7 months commuting experience.
photons
Posts: 4
It's been 7 months since I walked into a bicycle shop and purchased the shiniest bike available, a beauitiful Clive Butler mountain/commuter bike.
Light aliminium frame, toga handle bars and basic shimano gears, affordable yet incredibly light, something to help me combat gravity effortlessly.
How did my bike commuting start?
Well a few things, motorbike problems, expired insurance and lack of money.
So the bike was suppose to be a temporary solution to long distance walking to the shops.
Next came the gear, the helmet and the shiny LED lights. I looked in the mirror and was shocked to find an experienced looking amature cyclist.
Cycling felt like a cost effective, healthy alternative to using public transport and on occasions I actually timed my departure against a bus, and found that my 6 mile journey by bike was the quickest.
My cycling hours grew and so did my bank balance, I felt that I had enough to repair my motorbike, pay for the insurance and become another statistical motorbiker on the road.
Luckily I didn't make that decision, my motorbike is still in the garage and waiting there patiently for any signs of change.
I haven't yet replaced my pedals for pistons, I'm still cycling and I've found a routine that is seeming difficult to wear off.
My bike is looking slightly tired and tyred in respect to it's grooves, but it still is as easy to ride as it was when I bought it.
I feel much more younger than before and have every available excuse to buy those naughty cakes, cycling has proved to me that commuting can balance fitness.
I do feel that I'm the only cyclist out there, the only cyclists I pass are those in my own reflection, the rest seems to be pollutants.
This is probably the reason why around my local society people have such a negative view about cyclists, pedestrians: you cyslists belong on the road, not the pavement. Drivers: You cyslist belong on the pavement, not the road!!!
It seems that we are part of the public hatred figures, behind the line of parking wardens and speed cameras.
People shouldn't judge us as cyclists, but instead judge us as a living person riding a bike. I can demonstrate this by becoming yet another victim of a road traffic accident.
Allow me to change subject and my urge to defend my right to cycle without prejudice, I'm beginning my new venture out from riding on tarmac, to riding on gravel and on a constant flat surface tomorrow. The Leeds - Liverpool canal, I've located a route that competes with my normal route using the road. So I'll decide which would be the ideal route to blackburn from burnley.
I'm confident I'll find some cyslists out there who I can 'Hi Five' to, or perhaps it will just be me and the swans.
Anyway I hope to respond to a few posts on this forum.
Light aliminium frame, toga handle bars and basic shimano gears, affordable yet incredibly light, something to help me combat gravity effortlessly.
How did my bike commuting start?
Well a few things, motorbike problems, expired insurance and lack of money.
So the bike was suppose to be a temporary solution to long distance walking to the shops.
Next came the gear, the helmet and the shiny LED lights. I looked in the mirror and was shocked to find an experienced looking amature cyclist.
Cycling felt like a cost effective, healthy alternative to using public transport and on occasions I actually timed my departure against a bus, and found that my 6 mile journey by bike was the quickest.
My cycling hours grew and so did my bank balance, I felt that I had enough to repair my motorbike, pay for the insurance and become another statistical motorbiker on the road.
Luckily I didn't make that decision, my motorbike is still in the garage and waiting there patiently for any signs of change.
I haven't yet replaced my pedals for pistons, I'm still cycling and I've found a routine that is seeming difficult to wear off.
My bike is looking slightly tired and tyred in respect to it's grooves, but it still is as easy to ride as it was when I bought it.
I feel much more younger than before and have every available excuse to buy those naughty cakes, cycling has proved to me that commuting can balance fitness.
I do feel that I'm the only cyclist out there, the only cyclists I pass are those in my own reflection, the rest seems to be pollutants.
This is probably the reason why around my local society people have such a negative view about cyclists, pedestrians: you cyslists belong on the road, not the pavement. Drivers: You cyslist belong on the pavement, not the road!!!
It seems that we are part of the public hatred figures, behind the line of parking wardens and speed cameras.
People shouldn't judge us as cyclists, but instead judge us as a living person riding a bike. I can demonstrate this by becoming yet another victim of a road traffic accident.
Allow me to change subject and my urge to defend my right to cycle without prejudice, I'm beginning my new venture out from riding on tarmac, to riding on gravel and on a constant flat surface tomorrow. The Leeds - Liverpool canal, I've located a route that competes with my normal route using the road. So I'll decide which would be the ideal route to blackburn from burnley.
I'm confident I'll find some cyslists out there who I can 'Hi Five' to, or perhaps it will just be me and the swans.
Anyway I hope to respond to a few posts on this forum.
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Comments
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I find that if I ting twice, and slow a little, when approaching pedestrians on the canal paths, I am rewarded by a cheerful smile or greeting. However this does not apply if the pedestrain is pretty and female.0
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Photons, nice thread, thanks
always glad to hear how cycling has altered peoples lives.0 -
Part of the problem i think is bad planning and a lack of provision for cyclists, so we get squeezed between pedestrians and cars. But there are some nice car drivers out there, just as there are some rash cyclists.
No doubt about it though, once the cycling bug has bit, it's hard to stop. Ive gone from one bike to four in two years, even getting my leg banged up didn't stop me.0
