first ever commute

[iLB]

well i've done it, after much deliberation i decided to start cycling to school and today was my first outing. it's not too bad a commute really (if i can call it that going to school....) its a 40 mile round trip and takes me a little over an hour each way- which isn't a bad pace with a rucksack on and a couple of- shall we say interesting hill climbs, one of which is straight over the north downs...

but i made it home still alive, despite the best efforts of a coach driver to knock me off each time he passed me along the route this morning . only one mechanical, although fairly major, my left STI lever seems to have broken- in that when i want to shift from the small front cog to the large one it will pull on the cable but the previously audible click is now absent and so the change will not occur...? can this be fixed?

andy

 

[fossyant]

Well cone on the distance - with the STI lever check for cable snag, and give the mechanism a good squirt of lube

 

[ianrauk]

Nice one Andy.. you scooted up that hill last saturday... however take it easy if you are doing 5 days a week. A few weeks and you will soon start to build up some muscley bulk... you skinny little whippit

 

[DJ]

Well mdone on those hills

 

[arallsopp]

Congratulations mate. Always nice to know you're getting the miles in as part of the daily grind. Means that you keep fit, even if it rains

I find a baseline 100 miles per week gives an excellent foundation to any kind of training work / long distance ride. Infact, with your Gibraltar trip, I'd be tempted to say you could probably use your commute as a base, and learn as you go on the actual trip.

I'm a believer in the "No point prolonging the agony" approach

 

[ChrisKH]

Well done Andy. Time to get yourself some proper road shoes.

PS Bring the Spesh back to Essex in the summer when I get to use my shiny one, I need to be sure it's my heavy winter bike that's making me slow and not that I'm getting too old and past it.

 

[Freewheeler]

...it's not too bad a commute really (if i can call it that going to school....) its a 40 mile round trip...
andy

Yeah, I reckon you can call that a commute

 

[Aperitif]

Big kms Andy - be careful out there! Remember it's a journey - not a race...well, most of the time anyway!

 

[martinwf5]

Well done !! and thats coming from me that does a 7 mile round trip, if that, i only started commuting properly 4 weeks ago, last year i was doing 1 day a week, but prior to that i hadnt been on a bike since school. 20 years ago,

Although this week i've done an alternative route that takes nearly an hour longer, everyday gets easier, and i love it, wish i had made the change to commuting years ago,

Good Luck,
Martin

 

[HLaB]

Well done Andy, that's a fair distance and a good time. How many days a week do you think you'll manage it?

I think I've had a similar problem with my rapid fire shifters, the cable has slackened a bit and the mechanism front derailleur needed a good clean and greasinig.

 

[gary r]

i used to do a 40 mile commiute 2 or 3 times a week during the winter (depending on the weather) & 3 or 4 times a week through spring/summer.I had to stop as i had to get home pronto to pick the kids up when the mrs started working.THAT WAS A YEAR AGO.The weight has piled on,I feel sluggish/tired & a bit depressed!Looking to start riding again soon,but not looking forward to the suffering i will have to go through.I need a few shorter rides to biuld up my fitness again.Keep up the good work!

 

[iLB]

Well done Andy, that's a fair distance and a good time. How many days a week do you think you'll manage it?

I think I've had a similar problem with my rapid fire shifters, the cable has slackened a bit and the mechanism front derailleur needed a good clean and greasinig.

Well its Thursday now so thats 3 days in a row, and being only 17 i don't seem to be feeling it at all . i won't be doing it tomorrow as i wont be coming home after school (out on the lash u c ), hopefully doing a ride on Sunday and then back to commuting on Monday-looking at doing it every day next week, and can't wait its much better than paying through the nose for a train ticket .