So....Commuting then.

The Northern Monkey

well the Saracen is up and running. Took it out for a gentle ride (taking into account I technically have no brakes... still waiting for a rear one to be delivered) and its not to shabby. really rather quick when you get going.

Now then as we all know.... its fecking freezing out.
So the question is: Do I want to get up earlier than usual to freeze my ass off riding to work. Then get to work in a sweaty heap. Then freeze riding home at night and get back later than I usually would.

Its a very very tough decision. It will be made easy if its icy though

Plus I dunno what to wear. I guess i'll just stick some waterproofs over my work clothes and my normal riding trainers and turn into office Ben at my desk.

Its just gonna be soooo cooollldddddd..... please someone tell me to MTFU!!

Briggo

Dont wear office clothes if you're commuting, you sweat in them and then feel crap till they dry out in my experience.

Just wear what you'd normally wear when biking then get changed at work.

The Northern Monkey

really?
Man that sucks even more! Shirt + trousers would be well and truly creased by the time I got there if I did that!
Effort or what!

craker

how far is it?

I'm always well pleased with myself with having made the effort. Driving just winds me up anyway.

I bet you've got loads of blingy cold weather cycling gear + lights + reflective stuff.

mtfu.

Cafewanda

Lazy bugger

Work clothes plus undies folded neatly, inserted into backpack, attached to your back. Include wipes and deodorant if no shower facilities.

Quel problem?

Anonymous

you need to take work clothes in and leave them there one day then ride into work in riding kit which suits the bike, change when you arrive. simples.

of course, im assuming you work in a civilised place with showering facilities?

biff55

MTFU.
you did ask.

biff55

dont be a hero , take car.
biking against sub-zero wind is over-rated.
when you turn on the car heater you can feel smug about telling the bikeradar forum to shove their opinions.

Whytepeak

Go on the bike ffs - thats what it's for, you'll have no fun going in the car - its no citroen :roll:

The Northern Monkey

sheepsteeth wrote:

you need to take work clothes in and leave them there one day then ride into work in riding kit which suits the bike, change when you arrive. simples.

of course, im assuming you work in a civilised place with showering facilities?

no idea

as far as I know, there isn't any

TBH... its only a 10 min ride. Possibly not even that. hmm.

Trackies, + wicking top + waterproofs? Work clothes in me bag? hmmmmmmm

Anonymous

just leave some ironed fresh work clothes at work, delivered in your car you must have more than one shirt and troooosers surely.

Kiblams

I wear my bright orange commuting waterproof ( 8) ), work shirt and my normal MTB'ing shorts and trainers on the ride to work, I leave my work shoes and trousers under/in my desk and change when I arrive. Takes about 30 minutes for my shirt to dry, and the rest is dry as it was snuggly in the office waiting for me.

Oh and don't forget those lights! I have just got in from the garden fitting the lights on the new commuter (the old Pinnacle adapted) ready for the first commute of the year (I commute everyday of the week, all year round due to not being able to drive)

So yeah... MTFU

Northwind

I just carry my work clothes in my bag. Short commute so it takes 2 minutes to change, no need for a shower. I leave my work shoes at the office though for simplicity. Definately don't try and commute in your work clothes, just doesn't work.

The Northern Monkey

Ok cheers guys.
Here's the plan.... Wear rindi g stuff as normal, with work stuff in a bag. Get changed at work. Leave shoes in work so I don't carryevery day.

Sounds like a plan

let's just hope for no ice!!!

commando04

I ride everyday across dartmoor. Dark when i leave home, dark on the way home!!! I iron my kit in work on a fri ready for monday. But we have washing machines at my place...

Dont be weak, keeping pushing on

M1llh0use

jsut drive....


:twisted:

colintrav

Briggo wrote:

Dont wear office clothes if you're commuting, you sweat in them and then feel crap till they dry out in my experience.

Just wear what you'd normally wear when biking then get changed at work.

That day you see some dude riding on his bike dress like Don Cornflake that will be history in the making

weeksy59

Riding is not a wise plan this morning.

