The daily "I cycled to work" thread (Vol 2)
Discussion
cml24 said:
Got my first puncture since I started cycling to work in the new year.
Very lucky as it was only a few hundred meters from home.
I change tyres (free rolling mtb, to a 26" mich 'city tyre') and got four in a week, after being clean for months I thought it was the tyres or that I was going mad, but actually one was an old glueless I had disturbed, and the remaining three where a bit of i think steel wire rope, which I dug half of out one time, missed the second, then finally removed the lot.Very lucky as it was only a few hundred meters from home.
No issues since and am now nearly two years in have stopped carrying patches/pump again. Fortunately with the train in the middle, I am basically always walking distance from home or doing something else.
I tell you what though, its been a wet week. Never heavy, but always either puddle or fine rain. Loverly.
Daniel
Forgive me brothers, for I have sinned, please hear my confession.
I've been made redundant (boo) but found something to go straight to (cheer). However, there is no way to commute by bike. Believe me, I've tried to make it work.
I shall now have to find time to actually consciously workout. This is likely to be swimming, running, or in the gym rowing or biking. Not ideal, but needs must.
I shall return to this parish when I can do so with my head held high. For all those still able to, are starting out, or are considering doing so, do it.
Whether it's once a week in the summer months, or every day, come hell or high water, do it. The benefits to all elements of your health and well being are enormous. Wear a helmet or don't. Listen to music or don't. I'm not going to preach, although I know my personal choice. There are only three rules that you must abide by:
I've been made redundant (boo) but found something to go straight to (cheer). However, there is no way to commute by bike. Believe me, I've tried to make it work.
I shall now have to find time to actually consciously workout. This is likely to be swimming, running, or in the gym rowing or biking. Not ideal, but needs must.
I shall return to this parish when I can do so with my head held high. For all those still able to, are starting out, or are considering doing so, do it.
Whether it's once a week in the summer months, or every day, come hell or high water, do it. The benefits to all elements of your health and well being are enormous. Wear a helmet or don't. Listen to music or don't. I'm not going to preach, although I know my personal choice. There are only three rules that you must abide by:
- Be seen, be safe.
- Offer help to those who have broken down.
- Don't ride like a tool.
louiebaby said:
Forgive me brothers, for I have sinned, please hear my confession.
I've been made redundant (boo) but found something to go straight to (cheer). However, there is no way to commute by bike. Believe me, I've tried to make it work.
I shall now have to find time to actually consciously workout. This is likely to be swimming, running, or in the gym rowing or biking. Not ideal, but needs must.
I shall return to this parish when I can do so with my head held high. For all those still able to, are starting out, or are considering doing so, do it.
Whether it's once a week in the summer months, or every day, come hell or high water, do it. The benefits to all elements of your health and well being are enormous. Wear a helmet or don't. Listen to music or don't. I'm not going to preach, although I know my personal choice. There are only three rules that you must abide by:
I really don't know what I'd do if I couldn't cycle to work. Get fat most probably. Hope it works out well for you!I've been made redundant (boo) but found something to go straight to (cheer). However, there is no way to commute by bike. Believe me, I've tried to make it work.
I shall now have to find time to actually consciously workout. This is likely to be swimming, running, or in the gym rowing or biking. Not ideal, but needs must.
I shall return to this parish when I can do so with my head held high. For all those still able to, are starting out, or are considering doing so, do it.
Whether it's once a week in the summer months, or every day, come hell or high water, do it. The benefits to all elements of your health and well being are enormous. Wear a helmet or don't. Listen to music or don't. I'm not going to preach, although I know my personal choice. There are only three rules that you must abide by:
- Be seen, be safe.
- Offer help to those who have broken down.
- Don't ride like a tool.
Steve vRS said:
Can I add a fourth rule, be especially wary when approaching an X5, Q5 or Nissan Juke.
And Taxis!Only time I have nearly been taken out, the guy's opening line which he repeated about three times was the he was a cyclist too.
However he still lurched left into a layby/busstop with no indication followed by heavy breaking while half in and half out.
It was by the station, so I should have seen it coming, but sometimes your just trying to ride home!
Hope the new job works out well.
louiebaby said:
Forgive me brothers, for I have sinned, please hear my confession.
I've been made redundant (boo) but found something to go straight to (cheer). However, there is no way to commute by bike. Believe me, I've tried to make it work.
I shall now have to find time to actually consciously workout. This is likely to be swimming, running, or in the gym rowing or biking. Not ideal, but needs must.
I shall return to this parish when I can do so with my head held high. For all those still able to, are starting out, or are considering doing so, do it.
Whether it's once a week in the summer months, or every day, come hell or high water, do it. The benefits to all elements of your health and well being are enormous. Wear a helmet or don't. Listen to music or don't. I'm not going to preach, although I know my personal choice. There are only three rules that you must abide by:
I feel your pain. My situation is no where near as bad as yours but I’ve been on a work placement since November and have gone from 50 miles per week to zero. I’ve put on weight despite trying to run more. I miss cycling to work so bad! I've been made redundant (boo) but found something to go straight to (cheer). However, there is no way to commute by bike. Believe me, I've tried to make it work.
I shall now have to find time to actually consciously workout. This is likely to be swimming, running, or in the gym rowing or biking. Not ideal, but needs must.
I shall return to this parish when I can do so with my head held high. For all those still able to, are starting out, or are considering doing so, do it.
Whether it's once a week in the summer months, or every day, come hell or high water, do it. The benefits to all elements of your health and well being are enormous. Wear a helmet or don't. Listen to music or don't. I'm not going to preach, although I know my personal choice. There are only three rules that you must abide by:
- Be seen, be safe.
- Offer help to those who have broken down.
- Don't ride like a tool.
Off road ride to work the other day, wind was a lot stronger than the numbers on the forecast said at the top of Chanctonbury Ring. Still, I thought to myself, I have the fast descent to Washington car park coming up. Only it wasn't that fast...Farmer bloody Giles had been up there, trimming the trees and hedges with either a rusty nail file or a WW2 machete that hadn't been sharpened in the intervening years. Lots of white sharp bits of wood all over the trail. Made worse by whatever vehicle the nail file/machetes had been attached to digging the ground up, so the bits I know I can fly over were a lot more challenging. A couple of knee high sections of tree/hedge in the middle of the trail and of course this fantastic dry spell 
we've been having also made it a lot more dicey than usual.
My tyres held up long enough for me to make it to work, although the front one was very marginal. Fixed one puncture at lunch, found another one at 4. Tyre flat again by 5 but I figured it was slow enough if I took the shortest route home I may get away with only having to pump it once. Repaired TWO more punctures that night! The thorns are so sharp, the holes are tiny and they *almost* seal around the thorns.
we've been having also made it a lot more dicey than usual. My tyres held up long enough for me to make it to work, although the front one was very marginal. Fixed one puncture at lunch, found another one at 4. Tyre flat again by 5 but I figured it was slow enough if I took the shortest route home I may get away with only having to pump it once. Repaired TWO more punctures that night! The thorns are so sharp, the holes are tiny and they *almost* seal around the thorns.
louiebaby said:
Forgive me brothers, for I have sinned, please hear my confession.
I've been made redundant (boo) but found something to go straight to (cheer). However, there is no way to commute by bike. Believe me, I've tried to make it work.
I shall now have to find time to actually consciously workout. This is likely to be swimming, running, or in the gym rowing or biking. Not ideal, but needs must.
I shall return to this parish when I can do so with my head held high. For all those still able to, are starting out, or are considering doing so, do it.
Whether it's once a week in the summer months, or every day, come hell or high water, do it. The benefits to all elements of your health and well being are enormous. Wear a helmet or don't. Listen to music or don't. I'm not going to preach, although I know my personal choice. There are only three rules that you must abide by:
Well done on new job, good you got something straight away. Can you say where you're working now? just being nosy....I've been made redundant (boo) but found something to go straight to (cheer). However, there is no way to commute by bike. Believe me, I've tried to make it work.
I shall now have to find time to actually consciously workout. This is likely to be swimming, running, or in the gym rowing or biking. Not ideal, but needs must.
