The daily "I cycled to work" thread

[lukeyman]

Did a few miles towards the station on the road bike this morning to realise the crank was coming off again (after tightening it yesterday).

Gingerly road home to swap onto the MTB. Oh my god.. it's so heavy. Slow. And hard work.

Comfy though!

[ukbabz]

First ride in since swapping from knobblies to semi slicks.. It felt like someone has been messing with my gear ratio's as the resitance when pedalling has dropped significantly!

[S10GTA]

3 incidents in about half a mile this morning. Firstly a van tried to pull out of a side road into me, he stopped, and I noticed he was on the phone. Secondly a girl on a pendleton went down like a sack of spuds on some stupid paving that crosses the road and finally I stopped at some lights next to a bus when 2 cyclist barrelled through them. I fking despairer sometimes.

The paving area cost 150k too! http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/11162588.The_150_000_road_that___s____an_embarrassment_to_Southampton_/

Edited by S10GTA on Wednesday 1st October 09:25

[TwistingMyMelon]

S10GTA said:

3 incidents in about half a mile this morning. Firstly a van tried to pull out of a side road into me, he stopped, and I noticed he was on the phone. Secondly a girl on a pendleton went down like a sack of spuds on some stupid paving that crosses the road and finally I stopped at some lights next to a bus when 2 cyclist barrelled through them. I fking despairer sometimes.

The paving area cost 150k too! http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/11162588.The_150_000_road_that___s____an_embarrassment_to_Southampton_/

Edited by S10GTA on Wednesday 1st October 09:25

They have done the same in Swindon, redesigned a junction with cobblestones as a crossing, cost loads and is a fecking disgrace, the cobbles are supposed to indicate a "crossing" but it is so vague and bike wheels get caught in the gaps!! Pedestrians think they are on a crossing, drivers think it is a normal road...it doesnt end well!

Nice commute in, back down to SS top and shorts, dropped the PSI in the 32c tyres down from max to 65psi and the roads and bridleways are a lot smoother

[AC43]

thelittleegg said:

AC43 said:

I also found a solution to my tired legs. Go a bit slower. It works.

It took me ages to work that out. I now do some slow, some fast, and some with interval/sprints. Oh, and stretch in the evening

It's taken me 5 years of commuting to work it out.

Ever since I was a kid I've always seen riding a bike to be something to be done as quickly as possible. I could never understand the other kids who just dawdled along......

Yeah, and stretches, good point. On Sunday morning it took me ages to get everything moving again - hamstrings, glutes, lower back + abs all tight as anything.

Doh.

[AC43]

Very heavy drizzle for the first 4-5 miles this morning.

Got utterly drenched.

Lesson; Fancy pants £90 Salomon shoes are not nearly as water resistant/proof as he Cheapo Trespass ones I had previously. Oh no.

[donfisher]

S10GTA said:

3 incidents in about half a mile this morning.

I went to do a slow lap of Richmond park on Sunday to ease myself back into the commute after nearly a month off.

Saw two separate incidents on my way back where bikes had come together with cars. Nothing major by the looks of things but a both cyclists looking like they’d had the wind knocked out of them.

I feel like I’ve seen a lot of bikes on the deck recently and am having unwelcome thoughts about my mortality.

Had my 2nd puncture in 4000 miles last night. I think I’d let the pressures drop too low but getting prepared to bin the Maxxis Detonators that came with the bike if any more happen this month. Nearly low sided on a drain cover in the drizzle this morning as well. Rubbish start to the week.

[uncinquesei]

TwistingMyMelon said:

Nice commute in, back down to SS top and shorts, dropped the PSI in the 32c tyres down from max to 65psi and the roads and bridleways are a lot smoother

I know we cyclists can be unpopular, but that seems needlessly provocative...

[TwistingMyMelon]

Nah, no way , following on from the helmet thread this was me this morning:

[Liquid Knight]

This...



...has made quite a noticeable difference to my commute.

Only three people tried to kill me yesterday.

[ZiggyNiva]

Very cold this morning, especially as the first half of my commute is all down hill. Might even consider getting the long finger gloves out tomorrow, as not being able to feel the brakes is never a good thing.

[TwistingMyMelon]

bit nips this morning, back in the long sleeve top

Legs felt a bit tired, enjoyed the ride though

[S10GTA]

Every morning I cycle in and see the same cars sat in traffic. I think to myself "muppets"

I wonder if they think the same when they see me?

[AyBee]

S10GTA said:

Every morning I cycle in and see the same cars sat in traffic. I think to myself "muppets"

I wonder if they think the same when they see me?

Which is exactly what I think when someone is desperate to get past me and pulls some dodgy overtake only to hit traffic a few hundred meters ahead - a nice wave usually keeps them calm

[TheLemming]

Back on the bike today.

Taken up running which is just crucifying me. 100k club ride Sunday, 10k on foot Monday and I'm back into recovery mode Tuesday and Wednesday.

Offroad ride tonight, another ride in tomorrow. CX Race Saturday, then back to repeating the cycle...

[Justin Cyder]

First commute this week after a bout of cold symptoms. Felt leggy but the pace was actually ok. Looking forward to the ride home now the sun's come out.

[loudlashadjuster]

A new job means I'm able to commute by bike for the first time in over a decade. Shower at work too, which is a first. A reasonably traffic-free 13-14 miles into Uxbridge which I can manage when the Mrs is working from home which frees me from school-run duties.

Managing at least one day per week at the moment, but I'm not sure how resilient I'll be when the weather closes in, especially as the last 5 or so miles is along a towpath which I don't fancy when the temperature gets anywhere near freezing. The alternative is some quite busy roads to cross the M40 and/or M25 which I don't particularly want to do either.

Not too many punishment passes yet which surprises me. I know I've only done about 150 miles of this so far, but apart from a couple of the usual suspects (white vans, mums in X5s etc.) most drivers have been very courteous and patient when required.

Running into the 'dress for morning or evening' dilemma as mentioned above. I'm also very badly prepared and end up having to carry everything on my back instead of leaving it at work the day before etc.

8kg of bag, lunch, shoes, jeans, top, underwear, lock, tools, spare lights, tube etc. doesn't really help the segment times!

Any tips as the autumn really sets in?

I don't have anything like overshoes, are they a good idea?

What about soggy kit? Do you just dry it as best you can and put it back on for the ride home? (what I'm doing for now in this Indian summer)

Or be extravagant and leave a dry set at work?

[WinstonWolf]

There's no need to be *that* extravagant, as an emergency set of kit the Aldi/Lidl stuff will be fine if your primary kit isn't dry.

[MG511]

ukbabz said:

First ride in since swapping from knobblies to semi slicks.. It felt like someone has been messing with my gear ratio's as the resitance when pedalling has dropped significantly!

I went from 40mm semi knobbly to 28mm semi slick on the hybrid I commute on and it's like I'm on EPO, massive difference. Still not cold in the South West, 14 degrees at 7:00 when I left home.

[Vocal Minority]

Blydi cold this morning.

Just got the new bike back after it had to go back to the manufacturer. Struggling a little as feel like I cant generate the sort of power I used to on my old bike - will try moving the saddle a bit further forward and seeing if it helps.