Forum menu
Changing jobs at the end of the month to a company much closer to home. (12 miles instead of 35)
This thread has given me much encouragement, especially as the option to commute to work on the bike is one of the main reasons for taking the job. 😀
An uplifting thread to finish the week !
My commute takes me into Manchester city centre, took the mtb this morning and the 'direct' route. About 100 m of road out of 5000m total.
Oh, kerbs are ace.
When we first moved to Denver, the only job I could find was pretty low paying so I would commute the 20 mile round trip each day to save on gas. One morning it was tipping it down, I arrived to work absolutely soaked and quite miserable. Everyone at work was so supportive, and impressed, it made me feel good. Even the drivers took pity on me letting me across junctions.
Rode my new bike into work yesterday, really enjoyed it
Went home the slower way via the cycle paths, not the road. Wasn't in a rush so just enjoyed being out in nice weather. Decided I should try an even longer way home using some cheeky foot paths next time. Also saw a rabbit at an unexpected point
Rode into London today, 1st time in 3 years, sunny, tailwind and only had to use the c word once.. 🙂
I overtook a peregrine the other day which makes me the fastest animal on earth.
Got waved through by a massive truck coming into a narrow lane. Guy smiled and everything and I thought "wow, never expected that, it was his right of way too".
Then noticed the massive "VOTE UKIP" card on the dash.
*Instant brainsplosion*
Used to commute everyday from Putney into Central London. Used to come across an oldish guy on an old steel framed racer. He wore old Lycra and a classic cap. Used to hear him coming as he was always shouting at drivers and/or banging on their roofs. One evening caught him up in some traffic the followed. He was fast. I was fit in those days and laid everything out keeping up with him. Just before Putney bridge I thought I'd better do my turn in front so put a big effort in to overtake. Then had to stay on it out of pride. I remember going over Putney bridge my heart rate hit 200. I went right, he went straight on. 'Thanks' he shouted, and pedalled off seemingly ok. I pulled over and was sick in the gutter in front of some startled bus passengers. I miss biking in London.
Great thread.
Tom b has made me homesick.
My commute usually starts at 5 am. North London into Herts.
I love the quiet & the wildlife . Albino fox!
It's even more fun at the weekends ,watching people on their way home wasted.
Then there's the way the temperature drops just as the sun comes up ,it never ceases to piss me off on a cold morning.ha.
There used to be the aroma of a bakery on the way in,thank heavens they closed it.
That first commute when the sun is just rising and you feel a bit of warmth on a crisp still morning. I had this at a reservoir that I cross, this moment kept me going through the winter. When it arrived it was a lovely feeling.
I very rarely see anybody, love it.
Saying hello to the other riders I see in the morning always makes for a good start - fez wearing e-bike guy and the gentleman with the flat cap in particular. That and feeling the sun on my lycra clad body at the end of the day, aww yes baby.
tbh commuting by bike is always better than by train and tube - other than the odd maltreatment by a stupid person in a car, it's always positive...
Stopping on the way to work last summer to take a couple of photos of the Mall, already closed at 9am for when the Tour was coming through that afternoon, was a highlight...
Also, the enthusiasm of a couple of new-to-cycling commuters at work is great to see
I can't commute to work by bike, but I do get to take my bike to work with me (Longhaul Airline pilot) and ride on some amazing roads. I'm currently in Japan, it's 6:04 AM and I'm about to head out for a sunny 100 miler through the paddy fields and the remnants of the Tokyo Blossom Season.
This year I've ridden in Atlanta, Tampa, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, Barbados, Bermuda - oh, and Sussex!!
Cycling by the river , out of the corner of my eye I saw something drop into the water.
A kingfisher popped up with a fish in his mouth and he kept pace with me as I cycled along.
Canals, roads and rhythm. Bit of Hammock playing in the left ear and all is good in my world.
dantsw13 you lucky bugger.
I saw a raccoon on the way into work yesterday morning but that isn't the highlight of my commutes...
Riding over Lions Gate Bridge into Vancouver on a winter morning as the sun rises over Mt Baker (11,000 ft snow-capped volcano) is pretty f++king cool.
Riding back in the evening towards the infamous North Shore mountains,knowing I've got some of the worlds best mountain biking on my doorstep is also pretty special, and certainly better than my previous commute past the Pilkingtons factory into St Helens...
I'm so glad I started this thread. So much more positive than the 'Punishment Pass' one!
'Thanks' he shouted, and pedalled off seemingly ok. I pulled over and was sick in the gutter in front of some startled bus passengers. I miss biking in London.
I think this is one of my favourites not least because I can empathise so well with it!