BRRRRRRRRR

joshtp

Your DONT want ice?!?!?!? but the ice is what makes it FUN! ice turns a boring commute into a fun fest....! also get really lame "legal" lights, and ride home in the dark, being unable to see ads a kind of exitment to liven even the most boring comute....

loltoride

I commute Monday & Friday by bike and hate the winter with the current weather my feet just cannot get warm no matter what I do. It takes at least 30 mins to defrost and I spend most of the day dreading the ride home.

Although by the weekend I am glad that I have used the bike in the week as the work out helps keep my fitness levels up and I feel less rusty for my Sunday ride although don’t always make it out Sunday in the winter.

Kiblams

This morning was fun, the roads were fine but when I got onto my riverside path section the ice was sooo much fun. Realy wakes you up having to concentrate on every little shift of weight on the ride in.

Only bad thing was that if I got up any speed my forehead and ears felt like they were being burned off :shock: Great fun other than that though

The Northern Monkey

well.....

I bottled it. But I paid a high price

Basically I woke up too late to be able to get to work on time, BUT...

1) I ran out of deicer so spent ages defrosting the car.
2) My handbrake is frozen solid so I couldn't actully get the fecking car to move :evil:

Ended up getting the bus and being about 10 mins late.... serves me right :roll:

I will be riding tomorrow!!

Northwind

It was a chilly one today, nice ride home though... We got heavy snow yesterday and the cold means it's stayed as powder in places, lovely.But the roadbashing bit is less fun with 20psi in nevegals

delcol

i always change into my uniform at work..

6 mile each way commute for me.
i wear a base layer cycle jumper a cheap dhb one and a altura yellow hivis jacket
usually wear trackies and a pair of spds.
i always wear a helmet if cold i wear a full face balaclarva and gloves.
i use a backpack which contains.
uniform, dry socks
my dinner
a camel bak bladder
tools pump tubes lock ect
waterproof pants..
oh and i always wear cycle glasses after taking a bug to the eye @25mph and develping torrets...

now to tell you the trth i not cycled for around 5-6 weeks been using the car, weather has been crap and work so so so busy late finishes, and i ran out of mtfu and tescos had sold out untill newyear,

R2 D2

I ride in and back each day. Short journey of around 15 minutes, although I often take the scenic route which can add on an hour or so!
The shoes, trousers and jacket live at work ( I should add that I do take them home every couple of weeks for a clean, I'm not a comletely stinky bstard!) along with bo basher and a wash kit. This time of year it's too cold to get sweaty so I ride in normal riding kit with a new shirt on daily, in the summer the shirt has to get folded and put in the rucksack to avoid being too stinky. Incedentally if you roll your shirt rather than fold it it won't crease as much. When you get used to it it's cool even in this weather. Don't forget your lid though there are always cars trying to kill me daily so it's a must!

The Northern Monkey

Northwind wrote:

It was a chilly one today, nice ride home though... We got heavy snow yesterday and the cold means it's stayed as powder in places, lovely.But the roadbashing bit is less fun with 20psi in nevegals

Yea I was gonna ask... do you run a much lower pressure on ice then?

I've got some DMR RT tyres on the hack, which are surprisingly grippy on the slippy stuff!

I have however decided that i'm not riding till I get my brake sorted..... its in the post (I hope.... either that or i've been had!)

Northwind

bigbenj_08 wrote:

Yea I was gonna ask... do you run a much lower pressure on ice then?

For the snow, mainly... Smooth ice is a bugger, big fat tyres at a lower pressure are a little bit more stable but there's still not enough grip, you just need to slow it right down and plan miles ahead. If you don't, you'd crash even with the biggest, softest tyres in the world, if you do it right you canl be OK on 700c slicks. But I've benched my road bike because it's no damn use at all at lumpy refrozen snow-ice, while the mtb's fun.

Or you could always get some ice spikes. Been tempted by that myself for the first time.

stumpyjon

Northwind wrote:

Or you could always get some ice spikes. Been tempted by that myself for the first time.

Me too, looking on CRC today at lunch time, all the continental spiked tyres were out of stock though :roll: