24 mile commute

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NicGeo

New Member
Hi Folks,
I've just started commuting 24miles round trip to work 3 days a week and now on my second month.
Travelling from Hither Green (near Bromley) to Camden Town London.
Any advise on reducing stiffness in my knees by the 3rd day?
Also can anyone suggest a good cycle map app? I'm using Komoot as my route guide and it often has a lag.
Cheers, Nic
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
Also can anyone suggest a good cycle map app? I'm using Komoot as my route guide and it often has a lag.
I use OsmAnd (voice prompts), Trekarta or AAT (breadcrumbs) but it may be your phone having a laggy GPS rather than the app to blame.
 
D

Deleted member 26715

Guest
Some people can't memorise routes easily. I know people who can get lost riding to the coast that's about 12 miles away and the sea is pretty easy to find IMO, but people are different.
I understand, but after at least 12 events surely it sticks, unless a variation in route is required?
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
I understand, but after at least 12 events surely it sticks, unless a variation in route is required?
It seems not, for some people. I think at least two of those I'm thinking of have lived here most (if not all) their life (certainly much longer than me), so have done it many more times than that. I suspect they follow road signs when driving, but cycle route signs aren't yet good enough for that tactic to work.
 

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
Hi Folks,
I've just started commuting 24miles round trip to work 3 days a week and now on my second month.
Travelling from Hither Green (near Bromley) to Camden Town London.
Any advise on reducing stiffness in my knees by the 3rd day?
Also can anyone suggest a good cycle map app? I'm using Komoot as my route guide and it often has a lag.
Cheers, Nic


Orpington to Greenwich daily. 28 mile daily round commute. Welcome to the SE London badlands.

What route are you currently doing? Lets have a look to see if we can come up with some local route knowledge.
 
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NicGeo

NicGeo

New Member
If you have already rode the route both ways 12+ times 3x 4 weeks why do you still need a sat nav?
HaHa yes you are right!
but I've tried 3 different routes and also use the app to track my time and average speed. I'm down to 49mins which is good for me considering the first ride took me 1 hour 15mins.
 
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NicGeo

NicGeo

New Member
Knees, make sure the saddle is the right height. Make sure you’re using the right gears on anything hilly.
Stretch in the evening, hamstrings, glutes, hip flexors, calves, quads.
Cheers, I don't do any of this, just jump on at 7.30am and go!
You are right, stretching is important. Cheers
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Cheers, I don't do any of this, just jump on at 7.30am and go!
You are right, stretching is important. Cheers
Stretch after, warm up to start.
average speeds are pretty variable on a London commute if you obey the lights and rules of the road ;)
 

roubaixtuesday

self serving virtue signaller
Hi Folks,
I've just started commuting 24miles round trip to work 3 days a week and now on my second month.
Travelling from Hither Green (near Bromley) to Camden Town London.
Any advise on reducing stiffness in my knees by the 3rd day?
Also can anyone suggest a good cycle map app? I'm using Komoot as my route guide and it often has a lag.
Cheers, Nic

Good effort that. Normally stiffness wears off after a week or two acclimatising the joints, but if not, for knees I'd second @vickster and look at saddle height. Leg should be straight with your heel on the pedal as a rough guide - if in doubt raise it 5mm or so at a time.
 
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NicGeo

NicGeo

New Member
Orpington to Greenwich daily. 28 mile daily round commute. Welcome to the SE London badlands.

What route are you currently doing? Lets have a look to see if we can come up with some local route knowledge.
Hi Ian,
South London to North London! the ride out from Bromley area is good mostly down hill but the ride back is a killer especially around Lewisham to Hither green / Bromley. All hills.
Through Catford / Lewisham / towards Grenwich and turn off to New Cross, off past Millwall / Burmondsey down to Blackfriars bridge / Farringdon / Clarkenwell / Holborn / Kings Cross and through Camden to the Worlds End Pub.

Also tried through Brockley and Peckham. All much of the same but a bit faster if the lights don't catch me.

But got it down to just under 50mins.
I just got to keep it up!
Any advise much appreciated! Cheers.
 
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NicGeo

NicGeo

New Member
It seems not, for some people. I think at least two of those I'm thinking of have lived here most (if not all) their life (certainly much longer than me), so have done it many more times than that. I suspect they follow road signs when driving, but cycle route signs aren't yet good enough for that tactic to work.
Pretty new to the area but, yes I've got to know the 2 or 3 preferred routes now, I just like track of average speed and time.
I'm sure I'll ditch the app soon once it becomes second nature. Cheers
 

ianrauk

Tattooed Beat Messiah
Location
Rides Ti2
Hi Ian,
South London to North London! the ride out from Bromley area is good mostly down hill but the ride back is a killer especially around Lewisham to Hither green / Bromley. All hills.
Through Catford / Lewisham / towards Grenwich and turn off to New Cross, off past Millwall / Burmondsey down to Blackfriars bridge / Farringdon / Clarkenwell / Holborn / Kings Cross and through Camden to the Worlds End Pub.

Also tried through Brockley and Peckham. All much of the same but a bit faster if the lights don't catch me.

But got it down to just under 50mins.
I just got to keep it up!
Any advise much appreciated! Cheers.


Hi Nic
I.m surprised you're going anywhere near Bromley with your commute to/from Hither Green (I do the A21 hill to Bromley every evening and after 13 years it still hasn't got any easier :wacko:^_^ ).
The flattest would be Lewisham on the A20, New Cross, Then the A2, Hefallump & Castle, across the River at Waterloo the straight up to Goodge Street and beyond.
Pretty flat that.

3 days a week is still pretty good after 2 months. Though as with human nature, you may be pushing yourself a bit too hard, so try take it a little easier. It took me over a year to get up to speed for a full value 5 day a week commute.
 
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