Am i delusional?

Extralight

Do it now! Whilst it's pretty miserable actually riding in the cold, dark, wind and wet of winter, there is something quite satisfying about knowing that you're doing something that most people wouldn't or couldn't do, and it feels good once the ride is over and you've dried out and warmed up. Also, when the days start to lengthen, the sun starts to shine, and your toes and fingers defrost, it will be awesome. You won't be just another 'nodder' or fair weather cyclist lurching around the road the moment the winter's over, you'll be a seasoned hard man sailing past these lightweights!

dave2041

Extralight wrote:

Do it now! Whilst it's pretty miserable actually riding in the cold, dark, wind and wet of winter, there is something quite satisfying about knowing that you're doing something that most people wouldn't or couldn't do, and it feels good once the ride is over and you've dried out and warmed up. Also, when the days start to lengthen, the sun starts to shine, and your toes and fingers defrost, it will be awesome. You won't be just another 'nodder' or fair weather cyclist lurching around the road the moment the winter's over, you'll be a seasoned hard man sailing past these lightweights!

We'll see if i can find the right bike for the right price, i am on a bit of a budget as i am moving house this week xD and have an expense next month. What you're saying rings true though i just don't want to start half heartedly without lights and reflective gear etc (i already have a pump and a thermal base layer!)

dodgerdog

Dave,

Good luck. It is as everyone else has said achievable and in time should take about the same time as your current journey. The supplementary benefits have been expounded upon, you need to consider if your employer has changing/showering facilities and space to leave outfits at work to lighten your load. All those recommending building up from a couple of days aweek are talking a lot of sense to prevent shock/over use injuries and balance your motivation whilst you get cycling fit.

You will find it tiring in the short term until your body makes the adjustment but once you have enjoy it for all the health benefits it brings as well as the freedom to spend a couple of hours a day in your own place to devote to thoughts.

dave2041

Dodgerdog wrote:

Dave,

Good luck. It is as everyone else has said achievable and in time should take about the same time as your current journey. The supplementary benefits have been expounded upon, you need to consider if your employer has changing/showering facilities and space to leave outfits at work to lighten your load. All those recommending building up from a couple of days aweek are talking a lot of sense to prevent shock/over use injuries and balance your motivation whilst you get cycling fit.

You will find it tiring in the short term until your body makes the adjustment but once you have enjoy it for all the health benefits it brings as well as the freedom to spend a couple of hours a day in your own place to devote to thoughts.

This is absolutely the reasons for pursuing this, other than of course the monitary savings as opposed to driving. I have toyed with the idea of joining a gym since i was 18 but never stick to a plan longer than a month or two (which is unlike any other area of my life)

But on the flipside unless i can get a fairly good bike and some gear for less than £150 it would be happening this pay day (4th november).

Thank you for your input

woodford2barbican

Do it now. Don't wait.

dave2041

Decided to go for it, just deciding which bike to get and what accessories i need to start.

61Sigs

Good luck.

A word of warning though, it gets perversly morish

shouldbeinbed

sure you know the routes but avoid Ashton new Road with all the tram works going on, its criss crossed now with nice slippy when wet rails and Droylsden has gone from merely deeply unpleasant to cycle through in the good old days to being a special pit of hell all of its own now, avoid at all costs.

Dunno if the metro/city workings have affected the canal at all, as I don't usually ride it these day but it was always a good option to get from Ancoats retail park to Park Parade in Ashton and hop out by Portland Basin and the Asda on the roundabout - you're pretty central there for whether you're staying in ashton or off down to denton and hyde or dukinfield, stalybridge etc. and the towpath is doable easily on a road bike


sad innit, I used to navigate by Pubs, now its supermarkets

dave2041

shouldbeinbed wrote:

sure you know the routes but avoid Ashton new Road with all the tram works going on, its criss crossed now with nice slippy when wet rails and Droylsden has gone from merely deeply unpleasant to cycle through in the good old days to being a special pit of hell all of its own now, avoid at all costs.

