The daily "I cycled to work" thread (Vol 2)
Discussion
yellowjack said:
"Did you not see me either, and think about slowing down?" What a stupid cow. If'n she did that to me she'd have probably been looking for a new mirror to be honest. What if you'd been closer, and unable to slow down in time? You might have ended up under her car, and she'd probably still not have noticed, and driven off leaving you there.
...
That's an awesome rant ...
Was starting to doubt myself, but that puts me straight
Will continue the filming and letting people know how bad their driving is.yellowjack said:
sisyphal said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMTRN9wBHHw
Left the house in a good mood, within half a mile was a whisker away from a collision.
Is banging on people's windows a dick move? Or do some drivers need waking up? When things like that happen I get enraged for a few seconds, but then wish I'd kept it together, ignored it and carried on.
"Did you not see me either, and think about slowing down?" What a stupid cow. If'n she did that to me she'd have probably been looking for a new mirror to be honest. What if you'd been closer, and unable to slow down in time? You might have ended up under her car, and she'd probably still not have noticed, and driven off leaving you there.Left the house in a good mood, within half a mile was a whisker away from a collision.
Is banging on people's windows a dick move? Or do some drivers need waking up? When things like that happen I get enraged for a few seconds, but then wish I'd kept it together, ignored it and carried on.
I absolutely detest this idiocy. NO-ONE should be reversing off a driveway into a road. It's basics, and (at least when I learned) was covered during instruction. "Always reverse from a major road into a minor one, NOT the other way around". The concept is the same for driveways. Any b
ks about it being "easier" is exactly that - bks. Because if you're going to have to reverse in one direction or the other, then it's ALWAYS going to be both "easier" and safer to drive forwards onto the road from a driveway because you have better observation opportunities, and don't need to stop in the middle of the road to faff around changing direction of travel.And before anyone chunters about the mirror comment at the start of this post? I had a FAR closer call with a VW Golf reversing completely blind off a patch of grass on a bend. I literally HAD to slap his rear window to stop him running me over, in order to physically push myself away from his car. The t
t then took exception and a few hundred yards up the road deliberately forced me into a ditch. Despite witnesses backing my story and able to describe him to police, along with the number of the house he came out of, the householder lied to police and claimed not to know the individual. Apparently they visited to quote for a driveway, and they didn't actually know the driver's name. So don't anyone go expecting me to try the 'softly softly' polite approach for incidents like this, because it ain't going to happen. Tapping on the window and a polite exchange? She'll foget that and do the exact same thing day after day after day, and never learn from it. If she's needing to buy a new door mirror every time she fks up, she might actually put two and two together eventually and start reversing ONTO the driveway instead...
...and breathe!
Wear gloves, take the brick from THEIR wall
RE that car reversing off, bit of an ott reaction imo, I would have just eased off and braked, yes she should have waited but st happens and life goes, on and it isn't a whisker away from a collision. Or you could have just gunned it round her, that's the risky option though
Exactly the same thing happened to me when driving yesterday, I just eased off and let them get on with it however in the wrong they are
When commuting by bike you gotta accept this kind of thing happens and its best to just ride defensively and enjoy the fresh air .
t happens and life goes, on and it isn't a whisker away from a collision. Or you could have just gunned it round her, that's the risky option though Exactly the same thing happened to me when driving yesterday, I just eased off and let them get on with it however in the wrong they are
When commuting by bike you gotta accept this kind of thing happens and its best to just ride defensively and enjoy the fresh air .
TwistingMyMelon said:
When commuting by bike you gotta accept this kind of thing happens and its best to just ride defensively and enjoy the fresh air .
That's my attitude these days. I used to rant but don't bother these days. It's usually either a complete mistake on their part or they're just to selfish/entitled/self centred/righteous that they'll never listen anyway.I just feel privileged to be back on the bike commuting again.
Although I did get utterly drenched on the way home on Tuesday...
Week three (I think?) and managing two commutes a week, 9 miles each way.
Two things; I'd forgotten just how much rain slows things down. I was a full 10 minutes slower on the way home in the rain the other day. It was pretty biblical at times I was struggling to see let alone get up out of the saddle.
Also my achilles problem is back. Seems like cycling causes my quads, hammies and calves to REALLY tighten right up.
I think the combo of my age + cycling + running + sitting (badly) at a desk + lack of stretching is the root cause.
Trying to fit stretching into my busy routine and seeing a sports injury trainer once a week. He really gets things loosened up for a day or two. Then I go cycling and they're tight a banjo strings again.
Two things; I'd forgotten just how much rain slows things down. I was a full 10 minutes slower on the way home in the rain the other day. It was pretty biblical at times I was struggling to see let alone get up out of the saddle.
Also my achilles problem is back. Seems like cycling causes my quads, hammies and calves to REALLY tighten right up.
I think the combo of my age + cycling + running + sitting (badly) at a desk + lack of stretching is the root cause.
Trying to fit stretching into my busy routine and seeing a sports injury trainer once a week. He really gets things loosened up for a day or two. Then I go cycling and they're tight a banjo strings again.
AC43 said:
Week three (I think?) and managing two commutes a week, 9 miles each way.
Two things; I'd forgotten just how much rain slows things down. I was a full 10 minutes slower on the way home in the rain the other day. It was pretty biblical at times I was struggling to see let alone get up out of the saddle.
Also my achilles problem is back. Seems like cycling causes my quads, hammies and calves to REALLY tighten right up.
I think the combo of my age + cycling + running + sitting (badly) at a desk + lack of stretching is the root cause.
Trying to fit stretching into my busy routine and seeing a sports injury trainer once a week. He really gets things loosened up for a day or two. Then I go cycling and they're tight a banjo strings again.
Tried a foam roller?Two things; I'd forgotten just how much rain slows things down. I was a full 10 minutes slower on the way home in the rain the other day. It was pretty biblical at times I was struggling to see let alone get up out of the saddle.
Also my achilles problem is back. Seems like cycling causes my quads, hammies and calves to REALLY tighten right up.
I think the combo of my age + cycling + running + sitting (badly) at a desk + lack of stretching is the root cause.
Trying to fit stretching into my busy routine and seeing a sports injury trainer once a week. He really gets things loosened up for a day or two. Then I go cycling and they're tight a banjo strings again.
Or bike fit?
My Achilles aches if I have the saddle too high, or setback too far, mainly a combination of the both , in my case its only a few mm too high or back
Trouble is once the position is spot on I then overuse my quads a bit !
I have something up with my feet, bony protrusions on top I think as a result of collapsed arches. I'm also suffering a bit from knee pain in my right knee. I know it's cycling that's bothering the knee as it went away when I didn't ride for a couple of months with my broken arm.
I absolutely love cycling into work though so I can't stop. Plan is to see a structural podiatrist about my foot followed by another decent bike fit once that's sorted to try and rectify the knee.
Anyone know of a preferably bike friendly structural podiatrist kinda central London or South from there?
I absolutely love cycling into work though so I can't stop. Plan is to see a structural podiatrist about my foot followed by another decent bike fit once that's sorted to try and rectify the knee.
Anyone know of a preferably bike friendly structural podiatrist kinda central London or South from there?
TwistingMyMelon said:
AC43 said:
Week three (I think?) and managing two commutes a week, 9 miles each way.
Two things; I'd forgotten just how much rain slows things down. I was a full 10 minutes slower on the way home in the rain the other day. It was pretty biblical at times I was struggling to see let alone get up out of the saddle.
Also my achilles problem is back. Seems like cycling causes my quads, hammies and calves to REALLY tighten right up.
I think the combo of my age + cycling + running + sitting (badly) at a desk + lack of stretching is the root cause.
Trying to fit stretching into my busy routine and seeing a sports injury trainer once a week. He really gets things loosened up for a day or two. Then I go cycling and they're tight a banjo strings again.
Tried a foam roller?Two things; I'd forgotten just how much rain slows things down. I was a full 10 minutes slower on the way home in the rain the other day. It was pretty biblical at times I was struggling to see let alone get up out of the saddle.
Also my achilles problem is back. Seems like cycling causes my quads, hammies and calves to REALLY tighten right up.
I think the combo of my age + cycling + running + sitting (badly) at a desk + lack of stretching is the root cause.
Trying to fit stretching into my busy routine and seeing a sports injury trainer once a week. He really gets things loosened up for a day or two. Then I go cycling and they're tight a banjo strings again.
At the end of session the hamstring and glute stretches were.....errr....rather challenging.
