The daily "I cycled to work" thread (Vol 2)
Discussion
S10GTA said:
timnoyce said:
Steve vRS said:
timnoyce said:
Yeah, I have done once a week for the last month! It's uplifting actually and the getting up gets easier! I've got a tight work and family schedule so fitting in long rides is pretty much impossible at conventional times. The dawn raid is great... quiet roads, great sunrises and a sense of satisfaction for the rest of the day!
Just twigged we've a mutual friend who you rode revolve with, Trevor. I wasn't going to cycle today, but the ASLEF train driver overtime ban came into force on my Southern Rail route and had an annoying effect on the timetable, so I ended up doing it anyway. I've cycled every day since I bought my sacrificial station bike and I think I'm becoming addicted.
I've think I've done about 1300 miles in 3 months! Should be about 5,000 miles a year commuting.
Not sure how much weight I've lost, but I'm the fittest I've been in years. I'm thinking of getting back into the gym too; do a few weights and maybe try and strengthen up my legs more.
I'm really enjoying it - even the crappy windy, rainy days - no matter how crappy they are, they are still way better than the train. Buying a bike was the best thing I've done in years.
Not sure how much weight I've lost, but I'm the fittest I've been in years. I'm thinking of getting back into the gym too; do a few weights and maybe try and strengthen up my legs more.
I'm really enjoying it - even the crappy windy, rainy days - no matter how crappy they are, they are still way better than the train. Buying a bike was the best thing I've done in years.
Maxf said:
I've think I've done about 1300 miles in 3 months! Should be about 5,000 miles a year commuting.
Not sure how much weight I've lost, but I'm the fittest I've been in years. I'm thinking of getting back into the gym too; do a few weights and maybe try and strengthen up my legs more.
I'm really enjoying it - even the crappy windy, rainy days - no matter how crappy they are, they are still way better than the train. Buying a bike was the best thing I've done in years.
One benefit I get from going to the gym is less shoulder/neck ache on long rides...Not sure how much weight I've lost, but I'm the fittest I've been in years. I'm thinking of getting back into the gym too; do a few weights and maybe try and strengthen up my legs more.
I'm really enjoying it - even the crappy windy, rainy days - no matter how crappy they are, they are still way better than the train. Buying a bike was the best thing I've done in years.
Maxf said:
I'm thinking of getting back into the gym too; do a few weights and maybe try and strengthen up my legs more.
I've been going to a personal trainer twice a week for the last three months. Thanks to years of regular commuting my legs were in reasonable good shape but lack of other exercise meant that my core was rubbish, and I could do a lot to improve my arms, shoulder and chest.It's made a massive difference. I feel more like I was when I was 35 than I was begging to feel at 50+. I get up out the saddle and stay there for ages. My sprints are way better as is my endurance. I'm using loads more muscle groups now.
I recommend it.
Southern Railway completely shutdown today so I drove to near Sanderstead and parked on a residential street there, then cycled in. Lately I've been getting the train to East Croydon and cycling from there anyway so it doesn't make a lot of difference.
There seemed to be a lot of fair-weather cycle commuters on the road today. Lots of red light running, naive manoeuvres etc. I had a go at some that undertook a van waiting to turn left, they just have no idea seemingly of the danger they pose to themselves and others, not to mention the reputational damage they do to cyclists as a whole.
I should probably shut my big mouth... Last week I told this guy he was giving us all a bad name, so he hit me! He persisted in cycling through the pedestrian bit of queen street where it goes between Cannon Street and Queen Victoria Street in the city. Right now there are road works and big "Cyclists Dismount" signs, it was thick with pedestrians at the time and all the other cyclists were walking.
There seemed to be a lot of fair-weather cycle commuters on the road today. Lots of red light running, naive manoeuvres etc. I had a go at some that undertook a van waiting to turn left, they just have no idea seemingly of the danger they pose to themselves and others, not to mention the reputational damage they do to cyclists as a whole.
I should probably shut my big mouth... Last week I told this guy he was giving us all a bad name, so he hit me! He persisted in cycling through the pedestrian bit of queen street where it goes between Cannon Street and Queen Victoria Street in the city. Right now there are road works and big "Cyclists Dismount" signs, it was thick with pedestrians at the time and all the other cyclists were walking.
Edited by idiotgap on Wednesday 14th December 10:30
Last night I was overtaken whilst I was doing 35mph in a 40mph zone, down a dark, narrow-ish, winding road. As you would expect, there was someone coming the other way that made the car overtaking me swerve back in to miss him. He cleared me, but if he was a second later coming past, I'd have been a gonner.
He gained nothing from the pass either, as I followed him into the leisure centre car park without any extra effort. I followed him to his car parking spot, then rode past very slowly giving him a bit of a look. Hopefully he'll think twice next time.
---
Lovely ride in this morning, back in shorts for the weather, and was just right temp wise.
