The daily "I cycled to work" thread
Discussion
Liquid Knight said:
Not the best of starts last night. Headwind. 
So I got my head down and on with it knowing that I'll have a three quarter tailwind for the last third of my commute.
Down the the bridge from the Darwin complex and I pushed my bike up to top gear, Lynn Road is a quarter mile straight with a nice sequence of bends at the end. Used to be a national speed limit but it's now a fifty. Still pelting along and there are some potholes I usually swerve to avoid ahead. I look over my shoulder and there's a Vauxhall Agila close enough to overtake by the time I get there so I carry on. Still close to flat out I skim the first pothole but as I hit the second my left hand was wrenched off the bar and I began to fall. I thought It's okay my chest will hit the handle bars and I'll catch this one. Then my back wheel flew out from under me and landed at a forty five degree angle to the front. That was it I was off and sliding along the road on my hands, left arm, left leg, chest and left hip.
Lucky I was going fast enough to slide if I rolled it would have been a lot worse. Also extremely lucky I slid to the left because I ended up on a driveway and the car behind managed to do an emergency stop twenty yards further up the road. If I had fallen into the middle of the road I would have been run over.
Before...
...after.
Reported it to 101 only to be told because I wasn't run over it doesn't count as in incident.
Unlucky. Hope nothing is too badly damaged. So I got my head down and on with it knowing that I'll have a three quarter tailwind for the last third of my commute.
Down the the bridge from the Darwin complex and I pushed my bike up to top gear, Lynn Road is a quarter mile straight with a nice sequence of bends at the end. Used to be a national speed limit but it's now a fifty. Still pelting along and there are some potholes I usually swerve to avoid ahead. I look over my shoulder and there's a Vauxhall Agila close enough to overtake by the time I get there so I carry on. Still close to flat out I skim the first pothole but as I hit the second my left hand was wrenched off the bar and I began to fall. I thought It's okay my chest will hit the handle bars and I'll catch this one. Then my back wheel flew out from under me and landed at a forty five degree angle to the front. That was it I was off and sliding along the road on my hands, left arm, left leg, chest and left hip.
Lucky I was going fast enough to slide if I rolled it would have been a lot worse. Also extremely lucky I slid to the left because I ended up on a driveway and the car behind managed to do an emergency stop twenty yards further up the road. If I had fallen into the middle of the road I would have been run over.
Before...
...after.
Reported it to 101 only to be told because I wasn't run over it doesn't count as in incident.
S10GTA said:
9th
Good effort! Did an extended route home yesterday of a bit over 35 miles. Had quite a few hills in the 1st half especially, I was at 1300ft of climb in under the 1st 13 miles!
This morning was quite nice, very mild headwind and did an extra 2 miles to make it 22 miles at 18 average. Pretty steady effort.
Bit the bullet and started riding my road bike more, 2nd ride into my new job this morning, down from 40 minutes to 30 minutes by going a slightly different way, need to work on keeping my average speed up a bit higher and going to try another route back tonight as well
Need to get myself a long sleeve jersey, was a bit cold for my short sleeve this morning but was a bit warm in my nightflight jacket on top
Need to get myself a long sleeve jersey, was a bit cold for my short sleeve this morning but was a bit warm in my nightflight jacket on top
Captain Answer said:
Bit the bullet and started riding my road bike more, 2nd ride into my new job this morning, down from 40 minutes to 30 minutes by going a slightly different way, need to work on keeping my average speed up a bit higher and going to try another route back tonight as well
Need to get myself a long sleeve jersey, was a bit cold for my short sleeve this morning but was a bit warm in my nightflight jacket on top
I use arm warmers on the commute quite a lot, it's often a lot colder at 6am than it is at 8 and when I've done a few hills, great to be able to slip them off.Need to get myself a long sleeve jersey, was a bit cold for my short sleeve this morning but was a bit warm in my nightflight jacket on top
I think mine are these http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLOOSMAW/on-one-merin...
£5 right now.
idiotgap said:
Captain Answer said:
Bit the bullet and started riding my road bike more, 2nd ride into my new job this morning, down from 40 minutes to 30 minutes by going a slightly different way, need to work on keeping my average speed up a bit higher and going to try another route back tonight as well
Need to get myself a long sleeve jersey, was a bit cold for my short sleeve this morning but was a bit warm in my nightflight jacket on top
I use arm warmers on the commute quite a lot, it's often a lot colder at 6am than it is at 8 and when I've done a few hills, great to be able to slip them off.Need to get myself a long sleeve jersey, was a bit cold for my short sleeve this morning but was a bit warm in my nightflight jacket on top
I think mine are these http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLOOSMAW/on-one-merin...
£5 right now.
idiotgap said:
I use arm warmers on the commute quite a lot, it's often a lot colder at 6am than it is at 8 and when I've done a few hills, great to be able to slip them off.
I think mine are these http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLOOSMAW/on-one-merin...
£5 right now.
Awesome thanks, ordered! I've also ordered a long sleeve jersey and some proper bib leggingsI think mine are these http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLOOSMAW/on-one-merin...
£5 right now.
Leggings belong in the council thread. "Tights" man TIGHTS! 
v15ben said:
Does anyone on the thread commute around 20 miles or so each way?
Moving in with a mate for a couple of weeks until the end of my current contract and its around 19 miles from his flat to my office.
It'd be mostly along canal paths, which would be lovely in the sunshine and Strava reckons about 1hr 40 mins.
Does this sound do-able?
That's a long commute. I'd probably consider it on the odd day but unless the car commute was also 1hr+ then I know I'd struggle with the discipline to do it regularly.Moving in with a mate for a couple of weeks until the end of my current contract and its around 19 miles from his flat to my office.
It'd be mostly along canal paths, which would be lovely in the sunshine and Strava reckons about 1hr 40 mins.
Does this sound do-able?
loudlashadjuster said:
v15ben said:
Does anyone on the thread commute around 20 miles or so each way?
Moving in with a mate for a couple of weeks until the end of my current contract and its around 19 miles from his flat to my office.
It'd be mostly along canal paths, which would be lovely in the sunshine and Strava reckons about 1hr 40 mins.
Does this sound do-able?
That's a long commute. I'd probably consider it on the odd day but unless the car commute was also 1hr+ then I know I'd struggle with the discipline to do it regularly.Moving in with a mate for a couple of weeks until the end of my current contract and its around 19 miles from his flat to my office.
It'd be mostly along canal paths, which would be lovely in the sunshine and Strava reckons about 1hr 40 mins.
Does this sound do-able?
Double the distance on canal paths sounds a lot longer than double the time, and whilst it would be nice to have that option for a different route home, I'd be looking to see what the more direct / faster routes offer.
When you've cycled in to work in lovely weather, and it inevitably starts pisses it down at 16:25, leaving your canal path route slippery, difficult to see through the rain, and littered with dog walkers bundled up under hoods and not looking where they're going, it'll be a long ride home.
loudlashadjuster said:
v15ben said:
Does anyone on the thread commute around 20 miles or so each way?
Moving in with a mate for a couple of weeks until the end of my current contract and its around 19 miles from his flat to my office.
It'd be mostly along canal paths, which would be lovely in the sunshine and Strava reckons about 1hr 40 mins.
Does this sound do-able?
That's a long commute. I'd probably consider it on the odd day but unless the car commute was also 1hr+ then I know I'd struggle with the discipline to do it regularly.Moving in with a mate for a couple of weeks until the end of my current contract and its around 19 miles from his flat to my office.
It'd be mostly along canal paths, which would be lovely in the sunshine and Strava reckons about 1hr 40 mins.
Does this sound do-able?
It does mean being organised with your food, clothing etc but makes it more doable.
E65Ross said:
loudlashadjuster said:
v15ben said:
Does anyone on the thread commute around 20 miles or so each way?
Moving in with a mate for a couple of weeks until the end of my current contract and its around 19 miles from his flat to my office.
It'd be mostly along canal paths, which would be lovely in the sunshine and Strava reckons about 1hr 40 mins.
Does this sound do-able?