Dunno if the metro/city workings have affected the canal at all, as I don't usually ride it these day but it was always a good option to get from Ancoats retail park to Park Parade in Ashton and hop out by Portland Basin and the Asda on the roundabout - you're pretty central there for whether you're staying in ashton or off down to denton and hyde or dukinfield, stalybridge etc. and the towpath is doable easily on a road bike


sad innit, I used to navigate by Pubs, now its supermarkets

Thanks for your input; actually, i have no idea of the route! I've only googled it before and set to avoid the motorway lol. Thank you for the advice, once i'm concrete on which bike to get i'll be sure to plan my route accordingly And yes that is sad seems more and more common that pubs are going out of business.

Any ideas for a first commuter bike, keeping cost reasonable (for a graduate)

bails87

Define 'reasonable'

Cycle streets is a bike specific route planner. Or just use Google Maps set to pedestrian mode. Could be a problem for built up areas and pedestrianised roads, but out in the sticks it works well on giving you the shortest route rather than the quickest (by car) one.

dave2041

Thanks Bails I'll check that out.

Well! I'm currently looking at these:

http://www.life-cycles.co.uk/bikes/bikes%20road/barracuda/barracuda%20rs100
http://www.life-cycles.co.uk/bikes/bikes%20road/raleigh/raleigh%20pursuit
http://www.life-cycles.co.uk/bikes/bikes%20road/raleigh/raleigh%20flyer

I would agree if you were to say i should send more, however i need to make sure this is the right bike for me, that it handles well on the road, that i can actually commute to work etc before i spend more monies (and become financially stable)

However there is nothing stopping me from upgrading as and when ^_^

bails87

For that kind of money I'd say the Carreras at Halfords are a good option.

Not sure you'll want a fixie for a longish commute :shock:

shouldbeinbed

dave2041 wrote:

shouldbeinbed wrote:

sure you know the routes but avoid Ashton new Road with all the tram works going on, its criss crossed now with nice slippy when wet rails and Droylsden has gone from merely deeply unpleasant to cycle through in the good old days to being a special pit of hell all of its own now, avoid at all costs.

Dunno if the metro/city workings have affected the canal at all, as I don't usually ride it these day but it was always a good option to get from Ancoats retail park to Park Parade in Ashton and hop out by Portland Basin and the Asda on the roundabout - you're pretty central there for whether you're staying in ashton or off down to denton and hyde or dukinfield, stalybridge etc. and the towpath is doable easily on a road bike


sad innit, I used to navigate by Pubs, now its supermarkets

Thanks for your input; actually, i have no idea of the route! I've only googled it before and set to avoid the motorway lol. Thank you for the advice, once i'm concrete on which bike to get i'll be sure to plan my route accordingly And yes that is sad seems more and more common that pubs are going out of business.

Any ideas for a first commuter bike, keeping cost reasonable (for a graduate)

A666 down from Bolton through Salford & Swinton is probably your straightest simplest and most bikey route and theres a few options for going over/under or through the city centre. I'd suggest either through and the towpath from Ancoats or skirt to rhe south(Trafford ish) and work your way to Ashton Old Road via Hulme & Longsight, its longer than the New Road but I can't begin to tell you how much of a PITA the Metrolink has made that one. You'll also need to be careful going past Snipe retail park if you go for the roads and are heading into the town centre or through to Stalybridge, its a dual carriageway bit with not much spare room & a feeder onto the M60 - there is a cycle lane section but its the usual stopped and diverted to keep the cars happy type, it can be a bit leery. Alternately you could nip up the back of the retail park and into Guide Bridge if you're going towards the south of Ashton/Duknfield.

if you're off to Denton or Hyde, then Hyde road out of Longsight is probably better than the Ashton roads . The incredible shrinking Gaz is the Tameside expert but I've not seen him posting for a while.

symo

doable, just get on with it.

cyberknight

bails87 wrote:

For that kind of money I'd say the Carreras at Halfords are a good option.

:

+1 , i have a carrera virtuoso for commuting and its great as you can add a rack and mudgaurds , better equipment level etc.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165710