Finally got back into riding to work, but...
Discussion
I went down to the garage this morning and found the tyres were 30 psi down, my thick winter gloves were still hanging on the commuter bike and the straps on my camelback no longer fitted. I've clearly eaten a lot of pies since the last time I rode to work. I set off wondering what would get me first - an errant van driver or my clogged arteries - but it was actually quite a good ride to work. I could really feel the crushing affect on my fitness, but things were otherwise good. Until I got to the lock-up where I keep the bike, that is. Then I realise I'd left my keys at home. In the front door. On display to the whole of North London.
And so, knackered from my first ride of the year, I then turned round and rode exactly the same hilly, congested route in the opposite direction, pedalling furiously to get back before someone helped themselves to my TV, my sofa and the contents of the garage. I got home pouring with sweat and utterly exhausted, only to find the keys were still sat there in the garage door. You know what, though? It was great fun. Can't believe it's taken me so long to get back out on the bike.
And so, knackered from my first ride of the year, I then turned round and rode exactly the same hilly, congested route in the opposite direction, pedalling furiously to get back before someone helped themselves to my TV, my sofa and the contents of the garage. I got home pouring with sweat and utterly exhausted, only to find the keys were still sat there in the garage door. You know what, though? It was great fun. Can't believe it's taken me so long to get back out on the bike.
Cruel, but thanks for sharing
I've recently started commuting to work (only 6 miles) and am really enjoying it. It's spurred me on to longer rides in the evenings too! I can see my opinion of that changing come October, but I will certainly try to keep going through the winter! £5 per day it's saving me in fuel, too.
TonyHetherington said:
I can see my opinion of that changing come October, but I will certainly try to keep going through the winter!
If you're riding on lit roads and you have some suitable cold weather gear it really isn't that bad. The key is to keep at it, though. My problem is I end up travelling a lot during the winter for work and after a week off I find it quite difficult to get back into it. It's fine when you get into a routine though - last year I was quite happily cycling along at sub-zero temperatures with the water in my Camelback tube freezing up.TonyHetherington said:
Cruel, but thanks for sharing
I've recently started commuting to work (only 6 miles) and am really enjoying it. It's spurred me on to longer rides in the evenings too! I can see my opinion of that changing come October, but I will certainly try to keep going through the winter! £5 per day it's saving me in fuel, too.
My ride is a bit further (30.5 mile round trip), but I'm saving a £10.40 train fare each day. If I do that 3 days per week, then it's the equivalent of a £2.5k annual pay rise, which is a pretty decent incentive, even before considering the fitness benefits, and the fact that I really enjoy it!
TonyHetherington said:
That's a very good way of looking at it. So similarly for me, at only 3 days a week and £5 saving, that's a £1.25k pay rise. I like that logic!!!
yours was 6miles each way..so 12miles a day...and saving £5....thats truly dreadful fuel economy 
My commute is 7 miles each way...14 day...on a gallon car will do 38 (8.35 miles per litre)....or around £1.10 each way... so £2.20 a day, so does the Audi average about 14mpg??
Agoogy said:
yours was 6miles each way..so 12miles a day...and saving £5....thats truly dreadful fuel economy
My commute is 7 miles each way...14 day...on a gallon car will do 38 (8.35 miles per litre)....or around £1.10 each way... so £2.20 a day, so does the Audi average about 14mpg??
If you're sat in traffic with the engine running you're doing 0mpg. So if the commute is an urban one with lots of traffic it is quite easy to get dreadful fuel consumption.My commute is 7 miles each way...14 day...on a gallon car will do 38 (8.35 miles per litre)....or around £1.10 each way... so £2.20 a day, so does the Audi average about 14mpg??
okgo said:
I ONLY get the train to work if I can expense it. My cycling saves me over £2000 a year.
What dress code do you have at work?We've got great changing/showering/storage facilities in the office, but I still have to do the train once a week just to bring in a fresh suit and ironed shirts.
Guess how much I now resent that £10.40!
Kermit power said:
What dress code do you have at work?
We've got great changing/showering/storage facilities in the office, but I still have to do the train once a week just to bring in a fresh suit and ironed shirts.
Guess how much I now resent that £10.40!
Smart but don't need a suit.We've got great changing/showering/storage facilities in the office, but I still have to do the train once a week just to bring in a fresh suit and ironed shirts.
Guess how much I now resent that £10.40!
I leave a few pairs of trousers at work and take a fresh shirt in everyday in my bag.
I've never actually done the sums as to the savings, but it's got to be enough to have paid for the purchase of the bike by now (last year when I cycled regularly, I mean...) Another thing for me is the fact it's an absolute pain in the arse to find free parking near my office. I either have to park miles away or cycle to a secure lock-up just round the corner from the office.
As for clothes, I found even when I was keen there'd be at least one day every week or so when it didn't make sense to cycle and so I'd take the opportunity to deliver a batch of fresh clothes by car. Every morning after cycling in I'd head off to the gents with a stack of wet wipes and half a litre of deodorant. Worked well enough for me!
As for clothes, I found even when I was keen there'd be at least one day every week or so when it didn't make sense to cycle and so I'd take the opportunity to deliver a batch of fresh clothes by car. Every morning after cycling in I'd head off to the gents with a stack of wet wipes and half a litre of deodorant. Worked well enough for me!
Chris71 said:
Every morning after cycling in I'd head off to the gents with a stack of wet wipes and half a litre of deodorant. Worked well enough for me!
We're lucky in that we have an absurd number of showers. In addition to the 5 showers in the changing room next to the mini gym in the basement, we have at least one shower on every other floor of the building. It's not like anyone will ever work up a sweat doing their jobs, so I cannot begin to imagine why we have so many!Well we have 12 showers that I can be bothered to walk to, thinks theres another 12 in another building, however we have a huge underground car park and a separate locked bike store which is huge too. There's about 300 bikes in there, of which about 40 move each day lol!
We also have a company come to the office and do on site bike servicing, which is nice!
We also have a company come to the office and do on site bike servicing, which is nice!
I may have bought a Garmin Edge 705 just to convince me to follow through with the whole "getting fit" notion I've had for a while.
It's going to be interesting geeking out over the data: speed, cadance, heartrate. Should be interesting seeing how they change over time.
They've all dropped by around £100 recently - presumably to clear out old stock. Good shopping might pick one up for a little over £200.
It's going to be interesting geeking out over the data: speed, cadance, heartrate. Should be interesting seeing how they change over time.
They've all dropped by around £100 recently - presumably to clear out old stock. Good shopping might pick one up for a little over £200.
My motivation was slightly different.
I'm getting married in August and we're going to France soon to buy the wine for the wedding. I challenged myself to cover the distance from Calais to the Rhone - 985km. I've been putting the equivalent fuel cost away to cover it in France.
My round trip is about 55 miles depending on route and since starting in April I have done 440.7 miles worth of commuting. Puts me at 708km so I'm about 50km north of Lyon. I should just about be in the Rhone by the end of next week.
2 weeks ahead of schedule.
I started enjoying it after a few round trips (apart from the 6:00 start). Set a best time yet of 1h 40m yesterday.
I'm getting married in August and we're going to France soon to buy the wine for the wedding. I challenged myself to cover the distance from Calais to the Rhone - 985km. I've been putting the equivalent fuel cost away to cover it in France.
My round trip is about 55 miles depending on route and since starting in April I have done 440.7 miles worth of commuting. Puts me at 708km so I'm about 50km north of Lyon. I should just about be in the Rhone by the end of next week.
2 weeks ahead of schedule.I started enjoying it after a few round trips (apart from the 6:00 start). Set a best time yet of 1h 40m yesterday.
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