First 2 months - Why didn't I do this years ago?

seajays

So just over two months into my commuting now, and am so enjoying it!! I don't know why I didn't do this years ago - the office we were in previously wasn't that much further than I am now and it is seriously saving me so much time! My journey in on the bus used to be 40 minutes, now it's just 22, and my commute home by bus used to be just over an hour - now it's less than 25 minutes!

It's great to see my own improvement as well from the start to today - hopefully onwards an upwards.

Although I haven't done much in the way of long distance (21 miles my longest so far, I'm seriously thinking I would like to do next year's 2 day, 270km "Ride The North". So I have a year to get up to that (hills are still a killer)!

tangled_metal

Well done. I'm just on about the same time myself. Well, if you ignore the aborted attempt a few years back when I was about 2 months into a spell of commuting over early summer only to hit the july rain that lasted about a month. I kind of gave up after too many drowned rat experiences on the way into work.

Are you looking forward to the upcoming cold and dark days?? I am seriously looking forward to seeing just how much of the weather I take before car or train takes over. In my case time it the same for car, bike and walk/train/walk commutes in. I'm currently enjoying kitting up.

Anyway, good on you and I wish you luck on the ride the north next year. Give it a go and I'm sure you'll love the challenge. I've done a lot of challenge walks (up to 50 miles over 17 hours was my hardest) and the sense of achievement is worth the pain, the blisters, the chafing, the sweatiness, the aches/pains, the twisted knee and the delayed onset muscle soreness that came on near the end of the walk and lasted for 4 days. I would do it again I reckon given the chance.

pblakeney

Seajays wrote:

...I don't know why I didn't do this years ago...

Because we are conditioned to act like sheep and do all our travels in metal boxes.

seajays

Tangled Metal wrote:

Are you looking forward to the upcoming cold and dark days?? I am seriously looking forward to seeing just how much of the weather I take before car or train takes over. In my case time it the same for car, bike and walk/train/walk commutes in. I'm currently enjoying kitting up.

Yes - I'm going to see how far I can go... really don't want to go back to the bus if I can help it. I think the main thing I am concerned about is when we get ice/snow on the ground - may have to relent on those days... although I'd rather not. So far I haven't minded riding in the rain (I get changed at work, and the cycling stuff dries really quick in the office! ), in fact it is quite exhilarating!

daniel_b

PBlakeney wrote:

Seajays wrote:

...I don't know why I didn't do this years ago...

Because we are conditioned to act like sheep and do all our travels in metal boxes.

IN a nutshell!

Good work the OP

rubertoe

Nail on the head.

As for the winter. Just ride when it is safe and dont when its not. You dont have to be a hero and if you do - get some studded tyres.

rolf_f

The thing about bad weather is that however much it might put you off wanting to get on the bike, the state that the traffic gets into during bad weather means that the thought of the alternative of getting onto a gridlocked, steamed up bus full of people with colds is easily enough to make me remember the bike is by far the better choice.

The slowest trip home from work I managed was when it snowed at lunchtime and gridlocked everything. The 7.5 miles took an hour or so. The traffic just wasn't moving at all.

Studded tyres are good.

pblakeney

Rolf F wrote:

The thing about bad weather is that however much it might put you off wanting to get on the bike, the state that the traffic gets into during bad weather means that the thought of the alternative of getting onto a gridlocked, steamed up bus full of people with colds is easily enough to make me remember the bike is by far the better choice.

The slowest trip home from work I managed was when it snowed at lunchtime and gridlocked everything. The 7.5 miles took an hour or so. The traffic just wasn't moving at all.

Studded tyres are good.

I have the option of cycling or taking the train. Both take the same amount of time when walking is included for the train journey.
Every single time that I have chickened out of cycling due to the weather, the train has been cancelled.
Every. Single. Time.
I now either cycle or drive, and I do not drive very often. I think it is something like 5 times in the past year.

Kieran_Burns

rubertoe wrote:

Nail on the head.

As for the winter. Just ride when it is safe and dont when its not. You dont have to be a hero and if you do - get some studded tyres.

There is no such thing as bad weather, just a bad choice of clothing. 8)

I have studded tyres (and used them) so does that mean my cape shows I'm a hero now?

The Rookie

Kieran_Burns wrote:

does that mean my cape shows I'm a hero now?