I shall return to this parish when I can do so with my head held high. For all those still able to, are starting out, or are considering doing so, do it.
Whether it's once a week in the summer months, or every day, come hell or high water, do it. The benefits to all elements of your health and well being are enormous. Wear a helmet or don't. Listen to music or don't. I'm not going to preach, although I know my personal choice. There are only three rules that you must abide by:
- Be seen, be safe.
- Offer help to those who have broken down.
- Don't ride like a tool.
Daveyraveygravey said:
Off road ride to work the other day, wind was a lot stronger than the numbers on the forecast said at the top of Chanctonbury Ring. Still, I thought to myself, I have the fast descent to Washington car park coming up. Only it wasn't that fast...Farmer bloody Giles had been up there, trimming the trees and hedges with either a rusty nail file or a WW2 machete that hadn't been sharpened in the intervening years. Lots of white sharp bits of wood all over the trail. Made worse by whatever vehicle the nail file/machetes had been attached to digging the ground up, so the bits I know I can fly over were a lot more challenging. A couple of knee high sections of tree/hedge in the middle of the trail and of course this fantastic dry spell we've been having also made it a lot more dicey than usual.
My tyres held up long enough for me to make it to work, although the front one was very marginal. Fixed one puncture at lunch, found another one at 4. Tyre flat again by 5 but I figured it was slow enough if I took the shortest route home I may get away with only having to pump it once. Repaired TWO more punctures that night! The thorns are so sharp, the holes are tiny and they *almost* seal around the thorns.
I feel your pain. I've been doing a lot of "returning to the bike in the garage after a couple of days only to find a tyre or two flat" lately. we've been having also made it a lot more dicey than usual. My tyres held up long enough for me to make it to work, although the front one was very marginal. Fixed one puncture at lunch, found another one at 4. Tyre flat again by 5 but I figured it was slow enough if I took the shortest route home I may get away with only having to pump it once. Repaired TWO more punctures that night! The thorns are so sharp, the holes are tiny and they *almost* seal around the thorns.
Those thorns, too! One was laid in there so flat to the tyre that my first "feel around" for it (in one direction only) failed to find it, so when I re-inflated the repaired tube it popped again within a few yards. So then I did the "feel around inside the tyre" thing more thoroughly, in both directions this time, and then took five minutes to push the offending thorn out with the help of a pair of old surgical forceps. I'm a long way off my puncture repair record of 21 patches on one tube before it was irreparable, but getting there I reckon...
...but fortunately I've not had a 'complete' failure/deflation event out in the Forest in the dark and wet. Most of these recent failures have managed to get me home, and repairs have been done in the comfort of a nice warm kitchen with coffee and a sink of warm water to find the offending holes.
Does anyone use slime or does it cause more issues than it's worth?
I've not got a spare tube, so thought I'd put slime in (got some to use on a pram but never got round to it) and buy some when I'm near a decathlon.
Alternatively I'll grab one at the local bike shop for a few quid more and not put the slime in.
I've not got a spare tube, so thought I'd put slime in (got some to use on a pram but never got round to it) and buy some when I'm near a decathlon.
Alternatively I'll grab one at the local bike shop for a few quid more and not put the slime in.
So....I took my bike in for a service on Friday to give it a good once over. The rest of my day was pretty hectic at work but the ride home always calms my head.
Headed down to our changing rooms come 6pm and then through into the bike cage to suddenly realise, I hadn't picked the bike up from the shop
I'd just completely forgot to collect despite receiving a text that it was ready.
I decided to laugh at myself and grab a bottle of wine before hopping on a tram home. A lesson to be learned, make sure you have your bike so you can get home.
Headed down to our changing rooms come 6pm and then through into the bike cage to suddenly realise, I hadn't picked the bike up from the shop
I'd just completely forgot to collect despite receiving a text that it was ready. I decided to laugh at myself and grab a bottle of wine before hopping on a tram home. A lesson to be learned, make sure you have your bike so you can get home.
