Commuting vs Cold

ddraver
ddraver Posts: 26,385
edited January 2014 in Commuting chat
Evening

So sitting in my room full of a horrible cold (I won't actually accept the manflu accusation this time) for the third night in a row - cracking weekend I had... - Thinking that perhaps riding in on Friday when I thought I was coming down with something was a bad idea...

Question is - how to you tell when discretion is the better part of valour and take the tube?

(OTOH - CRC and Wiggle should be delivering a lot of shiny stuff this weekend...)
We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver

Comments

  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,581
    Generally speaking my rule of thumb is if the cold is 'below the shoulders' either don't cycle or take it veeery easy and wrap up very warm, but just above is fine. Best not to smash it then.

    Tube isn't a particularly great place to be when you're ill either tbh.
  • Open the medical cabinet and find the medication that has 'rule 5' written on the label.

    Else go sneeze over some grey looking tube commuters (they expect that for their £1,500 a year)
    If I know you, and I like you, you can borrow my bike box for £30 a week. PM for details.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    In future remember to avoid public transport altogether - you probably only have a cold because of previously taking the tube! ;)
    Faster than a tent.......
  • My bike commute is easy relaxed, so tended to just ride in, it's also a route one can take it very easy, in my line of work if I couldn't ride in i'd not go to work since i'd be a risk to the guys/gals.
  • Generally speaking my rule of thumb is if the cold is 'below the shoulders' either don't cycle or take it veeery easy and wrap up very warm, but just above is fine. Best not to smash it then.

    Tube isn't a particularly great place to be when you're ill either tbh.

    I agree
    I ride with God on my mind and power in my thighs....WOE betide you!
    I know I'm not the fastest rider on earth BUT I KNOW I AM NOT the slowest!!!
    If you Jump Red Lights in order to stay ahead you are a DISGRACE!!
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    I got struck down by something pretty nasty in the second week of January. It started out with headaches, fever, joint pain, turned into a chesty cough, nausea, loss of appetite (I barely ate for three days) and then finished off with three days of the squirts. It may have been actual Flu as I forgot to get my jab this winter.

    Anyway, I dropped down to take it real easy, minimum, flat as possible commute and using the Garmin to keep my heart rate under 125 bpm as much as possible, I usually ride at 160 bpm, but knowing I'd turn my lungs inside out if I hit 140 bpm for too long really helped. I only wussed out and got a lift on one particularly cold, wet day. It was probably my toughest week or so of cycling ever.

    So if you have the stamina and patience keep going but take it really easy, work too hard and you'll make it worse and drag it out.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,385
    Sounds familiar - No longer full of phlegm so tubed in to day and feel like i ve run a marathon whilst playing rugby. Everything is aching and my temperature is still way high :(
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver