Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 142 total)
  • Who is still commuting by bike?
  • Mister-P
    Free Member

    I’m looking at the weather forecast for tonight and not liking the look of heavy rain and a head wind all the way home. Add in the fact it’s dark and the roads seem busier than usual and I’m not as enthusiastic as usual.

    Who else is still riding and who has decided it’s a silly idea?

    shermer75
    Free Member

    I am, but I hate riding in the rain so I might give that a swerve!

    tomhoward
    Full Member

    Have been all year, will continue to do so.

    prawny
    Full Member

    I am, but only because I can’t find a better option. It’s a joyless slog, but it beats paying £70 to stand on a train getting coughed on.

    reformedfatty
    Free Member

    Even the wife is still commuting by bike twice a week, and she absolutely melts in bad weather.

    Me, this week I’ve broken out the 3/4 lengths for the first time, and will be commuting all winter

    scotroutes
    Full Member

    When I was living in Edinburgh I commuted by bike all year. The best days were when it had snowed so much that no cars or buses were around.

    philjunior
    Free Member

    I have been, I’m not water soluble so just keep mudguards on and ride all year round.

    I was asked by 2 people last week when I stopped riding in for winter, which seemed quite a strange question to me really – unless my work will give me time off!

    The bad weather is never as bad when you’re out in it (and if it is, which I can remember once in 15 years of commuting by bike, you can always turn back and wait for the weather to pass). And you get nice days from time to time.

    joebristol
    Full Member

    Yep I am. Skin is waterproof 🙂

    DezB
    Free Member

    Yep, although not today as needed some shopping done and a change of clothes in the locker. Yesterday was bloody cold! Back on the bike tomorrow. Hate driving.

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    Very poor commuting record this year. Lots of work travel means a combination of too much to carry and getting out of the routine. Maybe get some days in during December.

    scaled
    Free Member

    I’ve never seen the canal as busy as this morning. It’s normally deserted on a bright august morning, let alone a grey, drizzley November.

    I’ll ride in all year though, can’t stand the tram

    lunge
    Full Member

    Yep, though I’m down to 3 days per week as is usual for this time of year and am picking my days.

    ads678
    Full Member

    I gave up about a year ago. It makes me sad that i’m not doing it any more but it was making me too angry. Not the weather just general aresholes on the road trying to kill me.
    If I had a nice route i’d start again but it’s shit so i’ll stick to the car. 😥

    The run up to Christmas was always horrible though.

    Bez
    Full Member

    When I’ve commuted by bike every day I’ve done it all year round. Sadly it’s no longer an option as the trains have become so expensive that my bike-plus-train commute would cost more than twice as much as owning my car and sitting in several miles of traffic jam for an hour every morning.

    If you’re riding, get out in the cold and make the most of it, sitting in a car sucks.

    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    I’ve been a lazy bugger with regards to commuting this year, yesterday was the first in a while, defo for getting back into it.

    A puncture on the way in, and a godawful headwind on way home were not the ideal start… 😀

    ton
    Full Member

    it is water, not acid. MTFU 😆

    thomthumb
    Free Member

    rode yesterday after a pretty poor record for the last 2 weeks. Will continue to do at least a couple of days a week.

    riding in bad weather beats sitting in traffic in a car anyday.

    woody2000
    Full Member

    Yep, but like Lunge, I pick and choose a little more at this time of year weather wise. I’m only in the office 4 days a week, I try for 3 days on the bike whenever possible.

    13thfloormonk
    Full Member

    Yep, I’ve spent a lot of time and money winter-proofing myself and the commuter, so my wife wouldn’t let me away with paying for the bus or stealing the car even if I wanted to!

    Realising how blessed I am with the infrastructure in the north of Edinburgh, about 3km of actual road (mostly slow, quiet) then 15km of great cycle path (Sustrans on old railway lines).

    The only downside is that I still can’t get my layers right, tried to take it easy this wet morning but still ended up pretty sweaty, not looking forward to putting that damp merino back on this evening 😕

    howsyourdad1
    Free Member

    9km each way here. It’s minus 8c, snowy and icey, dark and windy. However it’s almost all on traffic free cycle paths so can’t grumble.

    soon the lake will be frozen and the ice road will open so i’ll save a little time too

    dangeourbrain
    Free Member

    Skipped this morning due to wind but have a parcel to lug back home and some shopping to do so is a useful excuse.

    Rain doesn’t bother me. High winds i dislike entirely, too many narrow NSL roads with poor visibility (and poor driving) to enjoy the cycle in with gusting side winds especially.

    ton
    Full Member

    howsyourdad1

    where do you live?

    fossy
    Full Member

    I used to commute every day come rain, snow, ice etc (ice tyres are awesome). Unfortunately that ended 2 years ago when a blind motorist turned right across my path. Ended up with a badly broken spine and 4 ribs. 6 1/2 weeks in hospital and 4 months in a storm trooper spinal brace. 7 months off work.

    No more cycle commutes (previously had broken ribs and smashed shoulder from more idiots).

    I’ve given up road riding completely and only getting on the MTB once a week at best. My back has been giving me increasing pain and not done any exercise for over a month. Back at the physio weekly now.

    5 bikes in the garage… hacked off is an understatement.

    howsyourdad1
    Free Member

    the frozen wastes of Sweden. Near Åre / Östersund

    whitestone
    Free Member

    Picking and choosing my days at the moment. Feeling a bit jaded as I’ve had a pretty intense year bike wise so probably need to back off a bit. Try and do two or three days a week anyway. The alternative is a none too crowded train, the station is 5mins walk from work.

    milky1980
    Free Member

    Have been all year, will continue to do so.

    Same here, commute all year round in all weathers. It’s getting out the door that’s the hardest part. Just been to the LBS to buy some new thermal tights as my last pair cried ‘enough!’ as I took them off yesterday morning. Thankfully it’s too warm in the afternoons still so had a pair of shorts to come back in 😆

    fasthaggis
    Full Member

    I gave up about a year ago. It makes me sad that i’m not doing it any more but it was making me too angry.

    That’s a real shame,no alternative routes then?
    I never,ever take it for granted how lucky I am with my commute options.
    Regardless of the weather,it never feels like a chore.I would be a very different monkey if I had to chuck it.

    lunge
    Full Member

    Rain doesn’t bother me. High winds i dislike entirely

    I think it’s a version of the “3 options, pick 2” situation.
    Wind
    Rain
    Cold

    Any 2 is fine, as soon as it’s all 3 then I get the train.

    howsyourdad1
    Free Member

    it’s the wind that really blows. LOLZ IGMC

    tomhoward
    Full Member

    *was kind of hoping howsyourdad would say ‘Reading’ or some such…

    ton
    Full Member

    howsyourdad1 – Member

    the frozen wastes of Sweden. Near Åre / Östersund

    that is ace.
    you lucky man.

    eddiebaby
    Free Member

    No car or bus service so I have to cycle. I love it but the only thing that gives me grief is either ice on the road on two stretches or dense fog. To get round that I throw the bike over fence at the bottom of the garden and then do a cheeky pootle round the field edges for 5 miles.

    amedias
    Free Member

    I am, because riding my bike in bad weather is still quicker than walking in bad weather. Besides, I’ve been wet before and didn’t melt so chances are it’ll be fine this time too.

    bigdog
    Free Member

    Every day here. 8 miles in 25 mins takes 15 in car queue.Often longer on way home. enjoying big sky sunsets.
    Last night was funny all the cars took the quiet lane as main road had a beet truck turn over. Least my big light made them wait to for me to pass.

    shindiggy
    Free Member

    Been commuting each day throughout the year for the last Eight years, not going to stop this winter.

    soobalias
    Free Member

    yep, but already got the 3/4 bibs, winter boots and gloves out

    got to work to find the shower drain finally unblocked, so enjoyed a crap shower (its what happens when you fit a poxy little electric shower in an office environment)

    its only a 30min route, but works well with a 30min learning spanish audio thingy im working on.

    grenosteve
    Free Member

    Still going strong, need some new (smaller sized) winter gear though.

    We’ve had the first load of grit put down on Sheffield roads this week, so I’m packing the roadrat up for the winter (I know the frame is pretty cheap, but it’s got loads of nice bits and alloy spoke nipples…) and digging out my old cannondale badboy – it’s heavy and slow, but it puts up with wet and salt really well.

    TiRed
    Full Member

    WFH today, but will ride my regular Tuesday 100km tonight. I commute in all weathers. Frozen fog is always the worst. Just wear the right clothing.

    miketually
    Free Member

    Yep. Started about 13 years ago, and it’s essentially my only means of getting to work.

    Gary_M
    Free Member

    I’m still doing it, it’s only November so it’s not even winter yet. Only thing that stop me doing it is ice, I’ve had a couple of nasty falls and it’s really not worth the risk. I’ve got ice spike tyres but to be honest it’s not nice riding across ice in traffic even though the tyres do grip.

    My wife isn’t keen on my going out in gales so I tend to give that a miss too.

    Other than that I keep going all year.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 142 total)

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