Cycling to work

[S3_Graham]

im tempted.. have done it a few times, but at 6miles it takes about 45 mins... and can be a pain to get into work after nearly and hour of cycling... but yes.. i should do.. and it would save me so much in petrol as its a half hour drive or 45min ride.... hmmm!

[stew-S160]

L4URA said:

I could cycle to work as it's only 4 miles, but there is a really nice S bend in the road and it would be a waste not to drive it every day!

[Mr E]

baron bashoneov said:

Should we all be making small lifestyle changes to do our bit.

I ride to work because I enjoy riding to work, not because I think it makes a jot of difference to anyone but me.

[jamiebae]

18 miles and it's very hilly so I haven't done it yet, I think it would probably take me 2 hours against 25 mins in the car. I used to cycle all the time when I lived in London, 8 miles from Old Street to Swiss Cottage and loved it. It was quicker than the tube or bus too.

[spikeyhead]

Mr E said:

baron bashoneov said:

Should we all be making small lifestyle changes to do our bit.

I ride to work because I enjoy riding to work, not because I think it makes a jot of difference to anyone but me.

When I worked four miles form home I used to cycle too because I enjoyed it, that and it took 20 mins rather than 45 by car.

[sjg]

Mr E said:

I ride to work because I enjoy riding to work, not because I think it makes a jot of difference to anyone but me.

+1. Although I don't since I changed jobs and need to turn up at clients 2+ hours away, looking presentable. Really miss it though, and will be a major factor in deciding to change jobs. Wakes you up nicely, kept me fitter than ever, saved loads of money and was great fun.

Kept car mileage down to just long trips and fun mileage - it's really effective at stopping a great car feeling ordinary from too many hours sat in it crawling through traffic.

[jesta1865]

okgo said:

I would do it in an instant, but there is no washing facility here.

It would be a great ride and probably take me less time than the car, but I can't be doing with the sweat..

same for me, plus i would have to use the old a130 to work, as the nice new one has banned bikes. the old one has several huge hills.

plus it being a 32 miles round trip means i would have to leave very early to be in for 8am

[deckster]

S3_Graham said:

im tempted.. have done it a few times, but at 6miles it takes about 45 mins... and can be a pain to get into work after nearly and hour of cycling... but yes.. i should do.. and it would save me so much in petrol as its a half hour drive or 45min ride.... hmmm!

6 miles in 45 minutes!! Do you work at the top of Everest?! Get a bit of practice in and you should halve that

[will_]

S3_Graham said:

im tempted.. have done it a few times, but at 6miles it takes about 45 mins... and can be a pain to get into work after nearly and hour of cycling... but yes.. i should do.. and it would save me so much in petrol as its a half hour drive or 45min ride.... hmmm!

If it's six miles and takes half an hour to drive, that's a 12mph driving average. My average over 100 miles on the bike last week was 17.5mph. I doubt a six mile ride would take much more than 30 minutes unless you have some serious hills!

[Digger.]

will_ said:

S3_Graham said:

im tempted.. have done it a few times, but at 6miles it takes about 45 mins... and can be a pain to get into work after nearly and hour of cycling... but yes.. i should do.. and it would save me so much in petrol as its a half hour drive or 45min ride.... hmmm!

If it's six miles and takes half an hour to drive, that's a 12mph driving average. My average over 100 miles on the bike last week was 17.5mph. I doubt a six mile ride would take much more than 30 minutes unless you have some serious hills!

+1 If you are currently unfit you should be able to get that time down reaasonably quickly. Might be worth checking your position on the bike as that can make quite a difference as well.

[mechsympathy]

will_ said:

If it's six miles and takes half an hour to drive, that's a 12mph driving average. My average over 100 miles on the bike last week was 17.5mph. I doubt a six mile ride would take much more than 30 minutes unless you have eaten some serious pies!

EFA

[dave_s13]

okgo said:

I would do it in an instant, but there is no washing facility here.

It would be a great ride and probably take me less time than the car, but I can't be doing with the sweat..

This is my reason too. And I even have a cycle2work funded bike!

11 miles to my work and I often have 2 large boxes of surgical instruments in tow so it's just not practical. I sweat like a busy rapist too so NEED a shower when I get there.

[mel]

I used to live at Lee on Solent and work at Gunwharf in Portsmouth, to drive meant going all the way round the peninsula and would take 45mins to an hour, to cycle was 10 mins to the ferry, across the harbour, then 5 mins the other side, so it really was a no brainer especially as we had showers at work, secure storage, access to dozens of vehicles and most importantly a bar. It was great in the summer months coming back the scenic route along the beach fronts, and I lost count of the times I cycled home way over the driving limit, but perversely I actually enjoyed it in the winter as well, it was really quite invigorating and meant that when I got to work I was wide awake and ready to go.

Now days, not a chance it's nearly 20 miles each way and includes 3 lane dual carrageways, lots of hills, I take the dog with me to work, and need my car during the day, hence why the weight has piled on

[option click]

DaveL485 said:

Hell no. 26 miles each way? Screw that.

Wimp

My commute is 25 each way, although I must admit that I don't do it every day....

[prand]

I already cycle to work 2-3 times a week over a 7 mile distance, although I do it less in the winter, as I'm not a fan of the dark, cold or wet. Takes me about 20 mins. If I'm feeling up for it, or the weather is particularly nice, I'll take the long way home round a loop of about 25 miles. Luckily I have a shower at work so I can clean up the sweat and road grime when I get to the office.

BTW - don't forget the Pedal Powered PH forum - for some more specific cycling discussion:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/forum.asp?h=0...

[camgear]

My commute to work is 4.3 miles, took the motorbike into work today though, cycled to my girlfriends in Warrington at the weekend (17 miles!)

[Davi]

okgo said:

I would do it in an instant, but there is no washing facility here.

It would be a great ride and probably take me less time than the car, but I can't be doing with the sweat..

baron bashoneov said:

I will cycle whilst it is dry
...

I will probably get run of the road by some white van man.

All the reasons I don't cycle in already noted... It's less than 3 miles from my house to work, I can walk it in 30 minutes so reckon I could cycle it in 5 or 10 mins max. It would save me in excess of £350 a month in fuel and parking, but on the other hand I'd have to sit in the office soaked 90% of the time by rain, or on the odd occasion it didn't rain by sweat instead, presuming I don't end up under the wheels of one of the many car carriers that treat the road I'd come in on like a personal race track short cut.

[will_]

Davi said:

okgo said:

I would do it in an instant, but there is no washing facility here.

It would be a great ride and probably take me less time than the car, but I can't be doing with the sweat..

baron bashoneov said:

I will cycle whilst it is dry
...

I will probably get run of the road by some white van man.

All the reasons I don't cycle in already noted... It's less than 3 miles from my house to work, I can walk it in 30 minutes so reckon I could cycle it in 5 or 10 mins max. It would save me in excess of £350 a month in fuel and parking, but on the other hand I'd have to sit in the office soaked 90% of the time by rain, or on the odd occasion it didn't rain by sweat instead, presuming I don't end up under the wheels of one of the many car carriers that treat the road I'd come in on like a personal race track short cut.

It doesn't actually rain that much, I probably only get drenched a handful of times a year - and surely you'd change when you got to work anyway? For over £3k a year in your pocked that's not too bad.....

[Chris71]

I've always lived too far away. However, I start a new job next week and I'll be within cyclcing range.

If I can find somewhere secure to store it and I can survive without showers etc. then I'll be cycling into the new job.

Like the OP says, not becoming a tree hugger, it's just a cheaper, healthier way to get to work. Plus 20mph through London traffic isn't really my idea of driving. I'd much rather cycle in and save the petrol money for a good hoon at the weekend.

May be of interest: http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

[madrob6]

I don't cycle to work but I do walk there. It's only a 5 minute walk with nowhere to put a bike when I got there so there's no point, getting across the main road on the way here would surely result in death considering most of the people ignore a pedestrian on a crossing when faced with a red light (not that I'm bitter that they try and kill me every day!).

My car rarely moves during the week and that's a company car with paid for fuel.