I wouldn't do that now....

[Boris Bajic]

I go back many years to my student years. I commuted to lectures in Bloomsbury by bicycle or motorcycle and in those far off days before parenthood and cycle computers, I had the time to fret about covering the distance at the greatest possible speed.

Bicycle was usually faster than motorcycle, but that's another story - and was only so because I felt able to ignore traffic signals when cycling.

But I digress... One of the pointless time-savers I was most pleased about was my route of entry into the Senate House Car Park via the NW corner of Russell Square. There was a car barrier in front of the SOAS building which it was a pain to ride round, so I swung a leg over the bike, squatted on the left side of the frame with my head next to the cross bar and my hands reaching up to the hoods and whipped under the barrier before swinging back into the saddle. The bicycle had to be cranked fairly far over to stay on two wheels, but it worked remarkably well. It could save as much as three or four seconds on a 30-minute journey.

I ride past similar barriers to this day without ever feeling the inclination to pass beneath them at speed.

I am now a former cycle commuter, but do any others recognise that things they did in their twenties are now simply either unthinkable or best avoided?

 

[Lee_M]

Riding up Smithdown Road in Liverpool everyday 1981-1984 on the way to University.

It's a wonder I survived

 

[fossyant]

Nope, no big changes here.

I did used to do a 20 mile each way commute, with racing at weekends. Very rarely did I manage a full week on the bike as my legs would be killing - more down to age and ability to process lactic acid with the miles covered. The miles are less of an issue now, but I don't race.

I did however, manage plenty of winters on normal tyres, but not in snow. I was perfectly happy on frosty roads, where the frost built up on 23mm tyres. Now that all changed when I wiped out on black ice 3 times on a 20 mile journey. That stopped me for a number of years until I discovered spiked tyres - just not worth a broken hip, and I'm 20 years older now and don't bounce quite as well.

I've never pulled any 'stunts' as I've always ridden road bikes with clipless pedals, even from 16, so scooting under barriers was likely to be tricky and potentially expensive (had good bikes from age 16 as I was working).

One thing that doesn't stop me now is the weather. OK my distances are less, but I'd get up realise it was chucking it down, and go to bed for another hour before driving in. I just ride now !

I tend to have more kit though, rather than just shove on extra layers - i.e. tops for warm, cool, cold and down right freezing.

 

[fossyant]

Ah, riding into Manchester up and down the A6 via Levenshulme and Longsight. If I use the A6, I turn off at Levenshulme, as it's like a battle ground North of there. Knocked that on the head after an RTA saw me do superman impressions.

 

[Mugshot]

Back in the old days I'd time my commute to my part time job in Tescos by seeing how few songs I got through on "Under A Blood Red Sky" which is a live album by Irish rock combo U2. The album would be at full volume through my Walkman as I tore through the mean streets of Newport, oblivious to anything and everything around me, although I never jumped red lights. I can't remember now what my record was for the journey but I know that I wouldn't listen to music through ear phones whilst on the bike now (certainly not at that volume) whilst riding with such reckless abandon. However, for me the question should be what couldn't you do now? That for me would be achieving and maintaining the speeds I could then whilst demonstrating the fearless and instinctive bike handling which has now deserted me.

 

[Leodis]

I once used my water bottle whilst riding!!

 

[tadpole]

I used to cycle on my rights, i.e. not even look at the traffic waiting to enter the roundabout that I was already on, because I was in “the right”, I’d cycle in the gutter as I was told it made me safer, I rode on the major by-pass, as there was no law to stop me.

That was before, before I found myself looking up at the bottom of a ladies car, the catalytic converter burning paint off my bike, and the weight of the car nicely held by the pedals and frame. My broken bones grinding and ticking in tune to the weight of the hot engine as it slowly pushed the pedals in to the tarmac of the road allowing the weight of the car to settle onto my already broken leg/arm/back.
Now I do the opposite, I ride in Primary or even super primary as it is safer than the gutter and I’m looked at every car and every driver, watching for “that look”, that “subtle hint” that they may just be looking the wrong way as they pass the junction or join the roundabout

 

[Kookas]

I once used my water bottle whilst riding!!

I always thought that was what you're supposed to do, which is why the bottles are so easily accessible.

 

[Fnaar]

I was about 22, I cycled 35+ miles for a party and the promise of a "liaison", both of which took place, then cycled home the following morning, then straight out to work.

 

[Hip Priest]

Back in the old days I'd time my commute to my part time job in Tescos by seeing how few songs I got through on "Under A Blood Red Sky" which is a live album by Irish rock combo U2. The album would be at full volume through my Walkman as I tore through the mean streets of Newport, oblivious to anything and everything around me, although I never jumped red lights. I can't remember now what my record was for the journey but I know that I wouldn't listen to music through ear phones whilst on the bike now (certainly not at that volume) whilst riding with such reckless abandon. However, for me the question should be what couldn't you do now? That for me would be achieving and maintaining the speeds I could then whilst demonstrating the fearless and instinctive bike handling which has now deserted me.

That takes me back.

When I was about 14, I used to cycle to my friend's house with Nirvana's 'Nevermind' on my walkman (ask yer nan kids). If I went absolutely flat out, I could get there by the end of Smells Like Teen Spirit. I used the pavements to get around traffic lights and junctions.

Wouldn't do that now!

 

[Glow worm]

The titanium plate in my shoulder from my yoof, 15 or so years ago is a constant reminder to me that cycling 'refreshed' 18 miles home from the office Christmas party at 2 in the morning was not the wisest of moves!

 

[Chris-H]

When in was a young teenager,about 13 ish all my mates had bmx's and i had a racing bike with flat bars fitted,many times i hurtled across a field as fast as i possible could to launch myself off a homemade ramp to see if i could clear the stream which thankfully i did,also we used to go to a woods with a huge drop which lead to a large mud ramp,the air we used to get was tremendous,all of that on skinny road wheels,how they did'nt collapse was beyond me !! Would'nt even consider it on my mtb now.

 

[Browser]

Getting airborne over a homemade ramp of a wooden board stood on bricks out in our front street on my homebuilt mess-about machine, 'til my left foot slipped off the very shiny old rubber block pedal and it came into contact with terra firma first, taking the full descending dynamic load of me plus bike. Result? One sprained ankle.
Riding with just one fixed light front and one rear and assuming motorists could see me.
Thinking that I was the dogs danglies when I started work and had earned enough money to buy a brand-new Emmelle Cortina MTB.

 

[snailracer]

Cycling home in the dark, holding a tiny rectangular pocket torch in my hand and actually being able to see because I was a kid and had awesome night vision.

 

[Davidc]

When a student I cycled up Bristol's Blackboy Hill almost every day for 2 years.

Can't now. It's been made one way, downhill.