Checklist before commute home

[captain nemo1701]

Blimey. I can't imagine wanting to drive that. Even if I had some reason for not wanting to cycle, I think I'd rather do it at a brisk walk- would take about the same amount of time as his car trip.

A work colleague took 1hour & 40 mins today to get into work in Bristol and he's only 10 miles from the office. I always take 30 mins.

My routine is:
Switch Off laptop
Get changed
Get bike out of works bike shed
Ride to start of Bristol Railway Path, remembering to smile politely at all the people stuck in jams
Get home
Lock bike in shed
(& just on rare occasions: What's that smell?...examine wheel... .aaaargh....doggy do. Fetch hosepipe)
Have tea,shower
Relax in front of telly
Watch local news items about car congestion in Bristol
Fart around on interweb for far too long......

 

[G3CWI]

An important part of preparing to cycle home for me is to put on a silly grin as I enjoy the craziness of my bike ride.

 

[wisdom]

Worth the faff every time for me.

Me too never ever use the car for work anymore dont have a go pro and rarely use strava though

 

[Shut Up Legs]

You don't need to get a full change of clothes to commute by bike, that's a choice.

No, it's a necessity when your commute is long enough: you need cycling-specific clothing for the ride, otherwise the saddle sores can get pretty nasty. Or if you were talking about sweating, you also need a change of clothes for the longer commutes.

 

[ianrauk]

It's never a faff to get ready for a bike ride.

 

[si_c]

No, it's a necessity when your commute is long enough: you need cycling-specific clothing for the ride, otherwise the saddle sores can get pretty nasty. Or if you were talking about sweating, you also need a change of clothes for the longer commutes.

It depends what you mean by long enough commute. I regularly extend my commute to 20 or so miles, and usually do so in jeans.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

It depends what you mean by long enough commute. I regularly extend my commute to 20 or so miles, and usually do so in jeans.

Mine's about 30km each way, and if I didn't use padded lycra pants, the saddle sores would be horrendous. So I was just pointing out that your assumption about a change of clothes for cycle commutes being a "choice" is wrong, because it is in fact necessary for many people.

 

[mjr]

If you can't ride unpadded without saddle sores, the saddle doesn't fit or possibly the position is slightly off IMO.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

ride in…

get dressed (in lycra)
pack civvies/lunch
reconnect cree light
switch on all lights
switch on garmin
ride to work
lock bike
remove lezyne rear light, cree battery and garmin
put shoe cleat covers on
get showered/changed

ride home

change back into lycra
unlock bike
re-attach lezyne rear light, cree battery and garmin
remove shoe cleat covers
switch on all lights
switch on garmin
ride home

 

[keithmac]

Get dressed for work, roll bike out of house, switch on e-battery and cycle to work past stationary traffic..

Roll bike out of work, switch on e-battery, front and real lights ride home past sationary traffic..

I've driven to work in the past and even when it's p1ssing it down the bike is by far the best option!.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Mine's about 30km each way, and if I didn't use padded lycra pants, the saddle sores would be horrendous. So I was just pointing out that your assumption about a change of clothes for cycle commutes being a "choice" is wrong, because it is in fact necessary for many people.

I don't even wear padded shorts for my 50-60 mile Sunday rides, never have, the fact is that not everybody has problems with saddle sores, I've never had any in 40 plus years of cycling, so a lot of people can make a choice between going padded or not.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I don't even wear padded shorts for my 50-60 mile Sunday rides, never have, the fact is that not everybody has problems with saddle sores, I've never had any in 40 plus years of cycling, so a lot of people can make a choice between going padded or not.

Yes, I agree, it affects some but not others. My post was in response to a post in which the assumption was made that nobody should need to wear lycra, an assumption which in my opinion is wrong.

 

[freiston]

From what I can gather, saddle sores are what people get when they cycle for further than the distance they are used to cycling without padded shorts and are what people who wear padded shorts get when they cycle without padded shorts

After years out of the saddle, I have recently discovered saddle sores but find that as long as I avoid thick seams in the nether region, my resilience increases in line with my frequency and distance of riding.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

From what I can gather, saddle sores are what people get when they cycle for further than the distance they are used to cycling without padded shorts and are what people who wear padded shorts get when they cycle without padded shorts

After years out of the saddle, I have recently discovered saddle sores but find that as long as I avoid thick seams in the nether region, my resilience increases in line with my frequency and distance of riding.

Fair enough, I respect your opinion, but don't agree with it.

 

[burntoutbanger]

I think the choice of clothes people make (lycra and change / normal work clothes) is also very much dependant on what kind of job you have.
I have a very physical job so I will be sweating within ten minutes of starting work anyway, I ride to work in my work clothes. If I had to sit in an office all day I may well cycle in in lycra.