My new commute - Bath to Swindon

Roastie

So my new commute is pretty awesome, 30 miles each way from Bath to Swindon with some nice hills and lovely scenery. The only problem is a complete lack of SCR. The other (this morning) was a sign on the gym door explaining that the facilities are being improved and will not be available until Friday. Rubbish.

My aim is to do it at least 3 days a week when I am in the office (which ties in well with planning to be in the office a max of 3 days a week) - we'll see how that works in practice because it is a fairly tough commute.

It is so good to be on the bike again, and even better to start the day energised by nearly 2 hours in the saddle.

The only fly in the ointment is the prevailing south wester on my way home. Gr.

mudcovered

Roastie wrote:

So my new commute is pretty awesome, 30 miles each way from Bath to Swindon with some nice hills and lovely scenery. The only problem is a complete lack of SCR. The other (this morning) was a sign on the gym door explaining that the facilities are being improved and will not be available until Friday. Rubbish.

The only fly in the ointment is the prevailing south wester on my way home. Gr.

That's a nice ride. Not sure I'd be up for 30miles each way for 3days.

My commute is also in the the prevailing wind on the way home. Really grinds you down after a while.

Oh and welcome to the Bath area.

Mike

BSRU

Someone I work with commutes from Bath into Swindon but they use the train for most part of the journey. They just cycle to/from each station, taking their bike onto the train.

gabriel959

30 miles sounds like a very straight route to me - too straight. Do you use the A4?

rjsterry

Roastie wrote:

So my new commute is pretty awesome, 30 miles each way from Bath to Swindon with some nice hills and lovely scenery. The only problem is a complete lack of SCR. The other (this morning) was a sign on the gym door explaining that the facilities are being improved and will not be available until Friday. Rubbish.

My aim is to do it at least 3 days a week when I am in the office (which ties in well with planning to be in the office a max of 3 days a week) - we'll see how that works in practice because it is a fairly tough commute.

It is so good to be on the bike again, and even better to start the day energised by nearly 2 hours in the saddle.

The only fly in the ointment is the prevailing south wester on my way home. Gr.

Blimey, 180miles a week that's a fair distance for a commute. Are you going to ramp up to it or just jump straight in? I'm assuming you'll pick up your racing as well at some point, so that'll take you near the 1000 a month club. And you want some SCR action on top of that? :shock:

Enjoy the scenery and watch out for motorists who aren't used to seeing cyclists.

Roastie

@mudcovered: Ta. Btw, where are the off road loops near Bath? Everything seems to require a half hour drive :?

@BSRU: Had orginally intended to do the train, but tried the ride back Monday and enjoyed it so much...

gabriel959 wrote:

30 miles sounds like a very straight route to me - too straight. Do you use the A4?

A bit - between Bath and Chippenham. Pretty quiet that time of the morning.

Roastie

rjsterry wrote:

I'm assuming you'll pick up your racing as well at some point, so that'll take you near the 1000 a month club.

Prob won't get to do it every week by the nature of my work - but my intention is to get a good base in before the cross season starts, then work on my speed and strength in the autumn.

mudcovered

Roastie wrote:

@mudcovered: Ta. Btw, where are the off road loops near Bath? Everything seems to require a half hour drive :?

Those would be the Bristol trails by Ashton Court? You could ride to them (would take just over an hour).


There are some unofficial trails in the woods next to the A363 around Bathford. There are also some (again unofficial) routes through the woods on the canal towpath at Dundas.
It has been so long since I did any local offroading I'm somewhat out of date myself so I'd be interested to see what others suggest.

Mike

MonkeyMonster

Good to hear you're back on the bike matey - suffering from new jobitis with no riding this week - Monday however... Different story!

New company is joining c2w scheme soon and plan to change less used toilet into shower room Bonus!

antikythera

Roastie wrote:

... from Bath to Swindon ... The only problem is a complete lack of SCR.

I'd say your real problem was going to Swindon. Truly a "polyp on the anus of humanity"

hells

Contact bath uni mtb club for off road routes. When I was there we used to have a ride every wednesday afternoon that sets off from the uni and sometimes on weekends as well. John's bikes could probably give you some routes as well.

re-cycles

antikythera wrote:

I'd say your real problem was going to Swindon. Truly a "polyp on the anus of humanity"

LoL! Coming from a London dweller!

The ride from Swindon to Bath is one I've done a couple of times, not sure I'd fancy it daily though!

amnezia

re-cycles wrote:

antikythera wrote:

I'd say your real problem was going to Swindon. Truly a "polyp on the anus of humanity"

LoL! Coming from a London dweller!

