The daily "I cycled to work" thread
Discussion
MC Bodge said:
There are a number of distinct cycle commuter types around here:
Professional/white collar men of all ages on decent road/cyclocross/hybrid bikes with backpacks or panniers and plenty of hi-viz bike gear.
Young manual/trades worker men in work boots and site jackets on knackered mountain bikes that may or may not functioning v-brakes.
Uh oh, I'm a professional wearing a white collar and carrying a backpack but riding a knackered mountain bike with only just functioning v-brakes. Am I wearing the wrong shirt or riding the wrong bike? Professional/white collar men of all ages on decent road/cyclocross/hybrid bikes with backpacks or panniers and plenty of hi-viz bike gear.
Young manual/trades worker men in work boots and site jackets on knackered mountain bikes that may or may not functioning v-brakes.
MC Bodge said:
TwistingMyMelon said:
thelittleegg said:
TwistingMyMelon said:
I did ask myself why do I cycle to work when I have a car at home just sat there all day and free parking at work...anyone ever ask themselves that?
It's all part of the bourgeois zeitgeist.ie. cycling is a fashion for people with money.
Been cycling for over 28 years of my 32 and with three kids I definitely don't have money! In fact that made me realise why I do cycle to work as its the only time I get to bloody ride now, hence the car gets left at home.
MC Bodge said:
In that case, I've been ahead of the zeitgeist for some time.
There are a number of distinct cycle commuter types around here:
Professional/white collar men of all ages on decent road/cyclocross/hybrid bikes with backpacks or panniers and plenty of hi-viz bike gear.
Young manual/trades worker men in work boots and site jackets on knackered mountain bikes that may or may not functioning v-brakes.
Young women in jeans on all kinds of cheap bikes.
A small number of older middle-class looking women on shoppers.
I think you've pretty much nailed the type of riders I see on my commute.There are a number of distinct cycle commuter types around here:
Professional/white collar men of all ages on decent road/cyclocross/hybrid bikes with backpacks or panniers and plenty of hi-viz bike gear.
Young manual/trades worker men in work boots and site jackets on knackered mountain bikes that may or may not functioning v-brakes.
Young women in jeans on all kinds of cheap bikes.
A small number of older middle-class looking women on shoppers.
RizzoTheRat said:
Uh oh, I'm a professional wearing a white collar and carrying a backpack but riding a knackered mountain bike with only just functioning v-brakes. Am I wearing the wrong shirt or riding the wrong bike?
Hmm, difficult.... do you have worn-out knobbly tyres or do you have road-biased slicks?MC Bodge said:
RizzoTheRat said:
The rear's still got knobbles around the edge...
I'm afraid that you are going to have to invest in a pair of rigger boots and a hi-viz bomber jacket....Bonus points for bouncy front rear and/or suspension.
loudlashadjuster said:
MC Bodge said:
RizzoTheRat said:
The rear's still got knobbles around the edge...
I'm afraid that you are going to have to invest in a pair of rigger boots and a hi-viz bomber jacket....Bonus points for bouncy front rear and/or suspension.
Reasonably nice ride in to work this morning across the edge of the Lake District with a colleague, pleasant cool conditions but very still and dry. This evening, however, couldn't have been more different. Wind gusting to nearly 40mpg and epic amounts of rain and flooding, water over pedals in places. All good fun though, I think, apart from the odd wall of water thrown at us by cars going way too quick the other way through standing water.
GuinnessMK said:
Got soaked this morning, but made a schoolboy error at work. Left my stuff on a radiator to dry off all day. Came to get changed this evening to go home, to find the radiator had been off all day. Cold and wet clothes wasn't what I was expecting.
I made that mistake once. 15 miles in soaked bibtights and socks. Think I just wore an old t-shirt instead of my base layer. After that, I put my old Sports Direct tights, jersey and some old socks in a drawer, so I'd never have to suffer that again!
Bit chilly this morning. Wished I'd worn my ear warmer. Feet are toasty in the Northwave Artics though
JQ said:
Best bit of cycling gear I own for commuting, wish I'd bought them years ago, but I'm too tight for my own good sometimes.
Seconded! Only bought mine a month ago and I bought a used pair for £59 too Wish I'd paid out for them when I was doing 32 miles a day in the depths of winter 
It also saves you time and faff too, as you don't have to piss about with overshoes which always snag and eventually rip.
TwistingMyMelon said:
How stiff are the soles of the Northwaves artics?
The soles of the Northwave boots I've got are VERY stiff. Yet they are insanely comfortable to walk in. Ask me about the time I forgot my pump and punctured three miles away from home across sandy heath and pine woods. 
I thought I'd be hobbling home and nursing blisters for weeks, but they are as comfortable off the bike as they are on it. My only complaint is that they're a little too warm and toasty most days, but they're the only SPD footwear that I own at the moment, and I'm too lazy to keep swapping pedals over to SPD-SLs for the milder days
Warm and wet in London this morning.
Two items to add to my commuting kit;
- the OH is getting me a new Gore shell for Christmas as after 6 hard years my original one have lost it's waterproofing
- some light weight over boots - the neoprence ones I have could take me across the Antarctic but are a massive pain to get on and off. Need some lighter ones I can slip on an off for days like today
Two items to add to my commuting kit;
- the OH is getting me a new Gore shell for Christmas as after 6 hard years my original one have lost it's waterproofing
- some light weight over boots - the neoprence ones I have could take me across the Antarctic but are a massive pain to get on and off. Need some lighter ones I can slip on an off for days like today
TwistingMyMelon said:
How stiff are the soles of the Northwaves artics?
I think they are pretty stiff. They also have walking boot style grips on the soles too. I think mine are a couple of years old and still in pretty good shape considering what weather they are used in. Worth noting that the sizing is a little small compared to Shimano.
Cheers for the northwave feedback in the past I was put off as I commuted on different pedals to weekend rides, now I am all SPD-SL (even off road - dont ask horrendous)
Trouble is now that the winter has been too mild, I think my feet would be too warm with them!
Gonna stick with my Diodorra shoes, just found you can buy replacement straps which is a lifesaver as mine have failed
Trouble is now that the winter has been too mild, I think my feet would be too warm with them!
Gonna stick with my Diodorra shoes, just found you can buy replacement straps which is a lifesaver as mine have failed
No incidents in months then nearly get mown down twice in one evening.
First knobber in a WRX piles straight across a junction right in front of me, the kid in the passenger seat looked shocked but driver appeared to not give a rats ass.
Then 5 minutes later get left hooked by some twunt in a Focus diving into a well known rat run entrance.
First knobber in a WRX piles straight across a junction right in front of me, the kid in the passenger seat looked shocked but driver appeared to not give a rats ass.
Then 5 minutes later get left hooked by some twunt in a Focus diving into a well known rat run entrance.
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