The daily "I cycled to work" thread (Vol 2)

[Sway]

Aborted attempt this week thanks to Southern Rail...

However, good learning experience - my kit really isn't up to persistent rain, cold winds and sitting around at the station.

So, C2W voucher renewal time!

Picking up a few other bits for the bike, so places like Sigma or Wiggle please - but recommendations for absolutely pukka (southern wuss, happy to spend on gucci kit as my last good cycling jacket lasted over a decade) winter jacket/rain shell?

Currently looking at the Assos Mille GT Ultraz Evo jacket as an 'all in one' option - or would I be better off going for a primaloft insulating layer plus something like a Shakedry shell?

[Dannbodge]

Had a lovely ride in this morning. Half of it was into a headwind which meant the other half was a beautiful tailwind.
Was breezy all day so had a nice tailwind for 70% of the ride home.
Averaged over 20mph and took 1min off my fastest ride home too haha
Deep section wheels and discs suck for windy days though

Not really posted in here much
I commute 3 days a week (mon Thurs and Fri) and it's anywhere from 10-40km on the way in and 10-20km on the way home, so loads of flexibility for me to choose routes and distances based on weather or time.
Started zwfting on a Tuesday and running on a Wednesday now too.

Edited by Dannbodge on Thursday 7th April 21:39

[RoadToad84]

S100HP said:

Does anyone commute and do 12hr shifts? I've ridden home after a night shift and back in the evening a few times, but it's 16ish miles, about an hour each way. It's not really viable, or am I being a big fanny?

Certainly do-able but can take its toll. I work between 8 and 13 hour days, with a 7.5 mile flat commute. I cycle more often than not. Definitely harder in winter when it's cold and dark at both ends. Do like the feeling it gives me though, and the fuel savings are nice!

[gangzoom]

Great thing about bikes for commuting. No need to take a crazy 3 miles extra detour due to road works for a housing extension. The road will be closed for 26 weeks apparently!!.

[sanguinary]

Used the bike a handful of times this year. Starting proper tomorrow. Only 6 miles each way, with a fair climb on the way home. Not looking forward to tomorrow, but by the end of the week, and into next I’ll be comfortable enough again.

And it saves me a good gallon and half a day.

[funinhounslow]

WFH has ended so am using the Brompton daily again after it spent the past two years hiding under a table.

About time it started singing for its supper. I’d almost forgotten how much fun they are - quick off the mark, nimble, agile and fast enough…

[sanguinary]

Took it easy this morning as it’s been a few weeks. Tonight will be tough for certain.

City in the distance. That hill isn’t as pleasant on the way home!


Almost there. Nice way to start the day.

Edited by sanguinary on Monday 11th April 08:18

[mike9009]

sanguinary said:

Used the bike a handful of times this year. Starting proper tomorrow. Only 6 miles each way, with a fair climb on the way home. Not looking forward to tomorrow, but by the end of the week, and into next I’ll be comfortable enough again.

And it saves me a good gallon and half a day.

I had to check what car you had! Now I understand!!

I save about a gallon a day, but do 26 miles cycling. The route in the car is slightly longer as I avoid some congestion points which I can just nip through on the bike.

[sanguinary]

mike9009 said:

I had to check what car you had! Now I understand!!

I save about a gallon a day, but do 26 miles cycling. The route in the car is slightly longer as I avoid some congestion points which I can just nip through on the bike.

Ha! Yes, easy to justify cycling at the moment, when averaging 14 mpg on the commute.

Similarly to you, approx 20 miles a day in the car as opposed to just 12 on the bike.

I can get to work in almost half the time on the bike. Helps that it’s downhill. Coming home, the car takes thirty mins as I miss most of the traffic when I leave. 36 mins on the bike today, but I know if I keep at it, I’ll be closer to 30.

Feeling it tonight though. I need to lose a good stone from winter and I’ll be good again on the hill home.

[LeadFarmer]

S100HP said:

Does anyone commute and do 12hr shifts?

I do when i'm in the office, i'm mostly working from home now, but once a week I'll commute in for my 12 hr shift.
Prior to working 12hr shifts I did 10hr shifts, when I would commute by bike every day, sometimes not finishing work until 3am, then cycling home.

[S100HP]

Inspired by this thread I resolved to commute a bit more often. End of my 2nd 12hr day, so rode home tonight (with a little detour) and left my car at work. On nights tomorrow so will ride back in as my car is still there.



I just love riding my bike. It was beautiful tonight, evening gave way to dusk and I watched the sun setting over the fields as I made my way home. Awesome.

[S100HP]

Further to above, I finished this set of shifts this morning.

I rode home after the 2nd day shift on Saturday evening (prev post) back in for the first night (Sunday evening 17miles) home on Monday morning (16miles) and back in Monday night (17miles). Just over 70 miles during this set and saved around 80 miles in fuel.

I genuinely considered riding home Tuesday morning and back in Tuesday night but was getting pretty tired and the forecast was for rain in the evening, which was correct.

So it is possible, for sure, and I'll certainly be a bit better at riding a little more, when I can make it work around weather/child pickup etc. I forgot how much I enjoyed riding to work.

[GSE]

I have been cycling to work for the last 5 years - it's 10 to 15 miles each way depending on the route, and I can do a lot of it off road / cross country if I want. Never going back to commuting by car, it's one of the best things I've ever done, I do about 5500 miles pa now.

I have been on the bike full time for the last two weeks, and as the weather has been so good, I haven't needed to clean it!

My Orbea Gain D30 1X 'gravel' e-bike is perfect for the job:

[gangzoom]

GSE said:

Never going back to commuting by car, it's one of the best things I've ever done, I do about 5500 miles pa now.]

There are some noises now been made by EV(car) owners on charging costs as electricity prices have been rocketing. I've worked out 3000 miles of commuting on the eBike even at the most expensive current electricity costs = £12 all in!!!!

I know you had bad experiences of certain eBikes, but essentially all of them do a fantastic job of replacing the car for commuting. If I didn't have school pick ups/shopping runs to do during the week I would certainly not use the car at all for commuting.

Trek is just about to release the 2023 Domane, and Fazua has also just updated their motor/battery setup. Man maths says spending £5-6k on a new eBike is fully justifiable if it means avoiding car usage. After all why would you choose to commute by car if you can use the same equipment that won Paris–Roubaix, and with the electricitrical assistance you can go almost as fast as the pros but without the sweat and rigorous training .

I cannot wait to waste some ££££ on an electric version of this for commuting!!

[TheInternet]

gangzoom said:

with the electricitrical assistance you can go almost as fast as the pros

Are these not still limited to 15mph? The most recent e-bike I tried was great to ride at 15 mph, but seemed pretty horrible if you attempted to go any faster. It was a general commuter thing though.

[Phunk]

TheInternet said:

Are these not still limited to 15mph? The most recent e-bike I tried was great to ride at 15 mph, but seemed pretty horrible if you attempted to go any faster. It was a general commuter thing though.

Yes, law states 15.5mph. Some of them can be delimited or tweaked slightly.

For instance I run my Swytch kit to the USA regs which are 20mph which is much better for my usage.

[2gins]

Best thing I ever did too. 3-4 days a week every other week more or less, is 120 miles per week or 200 miles per month. The fuel saving goes on bike bits and clothes to an extent but overall I must be up after the initial outlay. Journey time is parity with the car and I've never been fitter.
Having said that I've done 100 miles ish since February due to covid running through the family resulting in lots of WFH. Got back on last week, second day, ride home, 5 miles in the rear derailleur cable pinged. Back to the car. Fixed now.
Will get there!

[gazza285]

gangzoom said:

There are some noises now been made by EV(car) owners on charging costs as electricity prices have been rocketing. I've worked out 3000 miles of commuting on the eBike even at the most expensive current electricity costs = £12 all in!!!!

I know you had bad experiences of certain eBikes, but essentially all of them do a fantastic job of replacing the car for commuting. If I didn't have school pick ups/shopping runs to do during the week I would certainly not use the car at all for commuting.

Trek is just about to release the 2023 Domane, and Fazua has also just updated their motor/battery setup. Man maths says spending £5-6k on a new eBike is fully justifiable if it means avoiding car usage. After all why would you choose to commute by car if you can use the same equipment that won Paris–Roubaix, and with the electricitrical assistance you can go almost as fast as the pros but without the sweat and rigorous training .

I cannot wait to waste some ££££ on an electric version of this for commuting!!

Ah! fking SRAM!.

[yellowjack]

gazza285 said:

gangzoom said:

There are some noises now been made by EV(car) owners on charging costs as electricity prices have been rocketing. I've worked out 3000 miles of commuting on the eBike even at the most expensive current electricity costs = £12 all in!!!!

I know you had bad experiences of certain eBikes, but essentially all of them do a fantastic job of replacing the car for commuting. If I didn't have school pick ups/shopping runs to do during the week I would certainly not use the car at all for commuting.

Trek is just about to release the 2023 Domane, and Fazua has also just updated their motor/battery setup. Man maths says spending £5-6k on a new eBike is fully justifiable if it means avoiding car usage. After all why would you choose to commute by car if you can use the same equipment that won Paris–Roubaix, and with the electricitrical assistance you can go almost as fast as the pros but without the sweat and rigorous training .

I cannot wait to waste some ££££ on an electric version of this for commuting!!

[Img]https://cyclingtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Paris-Roubaix-2022-new-Trek-Domane-31.jpg[/thumb]

Ah! fking SRAM!.

In the end, though, SRAM is just the bits hung on the bike. Easily swapped for something better. I'm biased, obviously, because I love my 2015 Emonda, but those new Trek frames are beautiful things. My favourite local bike shop sells them and I'm saddened by my inability to fund a new one. But they are fabulous things

[RizzoTheRat]

gangzoom said:

I know you had bad experiences of certain eBikes, but essentially all of them do a fantastic job of replacing the car for commuting. If I didn't have school pick ups/shopping runs to do during the week I would certainly not use the car at all for commuting.

You just need to get something like an Urban Arrow for the school run and you're sorted.