Ad already said, a great thread 🙂
On the way home last night I passed for young lad huddled around a bike. "All ok?" I asked?
"No" they replied, looking glum
"Terminal or fixable?"
"Terminal. Ride's over" they replied. "Chain drops off whenever he pedals"
After a quick glance, two minutes with an Allen key proved them wrong: the chain was dropping off because the rear derailleur was loose, so I reseated the chain and tightened the bolt. The fact that there was no cable to the rear brake, and that the gear cable was so badly adjusted (and fixed with a nut so I couldn't change it!) that the gears wouldn't change was out of my capabilities, but at least they were able to cat on their ride. Job done.
Sometimes in an evening I look at the forecast for the morning and I really look forward to the ride in. It gives me loads of time to clear the mind and think about the day ahead. Also, looking forward to the ride home makes work fly by.
Bump, because I meant to post first time round and forgot...
The other day I was biking home in a cycle lane on a road with two traffic lanes in each direction. The cycle lane is pretty narrow, as are the traffic lanes, so if a bus or something else big passes you, it's chuffing scary - especially as there's usually a strong-ish headwind on that section so sometimes it's tricky to hear things approaching from behind.
Anyway, I noticed a big articulated lorry slow behind me, wait until lane 2 was clear, then pull out to pass me. That's the second time it's happened recently. I know it's heading to a supermarket up the road, I might have to make a detour to catch up and say thanks if it happens again.
Also, every commute into work is ace, as I take my 3-year-old to daycare on the way. When we get to the off-road bit he hops off my bike and rides his bike along a nice little gravel path along the edge of the estuary. No traffic, lots of wildlife, great company 😀
On the Thames Towpath early one morning I rode up to a cat playing with something that turned out to be a water vole. So I stopped and gave the cat a good squirt with my water bottle. Water vole dived back into the undergrowth to live another day 😀
One day last week I decided to add 2 tour climbs into my commute home across Sheffield - Jenkin Road and Jawbone Hill (Oughtibridge Lane).
I take Jawbone almost every day, but adding in Jenkin really made it a tough ride! That hill is one steep b*stard!
Anyway, the next day as I was tired from the longer commute, I stopped half way up Jawbone hill and stood at fence to a local farmers field, and watching lambs chase each other around for 15 mins.
Then at the top I stopped and crossed over to a viewing area, where you can see over all of Sheffield.
I don't tend to take the time to stop and enjoy where I am, I've usually got my head down concentrating on riding, but it was about the most sunny day we've had so far, and I really enjoyed just chilling out by myself. 🙂
Don't know if it counts as positive commuting, but here it is anyway.
At the traffic lights in Badshot Lea today, the car in front of me conks out. The old boy hops out and starts trying to push it into the pub car park, but it's not happening, so i lean the bike up against the wall and give him a hand.
Meanwhile the cars in the queue behind us start overtaking. Not one offered to stop and help.
Once again proving 'we' are much better than 'them' which left me feeling happy.
mcj78 -Plus I just found a left over christmas cake in a filing cabinet & all the energy I burn off cycling allows me to eat pretty much whatever I like, whenever I like - so that's got a big dent in it now.
Filed under 'C' presumably? 😀
Don't forget, even a bad bike ride always trumps a good car drive 😉
I was riding back along the canal towpath the other evening and, coming round a bend in the trail there's a bunch of lads all over the towpath and even from 20yds I could smell the beer fumes and dope smoke.
No escape option so just carried on, I'm never really sure of how these sorts of encounters will pan out.
They all stepped back, the first one pointed down the trail and shouted "Wiggo went that way, chase him down!"
Next thing they were all holding their hands out shouting High 5!, Pedal harder!, The Tour is soon, keep training!
I mean, yeah they were all absolutely pissed but that was about the best outcome I could have hoped for! 🙂
Sometimes I do some work in Wembley Stadium, and unless the weather's really grotty I always bike it. Sometimes it's on a matchday, and in that case I'm leaving at about the same time as 80,000 other people, so the roads are a bit crazy. I might set some car overtaking records on those rides, it's a lot of fun. Wish I could ride in to work more often, I feel so much better than I do after the usual 20 mile drive along the A40/M40.
Days like today when you think "I'll go the long way round". Leave the road bike at home and jump on the MTB, get away from the loons in cars for a bit 🙂
[img] 
[/img]
Did your Dad not tell you never to lie it derailleur side down?
I thought that's what shadow derailleurs were designed for? 🙂
My Dad would never have ridded a bike with derailleur gears, he probably last rode a bicycle in 1949!