The daily "I cycled to work" thread
Discussion
To be fair, most of the no cycling signs are hangovers from the 80/90/00's when cycling was akin to devil worship.
These days my borough council are far more cycle friendly and there are many routes which can be ridden through, but still have no cycling signs or markings that haven't been taken down for whatever reason.
That's still no excuse for riding into a barrier, luckily I was heading up the slope and not down or I dare say I'd be posting this using speech recognition.
These days my borough council are far more cycle friendly and there are many routes which can be ridden through, but still have no cycling signs or markings that haven't been taken down for whatever reason.
That's still no excuse for riding into a barrier, luckily I was heading up the slope and not down or I dare say I'd be posting this using speech recognition.
I always wonder when reading this thread, what your commutes actually involve.
We always talk breakfast, near misses and weather but where/what are these commutes we all do?
Thought it might be fun to share.
Mine:
7.5 miles each way
Mostly cycle paths/off road into central Milton Keynes
On a knackered 16-year old Giant mountain bike
Takes about 35-40 minutes
We always talk breakfast, near misses and weather but where/what are these commutes we all do?
Thought it might be fun to share.
Mine:
7.5 miles each way
Mostly cycle paths/off road into central Milton Keynes
On a knackered 16-year old Giant mountain bike
Takes about 35-40 minutes
Edited by v15ben on Tuesday 23 June 09:10
8 miles each way
All on road into Manchester City Centre.
Road bike in the summer and on the hardtail in the winter or if it's raining.
25-30 mins depending on the traffic.
I take a route that completely avoids all the expensive cycle provisions Manchester City Council have installed, as they're appalling and put me in far more danger than the route I take.
All on road into Manchester City Centre.
Road bike in the summer and on the hardtail in the winter or if it's raining.
25-30 mins depending on the traffic.
I take a route that completely avoids all the expensive cycle provisions Manchester City Council have installed, as they're appalling and put me in far more danger than the route I take.
10.5 miles each way - Hythe to centre of Southampton
First 1 mile on a poorly maintained cyclepath (but better than the A326)
4 miles on B roads
3 miles on the worst cyclepath known to man (marginally better than the 3 lanes of the A33 into Southampton in rush hour)
2 mile on city roads
Takes 40 mins
Usually ridden on a single speed road bike, but occasionally the cross bike or the nice road bike depending on what I am doing later.
First 1 mile on a poorly maintained cyclepath (but better than the A326)
4 miles on B roads
3 miles on the worst cyclepath known to man (marginally better than the 3 lanes of the A33 into Southampton in rush hour)
2 mile on city roads
Takes 40 mins
Usually ridden on a single speed road bike, but occasionally the cross bike or the nice road bike depending on what I am doing later.
Edited by S10GTA on Tuesday 23 June 09:35
Normally:
2.5 miles to the station
2.5 miles from different station to work
0.5 miles to different station
2.5 miles home
2.5 miles is normally 10 - 12 minutes, but in the wind it goes up to 18 minutes!
That occasionally changes - usually on the way home - when I can get on at a different station in Manchester and get off one station earlier and cycle further or occasionally I cycle around the business park near home.
Cycle on a couple of bikes - at the moment I am on the Brompton as there are a lot of bikes in the bike shed, over the winter I have been on a single speed bike as I don't need to go up or down hills.
All going to change in August, as I am changing where I work - it will be 2.5 miles to the station then 5 miles each way at the other end. I could drive it but I am hoping the Warrington roads will be good for me so I can carry on cycling.
2.5 miles to the station
2.5 miles from different station to work
0.5 miles to different station
2.5 miles home
2.5 miles is normally 10 - 12 minutes, but in the wind it goes up to 18 minutes!
That occasionally changes - usually on the way home - when I can get on at a different station in Manchester and get off one station earlier and cycle further or occasionally I cycle around the business park near home.
Cycle on a couple of bikes - at the moment I am on the Brompton as there are a lot of bikes in the bike shed, over the winter I have been on a single speed bike as I don't need to go up or down hills.
All going to change in August, as I am changing where I work - it will be 2.5 miles to the station then 5 miles each way at the other end. I could drive it but I am hoping the Warrington roads will be good for me so I can carry on cycling.
About 5.5 miles.
A tarmac lane, gravel foot paths, bit of road, then cycle path all along the water front.
Past the sewage works that bloody stinks.
Into town. Up over the big bridge.
Along the busy road past the gravel and sand wharfs, very dusty, arrive work.
Bike was £40 on ebay, old Gents Apollo.
