The daily "I cycled to work" thread
Discussion
Last night was sneaky. Head wind when I set off that felt like a normal sea breeze but when I got to where it usually calms down inland I had a headwind from the North. 
My legs were a bit stiff to say the least.
This morning wasn't bad either. My colleague was late so I missed the early cool air and it was a little muggy but the wind was mostly behind me so I had a good crack.
I bought a helmet mounted rear view mirror and thought I'd give it a try. Not bad in normal light conditions. Not much good if you're riding into the sunlight but it wobbles worse than bar mounted ones and it only took a mile for me to question...
"Where exactly will this impale me if I come off?"
My legs were a bit stiff to say the least.
This morning wasn't bad either. My colleague was late so I missed the early cool air and it was a little muggy but the wind was mostly behind me so I had a good crack.
I bought a helmet mounted rear view mirror and thought I'd give it a try. Not bad in normal light conditions. Not much good if you're riding into the sunlight but it wobbles worse than bar mounted ones and it only took a mile for me to question...
"Where exactly will this impale me if I come off?"
Last night was evil. Northerly Winter wind with 28'C Summer heat. My right knee went with a few miles to go and for the first time in years I had to stop, stretch and loosen it out.
This morning wasn't the chore I was expecting. Monday mornings are usually cluttered with poor drivers but night shift puts me in a safer slot between the factory six to twoers and office bods. Not much traffic at all and as it was Friday for me I took my time and enjoyed the ride home.
Hopefully the start of a good weekend for me.
This morning wasn't the chore I was expecting. Monday mornings are usually cluttered with poor drivers but night shift puts me in a safer slot between the factory six to twoers and office bods. Not much traffic at all and as it was Friday for me I took my time and enjoyed the ride home.
Hopefully the start of a good weekend for me.
You guys do take this commuting thing seriously
Today I wiped the rain off the saddle of my ancient Dutch behemoth, clicked the pannier into it's rusty rack (ooooer), switched the bluetooth headphones on to listen to some radio 4 and gently pootled the 5k to work along the canal as usual
At work I locked the bike in one of our various bikesheds and walked to my office via one of the office coffeeshops to pick up a double espresso and a croissant.
Commuting is hard in Holland
Today I wiped the rain off the saddle of my ancient Dutch behemoth, clicked the pannier into it's rusty rack (ooooer), switched the bluetooth headphones on to listen to some radio 4 and gently pootled the 5k to work along the canal as usual
At work I locked the bike in one of our various bikesheds and walked to my office via one of the office coffeeshops to pick up a double espresso and a croissant.
Commuting is hard in Holland
Huntsman said:
Chilly on the bike this morning, going to need a jumper.
I'm going for it this week, all five days.
Good luck for that, looks like the weather should be alright for you in terms of rain....but...Definitely colder this morning, summer (if you can call it that) is coming to an end I'm going for it this week, all five days.
Being the lightweight that I am, I really do feel the cold a lot, but cope quite well when it gets hot.I think I need to buy myself some more knee and leg warmers. I've got a few pairs of full-length leggings but they're all a bit too warm for when the temps are cold, but not freezing....which is when the knee or leg warmers come in handy. Only issue I've had in the past with them is chafing around the back of the knee...though some Assos chamois creme pre-ride seemed to help with that, although I've never gone more than a 20 mile ride with them, so will be interesting to see if that can last for longer over the coming months.
In terms of temperature I find spring/autumn the hardest, because it's cold to start with, so I could do with a base layer, leggings etc, but after an hour or 2 it warms up and you could just have a jersey with arm warmers and shorts....in summer it's easy, in winter it's just winter gear...
I set off in bib shorts and jersey this morning (<>6am garmin said 7 degrees) and it did feel a little bit chilly, but nothing serious and by the time I'd got 5 or 10 minutes in I'd forgotten about it because I was warmed up. Beautiful day for a ride, but i saw some guys in jackets, neck warmers etc. and thought they must be getting warm. After 27 miles and a couple of hours it was 13. Perfect temperature probably for a slightly insulated chap like myself.
Lots of fools flying through red lights today in London, what is it with these people?
I treat it as intervals training, when I get stopped by a red light I lie in wait and seriously put the power down to see how quickly I can catch up with the jumpers. Repeat at the next lights.
Lots of fools flying through red lights today in London, what is it with these people?
I treat it as intervals training, when I get stopped by a red light I lie in wait and seriously put the power down to see how quickly I can catch up with the jumpers. Repeat at the next lights.
As has been mentioned, getting a tad chilly at 6am when leaving the house when it's a clear night.
I commuted every day last week so notched up 320km riding Monday-Friday. Feeling good and nice to be back on my bike after having had a loan bike as my left shifter had to go back to Madison under warranty.
Breakfast today was coffee.
I commuted every day last week so notched up 320km riding Monday-Friday. Feeling good and nice to be back on my bike after having had a loan bike as my left shifter had to go back to Madison under warranty.
Breakfast today was coffee.
Chilly and lush sunshine this week loving it, perfect as less sweat when I get to work
Yep to the poster further up, I get the occasional beep, was moving through a roundabout and there wasnt enough room for a bike and car, so I move out to use the whole road to save me being squashed. Now bear in mind im taking the roundabout quicker than I do when in a car, I'm not holding anyone up, car behind got incensed.. horn, screaming out the window and then brake testing in front of me! I did nothing apart from hold the middle of the road for 5 - 10 seconds and then subtly laugh at them after!! No coffee beans, shouting or swearing from me!
Was a bit awkward when 2 miles later they were stopped getting out in the street next to mine!!
9.5/10 times I get no hassle from drivers and try and ride as fast as possible to mitigate any seconds they might lose!
Yep to the poster further up, I get the occasional beep, was moving through a roundabout and there wasnt enough room for a bike and car, so I move out to use the whole road to save me being squashed. Now bear in mind im taking the roundabout quicker than I do when in a car, I'm not holding anyone up, car behind got incensed.. horn, screaming out the window and then brake testing in front of me! I did nothing apart from hold the middle of the road for 5 - 10 seconds and then subtly laugh at them after!! No coffee beans, shouting or swearing from me!
Was a bit awkward when 2 miles later they were stopped getting out in the street next to mine!!
9.5/10 times I get no hassle from drivers and try and ride as fast as possible to mitigate any seconds they might lose!
By the time I got going at 8am, the sun was up, and it was a glorious ride in. Managed to pick up a "Commuter Friend" who particularly enjoyed drafting me, and thank me when we went our separate ways.
I don't mind people having a tow, as long as they know what they're doing, I tend to ride quite hard when I have a guest, so they drop off if they're a bit of a chancer.
Porridge with SIS Vanilla Whey Protein mixed in.
I don't mind people having a tow, as long as they know what they're doing, I tend to ride quite hard when I have a guest, so they drop off if they're a bit of a chancer.
Porridge with SIS Vanilla Whey Protein mixed in.
Something that's been troubling me a bit when I commute home on the bike is when and what to eat.
I tend to have muesli in the morning as early as I can after I wake up which keeps me going no problem on the ride in. On the way home however I always feel famished and end up eating a gel and/or bar probably too late and post bonk which means a slightly more depressing ride home.
Should I tell Mrs Gap not to cook for me and have dinner in the office at 5 before I set off? What do others do?
My commute is about 2hrs riding.
I tend to have muesli in the morning as early as I can after I wake up which keeps me going no problem on the ride in. On the way home however I always feel famished and end up eating a gel and/or bar probably too late and post bonk which means a slightly more depressing ride home.
Should I tell Mrs Gap not to cook for me and have dinner in the office at 5 before I set off? What do others do?
My commute is about 2hrs riding.
If you're commuting for 4 hours a day, I think you can probably justify two dinners!
If it were me, I'd probably try to have something fairly slow burning and oaty at about 1600, something a bit quicker burning like an apple at about 1645, and have a couple of bottles on the bike. I'd also try to eat something every 30 - 45 mins, such as a banana or handful of jelly babies.
When I got in, I'd try and have a pint of milk as will as starting to drink again, assuming I'd drained the bottles, which I'd try to do. Possibly protein recovery stuff if I was doing it more than a couple of times a week.
The above is based on not particularly trying to lose weight, and having a "spirited" ride home. I tend to ride harder back, but only have a half hour each way.
If it were me, I'd probably try to have something fairly slow burning and oaty at about 1600, something a bit quicker burning like an apple at about 1645, and have a couple of bottles on the bike. I'd also try to eat something every 30 - 45 mins, such as a banana or handful of jelly babies.
When I got in, I'd try and have a pint of milk as will as starting to drink again, assuming I'd drained the bottles, which I'd try to do. Possibly protein recovery stuff if I was doing it more than a couple of times a week.
The above is based on not particularly trying to lose weight, and having a "spirited" ride home. I tend to ride harder back, but only have a half hour each way.
Ditto. My ride is around 27km each way to the office. I've been doing it on and off for a few years now and I must say that my food requirements now are different to when I started. I used to be ravenous all day at work after having cycled in but now I can get to work fasted and normally get by till about lunch time before I NEED to eat anything. As long as I have a glass of water before hitting the road then I'm all good, and I always have a bottle of water on the bike. In the afternoon I normally try and have a snack within about an hour of leaving (few biscuits with a cup of tea or a banana). When I get home I'll always have a pint of water and eat something to tide me over till dinner!
Huntsman said:
timnoyce said:
(few biscuits with a cup of tea or a banana)
Few? WTF! I eat entire packets!
I tend to eat very healthily (probably a bit OTT to be honest) but then once every month or 2 I'll have a very bad binge day and feel sorry for myself for eating so badly and go back to being healthy again. Saturday was 1 of those days....I had a magnum ice cream, 2 tesco finest Belgian choc cookies....some jelly beans.....then later in the evening I had 2 slices of home-made cake.....with ice cream!!
I did, however, smash some strava PBs on the Sunday though
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