The daily "I cycled to work" thread
Discussion
Made it in just before the rain started. My boss commented negatively on my attire, which consists of an old rowing suit and a baggy t-shirt. I suggested if he paid me more, I'd buy more cycling kit.
For the record, I have some cycling kit, but I save it for longer weekend rides. I'm not using an £80 pair of bib shorts on a 5 mile commute to work.
For the record, I have some cycling kit, but I save it for longer weekend rides. I'm not using an £80 pair of bib shorts on a 5 mile commute to work.
Gizmoish said:
There's a guy in my office who wears bibs for his Brompton trip of no more than two miles from the station to the office.
Maybe he's training for:http://www.brompton.co.uk/bwc/2012/
But probably not.
I've nearly hit 5000km on the odo with my bike. The tube ride last year was about just over a fiver a day, and was 7km each way. Total was around 3000 km last year. I had worked out I saved around £1500 after factoring in brake pads, 2 tubes, etc I had used.
However, proportional cost savings are moot. I eat like a mofo then, and my Starbucks/MS bill went up.
The reason I ride is my commute is the best part of my day now. It is even more fun than my motorbike in central London.
However, proportional cost savings are moot. I eat like a mofo then, and my Starbucks/MS bill went up.
The reason I ride is my commute is the best part of my day now. It is even more fun than my motorbike in central London.
I'm going to briefly squat in this thread as I think starting The daily "I ran to work" thread would be rather lonely, and I should start commuting by bike in 2013 (~15 miles each way).
Ran the 4.5 miles to work this morning in what felt like March/April conditions of squally showers. 33 mins with a rucksack on (haven't worked out how to fit panniers to my legs yet ).
Ran the 4.5 miles to work this morning in what felt like March/April conditions of squally showers. 33 mins with a rucksack on (haven't worked out how to fit panniers to my legs yet ).
ewenm said:
I'm going to briefly squat in this thread as I think starting The daily "I ran to work" thread would be rather lonely, and I should start commuting by bike in 2013 (~15 miles each way).
Ran the 4.5 miles to work this morning in what felt like March/April conditions of squally showers. 33 mins with a rucksack on (haven't worked out how to fit panniers to my legs yet ).
Ran the 4.5 miles to work this morning in what felt like March/April conditions of squally showers. 33 mins with a rucksack on (haven't worked out how to fit panniers to my legs yet ).
I drove today. I have ridden every day for the last 2 weeks, thought I should have a rest day before a week off work (and lots of cycling)
Kermit power said:
Gizmoish said:
There's a guy in my office who wears bibs for his Brompton trip of no more than two miles from the station to the office.
Given that it's a Brompton, might he have a significantly longer ride from home to the station at the other end?I normally ride about 30 miles a day on my daily commute for no other reason than I love it. It's a little bit of 'me' time and it keeps me (relatively) fit. Between the bike, kit and shiny bits it certainly isn't saving me money!
However, of late I have been thinking of retreating back into my car.
I seem to be having near death experiences on an almost daily basis these days. I had another one tonight when some cretin in a car pulled around me at a roundabout to turn left as I was going straight across - no indicators and not a care in the world!
I know we all get them once in a while but it's getting out of hand!
Hopefully, it's just a blip, I'd hate to have to sit in traffic jams again
However, of late I have been thinking of retreating back into my car.
I seem to be having near death experiences on an almost daily basis these days. I had another one tonight when some cretin in a car pulled around me at a roundabout to turn left as I was going straight across - no indicators and not a care in the world!
I know we all get them once in a while but it's getting out of hand!
Hopefully, it's just a blip, I'd hate to have to sit in traffic jams again
wotnot said:
I normally ride about 30 miles a day on my daily commute for no other reason than I love it. It's a little bit of 'me' time and it keeps me (relatively) fit. Between the bike, kit and shiny bits it certainly isn't saving me money!
However, of late I have been thinking of retreating back into my car.
I seem to be having near death experiences on an almost daily basis these days. I had another one tonight when some cretin in a car pulled around me at a roundabout to turn left as I was going straight across - no indicators and not a care in the world!
I know we all get them once in a while but it's getting out of hand!
Hopefully, it's just a blip, I'd hate to have to sit in traffic jams again
Posts like this worry me a bit, as I'm not sure of the reason for my lack of such experiences is because:However, of late I have been thinking of retreating back into my car.
I seem to be having near death experiences on an almost daily basis these days. I had another one tonight when some cretin in a car pulled around me at a roundabout to turn left as I was going straight across - no indicators and not a care in the world!
I know we all get them once in a while but it's getting out of hand!
Hopefully, it's just a blip, I'd hate to have to sit in traffic jams again
a) I'm a hopeless cyclist and am completely unaware of all the near misses I've had.
b) I'm just so goddamned fking stunning on two wheels that I've anticipated what every driver is going to do in every situation before they've even got in to their cars in the morning.
c) There are just so many cyclists on CS7 in to Central London that it's almost impossible even for the doziest of motorists not to notice us.
Overall, having now been commuting regularly for 14 months in and out of London, I'm actually really surprised at how rarely I see any sort of incident. Riding past some poor chap who looked to have popped his collar bone on the A3 in what appeared from the aftermath to have been a collision with another cyclist just after Stockwell Tube station yesterday got me thinking on this.... I can only really remember seeing one other such accident, and the only one I've had myself was purely down to myself and the rain at walking speed, with nobody else contributing in any way.
Gizmoish said:
Same here KP. I get irritated by cars nosing out from junctions into cycle lanes, people seeing me coming, pulling out but not accelerating out of the way... But nothing that you don't get in the car anyway.
If they just nosed out into the cycle lane, that would be fine, it's the idiots I see pulling right out into a lane to turn right, completely blocking one lane, and waiting there for a gap in the traffic. I see it almost daily now.Anyway, lovely ride in this morning, a perfect example of what a summer morning should be like. (And she wasn't faster than me, which was nice.)
louiebaby said:
Anyway, lovely ride in this morning, a perfect example of what a summer morning should be like.
Had one of them yesterday morning. Met up with another roadie with about six miles still to do and we drafted one another all the way to work. Just how a fast ride in the country should be. Makes up for the morons trying to kill me!
louiebaby said:
If they just nosed out into the cycle lane, that would be fine, it's the idiots I see pulling right out into a lane to turn right, completely blocking one lane, and waiting there for a gap in the traffic. I see it almost daily now.
I have far more sympathy in that situation, as on most busy London roads, if you waited for both lanes to be clear before turning right, you'd be say there until you ran out of fuel!Kermit power said:
louiebaby said:
If they just nosed out into the cycle lane, that would be fine, it's the idiots I see pulling right out into a lane to turn right, completely blocking one lane, and waiting there for a gap in the traffic. I see it almost daily now.
I have far more sympathy in that situation, as on most busy London roads, if you waited for both lanes to be clear before turning right, you'd be say there until you ran out of fuel!Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff