The daily "I cycled to work" thread (Vol 2)

[1ians]

louiebaby said:

It needs a decent clean.

Ran the hose pipe over mine on Sat, and I had the same problem this morning.

[dhutch]

Car this morning, running later, cold, bike tomorrow....

[RizzoTheRat]

The forecast was claiming 0 degrees when I left about half 8 this morning, but no sign of a frost so it seemed to be lying. Definitely getting colder though. Don't think we've had a frost since about November.

[cml24]

It was -2 here this morning. I took a photo on the way in.

[dhutch]

Definitely gloves morning this morning.

[Birdster]

Left Romford at 7am. Arrived at work for 8:30. It was cold and had my neck covered. Oneof those days where I was like, "why am I doing this?" Then remembered how much I hate the train.

Agree, it is colder out there. Up to temp in a short time though if keeping momentum.

[Fluffsri]

I'm missing out at the mo, bike is broke and is at the shop for a warranty repair. Not missing the wet rides but I'm missing the cold, crisp morning rides. Good for a think and a proper wake up before work. I'll be chasing the shop today as its nearly 2 weeks now.

Different note, this time of year my Northwaves live on a radiator. They have the evening to dry out and 30 mins in the morning to warm up so I start riding with toasty feet.

[RizzoTheRat]

It's a bit flipping breezy today, but unusually I had a tail wind on the way to work. I usually bimble along at 20kph is but I was above 25kph for most the ride in this morning

[louiebaby]

I was into the wind this morning. I was rather slow. I don't mind though. The wet weather has to break at some point, surely?

[Dr Murdoch]

Ditto

Headwind and heavy panniers added 10mins to my normal 40min ride (11mile), now I hope the wind keeps up and I get blown home (so to speak).

[RizzoTheRat]

louiebaby said:

The wet weather has to break at some point, surely?

I've been quite lucky so far, loads of nights when it's tipped it down but stopped by 8am. I've probably only had a couple of commutes so far this year when it's been raining, and even then not particularly hard. Got a few spots on my way home last night it was torrential about 15 mins after I got home so timed that well.

[Matt_N]

A lovely 20mph westerly to ride head on into today.

Should be a good ride home later

[dhutch]

RizzoTheRat said:

It's a bit flipping breezy today...

Howling a gale here, and having got on in the dry on the Wirral, it was mizzleing in Speke and my shoes are still damp!

Saw that they are looking to pull the ban on IC engine cars forward five years to 35, I wonder if a suitable push on riding to work will ensue?


Daniel

[2gins]

dhutch said:

Howling a gale here, and having got on in the dry on the Wirral, it was mizzleing in Speke and my shoes are still damp!

Saw that they are looking to pull the ban on IC engine cars forward five years to 35, I wonder if a suitable push on riding to work will ensue?


Daniel

Nope, it'll be stick all the way.

[louiebaby]

RizzoTheRat said:

louiebaby said:

The wet weather has to break at some point, surely?

I've been quite lucky so far, loads of nights when it's tipped it down but stopped by 8am. I've probably only had a couple of commutes so far this year when it's been raining, and even then not particularly hard. Got a few spots on my way home last night it was torrential about 15 mins after I got home so timed that well.

I've been lucky with timing, but the fields where I walk the dog are in a terrible state. I think it's been the state of consistently wet. The ground is saturated, and has never had a chance to drain before it rained again.

[RizzoTheRat]

dhutch said:

RizzoTheRat said:

It's a bit flipping breezy today...

Howling a gale here, and having got on in the dry on the Wirral, it was mizzleing in Speke and my shoes are still damp!

Saw that they are looking to pull the ban on IC engine cars forward five years to 35, I wonder if a suitable push on riding to work will ensue?


Daniel

We have more cycle rack space than car parking spaces at work, decent cycle paths all the way between home, work, and the city centre, and at least half a dozen on street car charging points within about 100 yards of my apartment.

Come to the Netherlands, it's great....apart from the flipping wind!

