The daily "I cycled to work" thread

[okgo]

lepetitoeuf said:

The only hold up is lights on Ken High Street.

I'll give your route a go tonight and see what I think.

Fair enough.

The cut through is very quiet, barely any cars around those streets in shep bush. And Holland Park is fine if you catch the lights, but it is downhill from town, uphill on the way in.

[hurstg01]

hurstg01 said:

So I popped into my LBS to drop off my rear wheel to get it re-spoked and unbuckled this lunch time and got chatting to the guy behind the counter. At the moment I use Maxxis Ardent knobblies all the time on my Hardtail MTB be it on the 6.25 mile on-road commute (VERY draggy but great for getting me fit) or 25+ mile off-road weekend blat with my mates (great all-round tyre) however I want to go quicker on my commute, and no matter how hard I try I cant get a new PB, it's just not happening. The guy at the LBS reckons 2 wheel sets will resolve my problem - 1 on-road with a less draggy tyre for speed, as I will go quicker and one for off-road; I'm sure it will, however my wallets refusing to open enough to opt for this. I am thinking of buying some less draggy tyres and swapping them depending on what ride I am due to go on, which will often me swapping them every weekend or so from on-road to off-road and back again, not ideal but not a deal-breaker....

So, any of you have the same problem, and if so how did you resolve it? Buy 2 sets of wheels, or opt for the cheaper option of another set of tyres to swap over every so often? If the cheaper option was chosen, which tyres did you go for?

Kermit power said:

There is only one acceptable answer to this. You currently have n bikes. The number of bikes you need is n+1.

ha, I forgot that rule, but seeing as my wallet refuses to open up to 'just' another set of wheels, crowbarring it open for a whole new road-bike is nigh on impossible.

[JQ]

hurstg01]So I popped into my LBS to drop off my rear wheel to get it re-spoked and unbuckled this lunch time and got chatting to the guy behind the counter. At the moment I use Maxxis Ardent knobblies all the time on my Hardtail MTB be it on the 6.25 mile on-road commute [VERY draggy but great for getting me fit] or 25+ mile off-road weekend blat with my mates [great all-round tyre said:

however I want to go quicker on my commute, and no matter how hard I try I cant get a new PB, it's just not happening. The guy at the LBS reckons 2 wheel sets will resolve my problem - 1 on-road with a less draggy tyre for speed, as I will go quicker and one for off-road; I'm sure it will, however my wallets refusing to open enough to opt for this. I am thinking of buying some less draggy tyres and swapping them depending on what ride I am due to go on, which will often me swapping them every weekend or so from on-road to off-road and back again, not ideal but not a deal-breaker....

So, any of you have the same problem, and if so how did you resolve it? Buy 2 sets of wheels, or opt for the cheaper option of another set of tyres to swap over every so often? If the cheaper option was chosen, which tyres did you go for?

I have 2 sets of wheels for my MTB, one standard size and one skinny - exactly the same as a road bike but with a brake disc attached. I prefer to use the MTB wheel with smooth tyres on as it lets me be a bit more "aggresive" on my commute - potholes don't bother me and I can bump up and down curbs if a vehicle is blocking my path (no peds about obviously). The smooth tyres on the MTB are much better than the nobblies and if I need to go MTB'ing at the weekend it's only a 10 min job to swap the tyres back. I only put the skinny wheels on if I'm doing a long cycle on road, which doesn't happen very often.

Personally, I'd just get some new tyres and see how that works out, it certainly doesn't cause me any issues.

[Astarin]

Does anyone else have problems with drivers and the concrete crossings that are dotted around the place in the middle of a regular town road?

There's a hill on the way home from work I usually go along, which I always try and keep my pace the same all the way up or else it'll take half an hour... (slight exaggeration)... Either way, there is a couple of crossings in the centre of the road and it seems like almost EVERY time I'm heading to one, if there's a car behind they're determined to beat me to it, to which yesterday a driver misjudged that I was actually getting up the hill rather fast and tried to get through, realised he couldn't and bashed the concrete curb on the crossing.

He then proceeded as though it was my fault and gave me lots of gestures. I'm not really bothered, it's just so aggravating that people think like that. I always wait if I'm in the car in a similar situation to give plenty of space to the biker...

Rant over...

[hurstg01]

JQ said:

hurstg01 said:

So I popped into my LBS to drop off my rear wheel to get it re-spoked and unbuckled this lunch time and got chatting to the guy behind the counter. At the moment I use Maxxis Ardent knobblies all the time on my Hardtail MTB be it on the 6.25 mile on-road commute (VERY draggy but great for getting me fit) or 25+ mile off-road weekend blat with my mates (great all-round tyre) however I want to go quicker on my commute, and no matter how hard I try I cant get a new PB, it's just not happening. The guy at the LBS reckons 2 wheel sets will resolve my problem - 1 on-road with a less draggy tyre for speed, as I will go quicker and one for off-road; I'm sure it will, however my wallets refusing to open enough to opt for this. I am thinking of buying some less draggy tyres and swapping them depending on what ride I am due to go on, which will often me swapping them every weekend or so from on-road to off-road and back again, not ideal but not a deal-breaker....

So, any of you have the same problem, and if so how did you resolve it? Buy 2 sets of wheels, or opt for the cheaper option of another set of tyres to swap over every so often? If the cheaper option was chosen, which tyres did you go for?

I have 2 sets of wheels for my MTB, one standard size and one skinny - exactly the same as a road bike but with a brake disc attached. I prefer to use the MTB wheel with smooth tyres on as it lets me be a bit more "aggresive" on my commute - potholes don't bother me and I can bump up and down curbs if a vehicle is blocking my path (no peds about obviously). The smooth tyres on the MTB are much better than the nobblies and if I need to go MTB'ing at the weekend it's only a 10 min job to swap the tyres back. I only put the skinny wheels on if I'm doing a long cycle on road, which doesn't happen very often.

Personally, I'd just get some new tyres and see how that works out, it certainly doesn't cause me any issues.

Cheers, I'm leaning that way at the moment

[Fartomatic5000]

hurstg01 said:

So, any of you have the same problem, and if so how did you resolve it? Buy 2 sets of wheels, or opt for the cheaper option of another set of tyres to swap over every so often? If the cheaper option was chosen, which tyres did you go for?

Same problem, I have just ordered Continental GP4000S x 25 tyres and will swap to these, but I have a funny feeling I might not be swapping back to knobblies as often as I should. It depends on how easy it is to get the tyres on and off.

[okgo]

Yeh I do that one already

[McFsC]

Okay, lots of mentions of Strava.

Help me use Strava ( get a GPS device ) for as cheap as possible as I've seen them go for £100+. It must be easy to use though as my ability on a computer is limited.

Thanks.

[Gizmoish]

McFsC said:

Okay, lots of mentions of Strava.

Help me use Strava ( get a GPS device ) for as cheap as possible as I've seen them go for £100+. It must be easy to use though as my ability on a computer is limited.

Thanks.

Most people use the smartphone app. It only samples every 3 secs iirc but it's free.

[otolith]

hurstg01 said:

So, any of you have the same problem, and if so how did you resolve it? Buy 2 sets of wheels, or opt for the cheaper option of another set of tyres to swap over every so often? If the cheaper option was chosen, which tyres did you go for?

I replaced the two inch wide knobblies on our hardtails with inch and a half wide Schwalbe Land Cruisers. It doesn't seem to have made us any faster, but they do feel as if they are less draggy, and they are definitely quieter.

[funinhounslow]

Astarin said:

Does anyone else have problems with drivers and the concrete crossings that are dotted around the place in the middle of a regular town road?

There's a hill on the way home from work I usually go along, which I always try and keep my pace the same all the way up or else it'll take half an hour... (slight exaggeration)... Either way, there is a couple of crossings in the centre of the road and it seems like almost EVERY time I'm heading to one, if there's a car behind they're determined to beat me to it, to which yesterday a driver misjudged that I was actually getting up the hill rather fast and tried to get through, realised he couldn't and bashed the concrete curb on the crossing.

He then proceeded as though it was my fault and gave me lots of gestures. I'm not really bothered, it's just so aggravating that people think like that. I always wait if I'm in the car in a similar situation to give plenty of space to the biker...

Rant over...

Yes!

When I approach these island things and there's a car behind me, I always look over my shoulder at the car for about a second. I would say at least 90% of the time this causes the driver to slow down and back off. They always seem to give me plenty of room after the hazard as well. I think by doing this it reminds the driver that it is a person on the bike ahead rather than just a "cyclist" to overtake as quickly as possible. Whatever the reason it seems to work though...

[Gizmoish]

The only time I've been knocked off by a car was at an island like that. Now I usually take the lane if I'm worried...

[McFsC]

Gizmoish said:

Most people use the smartphone app. It only samples every 3 secs iirc but it's free.

Only have a Blackberry for now. I've read bits about using a device for £20 but not sure exactly what it is and if it's easy enough to create the correct file from it etc...

[Kermit power]

McFsC said:

Only have a Blackberry for now. I've read bits about using a device for £20 but not sure exactly what it is and if it's easy enough to create the correct file from it etc...

Take a look at the bottom of this page. It has options for getting data from your Blackberry to Strava.

[McFsC]

Kermit power said:

Take a look at the bottom of this page. It has options for getting data from your Blackberry to Strava.

Thanks very much, I will be trying it out over the next few days/weeks.

Seems a good site to use with plenty of users which is key IMHO.

[Kermit power]

I noticed Strava are paying (I assume) for ITV4 to flash up Strava segment names for some of the climbs in the Tour of Britain coverage today.

[Gizmoish]

Kermit power said:

I noticed Strava are paying (I assume) for ITV4 to flash up Strava segment names for some of the climbs in the Tour of Britain coverage today.

I didn't notice that but it's a brilliant idea

Wonder how many of the pros will be uploading their data...

[Kermit power]

Gizmoish said:

I didn't notice that but it's a brilliant idea

Wonder how many of the pros will be uploading their data...

Today was the first time I've noticed it too. It was in the highlights before they started showing the actual racing, in a section with a Sigma Sport rider riding up the hill, then the Strava details flashing up on the bottom right of the screen.

Kristian House certainly uploads data, but only training runs I think, not actual race stages.

Getting back on topic, this week is the very first time since I started cycling to work last year that I've been in the office on 4 consecutive days in the same week. After 124 miles since Monday morning, my legs want a rest!

[theleader]

Slowest commute so far this morning at 1 hour 25; bit of a shame but there was a headwind the whole way. At least that means there will be a tailwind all the way home, right?

[Dizeee]

I went out for a gently easing out of my injured heel yesterday, the latter half coming home had one of the strongest winds I think I have ridden in. It was so strong that I was down to quite a high gear, pedalling as hard and fast as I could, and must have been doing about 12 mph on the flat.