A Commuting Challenge for you

Clever Pun
Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
edited May 2009 in Commuting chat
try attempting your commute standing up... go on, it'd be interesting to see how fit you are and you'll soon appreciate sitting and spinning like never before.

I did it on friday 7 miles in as a warm up then the full 13 miles on the way home

my seat was fecked so I had no choice... it was slow and painful.
Purveyor of sonic doom

Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
Fixed Pista- FCN 5
Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14

Comments

  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    You could take the seat off altogether for additional motivation.... :shock:

    Sounds like an interesting exercise, especially for me - I rarely if ever stand up. On my bike, smart@rses.
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    it's amazing exercise for your triceps... it's especially good if you blasted them at the gym hours before :x
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Another challenge is to do your ride non-stop, ie keep forward motion however small at light and juctions etc. I've managed it a couple of times on my commute. The standing up thing can be done quite easy too.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,714
    Problem is that bikes with heavy panniers tend to sway somewhat when you stand... Doable, but a bit disconcerting.
  • tardington
    tardington Posts: 1,379
    Is there a commuting trackstand record? I must search here for Chocolate foot, etc.
  • I used to commute on a BMX! Admittedly the trip was only two miles each way, but I think I met both the standing up and constant forward momentum challenges- the seatpost was stuck very low down (I'm 6' 2") and the brakes didn't work.

    The bike got stolen about a year ago, but I still see it about town sometimes. Quite frankly, they can keep it...
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    The continual forward motion thing is pretty easy really - you just end up going a lot slower in London for all the red lights.

    The standing up, as whyamihere points out, is a lot more exciting with panniers. Or just one. Full of ball-bearings. For example.
  • soy_sauce
    soy_sauce Posts: 987
    thats a good idea except i can't standing up cycling....well, just don't know how to do it properly... :oops:

    i saw people shift the bike to one side then the other when doing so but i just can't work out how and when to shift the bike the one side or the other.... any advice?
    "It is not impossible, its just improbable"

    Specialized Rockhopper Pro Disc 08
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    Anyone managed it yet?
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    I'll be trying it tomorrow... on my FG.

    Gold star to me if I make it!
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    I'll be trying it tomorrow... on my FG.

    Gold star to me if I make it!

    kin right a gold star if you manage it on a fixed... good girl.
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • jedster
    jedster Posts: 1,717
    LiT,

    you mean you manage that huge gear without standing up on the hills?
    :shock: :shock:
    What are your knees made of, titanium and kevlar braid?

    J
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    jedster wrote:
    LiT,

    you mean you manage that huge gear without standing up on the hills?
    :shock: :shock:
    What are your knees made of, titanium and kevlar braid?

    J

    Nah, it's london innit! No hills...

    I do have to stand up on some of the ones in RP though.
  • Soul Boy
    Soul Boy Posts: 359
    Did a five miler many years back when some ne'er-do-well stole my saddle. Funnily enough I haven't ever thought of doing it for fun....it wasn't.

    Forward momentum thing is a bit difficult, especially round a city, unless you advocate the dreaded RLJ!

    However I've probably only put my foot down a handful of times during my commute in the past few years, trackstanding is now second nature, gives me something to do at all the lights I get stopped at and gets me away motorbike quick over the first few metres. Just don't all go trying it, I can see cyclist dominos at every junction, not pretty....
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Fnarrrrgh that's hard work that is, and so slow!

    I managed it on a fair few of the straight bits with no lights, problem is that at a cadence I can sustain standing up my max speed seems to be about 15mph.

    Which is rubbish.

    If I could SPRINTcoastSPRINTcoast it would be less knackering, but my speed would probably average out about the same.

    Nonetheless, a good warm-up for the legs - I will be trying to incorporate more standing up into the slower parts of my commute in future.
  • R_T_A
    R_T_A Posts: 488
    Clever Pun wrote:
    try attempting your commute standing up... go on, it'd be interesting to see how fit you are and you'll soon appreciate sitting and spinning like never before.

    I did it on friday 7 miles in as a warm up then the full 13 miles on the way home

    my seat was fecked so I had no choice... it was slow and painful.

    Memo to self: Never try your ideas again. My thighs have been injected with napalm :shock:

    Maybe I shouldn't try and keep the same pace....
    Giant Escape R1
    FCN 8
    "Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
    - Terry Pratchett.