A break from cycle commuting is a good thing

Alain Quay
Alain Quay Posts: 534
edited February 2009 in Commuting chat
Cycled every day for 3 years, through fair weather
and foul, but after sliding on ice before Xmas decided to give it a break and
walk now. When I see cycle commuters go past, I am amazed at
how dangerous it looks, yet that is what I did day after day.

The down side of cycle commuting is you hate cars and their
drivers, and often arrive home feeling wound up and angry, yet develop
a dogged masochism, like you never want to give up, as that means being
defeated by the forces of evil. :twisted:

I know when I start bike commuting again month or so I will be less fit but
will enjoy it more.

Comments

  • AndyManc
    AndyManc Posts: 1,393
    Welllllllllll , there are certain weather conditions when no sane person should ride.

    Having said that, I rode to work at 5:30am this morning , it sounded like I was riding along on a carpet of rice krispies with all the ice on the side roads, the main roads weren't too bad.

    Yep I agree with the stress issue, but shouting VERY loudly does release some of it, at least you can burn it off, unlike having to sit in a car and let it build up.

    Lets face it , if we didn't like it ... we wouldn't do it . :P
    Specialized Hardrock Pro/Trek FX 7.3 Hybrid/Specialized Enduro/Specialized Tri-Cross Sport
    URBAN_MANC.png
  • When we had loads of snow just before Christmas, I took the tram in for a while. It kind of does my head in but at the end of the day it's nice to get home quick.

    Now the snow has flattened out and is mostly ice for 10 or so miles of my ride (through a park) I sometimes wonder if riding is a good idea. You just can't beat that feeling though can you? the afterglow lasts all morning.

    You're right though, a break every once in a while makes you appreciate it, I don't have any real issues with cars, not as much as I did in the UK anyway.
  • davbay
    davbay Posts: 60
    Very true. Its easy to feel defeated by bad weather. I'm wrestling with the desire to cycle no matter what the weather condition but black ice got the better of me.

    To save my bike as well as me I've decided that I'm only going to use my road bike in dry conditions. I'll ride when its wet but I'm looking for a poor weather bike which I can go slower. Maybe a Singlespeed.

    Any suggestions?...
    Anyone else ride a Schwinn?...
  • 1 or 2 days break from cycling is ok.
    But any longer would drive me insane, especially on public transport.
    I love it! :P
    I just can't wait for summer!!!! That's when I'll take a 20 mile detour on the way home. I must be insane.
  • steve-m
    steve-m Posts: 106
    dazzawazza wrote:
    1 or 2 days break from cycling is ok.
    But any longer would drive me insane, especially on public transport.

    Quite, it is all very well hating cars but on public transport you hate your fellow man.

    Can't stand the tube at all
    Fixed, commute: Langster 08, FCN6
    Road : Aravis (byercycles) Shimano 105 triple
    Hybrid: Trek 7.2 FX, unused / unloved
  • El Gordo
    El Gordo Posts: 394
    Alain Quay wrote:
    The down side of cycle commuting is you hate cars and their
    drivers, and often arrive home feeling wound up and angry

    Very true, but by the time I've put my bike in the shed the endorphins have kicked in and I feel at one with the world again.

    Besides, I get just as wound up if I ever have to take the car. I sit in the traffic like everyone else fuming that people are so lazy and half of them should be on bikes and then don't get the relaxed feeling afterwards to compensate.
  • XxxBFGxxX
    XxxBFGxxX Posts: 1,355
    dazzawazza wrote:
    1 or 2 days break from cycling is ok.
    But any longer would drive me insane, especially on public transport.
    I love it! :P
    I just can't wait for summer!!!! That's when I'll take a 20 mile detour on the way home. I must be insane.

    your not insane mate i ride 10 mile to work and 10 mile home. I cant wait till the weather is nicer and i can add another 10 into the trip home.

    I ridein all weathers unless my chest gets realy bad as i have asthma i dont let it beat me tho. An it has to be realy bad to get of the bike.Been comuting for only 6 month now but i cant do with out it now. I had a week away from it and it did me in i found i started getting a cold. It went as soon as i got back on my bike.

    I ride a GT mountain bike on road dose me fine for the 20 in all miles i do
  • agreed. A break from commuting is a good thing. This is why weekends exist, so that you can ride somewhere else for 2 days.
  • ChrisLS
    ChrisLS Posts: 2,749
    ...yes I agree a rest from the bike keeps you fresh. During all this bad weather I have been walking and also taking long walks at the weekend.

    I slid off on the ice before Christmas and I have to say it gave my confidence quite a knock. I have always thought ice and two wheels are not a good idea...
    ...all the way...'til the wheels fall off and burn...
  • andy83
    andy83 Posts: 1,558
    cant wait to get back on my bike, had fall on ice few weeks back and not going out now til ice is nowhere around as confidence knocked a little aswell
  • I have been commuting by bike for 3 years too, rode every day until this winter. Came off on black ice twice within about 15 mins on a weekend ride and had a nice swollen hip and elbow to prove it. Was more of a dent to my confidence than fracturing my pelvis on the bike, as that happened on a dry road and was due to my own inexperience/stupidity.

    Have been riding on the rainy days, but will giving it a miss on the frosty days, as the route to work is too busy with HGVs and buses to risk coming off the bike.

    My fixie seems to handle a bit better on the icy roads than the road bike, and you can avoid using the break if necessary. Have a Bob Jackson Vigorelli Track fitted with full mudgards for the winter and can strip it down for track racing in the summer.