Not having a great time here either. Half term the other week so I was off, no commuting. First monday back the weather didn't look great but truth is I was lacking in motivation. Cycled on wednesday, fierce head wind both ways and out of condition. Friday I had a videocon at 8 AM, had it been a telecon I'd have cycled and say there in my gear but not an option on video in front of seniors. So, car again.
Was looking forward to a better week this week but I've just lopped off the end of a finger in the kitchen, doubt gloves will go over the bandage (still < 5 C in the AM) and anyway I can't pull the brake.
Getting back on is going to be a b
h after essentially 3 weeks out of it.
Was looking forward to a better week this week but I've just lopped off the end of a finger in the kitchen, doubt gloves will go over the bandage (still < 5 C in the AM) and anyway I can't pull the brake.
Getting back on is going to be a b
h after essentially 3 weeks out of it.2gins said:
Not having a great time here either. Half term the other week so I was off, no commuting. First monday back the weather didn't look great but truth is I was lacking in motivation. Cycled on wednesday, fierce head wind both ways and out of condition. Friday I had a videocon at 8 AM, had it been a telecon I'd have cycled and say there in my gear but not an option on video in front of seniors. So, car again.
Was looking forward to a better week this week but I've just lopped off the end of a finger in the kitchen, doubt gloves will go over the bandage (still < 5 C in the AM) and anyway I can't pull the brake.
Getting back on is going to be a bh after essentially 3 weeks out of it.
I know the feeling! Ive cycled about 50% of the time what with driving to other offices, bike problems or after work drinks etc.Was looking forward to a better week this week but I've just lopped off the end of a finger in the kitchen, doubt gloves will go over the bandage (still < 5 C in the AM) and anyway I can't pull the brake.
Getting back on is going to be a b
h after essentially 3 weeks out of it.Hope the finger recovers quickly!
I've started carrying a spare tube and tyre leavers after last week. Pleased to find my local bike shop reasonably priced. I like supporting them so happy to spend the extra 50p Vs Amazon etc.
cml24 said:
I know the feeling! Ive cycled about 50% of the time what with driving to other offices, bike problems or after work drinks etc.
Hope the finger recovers quickly!
I've started carrying a spare tube and tyre leavers after last week. Pleased to find my local bike shop reasonably priced. I like supporting them so happy to spend the extra 50p Vs Amazon etc.
Cheers. Touch wood etc I haven't had a flat yet but I do have a tube and kit etc on the bike. Schwalbe tyres on everything. The roads are sHope the finger recovers quickly!
I've started carrying a spare tube and tyre leavers after last week. Pleased to find my local bike shop reasonably priced. I like supporting them so happy to spend the extra 50p Vs Amazon etc.
t so I guess they must be decent tyres.So today started ok, going to cycle in to work, morning was good and no rain, give it a go and meet a work colleague for the run in.....
Up the hill out the estate and then along the road to head down the hill, nothing alarming or concerning, T junction pulled out and then bingo black ice. managed for a few seconds to keep up, but the road was like glass and just too slippy, bike toppled and took me with it, cracking my head on the road and smacking my right side hard. Person coming up stops and calls an ambulance, Im a bit dazed with bouncing my head off the road, good thing cycle helmets. Recovers bike and managed to slip twice more on the road. sat at side of road until ambulance arrives, taken down to the hospital as they were concerned about my shoulder and elbow.
Anyways x rays all okay and checks bike over when home and its undamaged, should be as it landed on me.
All started fine.... then black ice put paid to that....
Up the hill out the estate and then along the road to head down the hill, nothing alarming or concerning, T junction pulled out and then bingo black ice. managed for a few seconds to keep up, but the road was like glass and just too slippy, bike toppled and took me with it, cracking my head on the road and smacking my right side hard. Person coming up stops and calls an ambulance, Im a bit dazed with bouncing my head off the road, good thing cycle helmets. Recovers bike and managed to slip twice more on the road. sat at side of road until ambulance arrives, taken down to the hospital as they were concerned about my shoulder and elbow.
Anyways x rays all okay and checks bike over when home and its undamaged, should be as it landed on me.
All started fine.... then black ice put paid to that....
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