The daily "I cycled to work" thread

[cirian75]

Aborted, smashed into a kerb, tyre blew out, possible fked wheel, forks carbon fibre, so not sure about it.

I'm ok, no injury other than my pride.

[Steve vRS]

It was cold this morning till I got going. Ended up racing bloke for 4 or so miles which got my heart rate up! Also had a 'punishment pass' from a Porsche Boxster. I think I may have held it up for at least 10secs by traveling at 23mph in a 30mph zone.

Steve

[S10GTA]

cirian75 said:

Aborted, smashed into a kerb, tyre blew out, possible fked wheel, forks carbon fibre, so not sure about it.

I'm ok, no injury other than my pride.

How did that happen?

[E65Ross]

Bit fresh this morning. Base layer and knee warmers today with thin but full finger gloves.

20 miles.

Porridge!

[Liquid Knight]

Ten degree temperature drop and still light enough to get away with small lights.

Going for a record run this weekend.

[cirian75]

S10GTA said:

cirian75 said:

Aborted, smashed into a kerb, tyre blew out, possible fked wheel, forks carbon fibre, so not sure about it.

I'm ok, no injury other than my pride.

How did that happen?

head down, pedalling, forgot the next bus stop had an extended kerb into the road = boom

totally my own fault

[TwistingMyMelon]

Blimey schools back, traffic up by about 30% across my route! traffic I laid back thorough the summer on the B-Road I ride down, now its non stop and everyone in a rush

On the last bit of my ride on a nasty A road, rode behind a tractor going to the farm next to my office, didn't pedal for 1 mile + on the flat , felt like we were hardly moving and got the same segment time I normally get for riding quite hard!

Was a bit nips , but still in full summer gear, least it means I don't need a shower at work

[Liquid Knight]

TwistingMyMelon said:

Blimey schools back, traffic up by about 30% across my route! traffic I laid back thorough the summer on the B-Road I ride down, now its non stop and everyone in a rush

On the last bit of my ride on a nasty A road, rode behind a tractor going to the farm next to my office, didn't pedal for 1 mile + on the flat , felt like we were hardly moving and got the same segment time I normally get for riding quite hard!

Was a bit nips , but still in full summer gear, least it means I don't need a shower at work

That's one good thing about my commute. It's at 05:30 and 18:30 so I avoid the school run Mum's, kids jumping in the road without looking whilst listening to Justin Syrus and angry Dad who should be on his way to work but has to take the kids to school first because thy overslept.

Forget extra lights and hi-viz I'd have chainsaws strapped to my forks if I had to ride through that lot.

[tjdixon911]

I cycled in to work for the first time today, Left just as it was getting light 5:55am, got to 20miles before a puncture, lost about 15 minutes but did the 23miles in 1hr 32 including the repair.

Home was 27.5 miles, diverted slightly for quieter roads and to make the daily total 50 miles...

Really enjoyed it, not sure I could continue through the winter months as its mostly national speed limit unlit roads (with a few villages) but will look to do a bit more come next spring..

[Craikeybaby]

Theres a group of old women with dogs who I always seem to bump into on my way to work. None of them can control their dogs, yet they are never on a lead, last year I was bitten and this morning I had a small terrier yapping at my pedals for about 500m, in the end I had to stop and wait for the owner to come and grab it.

[austinsmirk]

Hit every single set of lights on red today. What a pain !

[lemonslap]

I have changed roles at work so will be enjoying a 15 mile commute everyday, I have purchased a Dahon Vigan P9 for the job.. Very much looking forward to cycling a lot again (also have a lot of weight to shift!)

[macp]

Held up a businessman for about 2 secs at the lights.No idea why as there was loads of space to get by but he couldnt help himself by shouting something at me as he went past.I caught him up a little further on where he was stuck in traffic and took great delight in pointing at him and laughing.

[macp]

TwistingMyMelon said:

Nice ride in today, finally sorted the fit on my bikes, taken me bloody months, realised I need the saddle just a few slight degrees upwards pointing to maximise pedal stroke and eliminate knee pain.

Im just starting down that road was getting some knee pain at the back of my left knee but moving the cleats seems to have fixed it.Now though I did a 30 odd mile circuit last weekend and near the end my neck and shoulders were killing me.I do about 16 to 18mls a day commuting to work and dont normally have a problem ?

[curtisl]

I have just got myself a new job in London based in the West end and one thing I am excited about is that now my commute is longer than half a mile, I can now ride to work, which will be about 15 miles each way.

I don't fancy doing it in a mtb and I have just got my boardman just the way I want it and don't fancy putting it through a daily London ride, so that leaves a 1986 14 speed racer. Does anyone commute on something similar? Is it practical?

[tjdixon911]

I did my Commute again today, it seemed to be a head wind all the way there and back, still another 50miles in the bag

Annoyingly I had a guy tail me for about 8-10 miles, I thought it was just plain rude, the couple of junctions I had to stop at he just stayed far enough behind so I couldn't really say anything! It would have been a great help to me if he had taken the lead for a bit - despite me slowing at times, lets say on purpose, he never passed - I was carrying my Rucksack full of Work Clothes, Jacket, Towel, Laptop etc, so wasn't finding it easy!

[macp]

tjdixon911 said:

I did my Commute again today, it seemed to be a head wind all the way there and back, still another 50miles in the bag

Annoyingly I had a guy tail me for about 8-10 miles, I thought it was just plain rude, the couple of junctions I had to stop at he just stayed far enough behind so I couldn't really say anything! It would have been a great help to me if he had taken the lead for a bit - despite me slowing at times, lets say on purpose, he never passed - I was carrying my Rucksack full of Work Clothes, Jacket, Towel, Laptop etc, so wasn't finding it easy!

Ah yes drafting not really experienced this as normally I get passed but I was reading a newspaper article where the writer was suggesting we should help each other out but an encounter with another cyclist at traffic lights having followed him was that maybe we should not bother.He was about to offer to ride in front but the angry look he got back made him ask why this was.The rider hissed "look we`re individuals we`re not in this together we`re cycling alone, dont you get that ?"

[ClassicMercs]

I normally ride alone - and come up against others doing the same. The catch up to the one in front is either because the other one is slow - or because I have been pushing hard to catch. If the other one is slow I will happily push on, but if I'm just off a hard push I will always draft for a while just until I have my breath back and I can happily push on without fear of being overtaken again. I guess this is my mentality for never having ridden a chain gang. However - that mentality does kick in when I get overtaken by someone faster - the urge to try and keep up.

[cirian75]

there's a guy on a 29er who always passes me on my road bike on the way home, I go to keep up and I can for a while, then I notice the huge legs as in muscles on the guy as he starts to drop me.

[S10GTA]

Chilly morning! Should have cracked out the full length gloves!