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

[timbob]

My very first day cycling properly all the way in to work today from garage to workplace.

I spent a year and a half working in central Milton Keynes so kept the Brompton in the boot and cycled the last mile in (for the free parking mainly), but I’ve changed jobs and I’m now less than 5 miles away from work. And there’s secure bike storage, changing room, showers, the full works - definitely time to ditch the car!

Enjoyed it. Chilly at 0615 but nice and fresh when I arrived just need to figure out the backpack conundrum... it was fine at sub 10 degrees today, but it’ll be a sweaty back nightmare when it warms up a bit! Might have to look into a rack and pannier bag...

[snobetter]

timbob said:

My very first day cycling properly all the way in to work today from garage to workplace.

I spent a year and a half working in central Milton Keynes so kept the Brompton in the boot and cycled the last mile in (for the free parking mainly), but I’ve changed jobs and I’m now less than 5 miles away from work. And there’s secure bike storage, changing room, showers, the full works - definitely time to ditch the car!

Enjoyed it. Chilly at 0615 but nice and fresh when I arrived just need to figure out the backpack conundrum... it was fine at sub 10 degrees today, but it’ll be a sweaty back nightmare when it warms up a bit! Might have to look into a rack and pannier bag...

Any chance of a locker at work? Nice only dropping off everything at the start of the week and taking back at the end.

[louiebaby]

snobetter said:

Any chance of a locker at work? Nice only dropping off everything at the start of the week and taking back at the end.

This. Very much so. Take some planning, but you soon get used to doing it.

I don't always take my work laptop home, it's very nice to be able to just chuck stuff in jersey pockets, tell the wife you're going to be late leaving work, and take the scenic route home. She hasn't (yet) spotted the correlation between working a bit late and sunny weather...

[timbob]

snobetter said:

Any chance of a locker at work? Nice only dropping off everything at the start of the week and taking back at the end.

Not just yet - there’s a bit of a shortage. I do have a large kitbag on the rack with a little padlock on it. I figured to start with as long as I packed everything for the day each day, I wouldn’t accidentally run out of tops or socks etc... but I forgot boxers on day two and had to dig my emergency pair out my shower kit.

I might try taking all my kit for the shift set in on day one and going minimal for the rest.

Already feeling the benefit - I’m a few pounds down and legs noticeably better at the end of the week than the start

[Paraicj]

This week has been a weird one, and it's only Wednesday. Windy on Monday, shorts and tshirt weather yesterday, full rain gear today. Got absolutely soaked. Sort yourself out, weather.

[Matt_N]

Yep I bailed out on riding yesterday, just fed up with wet and windy rides.

Nicer today though, bit chilly but it's warming up nicely for the rest of the week and weekend.

[ED209]

Cycle to/from work the last couple of nightshifts. Interesting little incident last night.

Going about 15mph up a slight incline, 30 mph limit. Its dusk so I have a bright flashing light on the front, a high viz helmet and two rear lights.

See an audi q5 stopped at a junction to my right waiting to pull onto the road i am on, i think he has seen me but no as i am level with the junction he pulls out, i have to take evasive action and nearly end up in the wall. Im thinking to myself that he did it on purpose just to prove a point just as i hear a siren from behind me.

Turns out that the buffoon didn't see the traffic car about 50 yards behind me when he pulled out! Traffic cop observed his antics though and he's now going on a driver improvement course for his trouble.

coo story bro?

[louiebaby]

ED209 said:

Cool story bro?

Good that these sort of incidents occasionally end appropriately.

Although I'd prefer they never happen at all.

Nice ride in this morning, left the armwarmers at home. and was just the right temp...

[aclivity]

Found a pinch "fairy visitor" this morning so had to go on my old Brompton ... New Brompton is flat bars with a high seat post and the largest front chain ring - old one feels like a chopper, small, slow and (oops) dreadful brakes!

It's good to have two in the house but I think I need to make sure the old one is ready to ride in future!

[welshjon81]

Just checking in.

Complete newbie here. Commute is 7.5 miles each way, need to lose a few pounds, so cycled home at the end of last week.

Today is the first day doing both ways.

Any other new/recent starters?

[rastapasta]

Back on it yesterday for the first time this year. Felt ok. Im wondering if theres a benefit to going longer and getting a less steep climb halfway through. That said in the afternoon I came close to nodding off at the desk.

[GSE]

welshjon81 said:

Just checking in.

Complete newbie here. Commute is 7.5 miles each way, need to lose a few pounds, so cycled home at the end of last week.

Today is the first day doing both ways.

Any other new/recent starters?

Not a recent starter but I resumed cycling this time last year, doing about 8 miles to and from work, one or two days a week. Carried on through the winter and am now doing it pretty much every day. Best thing I've done for years, I haven't really lost any weight (I didn't need to) but feel miles better for it. What I save on diesel goes on better food to suit the increased appetite . Good luck, let us know how you get on.

[aclivity]

Windy. Very, very windy.

[Phunk]

Cycling on the road, see a pedestrian looking like they are about to step out without looking, cover the brakes, he makes eye contact with me, then just steps out right in front of me, didn't even have time to hit the brakes, then he called me a prick.

[Matt_N]

Wind change over the last few days, last few weeks we've had N/NE, so I've been getting a tail on the way in and head wind on the way home.

Back to SW prevailing now, prefer it that way for some reason, head on the way in, tail on the way home.

[troc]

Drizzle.

I hate drizzle.

[JQ]

New one on me today - a mobility scooter bumbling on the pavement decided to do a 90 degree dive off the pavement without indication or a shoulder check Based on the size of the occupant I'd have at least had a soft landing had I not managed to avoid him. Certainly gave me a shock.

[Stupeo]

I work from home when not with clients, but I needed some structure/routine to my day so I've decided to start commuting to the home office by bike whilst the weather is nice.

This morning I did 15 mile roundtrip to the next nearest town and was back home in time to get the rest of the house ready for work/school. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

I've wanted to do it for ages, but always been fearful of riding during "rush hour". I left the house at 6.30 and was home by 7.30 and to be honest, traffic wasn't an issue.

[troc]

Well, I made a mistake this weekend. I bought a GPS bike computer (Wahoo Bolt) and discovered it has strava integration. I arrived at work all sweaty and out of breath for the first time in years.

However, I did get 3xPBs

[Craikeybaby]

I had a european style commute yesterday, just rode in in my normal work clothes. It's only a mile and took it easy, will be doing it more often when I don't need a car at the office.