KB, you really really don't expect an answer in the affirmative do you?

seajays

I have decided to go for some new pedals however given my bike came with cheap plastic flats, and I'm fed up of my feet slipping about on them. So I decided to go for a half and half clipless/flat, the theory being I can have my cake and eat it. As I don't have an N+1 at the moment, I thought that would be a good compromise if I just want to jump on without the requisite shoes!

seajays

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

I have studded tyres (and used them) so does that mean my cape shows I'm a hero now?

When conditions are variable do you swap the tyres and leave them, or do you continually swap each day depending on the weather? I haven't had to change a tyre/tube yet - although I know the theory.

Kieran_Burns

Seajays wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

I have studded tyres (and used them) so does that mean my cape shows I'm a hero now?

When conditions are variable do you swap the tyres and leave them, or do you continually swap each day depending on the weather? I haven't had to change a tyre/tube yet - although I know the theory.

Swap? Tyres? :shock:

Errrr.....

Nope don't get that.

Swap. Bike.

(I have my Tricross set up with the studded tyres... frankly the disc brakes would have me sliding all over if I put them on the Felt)

davis

Seajays wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

I have studded tyres (and used them) so does that mean my cape shows I'm a hero now?

When conditions are variable do you swap the tyres and leave them, or do you continually swap each day depending on the weather? I haven't had to change a tyre/tube yet - although I know the theory.

N+1.
Spare bike, innit.

seajays

davis wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

I have studded tyres (and used them)

When conditions are variable do you swap the tyres and leave them, or do you continually swap each day depending on the weather? I haven't had to change a tyre/tube yet - although I know the theory.

N+1.
Spare bike, innit.

lol I can't even imagine a good way of explaining the requirement for that one to the other half so soon! :shock:

dhope

Seajays wrote:

davis wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

I have studded tyres (and used them)

When conditions are variable do you swap the tyres and leave them, or do you continually swap each day depending on the weather? I haven't had to change a tyre/tube yet - although I know the theory.

N+1.
Spare bike, innit.

lol I can't even imagine a good way of explaining the requirement for that one to the other half so soon! :shock:

Cost saving over winter
You don't want an inappropriate bike forcing you back onto public transport. Think of all that wasted money.

davis

dhope wrote:

Seajays wrote:

davis wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

rubertoe wrote:

I have studded tyres (and used them)

When conditions are variable do you swap the tyres and leave them, or do you continually swap each day depending on the weather? I haven't had to change a tyre/tube yet - although I know the theory.

N+1.
Spare bike, innit.

lol I can't even imagine a good way of explaining the requirement for that one to the other half so soon! :shock:

Cost saving over winter
You don't want an inappropriate bike forcing you back onto public transport. Think of all that wasted money.

Exactly. Think of how much the bus costs, plus all that extra time (say an hour a day at your salaried rate). You can't really afford not to buy N+1, can you? Plus you wouldn't want to ruin your nice bike by riding it over winter, because the replacement parts will cost more.

A spare bike is pretty much a must.

at the very least spare wheels with the studded tyres on!

You're welcome.

Kieran_Burns

Line up the arguments and keep using the term "winter hack bike"

It sounds cheap...

dhope

davis wrote:

Plus you wouldn't want to ruin your nice bike by riding it over winter, because the replacement parts will cost more.

Conversely, if you're looking to buy a nicer bike then now's the best time of year to get it (end of season sales, buying a summer bike when autumn/winter is nearing). Then you can switch the current commuter to knobbly tires.

As Davis said, how can you afford not to buy a new one. It would be irresponsible

gingaman

Good on you. Echoing your "why didn't I do this sooner", I wish I started years ago, would be so much fitter (and faster!) by now.

Also need to stock up on winter/ bad weather clothes, last winter I was on an MTB and just layered up with extra fleeces and t-shirts etc., but then it wasn't so bad last year.

davis

dhope wrote:

davis wrote:

Plus you wouldn't want to ruin your nice bike by riding it over winter, because the replacement parts will cost more.

Conversely, if you're looking to buy a nicer bike then now's the best time of year to get it (end of season sales, buying a summer bike when autumn/winter is nearing). Then you can switch the current commuter to knobbly tires.

As Davis said, how can you afford not to buy a new one. It would be irresponsible

Actually, when you consider dhope's argument too, it sounds like really you need two more bikes. N+1+1.

cookeeemonster

I has the same thought when I started 2 and a half years ago...why why why didnt I start sooner!!

