Miquel In De Rain
No Longer Posting
All of those apart from the money saving thing.Feel like I must cycle commute whenever possible now.
Fixed that for me,
how do you feel you benefit from commuting to and from work?
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All of those apart from the money saving thing.Feel like I must cycle commute whenever possible now.
Fixed that for me,
How far do you travel to work cycling?
I do 7 miles each way and dont get cold,extremities like fingers get a bit nippy but nothing i cannot handle.
A breakdown on my normal winter kit is as follows.
Inexpensive skull cap under my helmet.
Buff around the neck and over the nose if its really cold.
Long sleeved cycling jersey(not an expensive one)Or short sleeved one with arm warmers.
Altura windproof gloves,or normally fingerless gloves as i prefer them.
Night vision jacket.
Cycling tights,and normal trainer socks.All of these suffice quite well as after the first 1/2 mile i am warmed up.With regards to rain (which i know we have had a lot of)I don't bother with waterproofs as you get just as wet with them on due to sweating.I can usually get them dry at work ready for the commute home
I do 7 miles each way and dont get cold,extremities like fingers get a bit nippy but nothing i cannot handle.
A breakdown on my normal winter kit is as follows.
Inexpensive skull cap under my helmet.
Buff around the neck and over the nose if its really cold.
Long sleeved cycling jersey(not an expensive one)Or short sleeved one with arm warmers.
Altura windproof gloves,or normally fingerless gloves as i prefer them.
Night vision jacket.
Cycling tights,and normal trainer socks.All of these suffice quite well as after the first 1/2 mile i am warmed up.With regards to rain (which i know we have had a lot of)I don't bother with waterproofs as you get just as wet with them on due to sweating.I can usually get them dry at work ready for the commute home
mattsr
Senior Member
- Location
- Chichester, West Sussex
Like wis dom above, the cold is not really a problem is you've got the right gear- and neither is rain....actually I quite enjoy it! And I find it's always worse thinking about it than actually just getting out there and pedalling. Overboots, overtrousers, gloves and jacket and it's fine. I don't get on with balaclavas or buffs that cover the nose and mouth, because they very quickly become clammy from my breathing, which I find most unpleasant. Also my glasses tend to steam up!
One of the things I like about year roud cycling is that one really feels the changing seasons as you cycle through them. And after a cold, wet ride home it's lovely to get into a nice hot bath, preferably with a glass of something.....
One of the things I like about year roud cycling is that one really feels the changing seasons as you cycle through them. And after a cold, wet ride home it's lovely to get into a nice hot bath, preferably with a glass of something.....
400bhp
Guru
I absolute love commuting by bike. I only realised this a few weeks ago when I was unfortunate enough to have to take the tram to work.
I am more or less in control of the length of time for my journey.
I am in control of the way I take to get to and from work.
I can go where cars cannot go.
I enjoy planning different routes to and from work and like to learn more about the local area
STRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I keep fit.
I occasionally chat to other commuters.
I sometimes feel smug when someone at work bemoans the fact it took them x minutes to commute in by car/a road was closed off/nowhere to park/price of petrol/price of trams/train/car parking.
I am more or less in control of the length of time for my journey.
I am in control of the way I take to get to and from work.
I can go where cars cannot go.
I enjoy planning different routes to and from work and like to learn more about the local area
STRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I keep fit.
I occasionally chat to other commuters.
I sometimes feel smug when someone at work bemoans the fact it took them x minutes to commute in by car/a road was closed off/nowhere to park/price of petrol/price of trams/train/car parking.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Like wis dom above, the cold is not really a problem is you've got the right gear- and neither is rain....actually I quite enjoy it! And I find it's always worse thinking about it than actually just getting out there and pedalling. Overboots, overtrousers, gloves and jacket and it's fine. I don't get on with balaclavas or buffs that cover the nose and mouth, because they very quickly become clammy from my breathing, which I find most unpleasant. Also my glasses tend to steam up!
One of the things I like about year roud cycling is that one really feels the changing seasons as you cycle through them. And after a cold, wet ride home it's lovely to get into a nice hot bath, preferably with a glass of something.....
I find my pint of Stella gets rather warm and weak in the shower :giggle
Hip Priest
Veteran
I remember one afternoon last year, we had a biblical downpour of rain.The skies darkened and the heavens opened. Everyone in the office said "Ooh, I wouldn't like to be on the bike tonight ha!". We all left at 5pm.
Those who got public transport got home, on average, at about 9pm
Those who drove, about 10pm.
I got home at half five as usual, dried meself off with a towel, and had my tea.
Hicky
Guru
Faster than car or train door to door no matter what tome I setoff, no petrol cost and lower milage and less wear and tear on the car.
No need to go to the gym so it isn't commuting time, it is workout time that happens to get me places.
The kids want to get out there also for a spin no matter the weather( my youngest in my avatar managed a 5ish mile ride at the age of 4 this weekend) somethings don't have a price!
No need to go to the gym so it isn't commuting time, it is workout time that happens to get me places.
The kids want to get out there also for a spin no matter the weather( my youngest in my avatar managed a 5ish mile ride at the age of 4 this weekend) somethings don't have a price!
Sheffield_Tiger
Legendary Member
It means that I can be simply a fat bloke instead of a ****ing fat *****rd (though sometimes calls from passing chavmobiles challenge this), whilst still enjoying chinese takeaways and copious quantities of ale
And I usually get to work quicker and more awake
It'll do for me, I have no wish to be King of the Mountains.
And I usually get to work quicker and more awake
It'll do for me, I have no wish to be King of the Mountains.
slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
I used to drive the five and a half miles to work in west London. Even in London traffic, it was faster than public transport and the van is paid for by my company so didn't cost me a bean. It was no fun though, and there was no way of telling how long it would take. I've been doing the same trip by bike for about four years now, and I really hate the rare occasions when I have to drive it. I don't care about the weather...I'm waterproof. Best of all, it's fantastic fun riding in traffic. I arrive at work and at home feeling really positive about life, rather than a bit yucky from the motorised trip. Here's a snippet from Fab Foodie's post. [ #26, on this thread....http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/melanie-phillips-article-in-todays-daily-mail.119070/post-2187294]
"They detest the very fact that the commute they hate is our temporary playground, our reason for getting out of bed."
Yes, it really does feel like a playground!
"They detest the very fact that the commute they hate is our temporary playground, our reason for getting out of bed."
Yes, it really does feel like a playground!
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Only a few weeks ago....
Gets out with the big inflatable banana and slaps you with it .....
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Can't believe I haven't bored you with it here just yet...
Cycled since young, been serious since 16, joined club. Did some commutes by bike, and car mainly as we car shared..yup 30 years ago.
Cycled with club and week nights for training, and work commutes when not doing dirty car things.
Moved out to a job 20 miles away so did about 3 or 4 days cycle commutes with racing at weekend, killed my legs being early 20s. Then got job in Manchester so commuted on A6 and was superman smashed off, wife not happy. I was mid 20's.. Commute then changed as I got jobs 30 miles from home with lots of travelling and some smashing company cars..... Very soon hissed off with that as the cycling was hit.
Had a very frank conversation with wife about me cycling to work again, ie risk of another big smash, yes we lost car, me happy, but I was in a smash pretty soon again.
I won't look back, crap happens, it does hiss me off,and I now realise it takes a long time to recover if you are not 20 anymore, but I still feel that age. Bring it on.
Cycled since young, been serious since 16, joined club. Did some commutes by bike, and car mainly as we car shared..yup 30 years ago.
Cycled with club and week nights for training, and work commutes when not doing dirty car things.
Moved out to a job 20 miles away so did about 3 or 4 days cycle commutes with racing at weekend, killed my legs being early 20s. Then got job in Manchester so commuted on A6 and was superman smashed off, wife not happy. I was mid 20's.. Commute then changed as I got jobs 30 miles from home with lots of travelling and some smashing company cars..... Very soon hissed off with that as the cycling was hit.
Had a very frank conversation with wife about me cycling to work again, ie risk of another big smash, yes we lost car, me happy, but I was in a smash pretty soon again.
I won't look back, crap happens, it does hiss me off,and I now realise it takes a long time to recover if you are not 20 anymore, but I still feel that age. Bring it on.
My bike paid for itself in 6 months, now only have one general purpose car. I can now divert somewhere between £3k-£5k per year to other things. It got my wife into cycling and she's massively reduced her car usage. Another £2k per year saved. Its changed the way we look at things and we have come to realise how inefficient and wasteful other aspects of our lives are.
Extreme weather is a challenge, man v nature. Sense of accomplishment and satisfaction at doing something as simple as getting to work. Most people are still asleep when they drive to work. Untold benefits other than financial. Praise from co-workers "you cycled to work in THIS?!" It's made me realise that skinny can mean just as unhealthy as fat. I now take far more care of my body and general health as currently its the only body I've got.
My commute times never ever vary by more than ±5 mins, for nearly 2 years now.
I now absolutely love road works and traffic jams.
through the wonder of a bit of forward planning and bike+train I can now visit friends and family at all ends of the country loads cheaper than driving umpty hundred miles.
I am now acutely aware of minor fluctuations in temperature, wind strength and direction, and see the seasons changing, something I've never really noticed before.
Extreme weather is a challenge, man v nature. Sense of accomplishment and satisfaction at doing something as simple as getting to work. Most people are still asleep when they drive to work. Untold benefits other than financial. Praise from co-workers "you cycled to work in THIS?!" It's made me realise that skinny can mean just as unhealthy as fat. I now take far more care of my body and general health as currently its the only body I've got.
My commute times never ever vary by more than ±5 mins, for nearly 2 years now.
I now absolutely love road works and traffic jams.
through the wonder of a bit of forward planning and bike+train I can now visit friends and family at all ends of the country loads cheaper than driving umpty hundred miles.
I am now acutely aware of minor fluctuations in temperature, wind strength and direction, and see the seasons changing, something I've never really noticed before.
