The daily "I cycled to work" thread (Vol 2)
Discussion
3 Punctures this year, so I swapped tyres to Marathon Plus... while they will save me time at the side of the road, they are so heavy and cycling feels so much harder! Should make me fitter though I guess.
While I was sorting tyres, I accidentally bought a road bike each for me and the mrs too! Can't wait to get those out of London!
While I was sorting tyres, I accidentally bought a road bike each for me and the mrs too! Can't wait to get those out of London!
I use a 29er MTB as my winter commuter, and when the tubes and tyres reached the end of their useful life in the autumn, I put Marathon Plus MTB tyres and slime filled tubes on.
They are holding their pressure well, but Lord they're heavy. Hopefully they have given me some good winter training...
They are holding their pressure well, but Lord they're heavy. Hopefully they have given me some good winter training...
OK. Looking to start cycling into work, and ashamedly haven't done much cycling since the autumn, which has always been unclassified roads and forest track stuff.
My commute will be either a very busy A road which fills me with dread, with a distance of 10 miles, or a quieter mix of A road and B road, with a distance of 14 miles.
I work shifts, and have pretty much decided that during the busier commuting times I'll go with the longer route, and in the wee hours, take the shorter route as traffic will be minimal.
I'm looking to get fit and loose a couple of stone, and my main concern is that a 28 mile round trip will be too much initially. I'm reckoning it should take about an hours 15 to and hour and thirty minutes to do the 14 miles initially, and get that down to under an hour once I get fitter. Does this sound reasonable?
My commute will be either a very busy A road which fills me with dread, with a distance of 10 miles, or a quieter mix of A road and B road, with a distance of 14 miles.
I work shifts, and have pretty much decided that during the busier commuting times I'll go with the longer route, and in the wee hours, take the shorter route as traffic will be minimal.
I'm looking to get fit and loose a couple of stone, and my main concern is that a 28 mile round trip will be too much initially. I'm reckoning it should take about an hours 15 to and hour and thirty minutes to do the 14 miles initially, and get that down to under an hour once I get fitter. Does this sound reasonable?
I enjoyed this morning's ride, though it was cold, I was dressed for it and it didn't seem too slippy where I was. Over the last few days I've been trying to slow it down a bit, not get caught up in the London argy-bargy, de-risk and enjoy the ride. It is working.
Last week was the first time for one reason or another in the 8 weeks since I started commuting regularly that I actually did the 10 rides, there and back every weekday. Every other week I'd worked from home one day or there had been some other interruption. Felt good.
Last week was the first time for one reason or another in the 8 weeks since I started commuting regularly that I actually did the 10 rides, there and back every weekday. Every other week I'd worked from home one day or there had been some other interruption. Felt good.
idiotgap said:
I enjoyed this morning's ride, though it was cold, I was dressed for it and it didn't seem too slippy where I was. Over the last few days I've been trying to slow it down a bit, not get caught up in the London argy-bargy, de-risk and enjoy the ride. It is working.
Same here - trying not to get sucked into racing everybody! 
Cycled in this morning. Not as foggy as yesterday but was still pretty cold on the south coast. Had a beautiful view of Portsmouth... mostly because it was shrouded in fog and I could only see a few chimneys and the spinnaker tower poking through the murk.
Got to work and the fog had frozen on my helmet. (the protective one on my head).
Got to work and the fog had frozen on my helmet. (the protective one on my head).
It was a good day..
No fog,
No smog,
and mama I didn't even see one HOG!
Do la la la laa..
Ok maybe I'll never be Ice Cube but you get the jist. Wonderful ride in. Good pace, good cadence, I wasn't lazy with the gears. Never overtaken up the hills. Not too cold and didn't burn my self our racing any skinny blokes with monster legs.
Love riding so much. I am wondering why I still have a road motorcycle at the moment.
No fog,
No smog,
and mama I didn't even see one HOG!
Do la la la laa..
Ok maybe I'll never be Ice Cube but you get the jist. Wonderful ride in. Good pace, good cadence, I wasn't lazy with the gears. Never overtaken up the hills. Not too cold and didn't burn my self our racing any skinny blokes with monster legs.
Love riding so much. I am wondering why I still have a road motorcycle at the moment.
fidzer said:
OK. Looking to start cycling into work, and ashamedly haven't done much cycling since the autumn, which has always been unclassified roads and forest track stuff.
My commute will be either a very busy A road which fills me with dread, with a distance of 10 miles, or a quieter mix of A road and B road, with a distance of 14 miles.
I work shifts, and have pretty much decided that during the busier commuting times I'll go with the longer route, and in the wee hours, take the shorter route as traffic will be minimal.
I'm looking to get fit and loose a couple of stone, and my main concern is that a 28 mile round trip will be too much initially. I'm reckoning it should take about an hours 15 to and hour and thirty minutes to do the 14 miles initially, and get that down to under an hour once I get fitter. Does this sound reasonable?
The distance will be too much initially to do every day this time of year. I would start 2 days a week, then 3 and then more in spring. My commute will be either a very busy A road which fills me with dread, with a distance of 10 miles, or a quieter mix of A road and B road, with a distance of 14 miles.
I work shifts, and have pretty much decided that during the busier commuting times I'll go with the longer route, and in the wee hours, take the shorter route as traffic will be minimal.
I'm looking to get fit and loose a couple of stone, and my main concern is that a 28 mile round trip will be too much initially. I'm reckoning it should take about an hours 15 to and hour and thirty minutes to do the 14 miles initially, and get that down to under an hour once I get fitter. Does this sound reasonable?
I have a similar distance and usually do 10 mile straight to work in the morning and then take a 12-14 mile longer ride home as it is pitch black and the longer way is safer roads. I'm not a morning person and prefer riding in the evening, but some are different and never go the long way home
Try the routes first, see how you go, you soon work out what you like and what works.
TwistingMyMelon said:
The distance will be too much initially to do every day this time of year. I would start 2 days a week, then 3 and then more in spring.
I have a similar distance and usually do 10 mile straight to work in the morning and then take a 12-14 mile longer ride home as it is pitch black and the longer way is safer roads. I'm not a morning person and prefer riding in the evening, but some are different and never go the long way home
Try the routes first, see how you go, you soon work out what you like and what works.
Some good advice here. I usually get up a bit earlier and take the scenic route in, so I get home for teatime with the kids, so you're right, everyone is different.I have a similar distance and usually do 10 mile straight to work in the morning and then take a 12-14 mile longer ride home as it is pitch black and the longer way is safer roads. I'm not a morning person and prefer riding in the evening, but some are different and never go the long way home
Try the routes first, see how you go, you soon work out what you like and what works.
If you can fit your bike in your car, and have secure overnight parking at work, as you build up, over a two day period do:
Drive in, cycle home, cycle in, drive home.
This also has the benefit of not needing to carry any rucksack when cycling, which is certainly preferable.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff