First commute today

[bigup]

hi all,

so after a few weeks of thinking i decided to commute to work today, wanting to save some money on fuel and just the exercise i thought why not!

couldn't sleep last night lol, got up early, had my weetabix and off i set.

firstly its incredible the amount of exhaust fumes you can smell, really nasty.

my biggest fear was getting to work and being all sweaty as we don't have a shower here.

as im quite unfit (5ft 9", 84kg) i took it easy, i prepped well by buying some short bibs, cycling jersey top, base layer, gloves, shades and some tracky bottoms, i didn't want to get too warm and also stocked up with some wet wipes from Asda.

anyway, here are my stats for first time ever commute in my life:



its not all bout the stats though, i don't feel tired which is very surprising but that may be a delayed reaction.

not looking forward to riding home after a hard days work lol

Thanks for listening.

 

[ianrauk]

Well done. You do know that once you start commuting by bike it only gets better and better. You are now in a downward spiral of n+1 and all the gear that goes with it.

As to no showers.
Babywipes are the answer as you have found out. A rub down with a couple of those will have you smelling fresh as a daisy.

Oh yeah.. get rid of the trakkies and get some air and sun on yer legs.

 

[GlasgowGaryH]

You have done the hard part of commuting,thats starting day one. It gets easier and you will get fitter. Well done.

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

Babywipes are the answer as you have found out. A rub down with a couple of those will have you smelling fresh as a daisy.

Two! That's a bit extravagant, don't you think?

Well done, bigup, by the way.

 

[bigup]

thanks

yeh i was not going to wear the trakies but i felt a bit cold this morning (7am) but i will try without them on way home today.

 

[kalaika]

Well done bigup. I can appreciate where you are coming from as I've only started commuting recently myself, but you've done the hard bit in starting it off! Keep it up!

 

[clarion]

Good one.

Don't worry about the lack of showers. Most of the sweat is in the couple of minutes after stopping. Go & sit on the bog for a few minutes, and that'll pass. Then you can have a wash in a sink. Keep soap & deodorant at work with a stock of clothes. It's all good.

 

[endoman]

Well done, it gets easier, I'm two weeks into my 15 mile of commuting and it's getting easier. Doing both ways today and tomorrow, with a longer return planned tomorrow.

 

[carolonabike]

Well done!

I understand about feeling apprehensive about the ride home, but don't worry about it. You'll be more relaxed, after all you've done it once already. In a week or so, once your body has adjusted and you've got the hang of your timings, why not try and find a more scenic route home. That's what I do. There's no better way to de stress after a day at work and riding home on a sunny evening makes me very happy . My scenic route is also longer so it also adds a few more miles to my weekly mileage tally. Which also makes me happy.

I'm off the bike for a few days due to a cold and that makes me grumpy .

 

[Hip Priest]

Nice one mate. I started commuting a few weeks back and I'm really enjoying it. I come on here a lot and view the vids on the Silly Cyclists blog - very helpful in learning the ropes.

 

[Chrismawa]

Nice one, you'll start to get addicted! As others have said it gets easier, and you have started at the best time of year unlike I did in the winter lol

 

[BrumJim]

Well done. Perfect starter commuter distance - seasoned commuting pros prefer somewhere around the 10 mile mark, but you do the same distance as me. Get a few longer rides in during the weekend so that the commute isn't the longest distance that you ever do (helps with fitness), and don't be afraid to have a day in the car if the weather is against you or legs are complaining too much. Recovery days are good for you.

But otherwise, stick at it, and watch those times fall. And get fit in time for winter.

 

[CharlieB]

…and you'll find in short time, that on the fine days, you take longer routes and random turnings just to see where it takes you and to get those few more miles in, as I and a lot of others on here do. You may even find a route that's a little more fume-free.

Nice one, bigup.

ps, What's the app?

 

[bigup]

thanks guys your advice is much appreciated

app is cyclemeter, pretty impressive:

http://www.abvio.com/cyclemeter/

 

[515mm]

Chapeau Bigup!


But you do realise that it doesn't get any easier.............





















....................you just get faster!