The daily "I cycled to work" thread

[TonyHetherington]

I came to notice that how good my legs felt was only a small part of journey time. Wind, of course, but traffic, wet roads, pedestrians, you name it - it all served to mean that my legs were only a small part of total time.

Still go for the PBs tho

[anonymous-user]

TonyHetherington said:

I came to notice that how good my legs felt was only a small part of journey time. Wind, of course, but traffic, wet roads, pedestrians, you name it - it all served to mean that my legs were only a small part of total time.

Still go for the PBs tho

Thankfully I have country roads and the traffic is light most of the time if i start out at 7am, I find wet conditions can actually be faster sometimes as long as the wind isn't bad. I used to commute at 8am and I decided it's not worth the aggro. Besides starting early means I can head out to some decent hills and take the long route home

[AyBee]

hurstg01 said:

a two-way commute of 13 miles taking me 23 minutes each way has led to a 3st 4lb loss . Not bad for an MTB on knobblies.

Forget the commute, I think Sky might need you in their team with times like that!!

[theboymoon]

This was my bimble home the other day in the pissing wet (via a cheeky lap of AC, good times)



Done on this



(Long since cut the steerer down before any starts!)

[hurstg01]

AyBee said:

hurstg01 said:

a two-way commute of 13 miles taking me 23 minutes each way has led to a 3st 4lb loss . Not bad for an MTB on knobblies.

Forget the commute, I think Sky might need you in their team with times like that!!

I didn't think it was that good in relation to the lycra-brigade; my best is an average of 20m 40 secs for 6.26 miles @ 18.1mph average, the map etc is here -

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/182585886

Riding on MAXXIS ARDENT [arguably the best off road tyres] makes for a very 'draggy' ride but it saves me swapping tyres each time I want to go offroad of a weekend and keeps me fit . When I eventually get another set of wheels I'll throw some road-tyres on to see how I fare with those....

[Highway Star]

hurstg01 said:

AyBee said:

hurstg01 said:

a two-way commute of 13 miles taking me 23 minutes each way has led to a 3st 4lb loss . Not bad for an MTB on knobblies.

Forget the commute, I think Sky might need you in their team with times like that!!

I didn't think it was that good in relation to the lycra-brigade; my best is an average of 20m 40 secs for 6.26 miles @ 18.1mph average, the map etc is here -

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/182585886

Riding on MAXXIS ARDENT [arguably the best off road tyres] makes for a very 'draggy' ride but it saves me swapping tyres each time I want to go offroad of a weekend and keeps me fit . When I eventually get another set of wheels I'll throw some road-tyres on to see how I fare with those....

I think AyBee reckons you saying you are doing 13 miles in 23 minutes (average 34mph), whereas I think you are saying you are doing 6.5 miles in 23 mins (average 17mph)?????

[jbudgie]

I think he thought as I did that it was 13miles each way.

[Gizmoish]

TonyHetherington said:

I came to notice that how good my legs felt was only a small part of journey time. Wind, of course, but traffic, wet roads, pedestrians, you name it - it all served to mean that my legs were only a small part of total time.

Still go for the PBs tho

Same here. On the longer segments, the PRs come when you're not trying but you get a totally clear run through the lights

[TonyHetherington]

Yup - every now and then I'll get a good time and think "where did that come from" !

I tend not to use time as the indicator now, though, but instead how hard I work - the more I work, the better I feel, irrespective of time.

[JQ]

I've completely stopped timing myself. My entire commute of 7.5 miles is on city centre roads into Manchester and timing myself just increased the likelihood of me doing something stupid, putting myself in danger.

[AyBee]

Highway Star said:

I think AyBee reckons you saying you are doing 13 miles in 23 minutes (average 34mph), whereas I think you are saying you are doing 6.5 miles in 23 mins (average 17mph)?????

Read it again and it can be construed both ways. I did think 34mph average on an old mtb with knobblies was a bit quick As you were

[warp9]

hurstg01 said:

Mr E said:

hurstg01 said:

has led to a 3st 4lb loss .

Fair play mate, well done.

Cheers

It needed to come off for a long while to be fair, and fell off to begin with ending up most recently with a lb here and there every week or so. I am aiming for 4 more lbs before early September [my Birthday] and another stone or so before Christmas. Fingers crossed......

Fair play indeed! Depending on the route, my total journey is either 8 miles or 14 miles and have been doing that for 18 months now, but have lost no weight and am developing a 2-tone body - trim legs and bulging from the waist up!

What's your secret?! Did you modify your diet or do any other training/exercise?

[hurstg01]

Highway Star said:

hurstg01 said:

AyBee said:

hurstg01 said:

a two-way commute of 13 miles taking me 23 minutes each way has led to a 3st 4lb loss . Not bad for an MTB on knobblies.

Forget the commute, I think Sky might need you in their team with times like that!!

I didn't think it was that good in relation to the lycra-brigade; my best is an average of 20m 40 secs for 6.26 miles @ 18.1mph average, the map etc is here -

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/182585886

Riding on MAXXIS ARDENT [arguably the best off road tyres] makes for a very 'draggy' ride but it saves me swapping tyres each time I want to go offroad of a weekend and keeps me fit . When I eventually get another set of wheels I'll throw some road-tyres on to see how I fare with those....