The ride from Swindon to Bath is one I've done a couple of times, not sure I'd fancy it daily though!

please don't tell me you just compared Swindon to London? :shock:

Jay dubbleU

Let me remind you - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Wen

I live in Swindon so I'm entitled 8)

Christophe3967

Roastie wrote:

So my new commute is pretty awesome, 30 miles each way from Bath to Swindon with some nice hills and lovely scenery. The only problem is a complete lack of SCR. The other (this morning) was a sign on the gym door explaining that the facilities are being improved and will not be available until Friday. Rubbish.

My aim is to do it at least 3 days a week when I am in the office (which ties in well with planning to be in the office a max of 3 days a week) - we'll see how that works in practice because it is a fairly tough commute.

It is so good to be on the bike again, and even better to start the day energised by nearly 2 hours in the saddle.

The only fly in the ointment is the prevailing south wester on my way home. Gr.

Good to see somebody's making an effort in the Wurzle Land

Last Friday, at Bristol Temple Meads station, London bound, a roadie put his Specialized Allez elite into the guards van, whilst we both complained about how long it took the MTB boys to wrestle their bikes onto the train. It struck me as odd he didn't bother removing his helmet as we pulled out of the station.... until he got off at Bath :?

Rich158

Roastie wrote:

@mudcovered: Ta. Btw, where are the off road loops near Bath? Everything seems to require a half hour drive :?

@BSRU: Had orginally intended to do the train, but tried the ride back Monday and enjoyed it so much...

gabriel959 wrote:

30 miles sounds like a very straight route to me - too straight. Do you use the A4?

A bit - between Bath and Chippenham. Pretty quiet that time of the morning.

There should be plenty of trails in the area, the MBUK office is just down the road in Bristol and they always used to drone on about the quality trails in the locality. Good to see you're back n the game dude, and have seen the light and have decided to do some proper off-roading, none of this perverted cross nonsense!

Reads full thread - so you're going back to the odd ways with cross, it's just wrong I tell you.

Let us know how you get on with racing the wurzles, Crystal Palace has been carnage recently, I've never seen so many crashes :shock:

zanes

Someone mention bath uni??

Contact details for our cycling club here;
http://www.bathstudent.com/sport/clubs/cycling/

Not had many dealings with them (only in the first year of uni for about a fortnight) but they generally seem like quite sound blokes/blokettes.

antikythera

re-cycles wrote:

antikythera wrote:

I'd say your real problem was going to Swindon. Truly a "polyp on the anus of humanity"

LoL! Coming from a London dweller!

The ride from Swindon to Bath is one I've done a couple of times, not sure I'd fancy it daily though!

Lived(?) and worked in Swindon for two months before I cracked, couldn't take it anymore. Quit my job and moved to London... and yes, that was an improvement :shock:

Although riding outside Swindon was pleasant. Did quite a few training rides to Bath and Oxford.

Roastie

Rich158 wrote:

Reads full thread - so you're going back to the odd ways with cross, it's just wrong I tell you.

I should add that my single speed full rigid project is well underway.

Rich158 wrote:

Let us know how you get on with racing the wurzles, Crystal Palace has been carnage recently, I've never seen so many crashes :shock:

Will do - though from my previous experience of racing at Castle Combe, it is going go hurt. I think I'll do some crits towards the end of the season to help prepare myself for a winter of dark acts.

sarajoy

Does that mean we'll see you at occasional boozings?

rjsterry

Roastie, I seem to remember reading in an old copy of CW about an on/off road route around Dundry Hill that Oli Beckinsale uses for training. I may have that muddled up, but I'm fairly sure there are a few bridleways over that way, and Dundry is a fair climb. Bit of a ride from bath, but a good one for the weekends.

Roastie

sarajoy wrote:

Does that mean we'll see you at occasional boozings?

I certainly hope so!

rjsterry wrote:

Roastie, I seem to remember reading in an old copy of CW about an on/off road route around Dundry Hill that Oli Beckinsale uses for training. I may have that muddled up, but I'm fairly sure there are a few bridleways over that way, and Dundry is a fair climb. Bit of a ride from bath, but a good one for the weekends.

Cool, thanks for the heads-up - I'll poke around and see what I can find.

rjsterry

Found it

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/routes/west/346843/south-bristol-with-oli-beckingsale.html

Roastie

rjsterry wrote:

Found it

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/routes/west/346843/south-bristol-with-oli-beckingsale.html

Rock on! Ta, will have to give that a whirl. MTB or cross ... hmmm ...