That's a long commute. I'd probably consider it on the odd day but unless the car commute was also 1hr+ then I know I'd struggle with the discipline to do it regularly.Moving in with a mate for a couple of weeks until the end of my current contract and its around 19 miles from his flat to my office.
It'd be mostly along canal paths, which would be lovely in the sunshine and Strava reckons about 1hr 40 mins.
Does this sound do-able?
It does mean being organised with your food, clothing etc but makes it more doable.
I'm averaging about 2 complete journeys a week, sometimes I go there and back in a day and other times I stagger it out using the train on the off journeys. It's great that it's not a chore and I can treat myself to a decent bit of time on the bike when I want to. If it's raining I can just not bother and I never have to carry shirts and shoes on the bike because I'm doing enough train journeys to maintain stocks.
If I do an in and out, i really do feel it the next day. If I ride there and back 2 days on the trot I end up going to bed at 21:30 because I'm just exhausted. I'm 30 miles and <>2hrs on the road - doing 20 miles on the canal path would be similarly if not more knackering I'd have thought.
Follow up from last week's off...
County Council said:
Dear Liquid Knight
We are pleased to advise that your request ENQ-0075699 has been updated.
Council Service: Highways Maintenance: Potholes
Previous Status: We are investigating the problem.
New Status: This problem has already been reported and action identified to resolve the issue.
Customer Service Team
Norfolk County Council
We are pleased to advise that your request ENQ-0075699 has been updated.
Council Service: Highways Maintenance: Potholes
Previous Status: We are investigating the problem.
New Status: This problem has already been reported and action identified to resolve the issue.
Customer Service Team
Norfolk County Council
Jobbo said:
It's over 2 years since I posted in this thread. Not a regular cycle to worker, yet...
That looks far too shiny! Use my Brompton everyday and I think I would be spat on if I put mine in the same place as yours. I put mine in the door area and try and tuck it out of the way. I appreciate you might always want eyes on the bike, but you soon get over that
Been using my Brompton for a year this month. Fantastic bike and in my opinion they are worth the asking price. Mine has all ready paid for its self twice
Nothing exciting about my commute. Temperature was just right and I didn't have to queue for the shower
Must start looking into alternative routes to increase mileage and add variety.
bakerstreet said:
That looks far too shiny! Use my Brompton everyday and I think I would be spat on if I put mine in the same place as yours. I put mine in the door area and try and tuck it out of the way.
Well, today is the first time I've ridden it - I only picked it up on Tuesday! The colour manages to conceal the fact that I cycled through the rain to the station 
The doorways on these London Midland trains are not enormous; this seemed the most out of the way place, in the gap behind a 3-seat bench where I was on a 2-seat. Proven to be fairly accurate when it filled up closer in to town. The door area was crammed with people. I usually use a different train which has far better luggage and Brompton accommodation.
Nice ride in this morning.... Didn't push exceptionally hard but did a bit of tempo. Didn't start until the afternoon so did 90mins on the turbo trainer beforehand and then the 20 miles into work, I was on 20mph average until I hit portsdown hill (about 100m elevation gain over approx 1mile), didn't cane it so was happy with the speed.
Few strava PBS, probably a bit of a tailwind lol
Few strava PBS, probably a bit of a tailwind lol
Jobbo said:
Well, today is the first time I've ridden it - I only picked it up on Tuesday! The colour manages to conceal the fact that I cycled through the rain to the station
The doorways on these London Midland trains are not enormous; this seemed the most out of the way place, in the gap behind a 3-seat bench where I was on a 2-seat. Proven to be fairly accurate when it filled up closer in to town. The door area was crammed with people. I usually use a different train which has far better luggage and Brompton accommodation.
London Midland? Where are you coming from and travelling to? Only reason I'm asking is I get a London midland train from kings Langley to London Euston everyday. If you have the same trains that we have, people expect you to leave bikes in the door area. The doorways on these London Midland trains are not enormous; this seemed the most out of the way place, in the gap behind a 3-seat bench where I was on a 2-seat. Proven to be fairly accurate when it filled up closer in to town. The door area was crammed with people. I usually use a different train which has far better luggage and Brompton accommodation.
I tuck my pedal into the gap between the glass and the pole, so it takes up minimum space.
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