Should I commute?

Azhar

Twostage wrote:

Azhar wrote:

Hello Graeme. I was like you few months ago but my commute to work is 16 miles each way and my fitness was really poor to begin with. I did hardly any cycling and being at 16stone I was sure to suffer. From what you mentioned about your fitness you really shouldn't have a problem. It's great once you do it though. I was a little worried about opinions from other peeps from the office but when I think of how much I've saved getting in to work it really doesn't bother me.

Just do it mate. I do it three times a week now, started at 2, and I started at 1hr 40 minutes each way and now I can do it in 1hr5mins. That's after a month. The money you save on petrol can go on buying some really nice stuff for your little'un (Congrats on baby by the way).

I usually don't hAe Nything in the morning apart from a big glass of water, once I'm in work I have porridge, couple of banans and almond nuts to snack on. About an hour before I go home I usually have another couple of banana's, flap jack and a nice strong black coffee. You get a great sense of achievement once you've got home after cycling.

I was wondering how you got on. Sounds like you're doing ok

Thanks two stage. Found it reAlly difficult at first, slowly losing the weight but love riding up the hills. Chain is finally on the top bracket now and it's so much more efficient.

Initialised

Father Jack wrote:

you should never go through red light, whether it's busy or not.

Can't win with traffic lights, run them and you get shouted at, don't run them and twenty cars have to skirt round you where there's not enough room as you get up to speed and in their way because you obeyed a blunt instrument of traffic control.

Use your own judgement and stay safe without putting others in danger.

If you wear steel cleats you can trip the sensors that control some lights as you approach by unclipping and floating your foot over them.

Initialised

Dreaded Double Post

tomb353

I'll second the carradice saddle bag as your best option to replace the back pack. Kit wise I'd add chain tool and a spare quick link, have only had a bust chain three times over the years but good to be able to fix it and move on (difficult in the snow though). Grab some of the plastic gloves you get at petrol stations as if you do have to fix something on the way in it saves you from working all day with black hands.

MTB gear is much less alarming for the people you work with and does mean you can stop for a pint on the way home without being the only gimp in the pub. These days I occasionally ride in (9 miles) in normal clothes on a dutch bike. It is doable if you take your time.

for winter put studded (marathon winter) tyres on once the ice starts to form.

Gizmo_

Initialised wrote:

Father Jack wrote:

you should never go through red light, whether it's busy or not.

Can't win with traffic lights, run them and you get shouted at, don't run them and twenty cars have to skirt round you where there's not enough room as you get up to speed and in their way because you obeyed a blunt instrument of traffic control.

Erm... pull your finger out then.

And assert your right to be on the road.

Initialised

Gizmo_ wrote:

Initialised wrote:

Father Jack wrote:

you should never go through red light, whether it's busy or not.

Can't win with traffic lights, run them and you get shouted at, don't run them and twenty cars have to skirt round you where there's not enough room as you get up to speed and in their way because you obeyed a blunt instrument of traffic control.

Erm... pull your finger out then.

And assert your right to be on the road.

I do, they tend to take umbridge at a single finger salute and don't understand why you are in the middle of 'their' lane while the car in front is holding you up, you're close to or over their speed limit or want to turn right soon. Point is traffic lights may increase conflict between cyclists and motorists by bunching up slow traffic right in front of fast traffic, they are crude and even those junctions with sensors can be relatively dumb.

Back on topic, of course you should commute by bike. The more we expose ourselves to motorists the more they will learn how to behave around us.

bails87

Initialised wrote:

The more we expose ourselves to motorists...

I tried that.

Crotchless bib shorts aren't very comfortable.

Drew123

Desperately trying to remove the image of crotchless bib shorts from my mind... Slightly worried that bails appears to have tried them...

If you're not doing 5 days a week and have storage at work, I'd definitely recommend taking everything you need for a week on a drive day and then no need for anything other than a drinks bottle, spare tube and toolkit... You can't beat jumping on the bike at the end of the day without the encumbrance of a racksack or panniers... Nothing but the wind blowing through your crotchless bib shorts...