Following on - First week commuting
rinko
Posts: 45
Following on from my thread about my first commute.
I completed my first full week through rain and shine and loved every minute of it - although I officially hate the wind on the way home as every turn I take the wind is somehow straight in my face ... how is that even possible?
Finding cornering in the damp/rain to be quite a nervy experience - hopefully I can find the limit of adhesion without an intimate relationship with the tarmac.
So far so good with SPD's ... only two moments all week, both having to stop suddenly and forgetting that I need to unclip. Thankfully both times I managed to wrench my foot free on the way down and save myself.
I've also not seen many road bike commuters, so no SCR really for me. The only people I seem to pass are ladies riding up hills on shopping bikes and older blokes on mtbs with buckled wheels.
On the up side - I have found a really nice 20k route for a lunchtime ride with a really long section of dual carriageway which is newly surfaced! Roll on wednesday for the first chance to try that out!
I completed my first full week through rain and shine and loved every minute of it - although I officially hate the wind on the way home as every turn I take the wind is somehow straight in my face ... how is that even possible?
Finding cornering in the damp/rain to be quite a nervy experience - hopefully I can find the limit of adhesion without an intimate relationship with the tarmac.
So far so good with SPD's ... only two moments all week, both having to stop suddenly and forgetting that I need to unclip. Thankfully both times I managed to wrench my foot free on the way down and save myself.
I've also not seen many road bike commuters, so no SCR really for me. The only people I seem to pass are ladies riding up hills on shopping bikes and older blokes on mtbs with buckled wheels.
On the up side - I have found a really nice 20k route for a lunchtime ride with a really long section of dual carriageway which is newly surfaced! Roll on wednesday for the first chance to try that out!
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Comments
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Well done on your first week. I have to agree... wind is very annoying (rain i can handle), and yes... some days it will always be a headwind for some reason. I do laps of Regents park and a swear some days i have a headwind all the way round :?0
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Just think that the wind is good training to get you fitter.
No, I can't believe that either....
Good on you though - now the trick is to make it a habit before the weather gets colder, and you don't even think about any other mode of transport for commuting
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.0 -
TOP TIP
When it's a bit rainy and greasy stay off road steel work - it gets very slippy and if you hit it when cornering you might have a moment.....
If it's cold as well then slip slide away.
On your route learn the corners that have steel work on your normal line and start to take pre-emptive avoiding action.
Might be obvious.....Fixed gear for wet weather / hairy roadie for posing in the sun.
What would Thora Hurd do?0 -
Greg T wrote:TOP TIP
When it's a bit rainy and greasy stay off road steel work - it gets very slippy and if you hit it when cornering you might have a moment.....
If it's cold as well then slip slide away.
On your route learn the corners that have steel work on your normal line and start to take pre-emptive avoiding action.
Might be obvious.....
Thanks for the reminder Greg, I did have a moment on my own road as there is alot of ironwork on two downhill bends just near my house. Caught the corner of one with my front wheel ... think I pulled a muscle in my stomach I tensed up so much! :?
Deffo have to make a mental note as I ride around as to where they are ... starting to take pre-emptive action for potholes etc now as I am getting to know where they are.
I am taking part in a Triathalon (just a sprint) in September, so the bike is going to be an important part of my training. So I have added determination to use it as much as I possibly can to commute as it's somewhat akin to a "free" workout (albeit only 15mins twice a day) and I will have to start thinking of the wind as my evil training partner!
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