The daily "I cycled to work" thread

[HereBeMonsters]

Usget said:

This morning, I pulled up alongside a pretty girl on a Triban 5a at Battersea Bridge traffic lights.

"Snap!" I said, nodding at my own example of Decathlon wonderfulness.

"....." she said, looking at me like I was about to murder her... then realised what I meant and said "Oh yes!" politely.

I think I've thereby proved Item 12 from this list: www.esquire.co.uk/culture/sport/4707/cycling-rules...

I did that at the IoW Randonnee last year. Bloke in the queue off the boat had the exact same bright white and blue Trek as me.
"Nice bike" I said to him, with a conspiriatorial wink.
He looked confused, and started explaining how it had a carbon fork etc. until I pointed at mine and said "I know, I have the same one".

[SystemParanoia]

what am i looking at?

its just a yellow bike?

[AyBee]

lepetitoeuf said:

Saw one of these earlier

Saw this yesterday and thought the same thing - are they rolling them out around London or had she stolen it from Yorkshire?

[Usget]

AyBee said:

lepetitoeuf said:

Saw one of these earlier

Saw this yesterday and thought the same thing - are they rolling them out around London or had she stolen it from Yorkshire?

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/boris-bikes-get-a-yellow-jersey-ahead-of-tour-de-france-london-leg-9218346.html

[yellowjack]

Usget said:

AyBee said:

lepetitoeuf said:

Saw one of these earlier

Saw this yesterday and thought the same thing - are they rolling them out around London or had she stolen it from Yorkshire?

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/boris-bikes-get-a-yellow-jersey-ahead-of-tour-de-france-london-leg-9218346.html

I clicked on that 'Standard' link. 101 yellow bikes released into the hire bike system, to circulate until the Tour de France arrives in London. Then I scrolled down and all I could think was "doesn't Boris look uncomfortable on that bike".

ETA: 101 bikes to celebrate the 101st edition of Le Tour

Edited by yellowjack on Wednesday 16th April 19:03

[thepawbroon]

Carshalton to Chiswick by singlespeed again today..... and got it under an hour! 58min20sec to be precise (the shame of Strava).

I varied the route, instead of crossing Putney bridge and going up Fulham Place Rd, I took the Thames Path up to Hammersmith Bridge like I do on the return. It seems quicker as there are no lights, and it avoids the wiggly waggly slow bit around Riverside Studios etc.

But by heck it's gravelly and a bit harem scarem on 23mm tyres - I guess it will only get more gravelly during the summer, apart from a few days after a wet spell. Ho hum..... anyway I'm going to carry on that way as there is some added scenic benefit of RTJs (Rowing Totty Joggers). /sexist

[kiethton]

Well further to my 'upgrade the bike' thread yesterday it broke today

Brakes on the back were grinding metal to metal (worse than before) but my front brake/wheel has broken and is now catching/rubbing on something (in addition to the front brake being shot).

For the sake of my limbs/life and knowing I can't use it over the weekend I limed it to London Bridge and then dropped it off for a full service, brake refresh, drive-train refresh and wheel straightening - £50 plus pads at Evans.

over 2 years and 8k miles without anything but a new seat, or even a clean, it was coming in reality

[AiD1]

Taking a day off today to recover but really enjoyed my first 3 days commute on the bike! Going to commute again tomorrow and try to commute at least 3 days a week going forward. Don't want to rush in to it too quickly as don't want to burn myself out.

I've been eating a banana and half an oat bar before I leave then porridge and raspberries when I get to work. Commute is 9.6 miles each way and feel absolutely fine.

What do you guys eat or recommend eating before after cycling to work?

[lufbramatt]

AiD1 said:

Taking a day off today to recover but really enjoyed my first 3 days commute on the bike! Going to commute again tomorrow and try to commute at least 3 days a week going forward. Don't want to rush in to it too quickly as don't want to burn myself out.

I've been eating a banana and half an oat bar before I leave then porridge and raspberries when I get to work. Commute is 9.6 miles each way and feel absolutely fine.

What do you guys eat or recommend eating before after cycling to work?

Working on a bank holiday? ;-)

I eat when I get in to work, thankfully I get in early so no-one is there to moan. I struggle to do any form of exercise less than an hour and a half after eating so would rather have that time in bed.

[WinstonWolf]

AiD1 said:

Taking a day off today to recover but really enjoyed my first 3 days commute on the bike! Going to commute again tomorrow and try to commute at least 3 days a week going forward. Don't want to rush in to it too quickly as don't want to burn myself out.

I've been eating a banana and half an oat bar before I leave then porridge and raspberries when I get to work. Commute is 9.6 miles each way and feel absolutely fine.

What do you guys eat or recommend eating before after cycling to work?

I'd do it the other way round, but you've got plenty of fuel for that distance

[kiethton]

lufbramatt said:

Working on a bank holiday? ;-)

I eat when I get in to work, thankfully I get in early so no-one is there to moan. I struggle to do any form of exercise less than an hour and a half after eating so would rather have that time in bed.

Exactly this, do my 15 mile commute on an empty stomach, whats probably worse is that even where here I rarely feel hungry so don't eat until lunch!!

[D4MJT]

First ride in today for about 6 weeks, just got the bike back from having some new giblets and a service.

Good news, it works a treat.

Bad news, I don't.

Many, many fats.

[SystemParanoia]

40k in 1hr 31mins this morning

One of the segments I was targeting appears to have vanished also. I'll have to look later and see if I can find out why.

It was called motorway bridge over the m6j7 heading south if anyone can look for me whilst I'm at work

[Justin Cyder]

Sunny, light winds, sunny, warm, sunny.

[kiethton]

Awful ride in this morning, nearly taken out...think the schools are back

[TwistingMyMelon]

crap this morning, loads more traffic, a wind that hit me whichever direction I went in

I just couldn't get comfy on the bike, been too used to ridding my mtb and other road bike so need to adjust back to my commuter

Rucksack pissed me off as well

Been prescribed different inhalers which seem to trigger my asthma not help it!!

[SystemParanoia]

Angry middle aged dad tried to repeatedly kill me today. Total prick.

And with the traffic he had nowhere to go anyway.. Sigh

[Steve vRS]

I love commuting in the country!

Felt like I was doing some resistance training this morning with the chunky CX tyres, a 10kg back pack and a 1 mile climb

I might use the road bike tomorrow and feel like I am flying!

Steve

[Barchettaman]

23 degs and bright blue skies in frankfurt today.
The first two 8-milers were lovely, the next two this evening will likely be similar!

[Steve vRS]

The mist caught me out this morning. I really should have had lights on.

I used my road bike for the commute today rather than my CX bike and it felt like a rocket! Although not as comfy over the broken tarmac that we all endure.

Steve