Any Leeds Commuters - Practical Help Needed

pedylan

Hi to you commuters.

For the next two weeks I'll be doing Jury Service in Central Leeds.

I live around 18 miles out to the East. I've cycled to Leeds before but never as a commuter - never commuted either come to that.

The distance and traffic don't bother me, it's the practicalities. Specifically :

a. Secure bike parking. I've got Kryptonite locks. Where is the best parking and is it nothing more than bike stands?

b. If I belt in and do 18 miles in an hour (and a bit!) , it'll be like a training ride. Which is good for fitness but not for appearance when I get there. How do I deal with this assuming I can't shower when I get there? Do you just stash a chage of clothes for a few days on first day in?

Sorry the questions are so basic but I guess these are some of the issues that discourage wider bike to work commuting anyway.

Grateful for your thoughts.

Graeme

NGale

lock up wise, the courts should have bike racks after all court workers may well cycle, so you shouldn't have a problem there.

showers who knows, worth phoning the court and finding out if there is anything accessable to jury members.

lock the bike up well, criminal sorts hang around courts...and that's just the barristers :roll:

AndyManc

Can't you claim travel expenses on jury service ?

Why not take your bike on the train going in and cycle home, check the cycle parking facilities on the net (your council website should list them).



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tubby531

There is a Motorcycle parking bay in Cookridge Street,just around the corner from the courts.
It has some rails for the Motorcycles to have their back wheels chained to but some commuters chain their cycles to them as well.You can see it on Google Streetview.

Nick6891

ye i was going to suggest using the motorcycle parking bay, they are more secure but i dont know what you could do for getting a shower

pedylan

Interesting week (three days really) as a cycle commuter. Totally tedious experience as a juror though.

Took a load of gear in on day one and stashed it in a locker and cycled on the others. 3 bike hoops outside court so locked number two bike to one of them.

No showers so got changed in loos, after 18 mile run it was a bit sweaty though so spent a bit of a self conscious day.

Had to be there at 0930 so set off at 0815. I was one mile from courthouse and 17 miles into the run when I encountered my first fellow cyclist on day one - can this be the real extent of cycle commuting or was I too late? Didn't pass a soul on the return journey setting out at 4pm.

The cycle lane opening out into an ASL in front of the railway station, where as a cyclist you can't see the traffic lights and the pedestrians can't really see you is fr*ck*ng useless.

Bl**dy windy wasn't it!!