I think AyBee reckons you saying you are doing 13 miles in 23 minutes (average 34mph), whereas I think you are saying you are doing 6.5 miles in 23 mins (average 17mph)?????

jbudgie said:

I think he thought as I did that it was 13miles each way.

AyBee said:

Highway Star said:

I think AyBee reckons you saying you are doing 13 miles in 23 minutes (average 34mph), whereas I think you are saying you are doing 6.5 miles in 23 mins (average 17mph)?????

Read it again and it can be construed both ways. I did think 34mph average on an old mtb with knobblies was a bit quick As you were

Good, I'd be dead if I did 13miles in 23 minutes - If I drove in I'd be lucky to get that on my route to work....

warp9 said:

hurstg01 said:

Mr E said:

hurstg01 said:

has led to a 3st 4lb loss .

Fair play mate, well done.

Cheers

It needed to come off for a long while to be fair, and fell off to begin with ending up most recently with a lb here and there every week or so. I am aiming for 4 more lbs before early September [my Birthday] and another stone or so before Christmas. Fingers crossed......

Fair play indeed! Depending on the route, my total journey is either 8 miles or 14 miles and have been doing that for 18 months now, but have lost no weight and am developing a 2-tone body - trim legs and bulging from the waist up!

What's your secret?! Did you modify your diet or do any other training/exercise?

I stopped snacking in the evenings, reduced ever-so slightly my serving size, ate more veg and fruit but still have the odd treat [toblerone, crisps, cheese etc] once or twice of thrice a week . Marry that up with the cycling and thats pretty much it. I still have the muffin belly, but its not a 3000 calorie muffin, more like a 300 calorie muffin nowadays.... Perhaps you have less to lose than me and its taking time to shift?

[HereBeMonsters]

S10GTA said:

HereBeMonsters said:

Here's my commute:

Looks like you work pretty close to me.

That's the way home. You probably work close to where I live...

So let's see that Mi some time then!

[S10GTA]

HereBeMonsters said:

S10GTA said:

HereBeMonsters said:

Here's my commute:

Looks like you work pretty close to me.

That's the way home. You probably work close to where I live...

So let's see that Mi some time then!

Not a problem. I'm in marchwood, work near the football stadium

[warp9]

hurstg01 said:

warp9 said:

What's your secret?! Did you modify your diet or do any other training/exercise?

I stopped snacking in the evenings, reduced ever-so slightly my serving size, ate more veg and fruit but still have the odd treat [toblerone, crisps, cheese etc] once or twice of thrice a week . Marry that up with the cycling and thats pretty much it. I still have the muffin belly, but its not a 3000 calorie muffin, more like a 300 calorie muffin nowadays.... Perhaps you have less to lose than me and its taking time to shift?

I'm trying to do the more fruit, veg, salad thing, cut down on booze and carbs, plus I have to stop raiding the fridge when I get home for cheese and cold meats, mmmmnnnomnomnom!! I'm about 15.5 stone and ideally I could do with loosing 2 stone, but would settle for 1!

[Kermit power]

This morning was odd.

Normally, I'd say I probably over take roughly 1.5 to 2 riders for every 1 that overtakes me.

This morning, I felt like I was having a really good ride. Legs felt great, easily letting me keep my HR up at around 165, and the speeds on my Garmin were agreeing with this assessment.

So why did it feel like every other fker on the road was blowing me into the weeds????? I had 4 riders go past me just in one quarter mile flat section of CS7 whilst I was doing 23mph+.

For some reason, it seems as though everyone was having a good morning today.

[AyBee]

Kermit power said:

This morning was odd.

Normally, I'd say I probably over take roughly 1.5 to 2 riders for every 1 that overtakes me.

This morning, I felt like I was having a really good ride. Legs felt great, easily letting me keep my HR up at around 165, and the speeds on my Garmin were agreeing with this assessment.

So why did it feel like every other fker on the road was blowing me into the weeds????? I had 4 riders go past me just in one quarter mile flat section of CS7 whilst I was doing 23mph+.

For some reason, it seems as though everyone was having a good morning today.

I had a creaking BB on the way home yesterday so took it all apart when I got home, greased it all up and stuck it back together (the classic, filthy bike with clean, shiny chain and sprockets - felt silky smooth this morning so I felt good Nobody overtook me this morning But then I do just do my 6 mile stretch like Cancellara What do you ride on your commute Kermit?

[Kermit power]

AyBee said:

What do you ride on your commute Kermit?

Since my De Rosa tends to try to kill me in the rain - and at the moment it seems impossible to find a day when there isn't any rain - I mostly commute on my old GT ZR3.0.

Nice, lightweight aluminium road bike with carbon forks and Shimano 105 groupset which I've converted to flat bars and fitted with a cantilevered pannier rack, so it tends to surprise people by moving rather faster than the hybrid it looks like, especially considering its got 18 stone of me sat on it!

[warp9]

Kermit power said:

..which I've converted to flat bars and fitted with a cantilevered pannier rack,

Yesss! Someone else who see's the light!