So the lesson is that cycling seriously compacts the major muscle groups in my legs. My injured achilles compounds the problem which then exacerbates the injury and round we go again.
So I'm going to have to find the time to roller the whole lot out every time I come home on the bike. And do my heel drops. And various other stretches.
And one day, surely, I'll be able to go running again. But don't hold your breath. I'm five months in......
timnoyce said:
Oh good stuff. I rode it last year and was happy to get around (first ride I did over 100miles and certainly the hilliiest at that point!) I've done bigger and greater things since so am hoping to be less tentative and faster. We shall see what happens on the day!
How did you get on at the Classic?I got a Bronze, riding round with my pal who is a good bit slower up hill than me. Didn't do it on my Brompton, but going up the two big hills on the final approach to Princetown, I wished I had.
I loved riding past the non-local Choppers who had been making a nuisance of themselves. I think they were struggling on their aerobikes with 53/39 and 11-25 gearing.
It was good. A cracking day on the bike.
I rode with my Brother in Law until the drink station but then after a discussion he suggested I go on ahead as he was starting to flag! I did the remainder of the ride at my pace and didn't get overtaken for the rest of it and also managed to put 55 minutes into him over the last 60k.
I found it loads easier than last year. Bit fitter this time around and also knowing the course, and also knowing that I could beat the course meant that I could relax and enjoy it more. Also, that tail wind up the second climb to Princetown made it more pleasant than last year although it did make it feel very hot!
https://www.strava.com/activities/1064081513
All the waiting did mean that I had time to enjoy the scenery and take some pics though!
I rode with my Brother in Law until the drink station but then after a discussion he suggested I go on ahead as he was starting to flag! I did the remainder of the ride at my pace and didn't get overtaken for the rest of it and also managed to put 55 minutes into him over the last 60k.
I found it loads easier than last year. Bit fitter this time around and also knowing the course, and also knowing that I could beat the course meant that I could relax and enjoy it more. Also, that tail wind up the second climb to Princetown made it more pleasant than last year although it did make it feel very hot!
https://www.strava.com/activities/1064081513
All the waiting did mean that I had time to enjoy the scenery and take some pics though!
timnoyce said:
It was good. A cracking day on the bike.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1064081513
All the waiting did mean that I had time to enjoy the scenery and take some pics though!
Mine:https://www.strava.com/activities/1064081513
All the waiting did mean that I had time to enjoy the scenery and take some pics though!
https://www.strava.com/activities/1064725690
Great work. It's a lumpy old route. I wish we'd have got there a bit earlier, but not too bad.
Shirt587 said:
Ticked over the 6,000 commuting mile mark on this bike. Two complete commuting seasons plus a couple of weeks in 2014.
Good work.Because I use a choice of 3 bikes, I'd need to spend a bit of time working it out, but that's a top effort. Think of all the fuel you've saved. (Then tell the missus, and treat yourself to something nice from Rapha / Castelli / Brand of choice.)
I've recently started cycling to work, although I'm a long way from commuting 5 days a week. So far I've managed 2 days each week for the last 3 weeks, with last week being 2 consecutive days, just to see how it felt.
So far it's been pretty good, but I'm fortunate that my route is mostly quiet suburbs or cycle paths; no significant dicing with traffic required. Biggest issue is that it's downhill almost all the way there, so uphill on the way home. At my current level of fitness it's hard going, even though it's only 13k each way and not really that steep @ 180m of ascent. (as you can see I'm recording loads of numbers as motivation
)
I've nearly hit a bollard once, nearly fallen off while clipped in twice and got soaked twice as well. All good fun really!
In the true spirit of n+1 I have also determined that the mountain bike I'm using is not really suitable for the commute so I need a new bike. Shopping trip this weekend, woohoo!
So far it's been pretty good, but I'm fortunate that my route is mostly quiet suburbs or cycle paths; no significant dicing with traffic required. Biggest issue is that it's downhill almost all the way there, so uphill on the way home. At my current level of fitness it's hard going, even though it's only 13k each way and not really that steep @ 180m of ascent. (as you can see I'm recording loads of numbers as motivation
)I've nearly hit a bollard once, nearly fallen off while clipped in twice and got soaked twice as well. All good fun really!
In the true spirit of n+1 I have also determined that the mountain bike I'm using is not really suitable for the commute so I need a new bike. Shopping trip this weekend, woohoo!
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