He gained nothing from the pass either, as I followed him into the leisure centre car park without any extra effort. I followed him to his car parking spot, then rode past very slowly giving him a bit of a look. Hopefully he'll think twice next time.
---
Lovely ride in this morning, back in shorts for the weather, and was just right temp wise.
louiebaby said:
Last night I was overtaken whilst I was doing 35mph in a 40mph zone, down a dark, narrow-ish, winding road. As you would expect, there was someone coming the other way that made the car overtaking me swerve back in to miss him. He cleared me, but if he was a second later coming past, I'd have been a gonner.
He gained nothing from the pass either, as I followed him into the leisure centre car park without any extra effort. I followed him to his car parking spot, then rode past very slowly giving him a bit of a look. Hopefully he'll think twice next time.
---
Lovely ride in this morning, back in shorts for the weather, and was just right temp wise.
That is why I go over an extra mile out of my way to avoid going on roads now. An extra 5 minutes on my journey time, an extra 10-20 years on my life!He gained nothing from the pass either, as I followed him into the leisure centre car park without any extra effort. I followed him to his car parking spot, then rode past very slowly giving him a bit of a look. Hopefully he'll think twice next time.
---
Lovely ride in this morning, back in shorts for the weather, and was just right temp wise.
Just have to cope with school kids, dog walkers and old people randomly walking about on the cycle path.
greenamex2 said:
That is why I go over an extra mile out of my way to avoid going on roads now. An extra 5 minutes on my journey time, an extra 10-20 years on my life!
Just have to cope with school kids, dog walkers and old people randomly walking about on the cycle path.
I hear you, and have certainly given it some thought over the years. There are basically 3 routes home that don't add significant mileage. One has a horrible T-Junction at the bottom of a hill, one is the above narrow windy road, and the last has a long burst along a narrow lane used by people short-cutting going to and from a secondary school.Just have to cope with school kids, dog walkers and old people randomly walking about on the cycle path.
Always good to be reminded though, cheers!
louiebaby said:
greenamex2 said:
That is why I go over an extra mile out of my way to avoid going on roads now. An extra 5 minutes on my journey time, an extra 10-20 years on my life!
Just have to cope with school kids, dog walkers and old people randomly walking about on the cycle path.
I hear you, and have certainly given it some thought over the years. There are basically 3 routes home that don't add significant mileage. One has a horrible T-Junction at the bottom of a hill, one is the above narrow windy road, and the last has a long burst along a narrow lane used by people short-cutting going to and from a secondary school.Just have to cope with school kids, dog walkers and old people randomly walking about on the cycle path.
Always good to be reminded though, cheers!
Even if I coast down and do 25mph then its still crap as I get the same issues but at lower speed
Then at the bottom all the cars that brush past get stuck in a traffic jam!!!
I just try and avoid the hill now as however defensively I ride I always encounter idiots!
Last commute of the year done for me .... Some more rides yet, but commuting is finished until January.
Tubeless 28mm Secteurs all year from January to December and no punctures, issues, failures ..... Brilliant and comfortable as anything. 4000kms commuting I'd guess on them plus odd weekend rides.
Tubeless 28mm Secteurs all year from January to December and no punctures, issues, failures ..... Brilliant and comfortable as anything. 4000kms commuting I'd guess on them plus odd weekend rides.
Terrible traffic in Warrington last night, as I cruised slowly past giving me a little bit of happy smile to myself ... Delayed me a little bit, but made it to the station just in time to get my train ... Which then took an hour to go the usual 10 minute trip! Serves me right for laughing at the drivers!
Nearly got knocked down today. While pushing my bike across a zebra crossing. s
tting Peugeot either didn't see me or didn't care. It's a two lane crossing and he was in the second so there wasn't anything to obscure me.
I gave his car a smack and shouted that he was a tt. Grr.
Anyway, my new commute has twice as much climbing as my last one and I'm struggling to get my clothing right at the moment. This morning was sweaty!
tting Peugeot either didn't see me or didn't care. It's a two lane crossing and he was in the second so there wasn't anything to obscure me.I gave his car a smack and shouted that he was a t
t. Grr.Anyway, my new commute has twice as much climbing as my last one and I'm struggling to get my clothing right at the moment. This morning was sweaty!
williredale said:
Anyway, my new commute has twice as much climbing as my last one and I'm struggling to get my clothing right at the moment. This morning was sweaty!
The climbing will really help with the fitness, I lost loads of weight. Good times!It's been sweaty all this week, sooooo mild.
Cycled the whole way to work today rather than get the train part way as the trains aren't running and I didn't fancy driving. I was working off last night's Christmas do and preparing the mind and body for tonight's outing, another Christmas do.
Weird flytipping of garden waste in the middle of the road. What's that all about?
Really nasty traffic jam at Brixton, a bit tragic that one apparently: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/brixton-c...
Weird flytipping of garden waste in the middle of the road. What's that all about?
Really nasty traffic jam at Brixton, a bit tragic that one apparently: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/brixton-c...
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