The daily "I cycled to work" thread (Vol 2)
Discussion
Weather doesn’t normally impact me, but got 500 metres from the house and my face was on fire - freezing cold and horizontal hail. Too painful, so headed home and jumped in the car. I think it’s the first time i’ve done that. However, dug out my balaclava this evening so i’m better prepared tomorrow.
Phunk said:
Top tips for cycling to work in the cold/wet weather if you need to wear a shirt and tie?
I've cycled in my previous role which was casual clothing and with my short 15-minute commute I never really built up a sweat.
A locker room with a shower at work. Schlep your clothes in once a week, and then be happy with no rucksack or pannier for the rest of the week. It's all about planning.I've cycled in my previous role which was casual clothing and with my short 15-minute commute I never really built up a sweat.
I've been commuting through the winter, and was pleased it wasn't too slippery down here in Devon this morning.
Phunk said:
Top tips for cycling to work in the cold/wet weather if you need to wear a shirt and tie?
Ride slowly 
I'm lucky that it's only about 4km to work, and it's pretty flat. I can pootle along at <20kph in my work shirt and trousers with waterproof trousers and coat over the top and not work up a sweat. The biggest problem is when it's warm and wet rather than cold and wet though.
Planning to move house in the summer and if I'm further from work I'd be very tempted to get a e-bike to allow me to cycle further without working up a sweat.
ThorB said:
As above. I leave a suit, coat, belt, shoes, gloves, etc in the office permanently and take shirts and underwear in once a week.
And my lock for the bike. If you're happy to use the lock to lock up your bike, you'll be happy to leave it locked to nothing, and it saves weight.I wear chinos and a shirt for work, and keep a spare of each just in case I spill my lunch on myself. I also leave a pair of jeans for dress down Friday at work. I've been doing it for five and a half years now, so it's second nature.
louiebaby said:
And my lock for the bike. If you're happy to use the lock to lock up your bike, you'll be happy to leave it locked to nothing, and it saves weight.
I've heard stories of motorcyclists doing that and finding someone's put glue in the lock so it's unusable, and then the bike get stolen as its not properly locked up. Dunno how true or how often it occurs though. I only use the little rear wheel "café lock" at work and don't bother with the chain as we have on site parking, but I still carry the lock for the occasions I go to the supermarket on the way home.I leave a pair of shoes at work and have a 20ish litre clip on pannier for anything else, as I find carrying a rucksack results in a sweaty back..
I've been cycling to work on and off for the last 18 months. It's about 9 miles each way for me, with a couple of decent hills. About 3 miles cycle path and the rest road.
So far I've been lucky I guess with no major incidents to talk about. My biggest issue is the amount of stuff I have to carry.
I take clothes/shoes to leave in the office, we have showers but no drying room or lockers so I can leave stuff in my desk, but need to take wet/dirty stuff home.
I carry with me;
Work laptop
Lunch
Clean towel
Bike spares/multi tool
Phone/wallet/id etc.
It doesn't sound much, but ends up weighing over 5Kgs. I use 2 panniers to spread the weight a bit and make the bike more stable.
My wife buys me unperishable food to leave at work so I carry less, but I always seem to be carrying loads of stuff and when I get to work, 2 panniers, helmet, gloves, bike lights etc it's always such a faff getting in and sorted. Worse in the winter with all the extra layers.
I leave my lock at work, but used to carry that every day too.
I enjoy the cycling, and it's great exercise, but even after all this time of 2 or 3 days a week, I'm still not used to all the messing about.
Add to this, dropping the kids at school before I start my journey in, then showering when I get here, it means I start much later than others and end up staying later in the evening before the usual 20 minutes of getting me and the bike ready and cycling home.
I enjoy it, but I can totally see why people can't be bothered at the same time.
Edited to say 5kgs, including the pannier bags.
So far I've been lucky I guess with no major incidents to talk about. My biggest issue is the amount of stuff I have to carry.
I take clothes/shoes to leave in the office, we have showers but no drying room or lockers so I can leave stuff in my desk, but need to take wet/dirty stuff home.
I carry with me;
Work laptop
Lunch
Clean towel
Bike spares/multi tool
Phone/wallet/id etc.
It doesn't sound much, but ends up weighing over 5Kgs. I use 2 panniers to spread the weight a bit and make the bike more stable.
My wife buys me unperishable food to leave at work so I carry less, but I always seem to be carrying loads of stuff and when I get to work, 2 panniers, helmet, gloves, bike lights etc it's always such a faff getting in and sorted. Worse in the winter with all the extra layers.
I leave my lock at work, but used to carry that every day too.
I enjoy the cycling, and it's great exercise, but even after all this time of 2 or 3 days a week, I'm still not used to all the messing about.