Basically because I was unfit, overweight and thought even 7.5 miles each way was a hell of a long way (before I moved further out to make it literally impossible - 18 miles each way)

Only once you start cycling and the miles pile up in the first few weeks do you realise actually, this aint so far after all...

tangled_metal

Well my road bike is a nice old steel framed one that has been hung up until I can bring myself to sort out it's problems. It got shaken to bits by the roads near work. I now use a hybrid instead. Not fast and not as pretty but it gets me there and back without issues. I've not had to do the old spoke key bit on it top sort out a minor buckle before it gets bad. I'm useless at doing that and it often gets really bad before I pull it all into shape with much cursing and swearing. I follow all the instructions I've found online and in books but my wheels work to different rules it seems.

Anyway, I do wonder what hybrid tyres would be like on snow. They're Spesh ones with a bit of knobbiness on the sides but small knobbly grooves on the centre. Probably slip around a bit.

I'm planning on just using the outdoors clothing I have, it is all pretty snug fitting like cycling clothes with a drop tail so I reckon it might suit if a little warm. You do hear of walkers who also MTB / road cycle / commute using the buffalo cycle shirt in winter. It is a pertex pile top. Anyone still use them in winter? Do you need that level of warmth if moving on the roads? I need to kit up myself so was wondering about non-specific clothing that might work.

surrey_commuter

am now 6 months in and agree what stopped me was laziness and 20 miles into central London (and out the other side) is intimindating. Anyway 9kgs and about £1k in fares I am of course wondering why I did not do it sooner. I am convincing myself that it really does not get that cold in London and not bothered by the rain.

Mentioned buying a new bike to the missus. Pointed out that after R2W and fares I would be making a profit. Bizarrely she added in the resale value of my current bike. I had to explain n+1 but was not really bothered as took this as a green light.

dyrlac

+1 to feeling of squandered time. Had I started when I lived in Fulham, I could have been laying waste to the Embankment by now. Used to take me 45m door to door by way of the tube for what I would now be upset to cycle in more than 20.

I convinced the other half I needed N+1 six months after I started commuting, primarily on the basis that I needed something racier for events (which I then needed to train for on the new bike, meaning that I needed it now now now, and therefore got to commute on something blingesque all summer). Key is to make sure it looks different enough that you can plausibly claim different use cases. Next one will be SS, which I will secretly run as a fixie. But will only get that once I've found a better place than the front hall for bike storage.

tangled_metal

Used to use the front hall bike storage too, but I had someone moving in and then a little guy came along and that was never going to be acceptable. Ended up making the wooden door good on my brick shed and it is now full of three bikes. Would have been 4 but I persuaded her that it was too much for her to have 2 bikes!!! Ho hum, how I got away with that one I don't know but it does mean my talk about getting a new drop handled CX/tourer is not going down well. Seems she can understand me having 2 but 3 is too much. Even cycling missus doesn't get the idea of more than 2 bikes.

BTW does N+1 mean you always need another bike or does it just mean you need one bike and a spare??

sketchley

N+1 there's a plan. Need motivation for winter. I like the idea of disk brake winter bike, but what to buy and do I sell the Genesis?

pblakeney

Tangled Metal wrote:

BTW does N+1 mean you always need another bike or does it just mean you need one bike and a spare??

N = The number of bikes you currently own.
N+1 is infinite.

dhope

Sketchley wrote:

N+1 there's a plan. Need motivation for winter. I like the idea of disk brake winter bike, but what to buy and do I sell the Genesis?

Thought you had a custom frame with discs made a while back? (I know Wrath Rob did, thought you had too).

I've just ordered the Canyon Inflite 9.0S for winter

sketchley

No I got a summer bike. Enigma Echo with Ultegra groupset and wheels from Ugo. There's pics of it round here somewhere maybe in road bike pics..... The Genesis is relegated to a winter bike as it's got guards, but to be honest I so prefer the Enigma the Genesis only gets ridden when it's wet. As I've become a bit of a fair weather cyclist that's not often. I need to MTFU a bit before winter and shiny N+1 might help. Quite tempted to get another enigma only with discs and guards and a rack this time.....

tangled_metal

PBlakeney wrote:

Tangled Metal wrote:

BTW does N+1 mean you always need another bike or does it just mean you need one bike and a spare??

N = The number of bikes you currently own.
N+1 is infinite.

Aahhh! The ever expanding gear collection formula. Have applied that to so many other outdoors activities/sports that even I can't find any more excuses, I mean justifications/arguments to start it with cycling. You know you are bad when kit fills every room in the house but the bathroom (and that is only because it is too small to fit anything in and use it). I had to get rid of a lot of stuff just to move the other half in (boy was that a 50:50 decision! )