[Scabutz]

RizzoTheRat said:

dhutch said:

RizzoTheRat said:

It's a bit flipping breezy today...

Howling a gale here, and having got on in the dry on the Wirral, it was mizzleing in Speke and my shoes are still damp!

Saw that they are looking to pull the ban on IC engine cars forward five years to 35, I wonder if a suitable push on riding to work will ensue?


Daniel

We have more cycle rack space than car parking spaces at work, decent cycle paths all the way between home, work, and the city centre, and at least half a dozen on street car charging points within about 100 yards of my apartment.

Come to the Netherlands, it's great....apart from the flipping wind!

We are so far behind. I cycle from home to the train station. By 8:00 am the bike shed is practically full, the car park 2/3rds full. Any later than that you would probably get a parking space, but not a bike rack.

We have separate cycle paths in my town. They are ok ish. Lot of rubbish broken glass etc so punctures are regularly. They are not a nice place to be at night for vulnerable users.

At the other end in London, there are plenty of cycle racks at the main station, but they are chock full of abandoned / partial stolen bikes so space can be hard to find. They have some cycle lanes which aren't bad. But they are already very crowded with lots of cyclists. I haven't seen it in summer but I can imagine its going to be even worse.

On all paths cyclists have to yield at junctions and so forth which can make progress annoyingly slow

[GOATever]

I’m definitely seeing an increase in the amount of people on bikes during my commutes this year. The infra is just starting to catch up too. I reckon this is increasingly going to be the way of things from now on. I wonder who the Audi cocks of the cycle commuter world will be

[Scabutz]

GOATever said:

I wonder who the Audi cocks of the cycle commuter world will be

Carbon roadies. :-)

[dhutch]

RizzoTheRat said:

Come to the Netherlands, it's great....apart from the flipping wind!

Did a works trip to Amsterdam, and they cycle lanes are awesome, had read and seen pictures before, but its only when you see it and they way they can be used, and compare it to doing the same here it blows your mind.

There is a cycle lane from my office (on a large complex) to the nearby station (1 mile away) and its great except for the below issues:
- Sufficiently faded markings that the majority of pedestrians and or road users don't seem to be aware of it and are a shocked as anything else.
- Completely stops boths sides of a rail bridge pinch point, forcing you into a narrow lane, or tight pavement. Just an 'END' stop junction.
- Large section with broken rather than solid lines, where cars split into two lanes for a cross roads leaving you waiting in static traffic.
- Large section which is two way working, yet only 3ft wide, so any passing has to take place by going into pedestrian section.
- Large number of side roads and access roads which are stop junctions for bikes, sometimes only a few feet apart, breaking up all flow.
- About five pieces of street furniture smack in the middle of the cycle lane, often largely unmarked. Bus stop signs, data/phone cabinets, etc.
- Multiple bus stops were a waiting buses stand directly in you path while boarding passengers, without room to get around.
- Disappears for a short section on a blind bends where overgrown hedge forces you into oncoming bikes and pedestrians.
- Stops and the major traffic junction about 100m short of actually getting to the train station itself.

Not bad getting all of that within just under 1500 metres of cycle lane! (at the other end, i got no cycle lane at all)

GOATever said:

I’m definitely seeing an increase in the amount of people on bikes during my commutes this year. The infra is just starting to catch up too. I reckon this is increasingly going to be the way of things from now on.....

I really hope so.

We get new trains here on MerseyRail later this year (only BR stock are only 40yo...) and it will be really interesting to see what the bike storage looks like. The current setup is ok, 2x2bay stores per 3 carriage EMU, run as 6 car units in rush hour, but it is awkward if the first bike in is then the first bike out, and runs to capacity most of the time.

It appear the new trains will have the 2bay layout still, but more open vestibule areas, it's unclear how many bike spaces there will be. New trains are in a four carriage makeup, and claim to have the same no of seats but 505 more capcaity due to increased standing room.

We shall see, interesting times for sure.


Daniel