First Week

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Dilbert

Active Member
Location
Blackpool
Well after months of procrastination this week I started cycle commuting. Only a short week due to BH and having tomorrow leave. Managed 5 11 mile trips over the last three days at an average speed of 12.06 Mph. I learned:
  • I need to work on my traffic skills and get out of car driver mode
  • I need to learn to inflate presta valves without snapping the tops off (hence only 5 trips not 6 - had to be rescued by Mrs Dilbert:blush:)
  • On road cycle paths are just a way of marking where all the rubbish is
  • If you walk through the office in cycling shorts you get the p!$$ taken

Short week (two days) next week due to leave and then hopefully I will be steady four days a week
 
Im doing a 7 day commute...two done.
 

boydj

Legendary Member
Location
Paisley
Well done!

Actually, car driver mode is quite a good way of commuter cycling. You are part of the traffic, so nothing wrong with taking similar road positions on a bike - as long as you are not holding up the motorised traffic unnecessarily. The one big advantage is the ability to filter, so make the most of it.
 

potsy

Rambler
Location
My Armchair
Good stuff dilbert,good time of year to be starting too.I started similar time last year after all the nasty winter weather was gone:biggrin:
 

scouserinlondon

Senior Member
boydj said:
Well done!

Actually, car driver mode is quite a good way of commuter cycling. You are part of the traffic, so nothing wrong with taking similar road positions on a bike - as long as you are not holding up the motorised traffic unnecessarily. The one big advantage is the ability to filter, so make the most of it.

This

I pride myself on the art of stopping in traffic and just passing all the idiots who tried to kill themselves getting to the front risking life and limb on the way.
 

Gains

New Member
Nice one Dil keep up the good work! Youve scared me with the valves now - I was trying to pump mine up last night and the bike was shaking, i was shaking, even the wall was shaking when i was getting close to 100!lol didnt snap mind you thankfully!!!

Im getting close to trying my commute soon too so good luck to both of us - and the weather to hold out!! :tongue:
 

cyberknight

As long as I breathe, I attack.
Well Done !!

With presta valves i find the standard mini pumps a nightmare as you cannot get enough pressure in the tyres and i had the same problem with snapping valves,i only carry one for emergencies and use a track pump to check tyre pressures.
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
As Boydj said - car driver mode is good.

If you think like a motorist it will help you anticipate dangers and driver behaviour.

However, where you need to stop thinking like a driver is your route planning. Drivers opt for quickest (fastest travelling) routes?

As a cyclist you have the benefit of going into quiet residential streets, parks and roads cordoned off with bollards (but unrestricted to cyclists).
 
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Dilbert

Dilbert

Active Member
Location
Blackpool
Cheers guys

I have a Joe Blow Sport Track pump at home which is brilliant but I had a flat coming out of work and managed to break the valves on two tubes, mostly by being cack handed. Part of the problem was one of the tubes had a short valve which are not really suitable for my rims:blush:, but I am seriously considering a frame pump.

Despite the wind and a bit of rain it has been enjoyable although I ached a bit this morning.

Gains - this is definitely the time of year to start, the weather doesn't look to bad for the next couple of weeks and petrol now seems to be more expensive than buying Chanel No 5 in a gold plated bottle - go for it.
 

MGBLemonrider

Active Member
Location
Stevenage, Herts
I have also managed to break the tops off Presta valves, luckily the second one decided not to deflate so was able to make my way home on it. Not sure if poor manufacture or I was being particularly cack handed that day, other wise I would have had to break out the patches.
I keep a second track pump in my locker at work- just up graded from a value (£7)tesco's one - rubbish push on presta adapater and no guague - to a better on out of Halfords twin head and guage.
The mini pump is on the bike for roadside use but will be changed to a road morph style in due course.
 
Well done, nice when you finally do it and realise it's not going to kill you ;)
Were the people taking the mick in the office slenderellas or could they have done with losing a pound or six? If they are the latter, take the mick back (or just ignore 'em).
The reason I'm looking at buying a Topeak Turbo Morph pump is because my current mini pump isn't really good enough for the tyres on my soon-to-be new bike and my mini pump attaches directly to the presta valves, and while I've not snapped one off before I've certainly bent the pin and locknut. A pump with an adaptor hose in the answer, as none of the pumping force being shoved into the pump by you gets transferred to the valve stem.
 

mcshroom

Bionic Subsonic
Well done on completing your first week.;)

I only started in January and I can still remember how chuffed I was as I pulled up at home. Unlike me though you chose the sensible option of not starting at -5oC (who decided to have new years resolutions in the winter? :smile:)

On the pump front I've got an Oxford mini floor pump which has a hose that comes out so I can't break the valves. Seems to work ok for my hybrid but it's not the lightest pump in the world. Also have a bikehut track pump at home to make sure though.
 
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Dilbert

Dilbert

Active Member
Location
Blackpool
Cheers for the kind words and advice. I think it was the sudden sight of my knees so early in the morning that did it, all good natured stuff. There are a few people in the office on the edge of starting so I am hoping to set an example, as I live a fair distance away compared to some. We are also trying to get one of our unused disabled loos converted into a shower.

I am going to get a pump with a hose, as I can't see my technique improving too soon and it doesn't take many snapped valves to justify the cost of one. I am not too bothered about a bit of extra weight as it will be dwarfed by my additional weight, at least for the time being.
 
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