The daily "I cycled to work" thread
Discussion
MC Bodge said:
Other chap was riding a bit slower than me. I held back and then passed, but I wasn't busting a gut. A couple of minutes later he passed me and then slowed a bit. This Repeated numerous times.
I get this all the time. Being on a singlespeed, I'm normally operating near my max speed, I get behind someone going more slowly, overtake and they put in a burst, change up and pass me back. Then they slow down. Repeat ad infinitum. My speed hardly changes, it's like the muppets you overtake again and again on the motorway if you're using cruise control. 
I see the posts about average speed of 20/21.. I hit 15 average if I'm lucky, hopefully down to the fact I'm hitting traffic lights every 2 mins!!
Going home I manage even less than that!
Hopefully get time for a long run on out in the countryside to see if I can actually cycle more than 25 minutes a pop!!
Going home I manage even less than that!
Hopefully get time for a long run on out in the countryside to see if I can actually cycle more than 25 minutes a pop!!
Martyboy84 said:
I see the posts about average speed of 20/21.. I hit 15 average if I'm lucky, hopefully down to the fact I'm hitting traffic lights every 2 mins!!
Going home I manage even less than that!
Hopefully get time for a long run on out in the countryside to see if I can actually cycle more than 25 minutes a pop!!
I'd suggest a few are using the auto pause function too Going home I manage even less than that!
Hopefully get time for a long run on out in the countryside to see if I can actually cycle more than 25 minutes a pop!!
Martyboy84 said:
I see the posts about average speed of 20/21.. I hit 15 average if I'm lucky, hopefully down to the fact I'm hitting traffic lights every 2 mins!!
Going home I manage even less than that!
Hopefully get time for a long run on out in the countryside to see if I can actually cycle more than 25 minutes a pop!!
Traffic lights will always slow you up a good amount. If I get reds all the way on my commute it will cost me 2 mph at the very least just in slowing down and speeding up (but not stopped time - good old autopause!).Going home I manage even less than that!
Hopefully get time for a long run on out in the countryside to see if I can actually cycle more than 25 minutes a pop!!
When I started out I was averaging 15-16 mph on my commute. Just kept plugging away at it.
Vocal Minority said:
Martyboy84 said:
I see the posts about average speed of 20/21.. I hit 15 average if I'm lucky, hopefully down to the fact I'm hitting traffic lights every 2 mins!!
Going home I manage even less than that!
Hopefully get time for a long run on out in the countryside to see if I can actually cycle more than 25 minutes a pop!!
Traffic lights will always slow you up a good amount. If I get reds all the way on my commute it will cost me 2 mph at the very least just in slowing down and speeding up (but not stopped time - good old autopause!).Going home I manage even less than that!
Hopefully get time for a long run on out in the countryside to see if I can actually cycle more than 25 minutes a pop!!
When I started out I was averaging 15-16 mph on my commute. Just kept plugging away at it.
Yep, autopause is necessary in London otherwise we'd be posting average speeds in the early to mid teens. Still, it doesn't account for the time you spend a) slowing down from lights, b) pulling away from lights, c) filtering through traffic towards lights, and d) braking for knobends pulling out of or into side turnings, so it doesn't feel like cheating too much.
It's good power/interval training though!
Wednesday is rest day, as I posted earlier, but it's just too bloody nice and sunny. I'm going to go for a lap of the park after work I think.
It's good power/interval training though!
Wednesday is rest day, as I posted earlier, but it's just too bloody nice and sunny. I'm going to go for a lap of the park after work I think.
Martyboy84 said:
I see the posts about average speed of 20/21.. I hit 15 average if I'm lucky, hopefully down to the fact I'm hitting traffic lights every 2 mins!!
Going home I manage even less than that!
Hopefully get time for a long run on out in the countryside to see if I can actually cycle more than 25 minutes a pop!!
I have a commute of 25-28km (depending upon route) through mostly quiet countryside or wide roads. There aren't many traffic lights or junctions, although some of the route variations use dirt tracks.Going home I manage even less than that!
Hopefully get time for a long run on out in the countryside to see if I can actually cycle more than 25 minutes a pop!!
On my slow bike on a normal day I do about 15-16mph. On my quicker bike I can do up to 20mph for the whole route if I try hard, have good weather and encounter no traffic hold-ups.
If my route was purely on flat, smooth dual carriageways with no traffic lights I would be able to average higher speeds -especially if it was downhill in the (usually) Eastward direction with favourable winds.
I do use auto-pause in Strava and my bike computer auto-pauses, which is fair enough. Averaging 0 mph at a junction tells me nothing.
Edited by MC Bodge on Wednesday 15th April 15:23
Edited by MC Bodge on Wednesday 15th April 15:24
ukbabz said:
Am damn envious of folks commuting at the moment! It's a bit far for me to get into work and back in a day (until my fitness gets significantly better!) as it's about 30miles.
