Hospital run

[Perry]

Firstly I'm sorry if this is in the wrong section, but was unsure where abouts to post it.

Mum is in hospital and I'm visiting everyday.

I've been using my car (sorry guys) but I really wanna use the bike but I don't want to turn up like a lycra lout.

The journey is only four miles so I don't need too much flash gear.

Also, it costs £2.00 to park!

Any suggestions?

 

[mknash]

Cycle casually, thus avoiding the need for lycra?

 

[swee'pea99]

Sorry to hear about your mum. But as MkN says, surely you can wear civi's and cycle gently...?

 

[upsidedown]

Can you wear some blue trousers and a blue t-shirt ? Put the bike on a trolley, cover in a white sheet and wheel it up to the ward ?

 

[XmisterIS]

Pootle in gently - you could do the four miles in 24 minutes at 10mph - which is hardly any speed at all - that's my "warm up" speed for getting the legs ready for some real cycling!

 

[accountantpete]

Bike clips - but for god's sake take them off when arriving at the hospital!

 

[rh100]

No law that says you have to wear lycra

Try it in jeans, and a cycle jacket to cover the builders bum (or is that just me ) You may like it! Might get a bit sweaty but it's not for far.

Get well soon to your mum by the way

 

[SavageHoutkop]

I have a black coloured merino top for such occasions, because it's black it looks alright. For a jacket, hospitals should be fairly warm, so cycle in whatever you normally use & shove it in a pannier/bag/whatever on arrival. For bottoms, I don't have any special cycling kit; seeing as I don't cycle too fast/hard; if you don't pedal too fast anything should do (getting drenched aside, so take waterproofs incase). With the old trousers tucked into the sock trick...

 

[threebikesmcginty]

If you pootle, regular clothes are fine for four miles - a gentleman on his roadster wouldn't have worn lycra.
I'd also like to second the 'trouser leg tucked into the sock method'

 

[snorri]

The journey is only four miles so I don't need too much flash gear.
Also, it costs £2.00 to park!
Any suggestions?

Get out there in your ordinary clothes, and welcome to the world of utility cycling.

 

[661-Pete]

Four miles is nothing! Regular clothes, as the others have advised.

When my mother was hospitalized seven years ago (terminally), I often had to go by car, as you do, but like you I found the car park fee exorbitant. So I sometimes took the train then cycled. The nearest station to the hospital was particularly cyclist-unfriendly, so I took to getting off at the stop before: this meant an eight-mile ride each way. I never wore cycling kit for this: indeed I used to go straight from work. Main trouble was, no cycle parking at the hospital, not even any convenient railings, so the best I could do was find a drainpipe somewhere.

 

[Cathryn]

What am I missing?? You can easily do 4 miles in normal clothes. Just take some wet wipes or make a beeline for the loos and do some splashing when you get there. Do it!! You can even wear TRAINERS!!!

 

[Campfire]

4 miles isn't enough to get sweaty if you cycle at a reasonable pace. I used to do that to work & just change with a quick flick of a few baby wipes.
I have to have regular eye checks at the hospital and try to use the bike as firstly the car park is so crowded & you can spend half an hour finding somewhere, and the costs are appaling. The money doesn't go to the hospital either. If I do have to go in the car, as it would take 3 buses otherwise) I park about 10 minutes walk away down the street I used to work in. But cycling in is easier.
I think that's why I stopped using the road bike, you can get away with more normal clothing on a MTB with semi slick tyres. Yes, socks tucked in for me too but the minutes I'm off the bike the trousers are out!!! Don't want to look like a Chav!
I hope your Mum soon feels better. It's horrible when they're in hospital. I had that last year with my Dad.

 

[661-Pete]

Normal clothing is perfectly all right for road bikes too! And since I don't ride clipless shoes are not an issue. And I too am a 'socks' person.

 

[Globalti]

*VIZ suggestion*

Ride out in front of a truck and get taken to hospital by ambulance. You will avoid parking fees and spend extra time with your Mum.