[chibibike]

i found a new route to work from my house today. it's only 7 miles and i noticed some bike paths along the road with the bike symbol on it but it doesn't go all the way, i'd say prolly only half or less has a dedicated bike lane and the rest is just normal road where cars go 30 - 40 mph. It's mostly flat the whole way with very slight ups and downs. I think i'll try to bike it some day but i'd start at like 6:30 am and it's still dark then. I'm thinking it should only take about 30 min or so right?

yesterday I want riding with some friends on this park that has a lot of diff tracks where people bike, walk and jog and I was able to go 25MPH pretty easily and I was on the biggest cog in the front and the 3rd smallest one in the rear. I didn't even try to go faster. i donno if my legs are getting stronger already or if it was the changes I made cause I have a diff angle on my stem and I made my seat a little higher, it feels a lot better now that way but it looks so high when i look at it from the side and when I stop it's not very easy to put my feet down so what I do is just hope in front and stand over the top tube.

 

[LarryM]

I think i'll try to bike it some day but i'd start at like 6:30 am and it's still dark then. I'm thinking it should only take about 30 min or so right?

Try it a couple of times to make sure. It may take a little more if you have a headwind or have to wait for traffic at intersections. If you're riding in the dark, be sure to have a white front light and red rear light plus some reflective material. Some states require a red rear reflector, regardless of other rear lighting. There are a couple of good threads on this site about lighting.

...[snip]... when I stop it's not very easy to put my feet down so what I do is just hope in front and stand over the top tube.

You will have to stand when you stop, but you shouldn't have to hop in front. As you stop, just stand on one pedal, lean the bike over to the other side and put that foot down. E.g., to stop with your right foot down, stand on the left pedal as you stop, lean the bike to the right, and put your right foot on the ground.

 

[SprocketGirl]

i commute 12 miles each way on the road with traffic part of the ride is in a 35mph and part is in a 50. how long it takes depends on weather, how much i want to push myself and how i feel. if i am sick or tired it takes too long, when i feel normal it is way too short of a ride. 7 miles like you are talking about i could do way under half an hour but that is me, i have no clue how long it might take someone else. not trying to be mean, it is just not something that someone can tell you. in the rain with a head wind it may take a while or at least feel like a while.
as for stopping just come to a stop and take one foot off the pedal(as you start riding a lot you won't care which one) and simply use your other foot to push as you step forward and down off the saddle. if you want you can lean to the side but i simply slide forward off the saddle almost like standing to climb but you are placing a foot on the ground and then you are standing on one foot with the other on the pedal in front of your saddle.
if the saddle was too low before you would have been noticeably slower due to efficiency.

 

[Garilia]

I rarely hop off the saddle when stopped. If the frame's a little large, you simply lean the frame to one side kepping one foot on the ground and one on the pedal. That way, with one foot on the pedal, you are ready to go as soon as the traffic signal changes in your favor.

 

[chibibike]

i have my seat pretty high that's why it's hard for me to be stable when i'm stopped.

 

[Garilia]

i have my seat pretty high that's why it's hard for me to be stable when i'm stopped.

I understand. Most people set their seats where they can't stand over them when stopped, so we lean our bikes, and remain on the seat.