore not the number one source of frustration. Instead, inconsistent transport systems and unsafe cycling infrastructure are the main problems.

This is also reflected in the responses about potential improvements: almost two-thirds of participants would like to see more cycle paths, better-developed cycling routes or other measures that create safer infrastructure.

This impression is reinforced by the fact that respondents whose routes are “largely car-free” give significantly higher safety ratings.

🧠 The most important insight: Control matters more than comfort

This leads to a recurring theme that runs through almost all the responses:

Safety and predictability are more important than convenience.

Many bike commuters are therefore prepared to accept longer or more demanding routes in order to:

• Remain independent
• Arrive reliably and on time
• Avoid unnecessary stress

🏁 Conclusion: Bike commuters are tomorrow’s underestimated majority

This survey confirms what we have always known – or at least suspected:

• Commuting by bike also works over long distances.
• Beautiful and memorable moments occur almost every day.
• Motivation is predominantly intrinsic.
• Safe and reliable cycling infrastructure remains the most important factor.

Or, to put it simply in the words of one participant – words to which we have nothing more to add:

“Take the bike!!”