Ah well, roll on home time so I can do a few miles on the bike tonight!
just go for it!Ah well, roll on home time so I can do a few miles on the bike tonight!
i spent most of last year doing 25mi each way and my times dropped from over 3hrs, to 1hr 10 at my absolute fastest.. normally 1hr 20
you'll only get fitter by pushing yourself upto and beyond the limit of what you think is possible
SystemParanoia said:
just go for it!
i spent most of last year doing 25mi each way and my times dropped from over 3hrs, to 1hr 10 at my absolute fastest.. normally 1hr 20
you'll only get fitter by pushing yourself upto and beyond the limit of what you think is possible
60 miles round trip per day is a lot of for a beginner. Also, it would be 4hrs plus on top of your working day. In my experience, people usually have many other reasons why they don't cycle to work and fitness isn't always one of them. i spent most of last year doing 25mi each way and my times dropped from over 3hrs, to 1hr 10 at my absolute fastest.. normally 1hr 20
you'll only get fitter by pushing yourself upto and beyond the limit of what you think is possible
Hats off to anyone who can do that distance everyday. If I were to cycle to current office, it would be 27 miles each way and that is through the center of London and I think it would be more like 13mph average, so it would just take too long.
I'm currently doing 8 miles a day on the folding bike and it actually saves me time and money, as I don't have to use the tube
I may try the full commute one day just to see how long it takes. Nothing exciting on my morning ride this morning. Did have a nice chat with a chap on a Brompton yesterday. We were comparing the Brompton to my Tern. Also saw a Fox wondering down the pavement!
SystemParanoia said:
just go for it!
i spent most of last year doing 25mi each way and my times dropped from over 3hrs, to 1hr 10 at my absolute fastest.. normally 1hr 20
you'll only get fitter by pushing yourself upto and beyond the limit of what you think is possible
The aim is to work towards that as it gets a bit lighter and the fitness improves!i spent most of last year doing 25mi each way and my times dropped from over 3hrs, to 1hr 10 at my absolute fastest.. normally 1hr 20
you'll only get fitter by pushing yourself upto and beyond the limit of what you think is possible
Yesterday's ride was ruined by a pothole and the inevitable visit from the fairy.
Usget said:
Yep, autopause is necessary in London otherwise we'd be posting average speeds in the early to mid teens. Still, it doesn't account for the time you spend a) slowing down from lights, b) pulling away from lights, c) filtering through traffic towards lights, and d) braking for knobends pulling out of or into side turnings, so it doesn't feel like cheating too much.
Ah, but you get all that rest time! Means you can go faster (Ye, I use auto pause...)
Anyway, the real reason I came on here for a bit of a rant about psyco van drivers. First time I have had this in a long time. Some knob in a van too exception to me filtering and swerved at me. I filtered to second to front at a roundabout, got going, and he tried to squeeze between me and a bus on my inside, then went round my outside coming off the roundabout and swerved at me as he was along side and slammed his brakes on, presumably to try intimidating me again. So I pulled off the road to wait for him to go (not wanting to be near him), so he pulled over and started to get out of the van. I was ready to sprint off as soon as he was far enough from his van to not just jump back in when some t
t (another cyclist) rides past and starts shouting at me for being in the wrong. Apparently I was in the wrong for filtering and should have more patience, only for him to shoot down the inside of some cars at the next traffic lights.Not happy. Hopefully the bus company can share the CCTV and I can pass it to the police.
Anyway, enough of the rant... Not a good morning. Fortunately that roundabout is being re-done as it is a danger to cyclists.
Dropped the nipper off at nursery on the bike this morning, then stomped on the 12 mile (from there) commute in. Very pleasant it was too in the sunshine.
From the "milfy" reaction at nursery, they seem to approve of the environmental method of child delivery.
Hopefully there will be some road bikers about tonight so I can race them on my MTB with a childseat on the back. (I might have pumped the tyres up to 75 psi last night in preparation.)
Shreddies before, porridge after.
From the "milfy" reaction at nursery, they seem to approve of the environmental method of child delivery.
Hopefully there will be some road bikers about tonight so I can race them on my MTB with a childseat on the back. (I might have pumped the tyres up to 75 psi last night in preparation.)
Shreddies before, porridge after.
Went to work the short way this morning - 24 miles, 1600 ft climbing. Came home a slightly longer way - 31 miles, 2500 ft climbing, and a stop at a nice Lake District pub for a pint. Averaged 16.4 mph going in, but only 14.1 mph coming home, I was taking it easy this evening though and enjoying the scenery. (Couple of photos in the relevant thread). Was a bit chilly/frosty at 0600 this morning, but glorious this evening.
Hoping to work up to regularly commuting 2-3 times a week on the bike; don't think I'll ever really manage more than that due to other commitments as I go out on a Tuesday 30 mins after I get home for Army Reserves training, and Monday is my day to drive in my car share.
Hoping to work up to regularly commuting 2-3 times a week on the bike; don't think I'll ever really manage more than that due to other commitments as I go out on a Tuesday 30 mins after I get home for Army Reserves training, and Monday is my day to drive in my car share.
I hate to ask... But what's the current recommended safety camera? Cheaper the better, but will need good enough quality to pick up reg plates etc. Saw a few near misses tonight, same as always really but I think the time may have come to be recording just in case. Fear not: nothing will go on YouTube...
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff