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Liquid Knight
Original Poster
10,526 posts
52 months
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So I had a bright idea, I would cycle to work every day unless it's unsafe due to fog. I hadn't counted on gale force winds, falling trees and driving rain until April. I am going to be in for a shock in the morning.  I'll let you know if and how I make it.
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RRS_Staffs
648 posts
48 months
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Just got in after a horrific ride through horizontal rain and wind
I was dressed for the season however forgot my glasses - big mistake
Id like to confirm 5km with one hand in front of your face is not recommended
Its the bike again tomorrow though, I'll just be wearing specs
Cheers
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Liquid Knight
Original Poster
10,526 posts
52 months
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Thanks for that I'll wear my grinding goggles in the morning. Rain is scheduled to hit at the exact time I need to set off.  
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Original Poster
5,036 posts
45 months
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Cycling in the rain really isn't much fun at all unfortunately, I've been caught out a few times.
Even the cycling glasses I wear don't help that much.
Good luck!
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Liquid Knight
Original Poster
10,526 posts
52 months
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Tailwind on the way home so hopefully I'll crack twenty eight minutes to cover the 11.5 miles. 
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Liquid Knight
Original Poster
10,526 posts
52 months
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Gave myself an hour and a half to get to work. For the first four miles sections of road were flooded, branches and wheelie bins blown over everywhere, on exposed areas the wind was so strong my tyre would lose grip, my face has been mediablasted with rain; then got to this...  ..and thought sod it, reported the road hazard to the Police non-emergency number, blocked the road further back with some stray cones, went home had a shower and got to work in dads car. It took me thirty-eight minutes to get there and eleven to get back. As I said before I wasn't expecting this kind of weather until April and thought I'd be back on form enough to deal with it then. Now though I'm nowhere near as fit as I should be. I failed today but I'll be back on the saddle tomorrow.  I think I can edit my resolution a bit to include dangerous weather in general instead of just fog.
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Liquid Knight
Original Poster
10,526 posts
52 months
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What a difference a day makes....  ....made it.  A bit icy in places but at lest the wind had dropped to a reasonable level.
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Liquid Knight
Original Poster
10,526 posts
52 months
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Week one.  Add another forteen to that for the journey home. Average speed to work 12.3mph Average speed home from work 16.4mph Best time to work 42 minutes Best time home from work 38 minutes I don't think I'll bother M.O.T-ing the Rover now as it's virtually Summer. 
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Rob_T
1,391 posts
120 months
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Good for you. Keep it up! I started commuting on the 7 sept last year. It quickly just becomes part of the routine and you don't think about it. Helps though that it is mild!
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Liquid Knight
Original Poster
10,526 posts
52 months
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I've still got the knobblies in case the weather turns. I always used to get to work quicker on my bike in the snow than anyone else in a car.  Oh I think only 115 of those miles are this week I haven't worked out how to reset the computer yet. 
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TonyHetherington
30,907 posts
119 months
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I was commuting a lot last year by bike, but my resolution to myself was that the only time I wouldn't ride is if it was frosty - there would be no other excuse for not riding, be it ill, weather etc. So, exactly as you, first day back, 25mph winds!!! At one point it started hailing, sideways at me so my face and knees (I was in shorts) were getting shot blasted and i couldn't ride hard enough to keep going forwards. Had to find shelter at one point for 5/6mins because it was so very windy, but made it eventually and was glad I did 
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Rocksteadyeddie
6,662 posts
96 months
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The weather so far has been pretty rule#5. At least it hasn't been cold though! Makes it all the easier come the spring!
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TonyHetherington
30,907 posts
119 months
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Indeed - I always used to think that rain was horrid, but no - it's real, real cold that I hate. Everything else I put up with but the cold makes my lungs REALLY hurt.
The only reason I don't think I'll do it when frosty is just the fear of falling because it's SO very slippery.
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Liquid Knight
Original Poster
10,526 posts
52 months
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I don't mind the cold or ice (Canadian former Ice Hockey player so I'm more used to it I guess) but fog is litterally a killer. To make up for my driving to work I used to run betweem three and twelve miles before or after work. In fog you may as well be invisible. I've only had to ride my bike a few times in fog when I worked nights. Three lights on the back, hi-viz and reflective trousers, jacket and bag with hi-viz reflective tape over my helmet and I would still get cars braking heavilly to avoid me. "S.M.I.D.S.Y due to fog mate; you shouldn't be on the road".  It wasn't so bad as my old job had paths and cycle lanes when the weather was rough I could pretty well get out of the way but it's all either country lanes or "A" road to where I work now. Not worth the risk.
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Chilliman
3,425 posts
30 months
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RRS_Staffs said: Its the bike again tomorrow though, I'll just be wearing specsCheers That was on the 4th....... guess he must have got arrested......... 
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Liquid Knight
Original Poster
10,526 posts
52 months
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Chilliman said: RRS_Staffs said: Its the bike again tomorrow though, I'll just be wearing specsCheers That was on the 4th....... guess he must have got arrested.........  Isn't there some law that states the exposue is not a criminal act so long as nobody complains about it?
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Liquid Knight
Original Poster
10,526 posts
52 months
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-4 when I set off this morning. :-) Brilliant, felt right at home. Only thing was on untreated roads cars would be creeping along and drivers got upset when I passed them. ;-)
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Liquid Knight
Original Poster
10,526 posts
52 months
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Left work later than usual due to my collegue arrive half an hour late. Saturday night traffic, patchy mist and hovering between 0 and -2 loved it. Looking forward to the morning. 
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Liquid Knight
Original Poster
10,526 posts
52 months
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-2 and icy roads. Bliss.  I hope last weeks heat wave was a flash in the pan.
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yellowjack
1,225 posts
35 months
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Liquid Knight said: Isn't there some law that states the exposue is not a criminal act so long as nobody complains about it? It's not an offence to be naked in a public place, put if you "outrage public decency" you may be arrested, or reported for that offence. Don't ask me how I know. I didn't do it, nobody saw me do it, you can't prove anything  In response to the OP, I don't do 'resolutions', but after narrowly missing my 3,000 mile target on my new bike for last year, I set out to make a better start this year. New Years Day went well, getting out for 28 miles, then nothing for a week. Last week I decided to 'get serious' and headed out on the Sunday. Five consecutive days of riding, and I clocked 134 miles for the week (nothing since Thursday), so not a bad start to the year so far. Last year I said I'd do a Sportive, but that didn't happen, so this year I'm going to put that right, and getting some good miles in before the 'season' starts sounds like a good plan. My only worry is that my pace is feeling very slow, and I'm finding it a struggle to average anything above 15mph, where in the past it's been more like 17mph on similar routes. I know that tyre choice might have a bearing on things, but I've not had any significant 'lay-off' this year, and the weather has been quite favourable recently. I was hoping that the fact that most of my riding is at night might explain things, but on both my recent Sunday rides, I was out during the day, so can't blame the darkness/lack of visibility for my slow-down. Hopefully, as the weather warms up toward Spring, my performance will perk up too.
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