The end of my commuting career is in sight :(

graeme_s-2

I feel sad. This morning I accepted a job which will be within walking distance of my house. My 2 and a bit years of cycle commuting will come to an end at the end of August when I finish my notice period in my current job . Might even sell my fixie.

I think I'll have to get much more organised and serious about my training, as my weight will balloon otherwise. I lost 2 stone in the months following me starting to cycle commute.

graham_g

That's a bummer, I recently moved offices and got a 6 mile each way journey cut in half. That said I'm currently applying for a job with a 10 mile each way commute, largely against the flow of traffic too

ChrisLS

Graeme, don't sell the bike...I used to work within walking distance of work and still rode a ten mile route to work...don't lose your commute ride...

cupofteacp

I've just been made redundant and the worst part is thinking that I'll lose cycle comute, shower at work and somewhere safe to put my bike.

Clever Pun

cupofteacp wrote:

I've just been made redundant and the worst part is thinking that I'll lose cycle comute, shower at work and somewhere safe to put my bike.

sorry to hear that, least you get to cry in to your payout

When going for interviews I made sure they had provisions for cyclists and secure parking as it means a lot to me to be able to commute...

Bassjunkieuk

I could have taken up a position at a site under 2.5 miles from my home, and most of my colleagues thought I was barmy when I said "It's to close!"

I don't think non-cyclist's understand just how much we ENJOY our commute, to me being able to spend 30-60 minutes morning and evening on my bike is great fun, and if I just so happen to be getting to and from work then so be it, I kill 2 birds (well considerably more actually if you count saving money and health benefits) with 1 stone!

I agree with ChrisLS, don't get rid of you bike just because your working more locally, just go the LONG way there!

snooks

Why not just go for a ride in the morning, go home, shower and then walk to work?

We'll still let you post here

graeme_s-2

I have 3 bikes at the moment, but limited space. If I'm not commuting anymore then I don't think I can justify the space for my fixie.

The new place offer Cycle to Work with the full £1,000 voucher (the current place only went up to £750), so I'm tempted to go for a Planet X pro carbon, although I'm planning to get a bit more serious about my triathlons, so a Planet X stealth might be an option instead

I'll certainly still be cycling, and possibly some mornings before work, just not commuting anymore.

discurio

jesus man just sell the house and move further away.

chewa

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

I don't think non-cyclist's understand just how much we ENJOY our commute, to me being able to spend 30-60 minutes morning and evening on my bike is great fun, and if I just so happen to be getting to and from work then so be it, I kill 2 birds (well considerably more actually if you count saving money and health benefits) with 1 stone!

well said!

tinyfish

That's too bad sir. It is a problem to be sure.

My commute (Streatham to Battersea) is around 15-20 mins which I find to be a bit too short and as such, I choose a longer route to work to give me the burn that I'm after. As silly as it sounds, if you are still really keen to continue on your bike, even if it is only a cople of times a week, you could use a round about route on your bike to get to work e.g. Your home to work via Latvia. Just a suggestion.

If that doesn't appeal, maybe this is your opportunity to change your commuter bike for say a road/touring machine, and get out there at the weekends for a little fun.

DavidTQ

Im having to hang up the helmet for at least a while, but mines on health grounds . Ive had a long term problem (near enough daily nausea and diareah for the last 15 months) that recently put me in hospital for a few days, Its been getting steadily worse and stopping me from cycling more and more often, then recently put me in hospital for a few days and for the first time ever fainted whilst I was there (low blood pressure) and since then Ive just been too ill, weak and shakey too often to get to work reliably by bike, so Ive had to give in and start getting a lift to work.

Hoping its just a temporary thing until the doctors figure out whats wrong with me and get me on the path to full health again . Travelling by car to work over my 14 mile commute nearly doubles my travelling time, I have to be up half an hour earlier. But at least I actually make it to work every day...

Keiron Curtis

Graeme_S wrote:

I feel sad. This morning I accepted a job which will be within walking distance of my house. My 2 and a bit years of cycle commuting will come to an end at the end of August when I finish my notice period in my current job . Might even sell my fixie.

I think I'll have to get much more organised and serious about my training, as my weight will balloon otherwise. I lost 2 stone in the months following me starting to cycle commute.

If I were you I'd sort out a long loop to and from your new place of work, no need to give up cycle commuting.

janm399

There's no need to despair: just find a scenic route to work. You're in a great position: you can walk to work if the weather is *really* bad; if you're on the bike, you can vary the commute distance to fit into your training... Some people are just not happy with anything

downfader

DavidTQ wrote:

Im having to hang up the helmet for at least a while, but mines on health grounds . Ive had a long term problem (near enough daily nausea and diareah for the last 15 months) that recently put me in hospital for a few days, Its been getting steadily worse and stopping me from cycling more and more often, then recently put me in hospital for a few days and for the first time ever fainted whilst I was there (low blood pressure) and since then Ive just been too ill, weak and shakey too often to get to work reliably by bike, so Ive had to give in and start getting a lift to work.

Hoping its just a temporary thing until the doctors figure out whats wrong with me and get me on the path to full health again . Travelling by car to work over my 14 mile commute nearly doubles my travelling time, I have to be up half an hour earlier. But at least I actually make it to work every day...

Crikey, that is very sad. My workmate had similar problems including the weight just dropping off her. She spent weeks going from bed to the loo, back to bed and so on. In the end they diagnosed irritable bowel syndrome. :shock: Never realised that it could do THAT to you! :shock:

graeme_s-2

I've now managed to secure a new, better job with my current employer, so panic over, my existing commute will stay!

Jon8a

If needs must sell the fixie, just think, you can use the excuse to buy a new bike at a later date.

I live around three miles from work. A colleague questioned me the other day when he saw me cycling the wrong way. He didn't understand that 3 miles wasn't far enough so I add in a loop in the other direction to double it.
Once or twice a week I add in longer rides of 25 (hilly) or 40 (flat) miles on the way home.

The positives will be only having to ride when you want to. You can then pick days say resting on Friday or monday if you have a big weekend ride planned. Or just not cycling if there's black ice all over the place.

You could even get up ride go home then walk into work meaning you can do your regular rides without kit or have the option to go to different places rather than always to work.

The key will be to try and keep your old routine and getting up in time to fit your ride in. Once you get used to the extra time in bed it could be hard to shake.

Capo

I started commuting to work in London regularly in 2005 - before 7/7 before anyone asks - 6 miles each way, which got me fit in no time.

In early 2006 I got a job in Oxford, kept up the bike commute, 5 miles each way this time (although I would regularly do a bit of a detour out into the countryside on the way home).

Then in April 2007 I took a job in Birmingham, commuting by train from Oxford every day - disaster! I hardly even got a chance to use the bike at weekends

Since last November however I have been working freelance from home and now make sure I try to get out on the bike once a day, even if it's just to go into town when I need to (or to pop out for a spin in the middle of the afternoon - pure bliss

Only problem is that I do have to remember to get back home (or stop off somewhere with my laptop) to get the work done - easy to forget on a rare sunny afternoon with an empty country road stretching ahead of me :oops: