So how did you get started?

steve-m

Use to cycle commute 4 e/w miles to school for about 5 years, went to uni and cycled everywhere, though it was only really short distances and flat. Moved to London got lazy and fat; 3 years ago next week had one of those weeks where I realised I needed a better lifestyle, gave up the fags, joined the gym, started cycle commuting in June, 8 e/w miles undulating, often would do 3/4 times per week. Bought a road bike the next summer, bought a fixie last September.

STEFANOS4784

Never driven so always had a bike, was never really interested though, then a mate sold me the 'dale an i cycled a bit more, then i met a girl who did bad things to my head
then started cycling more then 'the bug' got me and now i thiink gggraahhghahh(rage) when going up hills and love it 8)

cjcp

Commuted for a few months in 2002 from Tooting to the City. Took up road cycling in 2004 when I got into triathlon. More commuting for a few months in 2006 when the Waterloo & City Line was down and thought "Bollox am I walking four miles every day". Started again just under two years ago and not bought a train ticket that lasts more than one day since. .

dsmiff

I told as many people as I could find I was going to start commuting, no one believed I could do it - which helped, it also makes it harder to give up, you know the "I told you so...."

Also I was advised that after 4 - 5 weeks it becomes habit and is a lot easier, use that as a target, don't stop till you have done it at least that long.

When I started I did no other exercise, couldn't even run across a field when the kids played football, now if I miss a ride to work I actually feel quite drained if that makes sense?

DancesWithSheep

I don't want to travel "armpit" class on the Jubilee line. 18 mile round trip across London prevents me from climbing onto the roof of our office with a high powered sniper rifle and taking aim...

cjcp

DancesWithSheep wrote:

I don't want to travel "armpit" class on the Jubilee line. 18 mile round trip across London prevents me from climbing onto the roof of our office with a high powered sniper rifle and taking aim...

I hear you. The Northern Line was one of the reasons I started commuting from Tooting. Easy to say from where I stand, but how the hell do people bear the tube every day?

NFMC

Much the same as many others here. Always cycled at school and university so it seemed to make sense when I started work.

But I then got a new job with a bit more money so I bought a nice-ish car and it was a bit further away and gave up cycling-commuting (still did a tiny bit on the weekend) for five years. Put on loads of weight which I'm still struggling to shift (nothing to do with the beer, honest!).

Then, changed jobs a few times and made it a conscious decision to cycle as much as possible. Even though I'm now working further away from that job where I gave up cycling.

Also had kids so the only time I get to ride is morning and evening.

Now I do 14/15 miles each way and I love it. Practicalities (i.e. dropping kids at childminders and travelling to London on the train) means I cycle two or three times a week but that's proving perfect.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Ooooo. Long time ago.

1990. Probably. I was living near Highgate tube. Doesn't take long to tire of the Northern line. I got a Trek hybrid. Made Condor take out the middle ring at the front and put a 53 on it. That pretty much set the standard going forward. I didn't bother with the other two front rings.

As I kid I had a five speed racer, which I'd ride everywhere in top gear (ie smallest sprocket), including up steep hills, grinding out a cadence which must have been in the high 20s. Stubborn little sod.

I remember being quite mortified to find as an adult on day one that I couldn't get up Archway in the 53x whatever the smallest sprocket was. Made me realise how far I'd fallen.

By the end of the first fortnight, that was sorted out.

The thing I remember most vividly is the feeling of self-consciousness. I had a rubgy shirt and some tracksuit bottoms to commute in. And a brand new very shiny bike. I was convinced that everyone on the pavement was thinking "look at that funny new commuter. His bike's too clean, and he's got all the wrong kit on". As we know, peds really don't give a toss about us, much less assess what we wear/ride. Little did I realise it was the other cyclists who would be thinking that.

I switched to a roadie after about 5 years. Never looked back. Still remember being startled at how quickly the roadie accelerated off the line compared to the hybrid. I was half way into a junction before I realised I was moving...

always_tyred

Greg66 wrote:

Ooooo. Long time ago.

1990. Probably. I was living near Highgate tube. Doesn't take long to tire of the Northern line. I got a Trek hybrid. Made Condor take out the middle ring at the front and put a 53 on it. That pretty much set the standard going forward. I didn't bother with the other two front rings.

As I kid I had a five speed racer, which I'd ride everywhere in top gear (ie smallest sprocket), including up steep hills, grinding out a cadence which must have been in the high 20s. Stubborn little sod.

I remember being quite mortified to find as an adult on day one that I couldn't get up Archway in the 53x whatever the smallest sprocket was. Made me realise how far I'd fallen.

By the end of the first fortnight, that was sorted out.

The thing I remember most vividly is the feeling of self-consciousness. I had a rubgy shirt and some tracksuit bottoms to commute in. And a brand new very shiny bike. I was convinced that everyone on the pavement was thinking "look at that funny new commuter. His bike's too clean, and he's got all the wrong kit on". As we know, peds really don't give a toss about us, much less assess what we wear/ride. Little did I realise it was the other cyclists who would be thinking that.

I switched to a roadie after about 5 years. Never looked back. Still remember being startled at how quickly the roadie accelerated off the line compared to the hybrid. I was half way into a junction before I realised I was moving...

Wow. I didn't know they made hybrids in the middle of the last centrury.

greg66_tri_v2.0

Always Tyred wrote:

Wow. I didn't know they made hybrids in the middle of the last centrury.

A-ha-ha. Aha-ha-ha.

They were, it is fair to say, quite new on the market at the time.

I think. I can't really remember. It was all a very long time ago now.

s-worksenduro

Cycling to school was always faster than getting the bus into school, so I started aged 11ish. I was the only kid that used to cycle to school back then as well. Rather odd.

I never bothered learning to drive, and every time I tried saving, I would look in my bank account, see a bit there, and order new parts for my bikes!!

Moved to Cardiff, and it's so flat and so small, there is no point in driving when you can cycle the entire width in about 20 minutes. Am planning on commuting by bike for as long as I can.

As a side note though, I once lost a job in an LBS because I couldn't drive. :shock:

TopSpin

I brought my mountain bike over to London in Aug 07 mainly to use for going to tennis courts which was my new hobbie at the time. Then figured I could actually be on time for work if I cycled the 2 miles rather than taking the tube or walking. In the end I just ended up staying in bed later and getting in equally late. A few months later I bought a road bike and got into the leisure side more.

Also generally worried what I would look like, not from other cyclists or strangers, more if someone from the office saw me arriving with the helmet & trousers rolled up and generally looking nerdy. First thing I do when I pull up is to roll down the trousers & remove the helmet before anyone can spot me!

page23

DonDaddyD wrote:

6 miles
the elevated feeling of awesomeness and actually being awake by the time I arrived at work (I'm not a morning person and when I went to work by train I wouldn't wake up until about 11am) was enough to convice me to turn cycling to work into an everyday thing.

quote]

i love this!

i'm making my return to cycling following a loss of confidence through a longstanding injury i picked up. i used to road race at cat 1 and compete in xc mtb just a few years ago but then developed a bit of a hip problem that has taken ages to settle down. since then i have changed jobs which leaves a rural 13 miler to work. i'd had my eye on it for ages but with the injury and lack of confidence, just kept putting it off. then, getting absolutley sick of the drive and historically knowing i could ride it in almost the same time, decided to go for it. this was only 3 weeks ago. i still feel 'odd' regarding the confidence issue but feel great to know i've done it. the feeling of smuggness is also rather enjoyable. i rode in this am and having been away for a week it's the simple things like seeing it lighter in the morining whihc adds to the overall feeling of good.

what i've learned so far is it doesn't take much. if your base fitness is fine then just go for it and rest as necessary, i.e. listen to your body. if it's not then build up by driving half way etc. be organised to avoid stress. take lot's of food.

enjoy!