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Been bike commuting regularly since Feb, hoping to continue through Xmas bar exceptional bad weather days this year, for the first time since my bike RTA on 23/12/2013.
The bus is only £6 for a weekly Bluestar 18 ticket, but I want to save the money towards bike kit and keep this year's discovered fitness ticking over.
Currently on a bit of a commuting break due to a combination of overdoing it, a change of role at work, and a general cant be arsed-vibe (triggered by overdoing it!)
Used to do it everyday apart from snow/ice/hurricane 😉
24 miles e/w to Salford.
Not possible any more due to simply not having the time but it was a great way to keep fit - I simply couldn’t gain weight!
I do still occasionally do it, when work/family commitments permit but it’s a rubbish route and always into a headwind on the way out. Not being as fit as I was, in any way shape or form makes the route out demoralising each time.
Great work for all those doing it and enjoying it every day. Keep it up as the rewards are significant. I do envy a lot of you!!
That was nowhere near as unpleasant as expected and tomorrow morning's forecast is looking much more favourable. Thanks for the motivation STW.
Wow, can't imagine the act of any driver stopping me from riding to work. For one thing, I'm on such shit money I couldn't pay the mortgage if I had to fill my car with diesel more often and for another my sanity wouldn't take it.
Shocking, the things that happen, but you cant let em win.
Daily commuting here. Only 4 miles each way but frequently extend. Weather down South in the towns on the East Kent coast is rarely any challenge beyond windy. Hardly saw any proper frosts unless heading further inland. Commute starts in town and heads out along quieter lanes and/or off road depending on mood/energy. First child this year so finding I need to take it easier a lot more. Rarely any real problems with drivers. But there's no real trails without the car.
5 miles each way here, although if I get away early enough and it's still light (usually a 6 am start), I extend the return journey to 10 or 15 miles - most of which is then off road. I rarely get the opportunity to do a full week but these were both taken in the past seven days.
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Gary_M - MemberI must admit I have the fear cycling down Union St in Glasgow at 5pm in the dark
mmm union street is a bit mental, I used to ride it daily about 25 years ago, wouldn't do it now. Surely Buchanan street would be a better option?
I get what you mean about the fear though, on the first dark commute home last Monday I hated going through shawlands, you soon get used to it again though.
Aye Buchanan St would be safer, was actaully contemplating the Squinty Bridge - Paisley Rd west - Shields rd then onto Kilmarnock rd from there. I feel relieved when i get to Shawlands after dealing with the city centre!
45km round trip, now trying to make sure I ride in Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays so I’m getting good quality training sessions done. Lack of evenings due to 2 kids and a wife starting a new business as well as being a teacher means very little free time.
Yep, every shift, day or night for years.
Me too. 18 miles roundtrip across Leeds - he only way to travel through Leeds - traffic is pants.
I'm still on the bike when I'm not on daddy duties. Usually 3 days per week.
My commute can be as short as 4 miles. If little miss breadcrumb lets me get a decent night's sleep I'll take the ten mile route in.
Every day for the last 20 years. Rain or snow.
A few years ago when we had major snowfall I was one of the few who could get to work on time. Studded tyres meant my commute took no longer than usual. I have no option. Its bike or taxi to work. Only once did I revert to a taxi - I got halfway up the hill to work with sleet in my eyes on a 30 mph wind. I saw a taxi, flagged it down and put my bike in for the rest of the journey
Me. On my 38th year 😀
Started when MrsT became pregnant with Tjnr, she learned to drive and bought me a bike!!!!
Worked shifts for 30 odd years so only bike on day shifts and the occasional night shift in the summer months. It's only an 8ml round trip commute. However Mabie is a nearby attraction so a trip after work and then home is a 20-25ml after work option 😀
I’ve done it for the last 15years but always had the bail out option of a car/2nd vehicle for the grotty days. The last year we’ve gone down to 1 vehicle and it’s surprising how much money you save not being a 2 car household.
Mine is a 40 minute ride mainly off road which I've been doing on my Corsair Konig but I have to pass a pikey camp and I've seen a few looking at the bike so I'm leaving it until they move on might build a winter hack if they stay any longer
Commuting by bike is one of the things I wish I could do/ could bring myself to do.