Do it all in the top 5 gears.
Takes about 25 to 30 mins.
A tarmac lane, gravel foot paths, bit of road, then cycle path all along the water front.
Past the sewage works that bloody stinks.
Into town. Up over the big bridge.
Along the busy road past the gravel and sand wharfs, very dusty, arrive work.
Bike was £40 on ebay, old Gents Apollo.
Do it all in the top 5 gears.
Takes about 25 to 30 mins.
20km each way through Chilterns, mostly back lanes until Uxbridge when it's into a dual carriageway dice with death for a couple of km. Generally downhill on way to work, uphill on way back 
Sometimes take a slightly longer route along the Grand Union Canal which avoids all the traffic but can means I eat about 2kg of flies.
Hardtail MTB, takes about 50 minutes to get in, 55-60 to get home. Can only manage it when Mrs LLA is working from home to do school run, try to do it once per week through out the year, due to weather, time, client meetings etc. I probably only manage it about once every two weeks on average though.
Sometimes take a slightly longer route along the Grand Union Canal which avoids all the traffic but can means I eat about 2kg of flies.
Hardtail MTB, takes about 50 minutes to get in, 55-60 to get home. Can only manage it when Mrs LLA is working from home to do school run, try to do it once per week through out the year, due to weather, time, client meetings etc. I probably only manage it about once every two weeks on average though.
Me in order of ride in:
1 mile through village/edge of Swindon, lots of commuters heading out.
3 miles busy ish B road with a hill, nice wake up (Brimble Hill)
4/5 miles of dead country lanes, maybe see a couple of cars if that!
Then:
2 miles of gravel/bumpy cycle track then a byway (this if on the MTB)
OR
2 miles of nasty busy A road with double white lines and lots of traffic! (this on the road bike)
Nice commute, cant complain, no stops at all so quite a different "workout" from my last stop start 12 mile commute through Reading!
Lush in Spring/summer/Autumn , pitch black all the way in Winter!
I have a £90 rigid Kona Ebay MTB with slicks, or a steel road bike (Raleigh Clubman) , If its nice I might take one of my Wiliers (carbon or Alu)
1 mile through village/edge of Swindon, lots of commuters heading out.
3 miles busy ish B road with a hill, nice wake up (Brimble Hill)
4/5 miles of dead country lanes, maybe see a couple of cars if that!
Then:
2 miles of gravel/bumpy cycle track then a byway (this if on the MTB)
OR
2 miles of nasty busy A road with double white lines and lots of traffic! (this on the road bike)
Nice commute, cant complain, no stops at all so quite a different "workout" from my last stop start 12 mile commute through Reading!
Lush in Spring/summer/Autumn , pitch black all the way in Winter!
I have a £90 rigid Kona Ebay MTB with slicks, or a steel road bike (Raleigh Clubman) , If its nice I might take one of my Wiliers (carbon or Alu)
Edited by TwistingMyMelon on Tuesday 23 June 11:35
14.5 miles on a mix of (small) city centre and out of town single carriageway A roads (mix of 40mph to NSL) - take around 43-45 minutes depending on fitness and prevailing weather. Flat as a pancake with about 350ft of climbing over the distance.
Get on train for 30 minutes.
3 miles along canal tow path into Birmingham City Centre - about 12-13 minutes depending on frequency of joggers/nodders and pedestrians.
Then reverse it for the way home.
Try and do it 2 or 3 times a week, all on my Planet X pro carbon do everything bike - its that or walking.
Get on train for 30 minutes.
3 miles along canal tow path into Birmingham City Centre - about 12-13 minutes depending on frequency of joggers/nodders and pedestrians.
Then reverse it for the way home.
Try and do it 2 or 3 times a week, all on my Planet X pro carbon do everything bike - its that or walking.
Edited by Vocal Minority on Tuesday 23 June 11:49
Birmingham airport (ish) to the middle of Coventry.
10.5 miles total.
Back roads, fairly flat, occasional blind corner for seven and a bit miles.
Then suburbia/dual carriageway/traffic lights into Coventry centre for three miles.
Between 36 and 42 minutes to get in, depending mostly on traffic lights, 38 to 45 minutes home due to it being more uphill home and prevailing winds.
10.5 miles total.
Back roads, fairly flat, occasional blind corner for seven and a bit miles.
Then suburbia/dual carriageway/traffic lights into Coventry centre for three miles.
Between 36 and 42 minutes to get in, depending mostly on traffic lights, 38 to 45 minutes home due to it being more uphill home and prevailing winds.
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