Add to this, dropping the kids at school before I start my journey in, then showering when I get here, it means I start much later than others and end up staying later in the evening before the usual 20 minutes of getting me and the bike ready and cycling home.
I enjoy it, but I can totally see why people can't be bothered at the same time.
Edited to say 5kgs, including the pannier bags.
Edited by goforbroke on Wednesday 23 January 11:40
Still biking every day, Birmingham has been spared the worst of the weather. Some sleet and a bit of ice on side roads today, but nothing worrying.
I leave my lock attached to the bike-rail at work, but it is a CCTV area right by our main entrance with security guards wandering about, so it always seems safe enough. I bring in clothes every day in a backpack, since I can get away with jeans and a shirt 95% of the time. If I had to wear a suit I'd be leaving clothes in my office, definitely.
I'm also lucky enough to have a shower and locker, meaning even if I do get soaked, mucky or sweaty on my 6km commute, I can clean off.
I leave my lock attached to the bike-rail at work, but it is a CCTV area right by our main entrance with security guards wandering about, so it always seems safe enough. I bring in clothes every day in a backpack, since I can get away with jeans and a shirt 95% of the time. If I had to wear a suit I'd be leaving clothes in my office, definitely.
I'm also lucky enough to have a shower and locker, meaning even if I do get soaked, mucky or sweaty on my 6km commute, I can clean off.
I ride every day 14 miles each leg, last night was a bit grim though with the snow in your face and getting a bit soaked. Much nicer this morning, it being cold is ok if you wear the right stuff.
I can sympathise with with not wanting to lug 5kgs about. I manage to keep enough stuff in the office that I only need to top-up clothes once a week and take a laptop once in a while if I'm working from home or something. If i don't need luggage and it's looking like being dry I'll commute on a more fun/lightweight bike.
I can sympathise with with not wanting to lug 5kgs about. I manage to keep enough stuff in the office that I only need to top-up clothes once a week and take a laptop once in a while if I'm working from home or something. If i don't need luggage and it's looking like being dry I'll commute on a more fun/lightweight bike.
Not cycling TO work at the moment, but have had a couple of tries of cycling AT work. What with taking my son to work in the car, and the temperatures around zero, I just don't fancy risking the roads. Broke my scapula in the summer and although it has healed, I am left with a residual pain in my arm, possibly I twisted it when I hit the deck, or wrenched it, and whatever the damage was it hasn't been picked up. It really doesn't like me jogging but I don't want to give that up...
Anyway, one lunchtime I realised the sun was out and it was quite warm, and watching all the Zwifters with their 30-40 minute sessions, I though maybe I could bring the bike in to work in the car, and get out at lunchtime for a quick blast. We hadn't had any rain for ages, so I thought I would try a hill climb session; Chantry Lane is nearby, and the dead end at the top means it is usually quiet. The lane can be wet and muddy at this time of year, but the dry weather meant it should be ok.
My boss is funny about time keeping, so even though he is a keen cyclist too, I didn't want to be late back. Sneakily changed into cycling gear just before lunch started, which meant I was on the bike 8 minutes into my hour. Got to the bottom of Chantry after 7 minutes, so that meant I had 30 minutes riding up and down the hill before I had to start heading back to work. Managed the first two reps in under 20, but the start of the third was tough and I knew it would be very hard to make it back to work, so bailed about 2/3 of the way up the climb. Got back to my desk ready to start work again with 4 minutes to play with
, so I should be able to get 3 full climbs in next time.
The second time I headed out onto the country roads nearby, I had a square route in mind that should be under 10 minutes a leg. Tried some high intensity intervals on this one, but the leg out was with the wind so by the time I was coming back I was fighting the clock and had to cut the route short.
Will be doing more of these, good way to spend the time I would other wise be surfing the internet or getting interrupted by the boss "Could yo just..."
Anyway, one lunchtime I realised the sun was out and it was quite warm, and watching all the Zwifters with their 30-40 minute sessions, I though maybe I could bring the bike in to work in the car, and get out at lunchtime for a quick blast. We hadn't had any rain for ages, so I thought I would try a hill climb session; Chantry Lane is nearby, and the dead end at the top means it is usually quiet. The lane can be wet and muddy at this time of year, but the dry weather meant it should be ok.
My boss is funny about time keeping, so even though he is a keen cyclist too, I didn't want to be late back. Sneakily changed into cycling gear just before lunch started, which meant I was on the bike 8 minutes into my hour. Got to the bottom of Chantry after 7 minutes, so that meant I had 30 minutes riding up and down the hill before I had to start heading back to work. Managed the first two reps in under 20, but the start of the third was tough and I knew it would be very hard to make it back to work, so bailed about 2/3 of the way up the climb. Got back to my desk ready to start work again with 4 minutes to play with
, so I should be able to get 3 full climbs in next time.The second time I headed out onto the country roads nearby, I had a square route in mind that should be under 10 minutes a leg. Tried some high intensity intervals on this one, but the leg out was with the wind so by the time I was coming back I was fighting the clock and had to cut the route short.
Will be doing more of these, good way to spend the time I would other wise be surfing the internet or getting interrupted by the boss "Could yo just..."
6 miles each way for me on a fixie on flat roads. Very cold at 6:10 this morning and was 20% slower than usual as the roads were a bit icy.
I’ve cycled for the past 4 years and it’s been great..... don’t mind rain but there cold is horrible
I’ve cycled for the past 4 years and it’s been great..... don’t mind rain but there cold is horrible
Edited by The jiffle king on Thursday 24th January 13:34
Daveyraveygravey said:
Not cycling TO work at the moment, but have had a couple of tries of cycling AT work. What with taking my son to work in the car, and the temperatures around zero, I just don't fancy risking the roads. Broke my scapula in the summer and although it has healed, I am left with a residual pain in my arm, possibly I twisted it when I hit the deck, or wrenched it, and whatever the damage was it hasn't been picked up. It really doesn't like me jogging but I don't want to give that up...
Anyway, one lunchtime I realised the sun was out and it was quite warm, and watching all the Zwifters with their 30-40 minute sessions, I though maybe I could bring the bike in to work in the car, and get out at lunchtime for a quick blast. We hadn't had any rain for ages, so I thought I would try a hill climb session; Chantry Lane is nearby, and the dead end at the top means it is usually quiet. The lane can be wet and muddy at this time of year, but the dry weather meant it should be ok.
My boss is funny about time keeping, so even though he is a keen cyclist too, I didn't want to be late back. Sneakily changed into cycling gear just before lunch started, which meant I was on the bike 8 minutes into my hour. Got to the bottom of Chantry after 7 minutes, so that meant I had 30 minutes riding up and down the hill before I had to start heading back to work. Managed the first two reps in under 20, but the start of the third was tough and I knew it would be very hard to make it back to work, so bailed about 2/3 of the way up the climb. Got back to my desk ready to start work again with 4 minutes to play with, so I should be able to get 3 full climbs in next time.
The second time I headed out onto the country roads nearby, I had a square route in mind that should be under 10 minutes a leg. Tried some high intensity intervals on this one, but the leg out was with the wind so by the time I was coming back I was fighting the clock and had to cut the route short.
Will be doing more of these, good way to spend the time I would other wise be surfing the internet or getting interrupted by the boss "Could yo just..."
Jeez - what a fooking miserable archaic mindset to be governed by every single minute and no trust in staff for some give and take. Anyway, one lunchtime I realised the sun was out and it was quite warm, and watching all the Zwifters with their 30-40 minute sessions, I though maybe I could bring the bike in to work in the car, and get out at lunchtime for a quick blast. We hadn't had any rain for ages, so I thought I would try a hill climb session; Chantry Lane is nearby, and the dead end at the top means it is usually quiet. The lane can be wet and muddy at this time of year, but the dry weather meant it should be ok.
My boss is funny about time keeping, so even though he is a keen cyclist too, I didn't want to be late back. Sneakily changed into cycling gear just before lunch started, which meant I was on the bike 8 minutes into my hour. Got to the bottom of Chantry after 7 minutes, so that meant I had 30 minutes riding up and down the hill before I had to start heading back to work. Managed the first two reps in under 20, but the start of the third was tough and I knew it would be very hard to make it back to work, so bailed about 2/3 of the way up the climb. Got back to my desk ready to start work again with 4 minutes to play with
, so I should be able to get 3 full climbs in next time.The second time I headed out onto the country roads nearby, I had a square route in mind that should be under 10 minutes a leg. Tried some high intensity intervals on this one, but the leg out was with the wind so by the time I was coming back I was fighting the clock and had to cut the route short.
Will be doing more of these, good way to spend the time I would other wise be surfing the internet or getting interrupted by the boss "Could yo just..."
That one time in about 4 months that you drive to work to help out the missus, and some f
king journalist is hiding in the work car park to take a picture of you...
https://news.sky.com/story/flybe-row-takes-off-as-...
That's me, with the Aldi carrier bag. (I'm not ashamed about shopping at Aldi, I got a lovely merino long sleeve from the Aisle Of Dreams on Fri night.)
king journalist is hiding in the work car park to take a picture of you...https://news.sky.com/story/flybe-row-takes-off-as-...
That's me, with the Aldi carrier bag. (I'm not ashamed about shopping at Aldi, I got a lovely merino long sleeve from the Aisle Of Dreams on Fri night.)
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