16 miles of hilly and heavily trafficked suburbia, endless traffic lights, crap cycle and road infrastructure topped with southern Muppet/psycho drivers and shit air quality. The longer countryside routes have less psychos per mile but narrower and/or faster roads. Neither is worth the risk imo so I split it train and car.
Twenty years ago I commuted 4 miles each way in the same town on the same roads in all weathers. I don't even think I'd do that direct route regularly now it's too narrow for safe passing and traffic volume is a lot higher.
Jeez some of you have some long commutes! I have 4 miles each way, and when the sky is ugly, I just remind myself that my bike is my vehicle.
Lush ride in today. Air was lovely and cold, not too many idiots on the roads and my legs felt pretty good as well which meant under 45 mins for a hilly 12 miler. I've also finally got my Paddy Wagon fully winterised, fixed wheel, full length mudguards, reflectors everywhere, good lights, it's now the perfect winter commuter bike.
Now sat in the office buzzing.
Since I got my waterproofs sorted out I'm actually quite happy riding in the rain. I arrive, strip off the waterproofs and that's it. I'm also quite happy riding in the dry.
What I hate is that 'Is it raining?' weather where if you put on the waterproofs there isn't enough water to keep you cool and if you don't then you get wet. Either way you end up sitting at work damp.
It was super icy by me this morning and it normally gets worse further down the hill. After my 25mph dive off on black ice earlier this year I thought better of it.
Will be back on the bike tomorrow though. Not looking forward to the train home.
Cold this morning!
Came along the canal, so no probs with slippery roads. Face hurt though.
About 24 years commuting by bike in different cities and work locations. I dread the thought of ending up on a job where I have to drive to work. The last 5 years has been very local, so it's an easy 20 minutes each way in my office clothes. Not so good for keeping fit, but very convenient. Driving or public transport would take longer and be more difficult because of timing and parking.
No rain last night so didn't get to test the reproofing of my waterproof, nevermind
Thanks all. I previously had the impression that everyone was going 30 mile roud trips like heroes every day, and then smashing the weekends up in the mountains
20 miles each way for me pretty much every day 🙂
Very icy this morning which was horrible. Bit of ice on the car but the pavement was fine so set off, got on the moor and every puddle was iced up. Wouldn't have ridden if I'd known.
I am!
If it wasn't for commuting I'd be super unfit.
I have barely any other time to ride with a little baby and lots of DIY to do.
Also, I find commuting by car utterly depressing, and the train is completely unreliable and expensive, especially if you cycle a few days a week and can't take advantage of season tickets.
If it's raining I give it a miss these days and take the car, though i still cycle the last 2 miles.
I bought a few items of clothing in the summer to make winter commuting more tolerable so in fact I've been looking forward to using them. Bought a Gabba LS jersey (called Perfetto now) which seems perfect for cold / frosty days. I might start using the winter boots soon.
I have no plans to stop although like others I'm a bit more selective. When I know I'm going to be on call until 10pm I'll drive. I'm on nights this weekend so will probably drive for that as well. I feel a bit soft but I'd rather enjoy it (which I do most days) than see it as a chore.
The thing that's doing my head in at the moment though is that it's taking longer. I don't quite know why, perhaps it's traffic or extra weight or not wanting to crash on icy (ish) roads but I definitely go a fair bit slower in winter.
Came on the MTB today, found another piece of my "how much of my commute can I do off road" puzzle, reckon I'm up to about 80% now and can't really do any more I don't think. Lovely day for it 🙂
Rude not to commute when the weather is like this...
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40km in on the mtb
I got a lift home last night - it was pissing it down, and I've had a niggling lower back ache ever since I bought the trials bike (big surprise there!). Basically couldn't be arsed dealing with either last night!
Did some stretches at home last night and something let go, getting some very painful spasms now. 🙁 Still got a lift back into work this morning and intend to ride home tonight, hopefully a steady spin will help the back ease off...
Don't really have much choice, but it's only 6 miles each way and like others have said once you're out the door it's rarely as bad as you think it might be.
Chilly face and fingers this morning though!
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@greenosteve Sounds like you might need something like a high angled stem and/or higher bars. A PX ~35 degree 100m stem made my drop bar bike ride-able, while a set of Modolo Dumbo adjustable butterfly bars were great for tweaking my flat bar bike setup, when my lower back gave me grief after 2008.
Erratic at best for the last 18 months, mostly due to racing injuries. I also have a horrible route for ~40% of the journey, which has reduced motivation levels to zero for it. 32km each way, is a lot of riding every week & leaves me knackered & not wanting to ride my bike for fun at the weekend.
I was fortunate enough to have a slightly longer off road route along the SDW, which I had fun with over the summer, but at nearly 40km each way, it was a long, tough ride, twice a day.
Soon about to start a new job which will be zero chance of riding in due to distance, but I will be working very close to a couple of great riding spots, so the bike will be living in the car 🙂
Got wet feet last night so ordered some longer mudguards.
Lovely this morning, easy to be out in the picturesque bits before the sun is up. Towpath section is getting churned up now, bit slippery and makes me think of yet more new tyres to avoid (another) trip into the cut 😳
Tandem with the Mrs this morning; 17 miles on the road route to town, frosty and really bonny. I put its 26" winter wheels back on at the weekend, in place of the lighter 650b and road slicks. We'll head into the woods going home, do some quite mellow trails and some cycle track on an old railway, which will together keep us off the main road for several of those miles.
Sadly, this may be the last tandem commute for us as the Mrs is being made redundant shortly in the latest round of central Govt cut backs to public services.
I can't stand car and train commuting. I do it occasionally mostly because my commute is too far to realistically do by bike every day (16 miles each way) but it's soul-destroying. How people sit through miles of traffic jams or late and overcrowded trains on a daily basis is beyond me!
If I drive, the commute can take anuything from 30 minutes to 2hrs depending on time of day, traffic, any accidents etc. Train is a bit more reaosnable (except it costs a lot) but even then I've had several cancellations and numerous delays or trains too crowded to even board.
Bike takes an hour. Pretty much every single time. I've got the options of several routes including a complete off-road one (only useable in dry weather), some mixed on/off-road options and several on-road ones the fastest of which is an efficient but mostly deeply unpleasant urban A-road.
Trike to work day today 😀 . Ten miles each way. Flat. Sunny. Still running Duranos, but could go to the Marathons it came with. Except I lose 2 kmh. It Is my black-ice-proof ride. I may add a plexiglass fairing to keep warm.
Had a great day working yesterday, managed to do two client visits and a drinks reception in London and Essex. In total 4 train journeys 8 brompton trips - got various other emails and calls done whilst travelling too.
A very productive day and chuffed that I managed to squeeze 25 miles of riding in. The longest single trip was from Liverpool Street to the Wellington hospital via another office to collect something. That was 6.5 miles but still way quicker to do on the bike than any other option.
I must admit I'm rather smitten with my lovely pink brompton 🙂
I've gone on a completely different tack and am now skating to work, well the non Train bits
Sight seeing on the commute #tourist #commute #skate #quads #spinspinsugar #sneakerpimps #ventropro #superhighway #cyclesuperhighway #oldschoolskate #ukgarage
That's just showing off! 😆
Done two days this week but skipped this morning as it was a bit icy around us.
I’m working at home today waiting for my commuter to be picked up to get warrantied by Saracen. It’s been a hellish week on the train, borrowing a mates hybrid for next week.
Nice ride in this morning, no ice but a bit muddy!
Commute year round (16 miles each way), work shifts with sets of 7 which I break up with a train journey otherwise I'd be knackered by the 'weekend'.
Now it's cross season I'm only bike commuting 2-3 times a week to reduce fatigue and am pseudo training, structuring my commute with say intervals to get the most benefit. Just got some of those PSA Scott goretex boots, and an early Xmas pressy Castelli Idro in anticipation of the crap weather.
Trike to work day today
This sounds interesting. What kind of trike do you have?
Rode in Monday to Wednesday. Skipped yesterday as I was having dinner out after work.
working at home today, went a run with my wife. Just over 2 miles and my quads are now mullered. My cycling legs had zero benefit when running it turns out